Anyone having a hell of a time in their 'dark ages'?

[Bonn-o-Tron]

First order of business, if you don't know what the 'dark ages' is, it's the period when you're a teenager, and you're not a kid any so Lego isn't as socially acceptable, and you may not have the means to fund your hobby. I'm in my dark ages and it sucks, because my older brothers rip on me all the time for still enjoying Lego, and the FBI insists that we get rid of them because they're taking up 'so much' room. I recently got a job though, so I can actually afford to buy Lego. Anyone else having an arduous time keeping up this hobby?

[Blitzen]

While I am in a predicament similar to your, it is not as similar as it may at first seem. First, with your 'socially acceptable' issue, all my friends, classmates and teachers either find it humourous, have nothing to say on the subject, or take it as an element of my playful juvinility, respectively. As for the funding, I think I'm doing all right. I got $400 Canada smackers of LEGO for Manly Santa Day, so it should last me at least until the end of school when I get more presents. And on your third issue, I too have an older brother. The thing is, he likes LEGO too and has 2 bins <B>full</B> of it. We're going to play Brikwars sometime in the near future, probably when I should be studying for exams. A similarity though is that my mother has a problem with my LEGO. I have four bins of LEGO, my floor is taken up by it, and my dresser is the battlefield of Viking and Castle. So she tells me to 'put it in the basement' and hopes I'll grow out of it by next Manly Santa Day.

[Carrnevil9]

The funny thing is that you think this 'dark age' ends. Sorry to break this to you, but lego isn't an 'appropriate' activity for 'young adults' to partake in. After you pass the suggested ages on the box, expect nothing but grief. Take it from someone who's paying for rent, insurance, etc. This is no dark age, this is peer pressure.

[Bonn-o-Tron]

Hmph, you lucky dog. Frist, everyone I associate with that knows of my side hobby considers it childish or 'just plain stupid', which also leads to the problem that I can't find someone to play Brikwars with. Second, asking for Lego for gifts would only lead to insults and my humiliation, not to mention I have a job so the FBI would tell me to buy it myself. Third, my brothers agree the FBI in the decision that I should rid our house of Lego. Thankfully, they've both gone to university this year, so it leaves me with a spare room to use strictly for Lego purposes.

[Bonn-o-Tron]

The funny thing is that you think this 'dark age' ends. Sorry to break this to you, but lego isn't an 'appropriate' activity for 'young adults' to partake in. After you pass the suggested ages on the box, expect nothing but grief. Take it from someone who's paying for rent, insurance, etc. This is no dark age, this is peer pressure.

True, but when you're older if you live on your own it can make it easier to hide and also it's much easier to meet with other Lego fans (e.g the many conventions and such). Also, when you're older there's a chance you'll be a lot smarter and your engineering skills will be a lot more adept, so if you're capable of constructing marvelous wonders, people's amazement will overcome their redicule towards you. (hopefully).

[Master JJ]

must be extremely lucky then, almost all of my friends love Legos, and all of our rooms are filled with them. the FBI actually thinks it’s a great hobby (building imagination or something), and everyone who doesn’t have legos could care less that I do. One of my friends is almost 19, and he has EVERY Star Wars set EVER made (yes I’m jealous, you are too, admit it), and his mom could care less. Unfortunately, one of my friends wasn't so lucky. His mom decided to break all three of her sons of their "Lego" addiction, so she made the rule, that at 16, you can either give your legos to your younger brother/s and buy a car, or keep the legos and forget getting a car until you give them away. So he gave his little brother all his Legos (and about 200minifigs), but his brother didn't want them. So, they sold them to all the rest of us Lego fanatics, (any minifig for 25cents!) and we bought just about all of them. He made money for the car, and we got more legos. Fortunately for him, we still invite him to all brikwars games, and he can either play, or act as ref (he usually chooses ref, he likes making up rules). He is actually selling me a tub of Lego pieces as soon as he clears it with him parents (an easy sell really, "Hey mom, can I sell more legos to help clear out my room?" "Sure dear.").

[Olothontor]

That paragraph just described my life. Well, okay, except without relationships. But, no job or chores of any sort to support this hobby, which means I only get legos when my parents are feeling generous or during Manly Santa Day/birthdays. Suckage! That, and legos are not socially acceptable. Fortunately, I have it a bit better, because I hang out with the theater geeks, where weird is a lifestyle. Brikwars is nothing compared to some of the things we talk about in the middle of drama class...

But definitely having trouble keeping up with current lego stuff, because i only get stuff maybe five or six times a year. Which is sad, because I need a constant supply of legos to fuel my imagination. It's either that, or I need to be shut off from the rest of the world in a small white room with a metric butt-ton of legos in it with me.

Rough times, rough times.

[james+burgundy]

money give me money that what i need the most of.

[Houndis]

Well, I do have those financial problems as well since I have to buy all my LEGOs myself or slash the price half with my brother. And because we have to save money for the future (you really don't want to be student with no money, you're doomed if you are), we only get 2-3 sets per year, and usually we buy only small, cheap sets. So yeah, it's my dark ages. Plus, here in Finland we lack some great LEGOs, which you can have quite easily.

But from the social issues, I dunno. Only ones I've told my LEGO hobby are my neighbours, who we play BrikWars with, and my family. And my family doesn't have anything against it, 'cause it teaches math and it's really fun. And it keeps us away from computers

[Rayhawk]

These stories are amazing, they're so opposite to my experience. When I was growing up it was socially unacceptable to not like Legos.

Well, I should clarify with two points. First, I grew up in a very techy town. After moving around the country as much as I do now, there are definitely towns where nerdy stuff is way more cool than elsewhere - it usually has to do with the climate and local industry. If it's a coler climate where people stay inside, and the local industry is tech-based or requires high education, then people will kick your ass if you say you don't like Lego. Places like Portland, Boston, Redmod, etc. In a place like Los Angeles, with warm weather, appearance-obsessed culture, and a 100% moron rate, you're much more likely to get funny looks.

The second point is, no matter where I lived, went to school, or worked, if someone didn't like Lego then I made sure they got blacklisted. I know it's inhumane to ostracize people and destroy lives, but I feel that this kind of consideration only applies to humans, not Lego-hating scum. So when I say that hating Lego has always been socially unacceptable it's because I made it socially unacceptable, and woe to anyone who gets in my way.

[King of Brix]

Dan, Nick and Chad like it just as much as I do. Funds are lacking though... And sadly the three people mentioned above are not going to my school, so I'm stuck with a bunch of dickheads who make fun of me for everything else, nevermind LEGO.

[Skinnydude]

Socially unacceptable? Bah, just because I get weird looks when I go to Toys R Us and stand for about 20 minutes just pacing the LEGO aisle before picking something out. Do I mind getting those odd looks? Nope, besides, I enjoy creeping people out.

Besides, most of my friends are either still into them, or slowly starting to phase out (Which means cheap parts for me!). As for money, well, still no job and I rarely get any sets as presents. This basically means I go on huge binges after each major holiday

Ah, and as for that "ditch the LEGO's and get a car" situation, I'd totally keep the LEGO's, I mean, who needs a car when you can just get your friends and parents to drive you around?

[Carda]

Socially unacceptable? Bah, just because I get weird looks when I go to Toys R Us and stand for about 20 minutes just pacing the LEGO aisle before picking something out.

A man after my own heart.

[DarkWolf]

Well, I've only got a few friends, and while none of them are into Lego, they're already the dregs of society (psychopaths, rednecks, double-digit IQs, ect. ect.) so no-one really cares. My grandparents are thrilled that I'm still into Lego, and I've got about 20+ cubic feet of Legos spread around my room and closest, which translates into about ten or so bins. and I've got a book-case, two shelves, and the top of my dresser covered with my creations (though the dresser only has my Imperial-class Star Destoryer (the $300 one with no minifigs, not the smaller one with minifigs))

[LegoEggo]

Socially unacceptable? Bah, just because I get weird looks when I go to Toys R Us and stand for about 20 minutes just pacing the LEGO aisle before picking something out. Do I mind getting those odd looks? Nope, besides, I enjoy creeping people out.

Besides, most of my friends are either still into them, or slowly starting to phase out (Which means cheap parts for me!). As for money, well, still no job and I rarely get any sets as presents. This basically means I go on huge binges after each major holiday

Ah, and as for that "ditch the LEGO's and get a car" situation, I'd totally keep the LEGO's, I mean, who needs a car when you can just get your friends and parents to drive you around?

Pretty much exactly what I was going to say. Except the Toys R Us closed near me, so on the rare occasion that I get to see LEGOs at the store, I could care less what people think of me while I walk down the Barbie isle trying to find LEGO.

And yeah, almost all my friends are nerds. One of them is super-nerd, but his parents are rich, and he's an only child, so he gets LOADS of LEGO - it's no fair.

But yeah, I'm 13, so I can't get a job. Just today, though, my S@H order came. Well, part of it. I don't get sets very often. But, in 4 months, I can get a job. I'm planning on bingeing on about 2000 light gray 2x4s for an awesome castle...