I don’t spend much time lamenting the Lego of yore. You know, where you had a box of fairly basic
geometric shapes that when put together formed a thing.

They’ve not been replaced, these basic kits are still around. But alongside these sets are more complex endeavors
with injection-molded bits that curve to fit the needs of the thing. There are entire lines licensed to movie tie-ins.
And there is now a new category to lure young girls into the fray as pictured above. (That’s Emma, she comes with
a clothing design workshop.) Lego also makes some mistakes.

The saving grace is watching my friends’ kids actually play with the plastic building blocks.
They pull pieces together from all these different sets and make their own things to act out their own stories.
It’s heartening.

Somewhat related links:

• David Cole’s Unofficial Taxidermy Deer Lego Kit
• I wouldn’t mind if Lego re-released Set #497 – The Galaxy Explorer
• As soon as I finish Zelda I’m building this VW Bus

My brother gave me these little fellas and they watch over me as I catch up with things at my desk.

Sidenote: I went down a rabbit hole to find out what smurfing meant and the most interesting
version was the bank industry jargon that is a way to launder money.

What’s becoming a tradition: A trip to the Cincinnati Museum Center on Christmas Eve day

I’m always keen to see what the kids are collecting these days.
I don’t get those crazy rubber bands shaped like silhouettes of things,
but I do kinda understand the allure of Gogo’s.

I filled up a little cup of choice bricks at the Lego store up in Kenwood.
I figure they’ll make a nice centerpiece or curio thing to leave out on the coffee table.

Man, they haven’t topped the ol’ “Space” sets from the 80′s.
Keep your fancy Star Wars stuff!

I stayed for dinner with Tom and Wendy and their three kids.
Even though they’re out-numbered, they still manage to function.
I am amazed.

My friends’ daughter is learning about numbers in school. Specifically, the enormity of them.

To wrap young minds around the quanity of 100, Wendy pulled together everybody’s Playmobil
figures for this parade of sorts.