I’ve loved LEGO for nearly my whole life. I can remember my first set, which I got as a birthday present. I think I probably built those police vehicles over and over again in various ways maybe a hundred times.

I’ve never gotten rid of any of my LEGO sets and they’ve grown over the years. I started out in the town category, because really that was the majority of what there was back in the 80s. I used to set all my bricks out before me, take my one and only green baseplate, and build a skyscraper as far up as I could go, each level being a different color until I ran out of bricks and had to combine colors on the last few levels. I would even use the flat pieces to keep building upwards until I ran out of bricks. Each skyscraper was always a little different (some had floors at each level, some had windows everywhere, some were open on one side so I could put people & furniture inside).

Then I got a castle set as a present and fell in love immediately. I built dozens of castles over the years. Some were at peace, with the horses lazily grazing in the surrounding fields. Some were at war with drawbridge up and other LEGO forces attacking. When I was in middle school I got my next castle sets as presents and was rather amazed to see how different the LEGO styles had become already. The new bricks were amazing but my heart is still with those sets from the 80s I grew up on.

Lately, most of the sets I’ve bought have been Star Wars or Harry Potter sets. I am actually on a mission to collect all the Harry Potter sets. And I’m a bit miffed that they aren’t making them for the newer movies. Grrr.

I’ve visited local LEGO conventions 4 times now. My first was in Arlington VA in 2005. I’d never seen so many LEGO creations in one place and was utterly amazed at the creativity. The convention was moved the following year and then canceled after that. But someone wasn’t satisfied with letting it stay dead and started a new convention in 2008. I’ve attended as a member of the public and this year–2009– I’m attending for the first time as a participant! It’s been a dream of mine to create something and display it.

So that’s where I stand. I plan to use this journal to showcase my creations, talk about the hobby in general, and explain my adventures in the great big LEGO world.