Are you addicted to LEGO? Wish that you weren't?

 

  • Are you addicted to LEGO? Wish that you weren't?

    Posted by Huw, 18 Jun 2012 14:07. Filed under Book review.

    I'm sure there are people reading this that are LEGO addicts and, as a result, they are not leading normal lives, and wish they could turn things around and shake off their addiction.

    If this applies to you, you may be interested in a new book called Brickdiction: A seven step recovery guide for people addicted to LEGO, by Bill Deen

    Like all good self-help and motivational books it lays out seven principles and procedures that you can apply to your life, in this case to recover from your plastic brick addiction. It says that 'recovery will be hard, but it is possible. Have hope...'

    The steps start at admitting you have a problem and end at sharing your journey to recovery with others once you're over it.

    I admit that I am addict myself and, having read the book from cover to cover, I'm seriously considering following the programme to get my life back on track. There, I've completed step one already!

    OK, so you've just read that and thought WTF? Am I really reading this at Brickset? Surely we are all addicts and have no wish to 'recover'? Who is this Bill Deen guy anyway? Billdeen... building... sounds like a pseudonym... there's something fishy going on here!

    Actually, there is. The book is one big joke: it is impossible to recover from brickdiction and who would want to anyway (so it says on the back cover). Now on to the real book review...

    It's a light-hearted tome that gently pokes fun at the world of AFOLs. After laying out the seven steps (which are all written tongue-in-cheek) 'Bill' confesses that he's an addict and explains why, and why he has no intention of ever seeking to recover. At 58 pages long, it's a quick, but fun, read. It would make a great little gift for the LEGO addict in your life. You can buy it as a download, or from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk as a paperback or Kindle edition. Good luck on the road to recovery!


    49 comments, latest one posted 12 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by Toa Of Justice in United States, 18 Jun 2012 15:08

The author's pseudonym reminds me of the character Bill Ding from the classic LEGO Island video game.

Posted by mountebank in United Kingdom, 18 Jun 2012 15:12

I don't suppose nominating Cloud City Boba Fett as your "Higher Power" would be very helpful in recovery would it?

Posted by aquafreak125 in United Kingdom, 18 Jun 2012 15:17

I have a brick addiction...but don't want to cure it! :D

Posted by CapnRex101 in United Kingdom, 18 Jun 2012 15:22

In answer to the title question: Yes...no. What would we all do without Lego?

Posted by Alexdiazb in France, 18 Jun 2012 15:35

Bricka-what???...I propose to creat an Anonymous Brickholics circle to help people to cure his addiction to bricks...

I will start: My name is Alex and I'm brickholic...I buy all that have LEGO words printed...LOOOOL

I think i will enjoy reading that book!! Who on earth wants to stop playing Lego??!!

:D

Posted by Modok in United States, 18 Jun 2012 15:40

Catch-22: Your addiction is Lego books.

Posted by MoonKnight in United States, 18 Jun 2012 16:01

Are you addicted if you dream about them? Lol

Posted by flump in United Kingdom, 18 Jun 2012 16:11

@Huw.....did you just swear??? 8oO No, couldn't have been...not Huw! ;-)

Another one ordered. Thanks Huw.

Posted by TheCahleySlash in United Kingdom, 18 Jun 2012 16:18

I'm 17 and still addicted to Lego! =P
I've gone through the whole kubler ross model... and I have now come to accept my Lego addiction! =)

Posted by Gregorovich in United Kingdom, 18 Jun 2012 16:31

I was actually subconsciously hoping this was real, it would save me a whole lot of time, not to mention money!

That said though, being a brickdict is awfully fun. At times I've considered trying to quit the hobby, but how can you say no to all those little bits of plastic? Haha.

Posted by billywiz in United Kingdom, 18 Jun 2012 16:39

Have just read from cover to cover (just 77p on kindle) this is great, really funny and I have many parallels with the authors addiction, as I am sure many AFOL's would! As a primary school teacher LEGO is amazing and many of the serious learning principles at the end of the book I will be sharing. (love the definition of swooshable)

Posted by voypro in United States, 18 Jun 2012 17:25

Addiction? I can quit anytime I want to.
(no doubt my wife is signing me up now, and secretly contacting all my friends for an intervention)

Posted by EdwinJackson in Norway, 18 Jun 2012 17:53

I dont wish i weren't... But my home do however.

Posted by wunztwice in United States, 18 Jun 2012 18:30

I prefer to be called ABS dependent. I have a medical prescription for it!

Posted by Legoguy29 in United States, 18 Jun 2012 19:15

I hope my wallet doesn't find out about this book...

Posted by byobu in United States, 18 Jun 2012 19:19

I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs. I don't like shoes, jewelry, make-up or designer fashion.
What else am I going to spend my money on? Please let me stick to my Brickdiction.

Posted by MoonKnight in United States, 18 Jun 2012 19:30

Amen byobu, amen...

Posted by Jay Kenobi ZX in United States, 18 Jun 2012 20:44

I'm not ADDICTED. I just like them. A lot. And spend hours building with them. And occaisionally buy one or two. Or three...

Posted by lovelyuba in United States, 18 Jun 2012 20:50

if the economy doesn't get better and job market doesn't improve, we are all soon going to be recovered

Posted by rosney in United States, 18 Jun 2012 21:24

I can quit anytime I feel like it...

Posted by (-)-Crushmaster-(-) in United States, 18 Jun 2012 21:51

Actually, I just read this and wondered why a profane acronym was used, when I don't recall ever seeing profanity on Brickset before...

Posted by Lego_Moose in Canada, 19 Jun 2012 00:00

^ Same here

Posted by The Reviewer in United States, 19 Jun 2012 00:20

I'm 17 and I still like Lego and my addiction is still going strong. @Huw Please do not use the "F" word on Brickset. shame on you! :(

Posted by MoonKnight in United States, 19 Jun 2012 01:33

When he said, "wtf" guys, he meant, "what the flip." No worries.

Posted by Frederick B. in Norway, 19 Jun 2012 01:48

NEVER!

Posted by byobu in United States, 19 Jun 2012 02:04

"WTF" means "Why the Face" --> It refers to the minifigure's face on the cover of the book. See the face? He's freaking out.

Posted by Peter1975 in Netherlands, 19 Jun 2012 03:09

I don't have a 'brick-problem'.

I get up in the morning, eat, drink, built, built, built, built, eat and drink and off to bed.

NO PROBLEM!

Posted by the_real_indy in United States, 19 Jun 2012 03:26

Hahaha... Yes, people usually use pseudonyms when they are discussing their crippling lifestyle addictions!! ;D

I just passed 200 sets, 800 figs, 40 boxes, and 6000 USD... I am thinking *maybe* that is enough!

Seriously, where does that put me on the Richter Scale of Brick Addiction? A "2.0"?

Posted by beegeedee in Ireland, 19 Jun 2012 03:39

@thor_odinson ha ha. I am truly screwed. I remember having a lego dream last night but can't actually remember what...

@TheCahleySlash 17...I feel old. 40 this year. as far as I'm concerned there's no limit on the enjoyment of lego.

Posted by the_real_indy in United States, 19 Jun 2012 03:54

^^ The above post officially counts as "Step 5" for me... Now I am up to "Step 7"!!

It is a fun book, it costs a dollar, and takes 30 minutes to read... And it really could change your life!

And again, is there any one with *LESS* than 200 sets / 800 figs / 40 boxes / 6000 USD? How addicted am I? =D

Posted by BrianOg in France, 19 Jun 2012 04:51

I went nuts on lego last year, spent an awful lot - way too much in fact. I vowed not to buy any this year, and have succeeded thus far - and I've even sold a slightly smaller fortune's worth, but will still keep my lovely trains.

Posted by icey in Denmark, 19 Jun 2012 05:49

Buying above ability, reason or (for the married of us) "permision" is insane. But not enjoying a great hobby is likewise stupid. Moderation is a virtue! And exercizing some selfcontrol once in a while is not only healthy, but also increases the joy when purchasing new sets.

Posted by mission_zed in United Kingdom, 19 Jun 2012 07:06

Does anyone else have an unwritten, varying scale of permissions from their spouse/parents ? I'm allowed to 'buy my son' anything less than £6. Up to £15 for occaisional treat for being good (my son, not me). About £25 if it was on sale for 50% off but it goes under the bed until there is a good reason. Anything above £25 is basically birthdays or Christmas.

And I like the term ABS Dependency, it sounds very clinical. Does that mean I can get the NHS to buy me an Ultimate Ninjago Dragon to stop my cold sweats and palpatations ? (For the not Brits out there, NHS is our National Health Service. Think of it as manadory health insurance run by our Government.)

zed

Posted by Plauge in Austria, 19 Jun 2012 07:42

Ah, nice only 89cents at amazon.de Will be a nice read out in the sun :)

Posted by sharky in United States, 19 Jun 2012 08:58

I prefer the term "Lego maniac" myself. :D

Posted by kenhew in Malaysia, 19 Jun 2012 10:59

I don't know, I don't want to, but I may need to. I mean anything, whether good or bad, if done to the extreme, can be bad...and addiction qualifies as doing something to the extreme, no? A lot of times I will stinge, often eating at home, sometimes even foregoing a meal, buying daily necessities and dragging my payments, so that I can buy Lego. I have credit card debts that I haven't been able to repay for two years, often only able to pay about the mininum, due solely to Lego. Note that before I came out of my dark ages I had zero debts. After I came out of my dark ages, I've been neglecting a lot of things that is not Lego, quit my job and go freelance so that I have more time to spend building Lego, and I have debts amounting to tens of thousands in my currency. My mind is always on Lego. There is not a time when I wasn't thinking about getting sets, what pieces that I need to buy, looking for Lego sales and deals, checking up Brickset every couple of hours. I'm in my 30s and I can't think of anything else to do with my life other than what I'm doing now, playing with Lego. Brick addiction is very real. I'm laughing of course when I found out it was all a joke but funny thing is, when I first saw the title I was actually hoping it's real, that I could perhaps have a read to find out if it's really that bad. Haha, guess I'm bound to this hobby till my eyes can't pick up the difference between sand green and dark tan ;)

Posted by Si_Dorking_Surrey in United Kingdom, 19 Jun 2012 11:59

Shame this book is a joke, I was hoping for the non-fiction version.

Posted by Toa Of Justice in United States, 19 Jun 2012 13:30

Perhaps "WTF" could be re-written as "WTMB" (What the M**a B***s).

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 19 Jun 2012 14:26

@kenhew, you are not alone, believe me. Brickset seems to fuel people's addiction, and for that I am sorry!

Still, nobody's forcing anyone to read it!

Posted by kenhew in Malaysia, 19 Jun 2012 15:12

@Huw, oh no don't be please. Brickset is the top online resource for LEGO and if you should feel anything it should be pride :) My own actions are by my decisions alone, and even I'm not sorry(maybe not yet hah!) for coming out of my dark ages leading to my addiction and my current state. I really didn't mean to get sympathy, just writing what my thoughts were running at that time, my own reflections which was triggered by this post and its title. Least of all I want to spoil anyone's day by reading my sorry tale!

Having said all that, I really don't mind being addicted to LEGO actually. It fuels my creativity, and as a creative person (i'm a 3D artist) it lets me do what most creative person would want to do naturally, to output and create. So in a way LEGO compliments my profession. The other thing about LEGO is that, its value never depreciate. The sets I had as a child, works with everything that I have now, even after 30 years. I can think of no other toy or hobby that has that much of value!

Anyway, should my situation turns dire enough, I can always sell off my sets, it's so liquid and most likely even turn a good amount of profit too. So knowing this is enough to console me and for me to keep on brickin'!

Posted by CamberbrickGreen in United Kingdom, 19 Jun 2012 16:45

Is this the confession area? OK I have also dreamt about Lego - recurring 'golden age' sets that have never existed are usually on a shop shelf, stocked only there like a secret stash.

Perhaps there should be self help guides for living with an AFOL, I know someone who could do with one. Some suggestions:
'So You Married A Brick?'
'The Stud(s) In My Life'
'How To Argue...Constructively'
'Demolition Time'
'It Came From The Attic'
'The Joy of Brix'
'Banging Your Head Against A Plastic Brick Wall'

Posted by Erinlyn80 in United States, 20 Jun 2012 13:51

Forgive me for ignorance on this matter... is the first link...the .99 edition from the first link different from amazons download copy around the same price that says Kindle edition? i don't have a kindle. What exactly is the difference between a "kindle edition" and a pdf? Thank you in advance

Posted by EveryNowAndZen in United States, 20 Jun 2012 14:56

@lovelyuba- "We are all going to be recovered"?
...oh, no. The gigantic Builder that uses US for building toys is finally going to find us again?! Guys, this just got serious. We need weapons. All the weapons.

Posted by billdeen in United States, 20 Jun 2012 16:33

@Erinlyn80, You can read Kindle books using the Kindle, and PDFs using Adobe Reader (both are free). They're pretty similar--either would work. You can read PDFs and Kindle books on most devices--PC, mac, android, and iOS.

Posted by Erinlyn80 in United States, 20 Jun 2012 19:01

@billdeen Thank you!

Posted by legomationdude in United States, 20 Jun 2012 22:11

Hi everyone!
My name is Brick Mason and..... ahhh ya I have a problem. I'm addicted to bricks..

Posted by BlackFalconBirdman in United States, 20 Jun 2012 22:30

Ah, roguetrader1987, you brought back to memory a dream I had a few months ago... walking through a retail store, checking out the lego section (like always). This time, however, there were revived classic themes in those great, mostly yellow-coloured boxes.; classic pirate, Black falcons, forestmen. All were different than old sets, but kept the same feeling, pieces, etc. I threw in a whole cart full... what a wonderful dream... waking up was alittle sad though.

Posted by Doctor Leg O'Brick in United Kingdom, 23 Jun 2012 15:56

I had a great LEGO dream once. I dreamed I went into an old toy shop thats closing down and selling old MISB LEGO cheap, loose minifigures for 10p each and such. I get to the dusty old counter to pay, and the old man behind the counter ceals over and dies. Im left to ring the Hospital and give all the sets back, or run off and steal them.

Posted by grahamm11 in United Kingdom, 24 Jun 2012 14:16

I have read this and I now have 3 more sets than when I started it. Just to spite the author. Seriously though, I really enjoyed this book but I thought it was just a tad short.

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