LEGO

Along with model building, I have another constructive hobby: LEGO.  One of my earliest sets was a basic set my grandparents gave me but what really started my fascination with LEGO was a set my school classmates gave me when I went in to the hospital for my second surgery when I was 8.  The school asked what would be a good thing to give me while I was in the hospital and my mother suggested LEGO because I would be laying down in a bed recovering from surgery and LEGO is also an educational toy that helps to build creativity.  I also would say it helps with improving problem solving and spatial ability.  I was given another larger basic set.  When  I was recovering in the CICU (cardiac intensive care unit) one of the nurses helped me build something out of the  LEGO set.  Together we build a model of the CICU.  Took us a bit of time but was fun.  This began my interest in the toy.

A few years later I had my total correction surgery and brought my LEGO toys with me.  This surgery caused a much longer stay and recovery and I was grateful for the LEGO toys I had.  Around this time my brother began an interest in LEGO also.  Another few years later we began to have issues with sharing them.  Over the years some pieces got lost and there were not too many left to really do anything with them.  With these issues our mother decided to buy each of us our own set and we were not to share the pieces or make one big collection.  This way we each had our own and could not fight over them any more.  LEGO had created some specialized sets in addition to their Basic Sets.  They offered Castle, Town and Space themed sets.  I collected the Town and Space themed sets and my brother collected all three.  We still did get a basic set or two.

As we each grew our collections we amassed a lot of LEGO elements.  We would created things and sometimes share building tips or designs.  I focused mainly on science fiction based designs: spaceships, space stations, etc.  I would do other stuff too.  I've build a Mad Max era truck, an Airwolf inspired helicopter with design elements from my brother, a home/cabin that was based on a design from LEGO and some amusement park rides.  Most of my better designs are from when I was in high school and college.  I still have a few things together that I build back then, over twenty years ago.

It has now become a tradition that almost every time I go in to the hospital I am given a small LEGO set to keep me occupied.  Without the LEGO sets I'd have to find something else to occupy my mind.  There is TV which gets boring after awhile, reading, music, etc.  I do those things too as well as prayer too.  I also like visitors but people cannot always visit all the time.  So LEGO is great for the alone time I have a lot of.

I still build with LEGO at home but not as much as model building.  I also still collect sets but not as frequently as I did as a child.  Recently I've been collection the Star Wars themed sets.  I don't have all but I have quite a few of them.  I even like going to the LEGO store where you can select individual elements and build up the collection with special pieces.  I am very grateful for LEGO and still will collect and play with them.

Some of my sets and creations