A Lifelong Brick Addiction

Some people say their LEGO journey started when they were kids. Mine started before I could even form proper memories. At two years old, I was already getting my hands on my first sets, including the 1993 Polly Pick Up | #1874 Polly Pick Up , a quirky little brick vacuum shaped like a parrot that doubled as a storage container. Looking back, it was the perfect gateway drug into what would become a lifelong obsession.

The Golden Years of Childhood

Growing up in the early 90s meant I had front row seats to some of the best themes LEGO ever produced. My collection from those years reads like a greatest hits album of classic sets.

There was the 1991 Cabin Cruiser | #4011 Cabin Cruiser , one of the coolest sets LEGO ever made because it actually floated. Yes, you could take it in the bathtub. Yes, I absolutely did that.

Then came Ice Planet 2002, and with it the 1993 Blizzard Baron | #6879 Blizzard Baron . Those Chainsaw Trans-Neon Orange Chainsaw and Cockpits Trans-Neon Orange Cockpits still look incredible today. There was something about that color scheme of white, blue, and neon orange that just worked perfectly.

For my childhood nostalgia though, nothing beats the 1994 Pizza To Go | #6350 Pizza To Go . A pizza delivery truck with an actual pizza restaurant, amazing. And those 2 x 2 Pizzas Yellow 2 x 2 Pizzas where my favorite parts for many years. And the 1995 Shuttle Launch Pad | #6339 Shuttle Launch Pad sparked an early fascination with space that never really went away.

The Dark Age

Every LEGO fan knows about the dark age. That period where life gets in the way and the bricks get packed away. Mine hit during the mid Bionicle era around 2003. I was a teenager with other priorities, and LEGO just sort of faded into the background.

It wasnt a complete blackout though. Even during those years, a couple sets managed to break through. The 2005 UCS Sandcrawler | #10144 UCS Sandcrawler was too good to pass up, and the 2006 Mindstorms NXT | #8527 Mindstorms NXT scratched a different itch entirely. But these were exceptions, not the rule.

The Purchase That Changed Everything

2010 was the year everything changed, and it started with a decision that seemed crazy at the time.

The UCS Millennium Falcon | #10179 UCS Millennium Falcon had retired. Id first seen it back in 2008 at the LEGO Store in Legoland Billund, and it had haunted me ever since. I didnt have the money back then. Just a kid staring at the most incredible LEGO set ever made, knowing it was out of reach.

But by 2010, Id gotten job and started saving. The set was retired, prices were climbing, but I found a retailer selling sealed retired sets. The price? 10,000 DKK. Roughly $1500 at the time.

I bought it anyway.

Its still my biggest LEGO purchase ever, and I have never regretted it for a single second. Sometimes you just have to go for it.

The Return

What really pulled me back was the Architecture line. Those sleek, minimalist sets spoke to a more grown up appreciation for design. Tower Bridge | #10214 Tower Bridge was my first major purchase back, and it reminded me why I loved building so much.

Then came the Modulars. The Grand Emporium | #10211 The Grand Emporium was my introduction to the series, and suddenly I was hooked on a whole new type of collecting.

2011 hit hard. I managed to get the 2008 Death Star | #10188 Death Star before it retired at the end of the year. I grabbed all the new Architecture sets as they released: the Willis Tower | #21000 Willis Tower , John Hancock Center | #21001 John Hancock Center , Empire State Building | #21002 Empire State Building , and Seattle Space Needle | #21003 Seattle Space Needle . The Maersk Line Container Ship 2010 Edition | #10155 Maersk Line Container Ship 2010 Edition and Maersk Container Train | #10219 Maersk Container Train joined the collection. It was like making up for lost time.

The Architecture Obsession

After visiting Fallingwater in person, I made it my mission to collect every Architecture set LEGO releases. Well, almost every one. I’m skipping the Skyline series, as it does not speak to me, and the original Landmark Series.

This goal has proven trickier than expected. I’m still hunting for the Imperial Hotel | #21017 Imperial Hotel , Marina Bay Sands | #21021 Marina Bay Sands and Lincoln Memorial | #21022 Lincoln Memorial . The updated versions of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum | #21035 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum , Burj Khalifa | #21055 Burj Khalifa , and Empire State Building | #21046 Empire State Building are also missing from my shelves.

And 2025 isn’t making things easier with three major releases. The Architecture addiction is expensive, but I wouldnt have it any other way.

Buying Smart

Since around 2020, the majority of my purchases have been secondhand. I’m a huge advocate for buying used LEGO. People sell off barely touched sets all the time, and there’s no shame in giving those bricks a second life. Your wallet will thank you, and the bricks build exactly the same whether theyre from a box or a bulk lot.

Current Favorites

Some recent sets have really stood out. The Milky Way Galaxy | #31212 Milky Way Galaxy is stunning. The Rolling Stones | #31206 Rolling Stones is a perfect blend of art and nostalgia. The Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck | #76989 Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck is one of the best licensed sets in years (especially when combined with Base Upgrade | #MOC-118870 Base Upgrade ). The Colosseum | #10276 Colosseum is an absolute beast of a build.

But if I had to pick one set as the absolute best LEGO has ever produced? Its the Lord of the Rings Rivendell | #10316 Rivendell . No contest. Everything about it is perfect.

Beyond Collecting

When I’m not building or hunting for sets, I’m actually developing software for the LEGO community. I created BrickTracker, a selfhosted LEGO collection tracker that you can find at bricktracker.baerentsen.space. If youre the type who likes to keep your collection organized and your data private, give it a look.

The Collection Continues

From that first Polly Pick Up at age two to wherever the next white whale leads me, the journey keeps going. Thats the thing about LEGO. Its never really finished. Theres always another set to find, another build to enjoy, another memory to make.

Thanks for stopping by!