My favorite movie is the LEGO movie, my favorite book is the Hobbit, I don’t have a favorite song, and my favorite LEGO set is the 2009 City Corner from the City theme!
6. Tell us three interesting facts we don’t know about you.
I have a sister who is also on the MB’s, I have all of the 2011 LEGO City police sets, and I’m super good at making projects! Like, a house made out of popsicle sticks!
7. You’ve been on the LMBs for awhile now. When did you start and how did you first discover the community? What about the community inspires you to be active every day?
I first found out about the MB’s on December 29, 2013. I was trying to save my progress on one of the games here on LEGO.com, but then it said that I needed to have a LEGO Message Boards account for it. So I made one, and later on, in the evening, I made my first post on the MB’s! What inspires me to be active every day? All of my great friends here!
8. What is your best subject in school? Why? What is your most challenging subject? Why?
Social Studies. I don’t know why though. My most challenging subject is Science because… it… is just… so… hard!
9. If you could go anywhere in the universe (a real or imaginary place) where would you go and why?
Cloud Cuckoo Land, because Unikitty lives there, and my second favorite LEGO movie character is Unikitty!
10. You talk a lot about being a “master builder.” What do you think defines being a Master Builder? What qualities make a great Master Builder? Do you hope to be one professionally on day?
To be a Master Builder, you have to build your own creations instead of just using the instructions. What qualities make a great Master Builder? Well, to be a great Master Builder, you have to be creative and smart. I do hope to be one professionally one day.
11. Do you prefer cake or ice cream for dessert? Why? What’s your favorite flavor? Why?
Ice cream, because cake sometimes makes me sick. My favorite kind of ice cream is Mint Chocolate Chip.
12. Do you have any superpowers?
Yes, I do have some superpowers! I can run real fast, and I can also fly! All those superpowers work good when I’m late to school.
13. What would you like a future poll to be?
What is your favorite LEGO Movie character?
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
What would you do and say if you met Unikitty? Why?
15. Question from BattleTruckGalactica: If you got the chance to create one LEGO element, what would it be and why?
Hmm…probably Air, because I personally think a air ninja would be really cool!
1. What’s the story behind your username? Are you a huge Lord of the Rings fan?
Well originally I had wanted a username with Aragorn in it, but at the same time without any numbers. Since all of the Aragorn names without numbers were taken up, I went with RangerofGondor because Aragorn is a Ranger and he is from Gondor. Plus I like Faramir and his rangers too.
Well, They are the greatest books and movies ever made. My whole room is LotR themed, and the only LEGO sets that I have gotten for the past 2 years have all been LotR or Hobbit ones. So, yes, I certainly am.
2. What is your favorite book from The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings series? Why?
The Return of the King is the best! Mostly it is because the climax in the chapter of Mount Doom is a spectacular and extremely fitting end to the trilogy.
3. Who is your favorite LOTR character and why?
Aragorn! Because he is heroic, noble, a leader, a great fighter, and he is the King of Gondor.
4. What is your favorite thing about LEGO building? Why?
Well a lot of it is just seeing the build come to life. I love watching the progress in my builds as it turns from a small board to something that (Hopefully ) looks like what I was attempting to build. This is especially great for me to see when I am constructing some of large scale.
5. What is your favorite LEGO set of all time? Why?
Of the ones that I have received over the years, I would have to say either Pirate ship Ambush, or an Unexpected Gathering. Both of them are real great sets that look exactly like they do in the movies.
6. What user in the community has inspired you the most and why?
Well that would be my best friend on here, Son-of-Elrond. Despite the fact we disagree on mostly everything, he really is a great guy. He is funny, helpful, a great builder, a great writer, and a great friend. Sadly though, he has retired.
7. What is your favorite memory from your time in the community? Why?
Probably when I first joined the LotR Gallery Chat back whenever I joined the LMBs in 2014. There, I met Son-of-Elrond and our friendship began. I still remember the day very clearly.
8. You have a really unique signature. Tell us the story behind it.
Well first off credit to ArendelleElsa for making it. The quote is from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's chest, when Davy Jones says, "I am the Sea," to one of his crewmen. And I thought the quote was great and so added it to my sig.
9. We hear you are a baseball player. What is the best thing about playing baseball? What is the toughest part?
Ooh I dunno... everything about the sport is great, I'm not sure what the best thing about it is though. But the toughest part is the training, which requires a lot of effort and dedication to improve your skills.
10. What is your favorite subject in school and why?
History; I love reading and learning about the people and events which shaped the world as it is now.
11. If you could have any LEGO job what would it be and why?
Lego Designer; I would love having every LEGO piece within my grasp and to be able to create all that I have ever dreamed of making.
12. Answer quickly: cold or hot? Breakfast or dinner? Ice cream or cake? Cats or dogs? Red or blue? Reading or writing? Carrots or peas? Milk or juice? Running or walking? Music or movies? Books or magazines? Instructions or free build?
Interview with johnyjo Words from WA: "He's a longtime community member with a term as a Community Helper and two Golden Brick Awards to his name. Plus he's an awesome story writer and make believe detective
1. Congrats on your two Golden Brick Award honors in 2015 (nominee for Rising Star and 1st place for Story). Which of the two were you most excited about? How did it feel when you found out?
Thank you! It was definitely the Most Awesome Story Award, that was the award I was really hoping to win... I told myself over and over again that I wasn't going to win it and to stop getting my hopes up, and then one day I was looking on my profile page and I saw the badge on my profile! It was kind of anticlimactic in a way, since I didn't see the GBA post until AFTER I saw the award, but I was still super happy! ^_^ I couldn't stop freaking out about it, I couldn't even believe it was real... And when I told my parents they were really pleased.
2. Tell us more about your award-winning story.
Well, about a month after I made my account I joined FF, and I immediately began creating lots of alternate personalities for myself, Reporter Johny, Teacher Johny, and Johny Referee just to name a few. But the only one that really stuck was Sherlock Johny, and it's kind of funny because his personality is basically just being a jerk. I would use the default font with a grey color when I was pretending to be him, and use the emote a lot. And I liked the character, and I like Detective stories, and I like writing, so I got the idea to write a story about him. With only a loose idea for the first portion of the story I started writing it, and called it Sherlock Johny's Case Files. It's basically just about a Detective who's not very nice... Also, it's kind of funny, the day I'm typing this is actually the one year anniversary of SJ's Case Files!
3. What stories are you working on now? Where do you get inspiration for your writing?
I'm currently still writing Sherlock Johny's Case Files, and I have a lot more Case Files planned... Too many, honestly. Other then that, I have a few story ideas I've put on the back burner, maybe one of these days I'll get to writing some of them.
4. Which author here on the Message Boards do you like reading the most and why?
DEFINITELY Klafroth. She has a TON of Ninjago stories, and they're all really good! I like reading them because they're all connected, characters from one story will appear in another story, so it's really fun if you read them all! My favorite is probably "Lightning", please check it out, it's outstanding! Here's the link:
5. Of all the LEGO themes based on books / movies which has been your favorite and why?
Hm... I'm going to have to go with Lord of the Rings. I only got 2 sets, but they were both great, and I did get some Hobbit sets too.
The Hobbit and LotR were both really good themes.
6. You were recently a member of the Community Helper team. Congrats! What are the keys to being such a helpful user?
Thank you! Really the only tip I have is be nice to other users...
Oh and also, something I do is bookmarked some of the help/welcome topics so I can always see when there's new posts there. Some good topics you can bookmark are Welcome to the LEGO Message Boards, The Official Rank Celebration Topic, Talk to the Mods, and The Elite Rank Help Team.
7. If you were an animal for a day what animal would you be and why?
Well... I don't really have a favorite animal so... I guess I would be a Bald Eagle, because it would be cool to be able to fly, and Eagles are pretty high up on the food chain so I probably wouldn't get eaten.
8. If you could live inside any LEGO theme which would it be and why? What would you do there?
I would live in... Um... Ninjago? I could be a ninja there. But wait, I've already BEEN a Ninja! #rank12
9. If you were a minifigure which minifigure would you be? Why?
I would be my avvie. Because I think it looks cool. You could even say it's OFF THE CHAIN. *points to the $ chain around my neck*
10. Do you post in any of the LEGO creation galleries? If so, which ones? If not, ever think of joining?
Not very much, but I've posted one creation, Sam's Cafe, and two drawings in the LEGO.com gallery. I'm planning on posting some more drawings there soon though...
11. What has been your absolutely favorite memory from your time in the Message Boards community?
Wow, that's a tough one... I think it has to be when I won the Most Awesome Story Award, that was really great! In close second was the entirety of January 2015... FF was kinda spammy but it was REALLY fun. Also, the Creepy Clown is up there in the top 5. Along with Linda. Too many memories.
12. Tell us three cool things about you that we probably don't already know.
Okay...
I'm homeschooled, but I take classes at my Community College because they're free as long as you haven't graduated high school.
When I was little I had a rubber toy bunny named "Stretchy Bunny".
I used to play with him and take him on vacation and stuff... But one time I brought him with me when we went camping in the Redwoods, and I accidentally dropped him in a hallow redwood tree and we never found him again. I cried a lot that night.
I used to literally spend all my time here debating. As if that wasn't bad enough, I was also a terrible speller. (I still am! )
13. Do you have any superpowers? If so, what are they?
I have a really cool super power. When I eat SPAM Classic, it makes me not hungry anymore. O_O
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
What's the funniest LEGO-y joke you know?
15. Question from RangerofGondor - "If you could bring back any retired theme, which one would it be?"
Galidor! That theme had so much potential, I can't believe it was discontinued... Nah JK, I would bring back Lord of the Rings because a LEGO Minas Tirith set would be awesome!
Thank you very much for giving me an interview, Mods! And thank YOU, user who's reading this, for sitting through a long boring interview. God Bless! ^_^
1. Congrats on reaching Legendary Reader, the highest reader rank! How does it feel to be a member of such an exclusive club?
Thank you, it feels great. I never thought I would reach Legendary so soon! I didn't even realize that it was such an exclusive club until LelilaOrganaSolo posted to congratulate me and mentioned I was the third person ever to reach it.
2. What is your favorite forum to read and why?
Asking me to pick one is like trying to decide which Avenger is the best! But if I have to pick, I would say Ninjago because that's where I first discovered the message boards.
3. Who is your favorite LMB author and why?
Nokama1854 is my favorite author even though I've only read "Rise of MooHaHa Cow" I thought she did a great job of making it so that you didn't know whether to laugh or be scared.
4. Are you a big reader outside of the LMBs? If so, what is your favorite book and why?
I am a huge reader! I started reading in kindergarten and I haven't looked back. My favorite book would probably be "Secrets of the Jedi" by Jude Watson. I loved the way parts of it made me want to cry which doesn't happen often.
5. What stops you from posting? Now that you have reached the highest reader rank will you start posting?
That is a loaded question! At first it was because I wanted to get to know the community a little better and I just got on a roll. I almost posted a couple times like when JimmyDean said he was leaving after the Great Likes Disaster to try and shake some sense into him. But luckily it was MKM to the rescue! Thank you MKM! Will I start posting? Yes, I will eventually it's just up to time and my parents. I would like for someone to get Maniac Reader before I step down though. I hope someone gets it soon so I can talk to all the awesome users I give likes to.
6. Cool username! Was it inspired by Star Wars? If not, what inspired it?
Yes, it was inspired by Star Wars. Padme became queen of Naboo when she was 14 so it makes it easy to remember for me. Though looking back I probably would have used one of the lesser known characters like Ben Skywalker if I had thought about it a little more.
7. Besides reading, what is your favorite hobby and why?
My favorite hobby besides reading is craft projects including cosplay pieces. I have a whole table in the basement that I call my crafting table (Yes, like Minecraft ) I mainly use cardboard and whatever I can dig out of the recycling. I am currently working on a X-wing helmet made out of cardboard. It actually isn't half bad.
8. Tell us 3 interesting facts about you.
I am currently learning both Spanish and German. (Maybe I'll be a Mod!) I really enjoy cosplay. I could spend hours on the internet looking through pics and tutorials if my mom would let me. And, finally I love comics especially Star Wars and The Fantastic Four. I will be attending my first ComicCon in about a week and I am very excited!
9. What is your greatest talent? How did you get so good at it?
I have a quick wit which my mom says is a talent. My talent is either that or hula hooping. I can hula hoop and read at the same time. I practice a lot when my mom kicks me outside. Thanks a lot mom!
10. If you could have any LEGO set ever made what would you choose and why?
I really want the Parisian Restaurant. I love that even though it's supposed to be Parisian it still reminds me of my favorite city ever, New York City!
11. What was the first LEGO set you ever built? Who gave it to you? Was it an easy or challenging build?
I think the first set I ever built wasn't really a set but one of my relatives had given me the small pink tub of LEGO for my birthday when I was around five and I remember building the house from the instructions. Though it was one of those easy builds I remember being very proud of myself for building it.
12. If you were a Mod for a day what would you do and why?
I'm not really sure what I would do. I would just like to meet the Mods in person. I think that would be very cool!
13. Do you have any superpowers?
Yes I do. I have a high pain tolerance. Which can be very handy when you get injured a lot like I do!
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
If you were falling off a cliff and could only wish for a pile of one kind of LEGO brick to cushion your landing what would it be?
15. Question from Diglett809: If you could have won ANY LEGO contest ever, which one would it be and why?
I would probably choose the contest that was in LEGO Club a few months ago that was a spot what is out of place in the pictures contest. I meant to send in my answers but by the time I remembered it was past the deadline.
1. Congratulations on being an official runner up for the “Write Like a Ninja” contest. How did it feel when you first heard the news?
Thank you SO much! It was really exciting when I got the email! My heart wanted to jump out of my chest! I ran to my parents and sisters and told them the news, They were just as shocked as I was! =)
To be picked out of almost a 1000 amazing stories is almost mind blowing to me! I'm truly honored! =)
2. Why did you decide to enter the contest?
I'm a huge fan of Ninjago and I love writing stories so when I was scrolling around the Message Boards and saw the "Write like a Ninja" contest...I knew I had to enter! =)
3. Tell us a bit about your story and what inspired it?
My story "Zane's Friend" is about friendship. At the time when I was writing the story I remember thinking about friends and how they are a big part of my life, That's what inspired my story! =)
4. Your story focused on the power of strong friendships. What defines a great friendship for you?
To me, a great friendship is having a friend who will always be by your side in good and in bad.
A friend that you can relate to and laugh with. =)
There is an old Proverb about friendship..
"The faithful friend is a secure refuge, whoever has found one has found a treasure"
5. Have you written other stories before? If so, what do you like to write about? If not, has the contest inspired you to write more?
I have! I've written a couple stories on the old LEGO Minifigure Showcase a long time ago! =)
I honestly like to write about anything!
Absolutely! I'm actually working on a new story right now! =D
6. What tips can you give to other story writers inspired by your awesome work?
Don't Rush Your Story
Probably the best advice I could ever give you is don't rush your story!
Don't try to finish up the story fast...
Take a few breaks! Go on a nice walk! (Remember to bring a notepad to jot down any floating thoughts in your head! )
7. Which of the other stories that were runners up did you enjoy the most and why?
I honestly LOVED them All! Each story brought something new and exciting! =D
8. What career do you hope to have in the future and why?
I hope to be a newspaper photographer! I love to take pictures! So doing something I love for a job would be amazing!
9. What is your favorite subject in school and why?
I LOVE history! Right now..I'm learning about Medieval times and it's really interesting!
10. What was your very first LEGO set? What do you remember about it? What made you want to become such a big LEGO fan?
Awesome question! :winking:
My first LEGO set I ever got was Buzz's Star Command Spaceship from the Toy Story theme!
I remember building it with my Dad and then playing with it all day!
Ah! Good memories! =)
Ever since then, I was a huge Lego Fan! =D
11. If you could work at the LEGO Company what job would you want and why?
I would be a MOD! That would be so much fun!
It would also be cool to be a LEGO designer!
12. Answer quickly: Reading or writing? Pen or pencil? Typing or writing by hand? Comedy or tragedy? Happy ending or twist? Hero or villain? Short story or novel? Creative story or technically well written? Ice or pizza?
13. Do you have any superpowers? If so, what are they?
I know it's not much of a superpower but...
I can read really fast! I read the entire Lord of the Rings series in about a week!
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
"What LEGO creation are you currently building?"
15. Question from Feral_Mutant – “If you could bring back any of the retired LEGO themes, which one would it be?”
Ooh! Awesome Question! =D I would bring back the Pirates of the Caribbean theme! =D
I LOVED that theme SO much! =)
This was SO much fun to do! =D
First of...I'd like to thank the MODS and all of the judges!
Thank you SO much for nominating my story!
And also, Thank you SO much for this Interview!
And Shout-Outs to some of my Best Friends on the Boards! Originalego, Jvwedel, Em7878, Legocrazybob, Gollymolly, Varnika913, RangerofGondor, Son-Of-Elrond, bricks19, Gandalfofthesecretfire, thecheeseman13, Emy34, and Waveviper! And Everyone else on the Lego message Boards! =)
Thank you SO much everyone for reading my interview! I hope you enjoyed it! =)
1. Congratulations on being an official runner up for the “Write Like a Ninja” contest. How did it feel when you first heard the news?
Thank you SO much! It was really exciting when I got the email! My heart wanted to jump out of my chest! I ran to my parents and sisters and told them the news, They were just as shocked as I was! =)
To be picked out of almost a 1000 amazing stories is almost mind blowing to me! I'm truly honored! =)
2. Why did you decide to enter the contest?
I'm a huge fan of Ninjago and I love writing stories so when I was scrolling around the Message Boards and saw the "Write like a Ninja" contest...I knew I had to enter! =)
3. Tell us a bit about your story and what inspired it?
My story "Zane's Friend" is about friendship. At the time when I was writing the story I remember thinking about friends and how they are a big part of my life, That's what inspired my story! =)
4. Your story focused on the power of strong friendships. What defines a great friendship for you?
To me, a great friendship is having a friend who will always be by your side in good and in bad.
A friend that you can relate to and laugh with. =)
There is an old Proverb about friendship..
"The faithful friend is a secure refuge, whoever has found one has found a treasure"
5. Have you written other stories before? If so, what do you like to write about? If not, has the contest inspired you to write more?
I have! I've written a couple stories on the old LEGO Minifigure Showcase a long time ago! =)
I honestly like to write about anything!
Absolutely! I'm actually working on a new story right now! =D
6. What tips can you give to other story writers inspired by your awesome work?
Don't Rush Your Story
Probably the best advice I could ever give you is don't rush your story!
Don't try to finish up the story fast...
Take a few breaks! Go on a nice walk! (Remember to bring a notepad to jot down any floating thoughts in your head! )
7. Which of the other stories that were runners up did you enjoy the most and why?
I honestly LOVED them All! Each story brought something new and exciting! =D
8. What career do you hope to have in the future and why?
I hope to be a newspaper photographer! I love to take pictures! So doing something I love for a job would be amazing!
9. What is your favorite subject in school and why?
I LOVE history! Right now..I'm learning about Medieval times and it's really interesting!
10. What was your very first LEGO set? What do you remember about it? What made you want to become such a big LEGO fan?
Awesome question! :winking:
My first LEGO set I ever got was Buzz's Star Command Spaceship from the Toy Story theme!
I remember building it with my Dad and then playing with it all day!
Ah! Good memories! =)
Ever since then, I was a huge Lego Fan! =D
11. If you could work at the LEGO Company what job would you want and why?
I would be a MOD! That would be so much fun!
It would also be cool to be a LEGO designer!
12. Answer quickly: Reading or writing? Pen or pencil? Typing or writing by hand? Comedy or tragedy? Happy ending or twist? Hero or villain? Short story or novel? Creative story or technically well written? Ice or pizza?
13. Do you have any superpowers? If so, what are they?
I know it's not much of a superpower but...
I can read really fast! I read the entire Lord of the Rings series in about a week!
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
"What LEGO creation are you currently building?"
15. Question from Feral_Mutant – “If you could bring back any of the retired LEGO themes, which one would it be?”
Ooh! Awesome Question! =D I would bring back the Pirates of the Caribbean theme! =D
I LOVED that theme SO much! =)
This was SO much fun to do! =D
First of...I'd like to thank the MODS and all of the judges!
Thank you SO much for nominating my story!
And also, Thank you SO much for this Interview!
And Shout-Outs to some of my Best Friends on the Boards! Originalego, Jvwedel, Em7878, Legocrazybob, Gollymolly, Varnika913, RangerofGondor, Son-Of-Elrond, bricks19, Gandalfofthesecretfire, thecheeseman13, Emy34, and Waveviper! And Everyone else on the Lego message Boards! =)
Thank you SO much everyone for reading my interview! I hope you enjoyed it! =)
1. It seems like you are always cracking jokes. What makes you so funny?
My personality. I just learned all by myself. I'll usually just make a joke when I think of something, then ill post it. Although, I'm not really funny in real life.
2. What is your favorite forum on the LMBs? Why?
The regular LEGO Universe Forum, because its the reason I joined the LMBs. (In the first few months, anyway.) Then I found other forums.
3. What is your dream job? Any aspirations to become a LEGO designer, Master Builder, or Mod?
Sorry, not interested in working for LEGO, I just like collecting. I'm thinking about being a cop, and saving people from EVERYTHING!
4. What is your hidden talent?
Well, if being double jointed in my arm and throat (Yes, my throat ) is talent, then that's well, my talent.
5. You recently posted that you love “chocolate covered hotdogs with ketchup.” Do you really? What does a chocolate covered hotdog with ketchup taste like?
No, but they sound pretty good until you first try one
6. If you could be any minifigure which one would you choose? Why?
Hmm... Probably the Hazmat Guy. Then I would be in an epic suit... And... Uh... Be awesome.
7. What was the inspiration for your username? Are you a big fan of Frank Frost the harmonica player?
I am that guy. Nah JK. My username and that guy were a total coincidence. I got my username on a different website. My username on that site was Frank (With some numbers after it. I dont remember all of them) but, it wasn't available, so I saw "Frankfrost2" and stayed with it ever since.
8. What is your favorite memory from your time in the LMB community?
When I joined, of course! Joning the LMBs felt really awesome! I was getting together with an epic community, and talking about things we all like: LEGO [bricks]! Now obviously, I wasn't thinking about that when I joined. But now, I really think that I finally fit into something!
9. When did you realize that you were crazy about LEGO?
When LU closed, and I never got to play it. I realized I loved LEGO since I started to get obsessed with LU.
10. Do you have any super powers?
As a matter of fact, I do! I have frost powers! (frankFROST2. )
11. What advice can you give to new users just learning about the LMBs?
Well, don't freak out about being popular when you first join. Odds are, you will barely be popular when you first join. But, don't feel down, just post a lot, be active, and stay frosty! Then, in a few months, you should start to be noticed, and make some friends.
12. What would you like a future poll to be?
What is your favorite type of LEGO Forum to go on?
13. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
If there was a 24K gold brick, how much would you pay for to get it?
14. Question from JJS495: If you could revive any old LEGO theme, which one would it be?
Since I love LEGO Indiana Jones, I would return that. It was such an epic theme!
Interview with JayZX535 (first master reader) (This is her first interview too)
What inspired you to start visiting the LMBs?
I don’t recall exactly when I first started coming onto the LMBs, but it was back a few months ago, probably in early October. I had heard a rumor about an upcoming NINJAGO episode and was searching on GOOGLE to try and find a creditable response when a link to the MBs came up. Figuring it would probably be pretty accurate (granted that the LMBs are on lego.com) I checked it out. I didn’t find the answer to my question, but out of curiosity I decided to check out the NINJAGO forum and see what was up. Pretty soon I noticed the NINJAGO Stories forum and took a look. I quickly found a few stories that I thought were cool, and before I knew it, I was a complete follower of a bunch of stories.
I first used my Lego ID (my account was pre-existing from Spinjitzu Spinball) to log in when I realized that I could rate topics. I wanted to support my favourite authors, so I started rating my favourite stories for them. Then after the update I found out that I could bookmark stories to my account and like posts, and that’s basically how I became a registered MB member.
What do you think of the new LMBs?
They took a bit of getting used to, but the new MBs are pretty awesome. At first they drove me CRAZY because I was used to the old format, but once I got familiarized I found I liked them better than the old ones.
What could we do to improve them for you personally?
It would be nice to have a “Dislike” button, though I don’t really know where I would use it, except on people who smash Jay in their stories (Just kidding- I wouldn’t do that ). But in all seriousness it would be nice for if people somehow get mean/spam comments through. They could lose ranking points for it and perhaps even drop ranks if they do it too much, so it would discourage a potential problem. It would also be nice to have a PM (private message) system so that users could talk to each other without anyone except the mods being able to see. Since anyone can still read jammers…
What do you think of the new rank structure and are you happy with your current Master Reader rank?
Quite frankly, I never expected there to be reader ranks! I was quite shocked to notice that I was no longer unranked. The rank structure is very cool overall. I like the themes, and I’m hoping one of the ranks will be “Ninja.” It would be cool if it was the last rank, because then I could never lose it!
It’s really quite epic that I actually RANKED without even posting once. LOL, I never thought I’d be a one-and-only of anything on here, let alone a Master Reader. Of course, I’m not sure how long I’ll keep it, since I’ll probably start posting soon, and won’t be just a reader for long. I’m looking forward to getting other ranks, though.
What kind of posts are you likely to give “likes” to?
Most often I “like” peoples chapters for their stories. I will also “like” posts directed at me (or at least I did before this. If I start posting I’ll probably just post) to say, “Thanks for noticing me, and I DID see this post.” It’s also a “You’re welcome” to those who had thanked me.
Do you visit the LEGO.com galleries? If so, which ones?
I did visit the galleries once- that was to see some pictures someone had drawn of their characters from their story. Otherwise I don’t really.
If you could be any minifigure what would it be?
If it was the “traditional” minifigures, I would want to be the Ninja. Otherwise… well, I bet we can all guess based off my username
What is your favourite LEGO set?
I’ve gotta say the Storm Fighter set. It’s just really awesome, and it has to do with my favourite LEGO character of all time How much more epic could you get?
Are you a real Ninja?
I SO WISH!!! That would totally rock, especially if I got to hang out with the actual NINJAGO characters! Maybe I could even learn Spinjitzu!
Of course, if I could, I would probably spend a lot of time stalking Jay (and probably freaking him out, too O.O). Also, the other Ninja might not be too thrilled about having another mouth-of-lightning joining the ranks (yes, I really do talk as much as Jay, and I’d hate to see what would happen if we somehow got into an argument).
If I was a Ninja, though, I would want to be the elements of Shadows and Lightning. They’re just cool (even though shadows weren’t really in the show). I’d have a dark blue ZX Ninja gi with silvery-blue armor and plating on the sides (like what Jay has on his ZX suit).
In a way I guess you COULD say I’m a real Ninja for about 3 reasons. #1, I am a Ninja in my mind. #2, I write, and that’s a bit Ninja-ish (my pen, or should I say KEYBOARD, is my weapon of choice, a silver sword) in a random sort of way, and #3, I have some random Ninja skills. Like the time I ambushed my brother when he walked under the mistletoe… Or the time when I accidentally scared my mom just by walking into a room and not realizing how quiet I was being…
What would you like a future poll to be?
“Who’s your favourite NINJAGO ninja?” I’d just like to see an official tally on lego.com, not just polls on peoples websites that not everyone visits. Plus, here I could actually CAST my vote… and we all know who it would be for…
1. What is the story behind your very unique username?
My username came from two characters that I had created when I was younger, Wave and Viper. I originally wanted to be IcerViper off another two characters from those same stories, but instead I settled for WaveViper Now I think that WaveViper sounds so much cooler than IcerViper and I am glad that I chose this name
2. You’ve made some really interesting, unique topics. What do you think is the best topic you’ve ever made and why?
Oh boy, this is a hard one My best known one was either 'Wave Spam' (my story ) or 'The Truth About Fame' ^_^ In the way of my favorite, I feel like 'The Truth About Fame' was my personal favorite I just felt, right after I made it, like I have made an impact on the Boards. I had one user that even said that he was reconsidering fame because of what I posted
3. One topic you recently made was about time travel. If you could tell your past LEGO.com Message Boards self one thing what would it be? If you could tell your future LMB self one thing what would it be? Why?
I think that it would be to try to have fun, but to keep on topic (I had a lot of trouble with that when I was new ) For my future self I would probably be more into asking them things than telling them things I would be interested to see how many posts I have, likes received, etc. If I were to tell them something, I would probably just remind them to stick to being creative and myself Hopefully if I met my future self I wouldn't have to remind them to do that since I feel that creativity and being yourself are key to posting on here XD
4. You are a longtime member of the community. What advice can you give to a new user hoping to be a seasoned community member like you one day?
Me, seasoned? *Shivers at the thought * I suppose I would recommend for them to find some friends and to have fun Also, be creative and do what you love to do
5. It was New Year’s recently, did you have an LEGO.com Message Boards resolution? What was it and did you stick to it?
I suppose I kinda had one, and that was to post at least one helpful topic a week So far I think I have stuck to it, but I have once or twice not gotten around to doing it
6. What has been your greatest accomplishment on the LEGO.com Message Boards? Why did you choose that accomplishment?
There is a lot that I have done that I am proud of, but probably the greatest accomplishment for me was getting onto the first page of the likes leaderboard! I chose that because I feel so amazed that, out of the hundreds and thousands of people on here, I was chosen. It's kinda overwhelming and exciting to think about
7. Tell us three fun facts about you that we probably don’t know.
I have been playing tennis for around 9 years XD
I have a very loud dog named Biscuit that is really cute and fluffeh Did I mention that he is loud X_X
I have allergies to cats, nuts, soy, and gluten XD
8. If you could design your own LEGO element with no limitation what would it be and why?
I would love to design a full Minifigure cape piece with a fabric hood you could pull over the Minifigure's head I just think that would be so cool
9. If you could work at the LEGO Company what job would you want and why?
I would love to be a LEGO Moderator or LEGO Designer I would love to be either since I would love to come back as the first LEGO user to be a Moderator. As for being a designer, I think it would be epicsaucnessicus since I would be creating LEGO sets
10. What is your favorite LEGO.com Message Boards forum and why?
Of the forums my favorite is the Community Chat The people there are just so nice and fun to be around
11. If you could live inside any LEGO theme which would it be and why?
I would probably choose the LEGO Minecraft theme because I love Minecraft I think it would be fun running about in a LEGO world that was Minecrafty
12. What is your favorite hobby outside of the LEGO.com Message Boards and why?
My favorite hobby is recording myself playing Video Games I find that just messing around and running about while talking can be oh so amusing
13. Do you have any superpowers? If so, what are they?
Yes, I suppose I kinda do I can talk really fast (and loud ), and read around 800 pages in a day (I did that once on a Saturday )
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
If you were able to create any LEGO themed sets, which series would you choose?
15. Question from BIONICHARGE – “If you could design any new LEGO piece, what would you make?”
In the way of bricks I would probably choose a 4-way connector brick It would be like a 1-1 LEGO brick with studs all around it so that you could build outwards from it
To finish this interview, I just want to give a big shout out to my friends M4Jesus, Legored11, Maxwellsmart, Tanner, Star, the users in the MMC (a lot of people ), the people in FF and BB, and the LEGO Moderation Team, all of whom really helped me get this far Thank you guys, you all rule
Interview with the Mods Words from WA: "To celebrate the last day of the LEGO Message Boards birthday month the Mods proudly present an interview with us!
We invited you to ask us anything and we got some really great questions. The Mods picked their favorites and the answers are below.
A special thanks to all the awesome users whose awesome questions made up this awesome interview".
1. What is your favorite breakfast food?
Cicada646: Crepes and Nutella
IrrationalSeagull: Fresh rolls with lots of butter and jam!
Koolkanin: Chocolate Croissant
Miakittymoon: Boiled eggs on toast and fresh fruits
WhiteAlligator: Steak and over easy eggs with whole wheat toast
Wildbunchz: Scrambled eggs with avocado, a cup of fruits (favorite fruits are all kinds of berries, pineapple, mango and banana)
2. What's your favorite LEGO theme?
Cicada646: LEGO Creator
IrrationalSeagull: I used to love Harry Potter and Castle, my favourite current theme is Ninjago
Koolkanin: LEGO Technic
Miakittymoon: SW, Creator, City, Friends and Elves
WhiteAlligator: Orient Expedition / Disney Princess
Wildbunchz: LEGO City
3. What inspired your username?
Cicada646: A story called the Cicada and the ant and a region where I spent my childhood summers where cicadas sang a lot
IrrationalSeagull: I live by the sea with seagulls nesting on our roofs, so I can always spot them when I am looking out my window. I think they are great animals, very sociable and noisy - and also quite irrational at times ;-)
Koolkanin: My love for bunnies
Miakittymoon: Sailor Moon and Hello Kitty
WhiteAlligator: Alligators are my favorite animals. I especially like the rare type of alligator that has white skin instead of green.
Wildbunchz: My younger sister and I always used to (and still do on occasions) play pranks and doing crazy things. Our dad started to refer to us as his Bunch of Wild girls.
4. If you could go to a restaurant that served all the food in the world what would you eat?
Cicada646: If it served every food in the world, I would get a sample from every country's famous dish
IrrationalSeagull: I am vegetarian so anything veggie would be great :-) I love Mexican food and pizza of course (who doesn't?!) and I will have some Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert!
Koolkanin: Greek
Miakittymoon: Green Thai Curry with chicken and rice
WhiteAlligator: Korean food. That’s my absolute favorite!
Wildbunchz: You can never go wrong with pasta and pizza, but I could never say no to a nice steak either.
5. Back to the Future or Jurassic Park?
Cicada646: Jurassic Park
IrrationalSeagull: I love them both but Back To The Future will always have a special place in my heart :-)
Koolkanin: Back to the Future
Miakittymoon: Back to the future
WhiteAlligator: How could I possibly choose? I love them both so much!
Wildbunchz: Back to the Future!!!
6. If you could have any other job at LEGO what would it be and why?
Cicada646: I would love to design new Architecture theme sets, they're awesome!
IrrationalSeagull: I would love to be able to design those clever sets - I am in total awe of the LEGO designers and think it must be an amazing and super fun job!
Koolkanin: I would want to be in one of the LEGOland parks all day long - maybe as a wise person who knows everything and could tell everybody the coolest things they didn't know about LEGO.
Miakittymoon: LEGO set reviewer, because: Hello! Who wouldn't want to build new sets every day and review them?
WhiteAlligator: I’d love to work at LEGO events where I could talk about LEGO with fans all day! It’s like being a Mod but in person.
Wildbunchz: Besides being a Mod I think being a Set Designer would be pretty awesome.
Now here's a few random questions that many of you asked ...
Where do the Mods work? Do we all know each other in real life?
The Mods, of course, work from a magical skyscraper called Mod Tower. We eat lots of donuts, drink some tasty coffee, play in the trampoline room and generally just have a crazy good time.
Yes, all the Mods know each other in real life. We are all great friends and love to hang out.
What motivates us to work even with so much content to moderate and so many community members?
The Mods all love our work! We are happy to read your content and get to know you all. We definitely stay very busy, but that's a good thing. We want this community to be big, active, and happy.
How did we become Mods?
Each Mod has a different, unique story of how they came into their job. However, in short, to become a Mod you need to have great reading and writing skills, awesome team work, and a strong educational background. Plus you have to be over 18 and moderation / community management experience is a great plus!
What is our favorite topic/forum/story/creation/user?
We simply don't play favorites. Just like your parents don't have a favorite child, we would never pick a favorite user or piece of content.
What happened to past Mods that are no longer active in the community?
Just like with any job, sometimes Mods leave their role on LEGO.com for new opportunities. When a Mod retires we do not specifically announce it to the community so you may not know it has happened. We are bummed to say that over the years some really awesome Mods have moved on to new adventures. Although we miss them we wish them all the best!
Do we / would we have a user account?
The Mods don't participate on the boards as users. We also would not participate as users if we left our Mod job. We don't want there to be any confusion about who is who and what role the Mods fill.
1. You’ve been in the community for such a long time! How long has it been exactly? What inspired you to join and what has inspired you to stay for so long?
Haha, thanks, WA. Technically, it's been over 5 years (I made my account on May 5th, 2010), but I prefer to say that I've only been here for 2 years- I wasn't really active here until July 21st, 2013- that's when I found the Click club! (^_^ )
2. You are currently ranked “Conquistador” and are a “Journeyman of Olde.” Congrats! What has been your favorite rank so far and why?
Oh, yeah, I guess you saw that. Thanks! My favorite rank so far..? The one I have right now! Ninja! What can I say? It's Ninja. :3
Also, it's red. My favorite color. :3
3. You are also a “Forum Founder.” What was it like moving from the old message board’s platform to the new? What was the trickiest part?
Well, like I said, I was never really active back then. Apparently, I only made 60 posts then (and I was 9. -_- Those posts probably weren't of the greatest quality ), so I don't remember that much. I like the idea of having the studs, though, And I kinda like those old emotes as well. I suppose the trickiest part about moving from the old MBs to the new was that I never really got to fully experience the old MBs. I missed out on a lot. I kinda just went inactive from LEGO for 3 years, until I re-discovered MLN. What can I say? MLN was the main reason I got on the boards in the first place. And now it's falling apart before my very eyes...
Ah, welp. The post past is in the past, I suppose.
4. What is your favorite memory from all of your time in the community? Why is it your favorite?
Yikes, that's a hard one. Uh... Well, I dunno. I guess maybe when I first met DaNexusForce in the Click club. His kindness to me really inspired me to stay on the MBs- now that I think about it, he might be the main reason I stayed on the MBs after I got past Rank 3 in MLN. But I've made so many friends, seen so many topics, learnt so much from my time here... The whole MBs have really made a huge impact on my life.
Speaking of which, I'd like to thank all my friends that I've met in these 2 years for making this place as awesome as it is. Unfortunately, there's so many of you, that it'd take too long to acknowledge each and every one of you, and I don't want this post to take up more space than it already is. But you all know who you are. I hope.
5. What advice can you give to new users hoping to have a long, awesome experience in the community like you?
Like ME?! That's a laugh. I'M the one who needs the advice! XD But I guess the obvious "Be yourself" works well here. I mean, it's good to learn new things from others, but you shouldn't let other users completely shape who you are for you. Chat like how you'd talk to others IRL, respect the users around you, and just hang in there. You'll do fine.
Also, be patient with other users. The mods do a pretty good job at keeping the MBs safe, but even they make mistakes at times. They're all human, after all (except for Catwiz. He's a 900-year-old Gallifreyan cat. He said so himself. ). Unfortunately, there are always going to be users somewhere that don't see eye-to-eye with you. They can say things that could annoy you, discourage you, wear you down, or hurt you. But you have to be patient with those users. More often than not, they don't fully realize the impact their words have on others. Anyone can slip up, and say something hurtful without meaning to. But you can't let that bother you too much. In fact, you should try to see if you can learn anything from what they're saying. It can help you a lot.
One more thing: Try finding a font style that you like. Make it your signature font style. It could be just bolded, a different color, whatever. But try to find one that you like. That does two things:
1) It helps make your posts more noticeable. Plus, having a signature font style is fun. Just sayin'.
2) It can help keep you from spamming a little. Now, now, hear me out. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's kinda true. If you feel like a post isn't worth the trouble of making it into your font style (especially when you have a complicated font style- like me, for instance: first I use bold, then italic, then switch the font size and type. Quite a bit of work, actually. ), it's probably not worth posting at all. Harsh, but true. That's happened to me once or twice. It's a nice little thing to help keep me from posting pointless posts at times.
6. What are your plans for summer?
Homework, Pokémon, LEGO building, trying to get my Fossil Fighters game to 100% completion (probably at 97%, I'd say), goofing off, getting those new Ninjago sets... The usual for me, I suppose.
..Yeah, I know most people don't do homework in the summer, but I'm homeschooled year-round. I like it that way, actually. (^_^ )
7. What’s your favorite part of the summer season?
Grillin' burgers on the grill. Or at least, EATING the burgers that were grillin' on the grill.
That, or the fact that I can actually wear shorts outside without freezing myself because of the insane coldness of Chicago. I like shorts. They're comfy and easy to wear. :3
8. What do you think is the best LEGO set of all time? Why?
Ooh, that's another toughie. Probably the LEGO Death Star (10188. Also, that new Death Star Final Battle looks cool... Or the Ninja DB X. Then again, the Final Flight of the Destiny's Bounty looks awesome too... And so do the Titan Mech Battle and the Ronin R.E.X.! Oh, so many awesome sets! I can't just pick ONE!!! (\(>_< )/)
9. You are active on MB Stories. What’s your favorite story to read right now? Why? Are you writing any new stories yourself?
Yeah, I guess I am. There's a BUNCH of good ones! I just finished Skul's "aKoM" trilogy (that ending was... Woah. (0_0 ) ), for example. Also, gfh's stories are cool. And then there's Gideon's "Purple Alligator Island," brickman's "An Old Face, a New Game," M4's Cucumberman stories, and ilaria's "LMBs: LEGO Messy Boards." Oh, they're SO MANY GOOD ONES!!! (\(^_^ )/) There's no one story I prefer over the other. There are so many awesome ones! How do you expect me to pick ONE?!
Yeah, actually, I'm working on some stories. None of them are currently posted, though. They're all on my Word document. The thing is, I have a bunch of ideas, but I can't word them well. It's like trying to explain a strange, vague dream you had to someone. Difficult. I'm getting some inspiration from these awesome stories, and learning techniques that help make them so interesting. (^_^ )
10. If you could be any animal what would it be and why?
Do Pokémon count? If so, I'd probably be Blaziken. :3 I know, I know, it's an obvious choice, but eh. I like it.
Ok, fine, I'll think of a real animal. Wait, do you mean that I'd be in its body, or I'd actually BE the animal? Being in the body of an Altispinax is one thing- having it's mind as well is an entirely different story.
..Actually, I think I'll stick with Blaziken., if that's all right
11. What is your favorite subject in school and why?
Math. It's pretty easy for me, mostly. Although this stuff I'm working on is complicated. (>_< ) Ah, welp. I'm getting there.
12. If you were Mod for a day what would you do, besides moderate, and why?
Simple: I'd overthrow the SMC, and make myself an official Mod!
..JK.
To be perfectly honest, if I were to be able to work with you guys for a day... I'd try to learn as much as I can. I'm seriously considering working for LEGO as a designer or Moderator. I'm probably not old enough for any official work, but I could use some experience.
That is, if I can ever figure out what exactly what I want to do. I've been meaning to ask Catwiz about his position in the Ninjago group, and how he got there. I'll get around to asking him eventually.
13. Do you have any superpowers? If so, what are they?
Well, depends what you consider a "superpower." I'm really tall and strong for a 14 year-old, I can run fast, and I'm good with kids. I'm pretty good at Sudoku and puzzles and such (except for those slider puzzles ), and I can read quickly. I can also eat a whole pizza in less than 5 min, if I'm hungry. And hamburgers. :3 I can eat a LOT, especially when I'm hungry.
Also, I'm a pretty good artist. I'm really more of a sketcher, but I can paint as well.
I'm also really good with LDD, if I do say so myself.
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
If you could make a new theme, what would it be?
15. Question from BrickFriendForever – “If you were a LEGO minifigure and could live in any LEGO theme you wanted, which one would it be and why?”
Uh... Probably in Ninjago. Or the LEGO Movie. Or Star Wars! Gah, so many awesome themes to choose from! Uh... I'll just go with Ninjago.
Interview with Gabe from The LEGO Movie Website. words from WA: "In honor of our birthday month (the LEGO.com Message Boards were updated in November 2012) the Mods have a very special interview series for you.
Check the “Official Interview Room” every Friday this November to see a brand new LEGO employee interview!
We will be introducing you to three LEGO employees who are excited to take you behind the scenes of their jobs and give you tips on how you too can work at the LEGO Company.
First up is the Digital Experience Manager (the person who develops and runs one of the theme websites on LEGO.com) for The LEGO Movie … Gabe!
Check out his awesometastic interview below"
1. Tell us about your role overseeing the TLM website.
I helped design the look and feel of the site and helped decide what content to create and have featured. I was also part of the core team that created the Emmet Award contests and final show, from concept to launch. Basically anything you see on the site I was involved in!
2. What is the best part of being a Digital Experience Manager?
The coolest thing, other than being called a “DXM”, is getting to work on really awesome projects like the LEGO Movie and getting to see these projects much earlier than the general public.
What is the toughest part?
Getting to see all the cool stuff and not share it right away!
What is your absolute favorite memory from working on the TLM site?
I really loved coming up with the Emmet Award contests.
3. How do you decide what features the website will have?
Well the first thing is to ask yourself “is this cool?” If the answer is “YES” let’s try to create it!
4. How long does it take to design and create a website like the one for TLM?
It can actually be a fairly long process. A lot of times we will start general brainstorming for a website before the movies are even finished shooting! For TLM we started discussing the website a year before the movie came out. The first step is creating a blueprint of how the website will function (called wireframes) and all the different features we want it to have. Next we move forward on creating the overall design of the site, working in collaboration with LEGO art directors. Finally our tech team starts work on the development of the actual site…all while I am getting to work with designers and animators on all the fun content…everything from graphics to videos to downloads.
5. What was it like working on the Emmet Awards?
As I said earlier the Emmet Awards was probably the coolest part about the whole project, and maybe the toughest as well. It was actually one of the few global contests that LEGO has ever done so it was really exciting to get to work on.
What was the best part?
The best part was coming up with new and unique contests that we thought the fans would really be stoked about.
What was the trickiest part?
Not knowing what the fans would be stoked about, haha! Part of the challenge coming up with concepts before movies are launched, is figuring out what we think the fans will really like the best.
6. What is an interesting part of your job that most people would be surprised to learn about?
Even though my focus is with the online experience, I actually get to play with the sets during the development/testing stages. It helps the team to get a better understanding of the characters and story, so even though we don’t create the physical products, we get to experience the sets firsthand before most people so that we can create the digital space they get to live in.
7. If you could be any TLM character who would you be and why?
Benny! I LOVE outer space so of course being an astronaut would rock…and we’re both from the 80’s too!!
8. What advice can you give to young builders hoping to have a job like yours one day?
One of the best parts of working at LEGO is getting to be creative. My advice…just go out and create/build. Don’t just think you’re going to be great at drawing…actually draw as much as you can and whenever you can! Some people think just wanting to be good at something is enough but it takes hard work and time to really learn your craft. Of course different paths of education can help as well (I actually got my degree in film) and there are a wide range that lend themselves to working in a creative field. It might be graphic design, illustration, computer engineering or even architecture. Whatever gets you jazzed go with that!
9. Answer quickly:
winter or summer? Summer! Ice cream or cake? Ice cream…more flavors to choose from! Cats or dogs? Definitely a dog person J TV or movies? Whichever has a good story and good acting. Writing or drawing? We like to doodle in meetings here at LEGO so I’d say drawing. Play sports or watch them? Nothing beats being outside playing but sometimes it’s fun to order a pizza and sit on the couch too. I’d say both! Building instructions or free build? Wow, another tough one! I just created 8-bit versions of some of the TLM characters so I’d say free build.
10. Do you have any super powers?
I once ate 30 chicken wings in one sitting…does that count??
Interview with SuperSluether (A user from mindstorms forum)
1. What originally inspired you to start posting on the LMBs?
I originally got a LEGO ID for the NXT Log. Then I started having a problem uploading certain file types. Then I found that I could use my LEGO ID for the LMBs. I originally started posting to get help for problems, but later on, I started interacting with users and helping others. This is probably why I am only on the Mindstorms forum. The only other one I go to is the Help and Suggestions every so often.
2. You help other Mindstorms fans a lot. How does it feel when you know you've given them the information they need to get past their issue?
I like helping people. It makes me feel good knowing that others can solve their error. I am computer oriented, and I like to play around and find out what makes it work. Sometimes, I make an entire program before downloading to see if it works! Based on what the error is, most of the time I can get a decent answer.
3. If you could give one tip to other LEGO fans interested in Mindstorms what would it be?
Let your imagination flow! Sometimes I get an idea that seems impossible. When I start building the robot, if I see any errors in the design, I fix them, or I make something different! My current project started out being an idea for a tank!
4. You've posted a lot of awesome Gallery creations. Which is your favorite?
If you're talking about the NXT Log, then I would say my Holiday Beverage Server. That project was the first one that was my own creation that actually worked!
5. Would you ever consider writing a story to go along with one of your creations?
You know, I never really thought about writing a story to go with my creations. I would consider it. It might be fun!
6. With your LEGO expertise, do you have aspirations to become an engineer, designer or similar job?
I would like to be an electrical engineer like my dad someday. But if I couldn't get that job, I might make a good electrician.
7. If you were designing NXT 3.0, what additional features would you want to add?
Well, to be completely honest, LEGO has done a pretty good job already with designing the EV3. If I were to build it from the NXT 2.0, then I would want expandable memory, more motor ports, and backwards compatibility. However, if I could add something to the info I have already seen, then I would like to have the ability to store the complete program file! (.rbt or whatever the file extension is) The EV3 has enough memory for this, and sharing programs would be much easier!
8. If you could have any of the abilities of the Mindstorms robots in real life, which one would you choose?
With the new robot coming out, I would like the ability to have motors and tracks on my legs!
9. Do you, or does anyone in your family, use any of your Mindstorms Robots in real life to help with tasks around the house?
Not really. I know robots are supposed to be helpful, but I'm better at programming then building. I am also limited to pretty much just the Mindstorms pieces. I only have 2 other Technic sets. The one robot that I would like to build is the whipped cream server by BotDesigner and the Hot Chocolate Mixer by c2442z.
10. Are you excited about Mindstorms EV3?
I am definitely excited about the new EV3! The NXT 2.0 had different pieces that the 1.0, but used the same programming software and had virtually no hardware updates. The EV3 has expandable memory, remote control, and a new programming platform! The only thing that I don't quite like is the fact that you can use a smart device. (I'm not allowed to use the iPhone and I don't have/want an iPod) But I do understand that a lot of people that do have them will like this part.
11. What would you like a Mindstorms related poll to be?
A Mindstorms poll? How about your favorite feature of the NXT: Bluetooth, display, high-torque motors, pieces, or USB? (vs. the RCX set)
Interview with abbeadventerous114. Words from WA: "Meet one of the two awesome first place winners of the "Write Like a Ninja" contest ... abbeadventerous114!
She's sharing some great writing tips, stories about her contest win, and more. Check it out below!"
1. Congratulations on being a first place winner of the “Write Like a Ninja” contest! How did it feel when you first heard the news?
Thanks!! It's just as unreal as it is now... I was at an event at the library, just around the time that you guys were to be announcing 4th and 3rd place. I was already SUPER nervous, because my name hadn't shown up yet... But, when I stepped away from the event for a moment to check, and the update was up... and when my name wasn't in 3rd or 4th, I literally wanted to scream. But, I couldn't because... Library. Instead, I texted my parents with the results, and went back to the event, full of joy!! Then we went to dinner, had cake, and the rest is history. It's an amazing opportunity, and I'm glad I was able to take part.
2. How did your family and friends react to your amazing accomplishment?
LOTS of hugging, screaming, and food. Each had their own reaction, from a simple gasp and a congrats, to screaming with joy and huggies ( <3 ) but I'd say my favorite reaction was from a lady at my church. She had been waiting in anticipation for the results, and when I told her, she SCREAMED. Like, really loudly. Good thing we were outside when I told her, am I right?
3. Why did you decide to enter the contest?
Well, ever since I was young, writing has been a passion of mine (as you all know ), and an opportunity to be PUBLISHED.... When else, at this age, would I get the opportunity to get my story out on the market for all to read? Answer- Never. But, even if I didn't win, it would have been a great experience. So many talented authors put themselves out there, an4. d I knew I just had to join!! Plus, it was Ninjago, so, you know...
4. Tell us a bit about your story and what inspired it?
The story is about Lloyd after the end of Season 4. (Spoiler Alert for those who haven't seen the new episodes.) At the end of Season 4, Garmadon is banished to the Cursed Realm to save Ninjago, but Lloyd would never see him again. The story kind of just sprang upon me... I really couldn't come up with an inspiration for it if you paid me. Sorry for the dull answer.
5. Your story has such a sensitive, emotional style. The way you addressed the relationship between Lloyd and his father is amazing! How did you do it?!
I... Am not sure. I can really only point it back to Him, because I wouldn't have been able to do it otherwise.
6. Have you written other stories before? If so, what do you like to write about? If not, has the contest inspired you to write more?
Too many stories to count, my friend(s). Most of my stories came from my childhood imagination. I'd create secret agents with supernatural powers, and kingdoms of fire and ice, and a young girl who becomes an agent to save her mother from an evil mastermind.... So, I'd say mostly adventure and action stories, but dramatic stories follow right behind that..
7. What tips can you give to other story writers inspired by your awesome work?
Never stop writing-If you stop, how can you improve? Take inspiration from other authors- See the way they mold their sentences, and how they describe things. Take inspiration from your life, or the people around you's lives. Often times, they can tell a tale or two that might just bring out an amazing story. Oh, and avoid using too many descriptive words... Then, your story will be 500 pages long, and you'll only be in the first chapter!!
8. Which of the other stories that were runners up did you enjoy the most and why?
I liked One Stormy Night by IceFireLucky7 very much, but they were all fantastic!! Brava to you all!!
9. What career do you hope to have in the future and why?
Writing and acting, hands down.
10. What is your favorite subject in school and why?
Math!! Why, you ask? It makes me feel useful when I can quickly solve things for people. Science follows right behind it, though.
11. What was your very first LEGO set? What do you remember about it? What made you want to become such a big LEGO fan?
My very first LEGO set of my own was a 1990's firetruck, with working lights and a siren. I found it at Sa second-hand shop, and I really loved it. My first brand-new set was the Ninjago REBOOTED set with Lloyd's bike and Cyrus Borg (I can't remember the name... ._. ).
12. If you could work at the LEGO Company what job would you want and why?
I'd love to review all of the amazing sets!! There are some pretty amazing ones out there, and I'd love to have the honor to test them out, before other people get to!
13. Answer quickly: Reading or writing? Pen or pencil? Typing or writing by hand? Comedy or tragedy? Happy ending or twist? Hero or villain? Short story or novel? Creative story or technically well written? Ice or pizza?
14. Do you have any superpowers? If so, what are they?
Well... I can talk super fast... Ask anyone who knows me IRL. And, I can make really good mac 'n cheese.
15. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
If you could own all sets from ANY theme (retired or active), what theme would you choose?
16. Question from jamesmcdowell – “Would you rather organize your Legos by color or function?”
Oh, totally function. If it was by color, for example- red pieces, you'd then have to go through all of those red pieces for the piece you need, instead of just going to that specific piece and finding the color.
