This is just a quick note to my brothers (and sisters, real and in solidarity) out there who loved Legos growing up in the 80’s. There is a tantalizing sequence of Lego sets starting around the one-third mark of the movie– beginning with the space sets and moving through the castle and pirate sets. That era pretty much covers my childhood obsession with Legos.

Pictured above is (one of?) the first space sets we had around the house, from which the coveted “LL928″ brick arrived. My brothers and I would always find a place of prominence for the “license plate” on the space ships we built. The back of the ship, when you built the set from the instructions, opened to release a small moon buggy. There are other gems and triggers for the memory in the photo gallery as well. I can smell the musty basement and feel the rug burns on my knuckles from swooping our creations around.

Nostalgia is such an insidious elixir! I will not buy more Legos until after my daughter (due any day now) is born!

(at Gizmodo, via BoingBoing)

It’s like getting chocolate in my peanut butter! This American Life + Chris Ware =

(via Coudal)

It’s been an amazing year! From finishing grad school in North Carolina to the summer in a remote cabin in the California mountains, and now back in the “Middle” teaching and working in the Twin Cities. Thanks to all of you who have been a part of it and helped make it all happen.

Now it’s time to go have a long winter’s nap, drink some ‘nog, and rip into some wrapping paper (not necessarily in that order.) Thank you all for visiting, and expect a lot more excitement in 2008.