Saturday, August 03, 2013

Survivor - Lego Version

For some reason, for the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, I was nominated to be the parent who takes Brian to the much-ballyhooed BrickFair, a Lego fest of unprecedented proportions.  And, really, for a decent description of this affair, just read last year's account.  Only, this year, we arrived ahead of opening time, so we wouldn't have to be at the end of a long line that wrapped all the way around the huge convention hall, the way it did last year. 

Lego minifigures sort of weird me out
Unfortunately, everyone else did the same thing.  So we waited in a huge line for half an hour.  But that's okay, it wasn't raining - much.  And, hey, it wasn't 95 degrees.  Plus, the vendors were handing out all sorts of freebies to keep us happy.  I saw from the event maps they gave us that the dreaded Lego Bingo would be happening once again.  (I told you, read last year's post.)  The convention hall - once we got in - was mobbed with people, sending my crowd-averse self into spasms of anxiety; and the loudspeakers were blaring, "It's BINGO!" in a manner reminiscent of the radio dj's yelling, "It's Groundhog Day!" in the movie of that same name.  Over, and over, and over...

You know what?  I figured, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.  Or maybe it was just that the noise and the crowds broke me down.  I paid 3 bucks for Lego Bingo chips (the money went to some children's charity), picked up my free Lego Bingo card, and spent almost an hour trying to win one of the fun Lego prizes.  Then I wandered around the exhibit hall amongst the Lego nerds and tried to blend in, even though I wasn't sporting a T-shirt saying "Got bricks?" or "Brick Warriors" or (my favorite) "What Would Jesus Build?"  I even bought a few Lego stocking stuffers for Brian. 

I'm trying to see how many times I can use the word Lego in this post, apparently.

When we (finally) came home, I took a nap, because being around all those people is simply exhausting.  Woke up, realized I hadn't planned dinner, fed everyone leftovers (which they had already had at lunch, but I don't care anymore), and called it a day. 

It's just once a year, folks.  I can do it.  I'm a survivor.

9 comments:

  1. You're a good mom!!! I'm feeling my introversion just *reading* this post.

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  2. I'm glad you survived. And I'm glad we do not live anywhere near the Brick Fair, or I would also have to be a survivor of it.

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  3. OMG. Crowds. Gahhh. We don't have anything like this here in Mpls. Or maybe we do and I'm not aware of it. My oldest would have been all over that when he was younger.

    And I'm laughing over the picture of the Lego man head lamp thingie in your "you might also like" section up there ^^^ We have the same guy here. Or rather, parts of him scattered. Stocking stuffer one year. Dismembered vacuum cleaner destroyer now.

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  4. I don't think I could survive all that.

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  5. I want to experience Brickfair just once in my life... says this mom safely stationed 3,000 miles away.

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  6. You rock the mom of the decade award. How great are you to do this for your child?

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  7. for next year's Brick Fair i'm sending our little guy to you ... i'll have the nice UPS guy deliver him right to your doorstep.

    and I want one of those "what would Jesus build" t-shirts :-)

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    1. Not so fast, honey - they have one in Atlanta. Maybe I'll send mine to YOU.

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  8. Now see here. You got me so excited. A Brick Fair in Atlanta? ATLANTA??? We could make a day trip! We could make it a family affair! Of course I googled it right away ... I needed dates ... and it's in Alabama.

    Still not too far away, but not a day trip. I think I will UPS our guy to you, after all!

    :-)

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