2013: A Year in Hobbies

The most popular place in Tokyo to spend New Year's Eve--in Nanoblocks (fitting isn't it)

 

 

Despite what people might think, Christmas is not necessarily the greatest time for hobbyists.  Yes, Christmas brings the potential of much wanted presents for the hobbyist.  It might also bring a good boxing day sale (as it did in my case) but that doesn't mean there really is time to actually do anything.  Christmas is so full of stuff that the real hobby season may not begin until the start of the new year.

I know there are people out there who had planned and executed their Christmas shopping and preparation by September.  Those people probably have had lots of time to play with trains or build model cars.  Based on what people on my favourite train site are saying, there seems to have been lots of time to improve their models and run quite a few trains.

I have not been blessed with too many vacation days--yes, I am that guy.  They guy you see marching off to work like some lemming every morning while you are still in your PJs enjoying that first cup of coffee.  While this may sound like sour grapes (and at times it is) I was still better off than the people around here who didn't have power until Christmas day.  Even if those people had the day off, they couldn't have run trains or powered an airbrush.

 

The new year is upon us, and I should take stock of the --in terms of hobbies.  Life has been pretty full, but I'd rather focus on what this blog is supposed to focus on.

• I have enjoyed blogging and while this blog's readership has been growing slowly, the blog that I set up to help my students' English has done remarkably well.  I have even done a good job of preparing and working ahead, so I don't need to panic the day before a lesson is supposed to be published.

• I have reconnected with the Nscale.net website and have enjoyed their advice and stories as part of my effort to build my n scale train layout.

• I have built and painted several models, and can feel good about my improvement in these areas.

• I have spent time running trains and have reignited my passion in this area.

• I have come to love Nanoblocks, but hate that they aren't as readily available as their big brother Lego.  While they are popping up at toy stores, they soon sell out and restocking seems to take months.

• My passion for reading allowed me to read 44 novels this year.  While this is by no means a record for myself, I think it isn't too bad since for a quarter of the year I had my head buried in ESL methodology books.

• I found time to do a few Jigsaw puzzles, but wonder what to do with them after they are built.

• I have watched far too much YouTube, but I am happy that the few things I have posted have seemed popular.  Though, honestly, I am not sure why unboxing the Statue of Liberty Nanoblock kit is so popular.  Maybe one of you could watch it and let me know.

• It hasn't been a stellar year for practicing Japanese, but I still feel good about my ability.

In my next blog, I will look ahead to the coming year and what joy it may bring.   Thanks for reading.

 

 

Competition Has Arrived

 

I would have to say it is official.  Nanoblocks have become a force to be reckoned with.  Why do I say that?  Surprisingly, it is not because there is a big push on them for the Christmas rush--though I did see them available at a store that had never had them before.  Instead, I give them credit because they have inspired some competition.

Micro Blocks, produce by a company called Loz, are now available.  They don't seem to be available here in Canada yet.  This might have something to do with a bit of a conflict with the people who brought you Mega Blocks.  This company (based in Canada I believe) uses the name Micro Blocks for the blocks that share the same size with Lego.  Sounds complicated doesn't it?

They seem to be competing in the same space as Nanoblocks.  They offer lots of architectural themed kits of world famous buildings.  This should appeal to adult builders as well as kids.  It also seems to have a broad international scope, so it should be easy to spread.

I am all for competition.  More tiny blocks equals more fun.  The other thing is that more block producers mean more designs and creative ideas.  It might also mean more interesting pieces.  I wonder if the two sets are compatible.

I don't know if either Nanoblock, or this new Micro Blocks company will every dominate the space that Lego has, but I am interested nonetheless.  I know as a Canadian I will have to wait a long time before I see them, at least I can think good things about 2014.

Lamenting the Lost

I happened to pass this building today, and felt a little melancholy.  Another hobby business packed up and left.  I don't know what happened really.  Maybe they moved somewhere else, or maybe the idea just didn't fly.  A lot of hobby related businesses just don't succeed and whenever they close, I feel a sling twinge (or pang) of sadness.

While out for a walk I came across this

 

I cannot really say I was part of the solution.  I avoided going into the store because I didn't really want to start another hobby, and this one seemed really tempting.  Lego and robotics..... Had I gone in, my paycheque might have been a memory.  Despite having some advertising on this sight, I am a long way from having it generate any kind of hobby budget.

We live in a great time for hobbyists, but perhaps not such a great time for people running a large hobby business.  I would guess that running a home hobby business (I imagine somebody making flatcar loads at home, or building train layouts, or designing replica buildings) would be possible.  It would require a great website, a great idea, a spare room or two and probably easy access to a post office.  Running a business with a store location would require the same things, but would also mean renting out a store--and I imagine that it would cost a lot of money.  I am impressed by anyone who does it because it must be hard.  Taking that risk must be pretty scary.

I would hope that Lego had a stake in this enterprise, and therefore nobody lost their shirt trying to run this business.  However, a short portrait in the very local newspaper seems to indicate otherwise.  A brief bit of googling hasn't brought me any answers.  If you know something about it, please post it here; for my curiosity and others.  I would also appreciate any thoughts on how your local hobby stores are doing.

On a side note, at the bookstore, there still seem to be quite a large number of magazines about hobbies still being published.  Flipping through some of them, I can see that they are making an effort to go digital, but still seem to be publishing.  Feel free to comment on this as well.

Cyber Punks Revisited in Lego

I just had to share this with you.  I love early cyberpunk novels by William Gibson, and of course Bladerunner (and I have been to Japan) so you will clearly see how this appeals to me.  While I have a nanoblock addiction, I am not nearly as creative as these people.  Check this out if you have a chance.  It is pretty cool.

 http://www.unfinishedman.com/the-ultimate-cyberpunk-lego-city-cyberpocalypse-at-brickfair-2013/

Latest Nanoblocks

My most recent Nanoblock adventure involved the Empire state building kit.  It seems like I am pretty addicted to these things.  I have built quite a few of them now and I am hoping they continue to put out new sets regularly.  Of course, if they gain the same kind of fame that Lego has, with their small size they could put out some amazing things.

At first, I wasn't attracted to this kit.  I had plans to tackle the Big Ben kit or the Itsukushima Shrine kit first.  Unfortunately, those kits have not appeared in Canada yet. I have seen them for sale on the US Amazon site, but being shipped from Japan they have a heavy price tag.  That being said, I am not sure how long I can resist the urge to buy them.

What's in the box

Having had a bit of time to think about it, I decided to go back and reconsider this kit.  I like architectural models, and the building is quite iconic..... so after a short deliberation I decided that I would build this kit.  I am glad I did, because it turned out quite nicely.

It wasn't particularly difficult, and actually since most of the floors are identical it got a little monotonous at times.  However, it was good building fun.

If you haven't tried Nanoblocks, you should give them a try.  The small parts make it challenging sometimes, and the results are usually quite good.  I also suspect that there are going to be some amazing kits released in the near future.

I included this one because I liked the shadow

Ghosts of Christmas Past (part two)

 

One of the coolest kits (which was also quite educational) that I received for Christmas many, many, years ago was Capsela.  This toy was so cool that I have never been able to part with it, and the photos from this blog contain the actual kit I received on that cold (and possibly snowy) Christmas morning of my youth.

After checking Wikipedia, I found out that Capsela was created by the Mitsubishi Pencil Company.  So, surprise, surprise, another cool toy came from Japan, though this one came from an era when Japanese toys were more pedestrian.  It beat out Tamagochi by at least 2 decades.  Apparently, these days, Bandai from Japan has re-released these toys and they go for staggering amounts on EBay, or ship from far away places in Asia.  I had seen them at a science store--but that store is now closed.

Capsela was a rather unusual toy.  It was a motorized toy that didn't come in traditional shapes and forms.  I think its science fiction look also was part of it's appeal.  In addition to that, there were things you could build for the bathtub--and nothing could be cooler than that (add some superfoam, a few boats, and you had the making of a fantastic sea battle--probably better than that Battleship movie.)

the back of the box--detailing the parts included

The toughest part of the toy was understanding gear ratios.  Trying to build beyond the instruction booklet was rather difficult.  You couldn't put things in any order you wanted, because it just wouldn't power everything correctly.  Having only one set, and no internet bulletin boards for help, I really couldn't stray from the instructions (though I tried many times).  These days, things would most likely be different.  Looking back on it, I had probably been too young when I got the present to really understand that, and could have saved myself some frustration.

There must be cool things like this today, but they are probably more geared toward use with an iPad, rather than a stand alone construction toy.  At least, I hope there are toys these days which are about building and operating.  I know there are still RC helicopters and cars, so besides Lego, there must be stuff like this--let me know what is out there.  I'd love to know.

It was definitely a cool toy.  Someday I will check out the new version, and that will probably be pretty cool too.

The Number 3 Hobby I Would Take up if I had time space and money

No surprise if you have been reading this blog (or have glanced at a few of the posts right now before reading this one), but I love trains.  I am not really sure why.  Maybe it's the little child in me, maybe it's the yearning for freedom that riding the rails represent, or maybe trains are just cool.

Either way, if I had space and money, and my dream N scale layout was built, I would probably buy all the Lego trains that are out there.  At last count I have come across four different ones in this modern era. (I should note that this includes an antique looking one that could have come from a Harry Potter movie)

They seem very cool to me, and I instantly desired them (and they were are on sale last week).  Somehow I managed to walk out of the store without buying any of them (I should really be working on my almost dream N scale layout).  I really don't have the room for them, and I certainly don't have the money.  I don't have any need for them either.

To top all that off, my N scale trains are much more detailed and realistic scale models of trains.  Nonetheless, I desire these Lego trains and spend a bit of time each month pondering the possibility of buying them.  This pondering is either scoping them out on the internet or checking them out at the toy store or the Lego store.  Though this is time that could be better spent blogging, I really can't help myself.

My greatest worry about this is that they seem to put these sets out for a limited time.  If they don't sell, or if they sell out, I may never see these sets again.  I am pretty sure that I won't buy one of them in the near future, but I may never be able to buy one ever.

 

Progress Report: Nanoblock Space Shuttle

Just a short break in the list of hobbies I would take up if time and money were no question (but in reality always are) to give you an update on my hobbies.  For this issue, we will be looking at my latest Nanoblock build.



I picked up the space shuttle when I got the drum kit I previously reviewed.  Overall, I am happy that Nanoblocks are more widely available.  I hope that other people find them as much fun as I do.  I did a quick check and found that the price for this particular kit is much more expensive in Japan (the home of Nanoblocks).  I checked it out on Amazon.  I guess things that are not of Japanese interest are more expensive in Japan.  It's worth checking out.



What happens when you drop a piece

It took quite a lot of time to put this particular model together partly due to the number of pieces and the size of the pieces.  (I was going to invent a word like itsybitsiness, or teenyweeniness--but as an ESL teacher, my colleagues would probably never forgive me for it)  I would suggest not assembling this anywhere near heating vents.  As you can see from some of the pictures I have carpet--it keeps the pieces from flying too far away.



ready for final assembly

The kit came with some unique pieces.  That probably means that some very creative people in Japan have bought a bunch of these kits and will utilize them in some fun and unique way--I have seen this before on a TV show called TV Champion, Lego edition--the things they could do are amazing.  I will have to check out YouTube. (a quick check shows that there are quite a few Nanoblock videos on YouTube as well.)



the finished product



If you haven't put together any Nanoblocks yet, this would be a good kit to start with.  It wasn't my first, and I am sure it won't be my last.

Nanoblocks to the Rescue

What do you do when you aren't making any hobby progress?  Most people would preach patience.  That would be fantastic, if I had any.  When I get stuck, I tend to switch my focus.  That is how I became jack of all hobbies, after all.  I don't box things up and walk away (though that might be the wiser thing to do) but just sort of amble onto other things.  Presently, I have so many projects on the go that it shouldn't have been a problem.  Unfortunately, I really wasn't feeling inspired.

Ziploc package of nanoblocks

Nanoblocks to the rescue.

I decided to poke around Toys R Us (if there is a way to make that R like they do at the store on this computer, I don't know what it is) in search of inspiration.  I probably should have gone to a hobby shop, but the toy store was much easier--it's in the same building I take the subway home from work in.

I came across some fantastic Lego train sets that I had not seen before.  I was painfully tempted to buy them, but I have an N scale train that needs building, and working on a Lego train set would be like having an affair.  I should remain faithful (at least for now).

When you open the package

While browsing I came across some Nanoblocks.  I love Nanoblocks, but had no idea they were now being sold at Toys R Us.  I had to go to Scholar's choice, or Amazon to get them before.  They didn't have too many sets left, but I managed to find a couple of projects for me.

 

For those of you who don't know (and haven't ready my previous posts on the subject) Nanoblocks are a locking brick toy from Japan that is similar to Lego, but much smaller (I guess Japan has a reputation for miniaturizing things, don't they).  They have quite a few architectural sets, animal sets. and all purpose sets.  They aren't cheap, but they won't break the bank.  They are a little challenging for small children (and they are certainly a choking hazard for little ones) those they require nimble fingers.  They usually turn out quite well.



Everything sorted out and ready to go

This morning, after my morning coffee, and before I have to rake the leaves, I tackled the drum set.  This was the first time I purchased a set that didn't come in a box.  This one came packaged in a zip lock bag.  It wasn't too difficult, but my fingers are a little large, and not particularly nimble.  I needed tweezers, and some restraint.  I only dropped the pieces onto the carpet 10 or 11 times.  Fortunately, I was able to find them before frustration set in. 



the remaining pieces

I managed to put it together in the length of time it took me to listen to Rod Stewart's Every Picture Tells A Story. It turned out quite well, and I have a bunch of parts leftover for some future project or some abstract art if I can't figure out what to do with them.  And to answer your questions, before you ask them, the leftover parts were intended--There are always leftover parts.

I have included a few extra pictures, so that you can get a better idea of what comes in the package and what you have left at the end.

Goodbye Zellers--thanks for the 1000 pieces of frustration

Needing a few Lego blocks (I needed a customizable right angle to ensure that a railroad building I am working on is actually square) I headed off to my local Zellers, only to discover that it is closing.

Farewell Zellers.  You've gone the way of Towers, Bargain Harold's, The BiWay and other Canadian retailers.  I will miss you.  When I got back into model cars after years away from the hobby it was Zellers that had that provided that car.  It was Zellers that supplied my first collection of paints and paintbrushes.  Come to think of it, I have bought more than my share of hobby paraphernalia there.  Puzzles, board games, camping gear, sports equipment, stuff with the Maple Leaf logo on it--all of them were bought at Zellers.

My trip there was not really nostalgic, nor fruitful.  The 30% sale ensured that there was very little Lego left.  I could have bought a huge box of Microblocks (not to be confused with Nanoblocks, but bearing more than a passing resemblance to Lego) but I really only needed about a dozen blocks.  In fact, there was quite a bit missing from the store, and I expect most of it to be gone by the end of the weekend.

I, of course, was not immune to the lure of a good sale and I bought some stuff.  As concerns this blog, I bought myself a jigsaw puzzle--1000 pieces of pure frustration--okay, not exactly true.  I imagine pure puzzle frustration to be something like a 5000 piece puzzle entitled whiteout.  I have started the puzzle, and I guess I am about 50% done.

maybe 50% done

This is not one of the deluxe Japanese puzzles I wrote about earlier.  However, at less than four dollars, it isn't a bad timewaster.  I looked at some other jigsaw puzzles of trains when I was at the train shop the other day, so I am sure I was influenced by that.  I thought about buying one that day, but it really wasn't in the budget and the subject matter was good because it was about trains, but not specifically the subject I was looking for.  I wish my Zellers purchase had been a train picture, but this was the best of the lot.

The remarkable thing I find about doing puzzles is how quickly you learn to spot patterns and minor differences between pieces.  In a couple of days this skill has been sharpened considerably.  The other remarkable thing is how much time can disappear when you are doing a puzzle.  The other night I decided to put in a "couple of pieces" before I went to bed.  Those couple of pieces turned into more than and hour and a half.  Good thing I am a night owl.

Nanoblocks

I have already admitted (perhaps more than once) that I have been bitten by the Lego bug.  That is undeniably true.  What I failed to mention, or perhaps concealed from you, is that I found a way to stave off the call of Lego.  Not surprisingly, that way comes from Japan (my other home, and source of many of my hobbies.)

They are called Nanoblocks.  Basically it is Lego, only smaller.  When you think about it, it is no surprise that these blocks come from Japan.  They made everything else smaller, so why not make something that is similar to Lego, only smaller.

I saw these things first either on Amazon.jp or on BusanKevin's YouTube page.  Yes, surprise surprise I do check out Amazon Japan often enough to spot what is new and happening in Japan.  Some family members call it an obsession, even a sickness.  Others think I was Japanese in a past life.  Either one might be true, but that doesn't really matter.  I like hobbies, and truth be told, Japan is a country which really caters to the hobbyist.

yes, they are that small

Back to Nanoblocks.  The upside is that they are small, and even a large box doesn't take up so much room when built.  I have built five pieces so far and they don't take up very much room.  In fact, the marketing for the ones that I have done (famous landmarks) is that you can have the whole world on your desk.  Looking at my photo you can see that is true.

Now, they are indeed small.  Even though I am into N scale trains (the second smallest scale) I found these things to be rather small.  This isn't such a big problem unless you

a) drop them on the carpet--in which case search and rescue could take some time

b) have slender nimble hands--which I don't

This is what comes in a typical box

c) have absolutely no patience--I have enough, fortunately

Of all of the ones I have built the castle was my favourite. It was a large, challenging, and came with a fantastic instruction book.  The instruction book set out how many of each type of piece was needed per step.  This was good because the box had more than 2000 pieces.  I enjoyed building it, but it took quite a bit of time.  I think the end result was a good model though.

This was the deluxe kit--and it was spectacular

Nanoblocks are readily available through amazon.com in the US (you lucky people) and here in Canada, Scholar's Choice sells a few (a few, my advice is to call before you drive there--I had to get them taken from one store to a closer one before I could go and pick them up)   As far as the price goes they are not horrendously expensive.  Granted, I did get the Castle (which is called Himeji Castle) sent from Japan--this is the deluxe one, a smaller one is available.

Once assembled, there are a few pieces left over.  I decided to organize mine in a Stanley organizer--perhaps it is not the best use of space.  I have done five and I could probably put what is left over into a small box.  Why on earth did I choose such a big organizer....I am thinking long term.  Someday I might have way too many of these tiles for even that huge organizer....someday.

okay, so I haven't reached storage capacity yet.

If you have some Japanese ability, you will be able to find some great examples of what artistic people can do on the Japanese homepage  diablock.co.jp/nanoblock   Typical of Japan, they hold yearly contests, and some of the work is unbelievable.

If you want to know more, check the English home page at mynanoblock.com

As an addition to my family of hobbies, it seems to fit right in.  It was creative, fun, challenging, and from Japan--see, perfect for me.

Lego Update

My will remains strong--barely.  By mere chance, Friday saw me perusing the store once more (perhaps if I avoided the mall altogether....)   And, as if the train, and Lord of the Rings kits weren't enough, they now have an array of superhero kits.  I suspect a conspiracy to separate me from my money.  Will this assault on my bank balance never end?

Which one do you think looks the best?  My vote goes to Thor--though I thought he'd be taller.

Mini Blog--The seed has been watered

I mentioned that the seed for Lego had been planted.  Today, sometone watered that seed. There is a plan to release Lord of the Rings Lego--sounds pretty cool to me.  I could be persuaded to go back to the Lego store and check them out.

Leggo my Lego

Owing to a transit strike and too much time to kill before I could get a ride home I found myself doing something I rarely do.  I did a complete tour of a shopping mall at a leisurely pace.  Normally I am a get in, get what you came for and then get out kind of person. I can't really say I had a great time, but it wasn't a complete waste because I came across the Lego store.

I have always liked Lego, but never really had any.  I had one set when I was a child. but it wasn't a huge "megaset."  I could maybe build a small house or car, as long as colour symmetry wasn't a priority.  If you've read my blog called The Massive Collection and the Mind of a Child you might remember my friend's Playmobil collection.  What I didn't mention was that he also had a very impressive collection of Lego. Impressive because he had enough Lego to build a small village of houses, all tastefully colour coordinated.  I was pretty jealous, but we played with it together often enough that I only have good memories of it.

The Lego store is a pretty amazing place.  I hadn't realized how many products they had.  There were so many cool kits and stuff that I had no idea they made.  For a moment..... actually longer than a moment, I was a kid again.

I spotted that Lego train and made those important financial calculations that all hobbyists have to do.  It is a complicated formula involving the  (fun quotient X the building time X the buddy brag factor )/ (the cost factor + the once finished dust collector factor+ the wasted money factor)

I walked out of the store without a box of shiny new Lego and a healthy respect for the store clerks who patiently dealt with children (including one who listed every kit he owned in alphabetical, then chronological order.)  And although I managed to thwart the temptation, the seed has been planted, the need has been created.  Only time will tell where this will lead.