With the new year, I bought a #10193
Medieval Market Village... I haven't had time to put it together yet, but I'm looking forward to it... And from the time images of 2009 sets started to leak onto Eurobricks and Flickr, I'm really looking forward to this year's line up.
It feels like there's been a renaissance of sorts, that we've collectively have emerged from a dark age of product design & bad business decisions by the LEGO group. It seems like new life has been breathed back into themes like Town and Castle, we're seeing the resurrection of Pirate, and with the new year, there's rumors of a new Space line. I just got my new 2009 LEGO catalog; I'm seeing sets in it that I want to buy and build for the sake of the set & not buy because it sucks and I just want the parts -- this is saying something, I haven't felt this way about many sets in a long time.
I only have a few warnings/complaints for the LEGO group, but because the company is turning profitable, I don't see these things changing any time soon: (1) not everyone can afford $200+ sets; make more $3, $7, $12 sets; (2) stop producing sets that cater to the "collectors" market, then frown upon it when you see it's ugly side at LEGO conventions; by making these collector sets, you're feeding the monster; and finally, (3) don't make the mistake of treating all fans and collectors as being the same, we're not!
Anyway, here's to a new year! May this be a better year for you than last!
Just received an e-mail from a business partner about a FREE 2 Year Subscription to Lego Club Magazine. Which is a little surprising, considering out-side of co-workers, I don't let too many people know that I build creations out of LEGO. :) Anyway, if you haven't signed up, do it. Even though you hear about new sets on the internet months before they're "officially" revealed through LEGO's news channels, there's coupons, information about cross-promotions (ie. Kellog LEGO fruit snacks), and neat stories inside. In this issue, it seams LEGO is spinning off another magazine called LEGO Club Jr for the 6 and younger crowd.
My only complaint about the magazine (and I know it's geared towards kids, so enough complaining that the magazine is too dumbed down), it really needs to focus a little more on the company & events at LEGO retail stores (ie. where will the LEGO master builders be next 2 months? the Obama's inauguration display in Legoland CA?) and at the LEGO community at large (Brickfest PDX anyone?)
