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ChocolateFrogs

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Blog Entries posted by ChocolateFrogs

  2. ChocolateFrogs
    And thus ends my third trip to the West Coast. I'll have a more nostalgic and 'miss everyone' entry soon (tonight during Flash and SHIELD?), but I miss everyone and had a great time this weekend at Bricks Cascade! (Pictures coming hopefully soon to the front page.)
     
    -CF
  3. ChocolateFrogs

    The Flash!

    By ChocolateFrogs,

    Remember how last summer I was seeking to get a hold of a red Kakama, and someone (Danny?) came through and helped me out at BrickFair? Well, here's why I had to have that mask:
     

     
    I had to. Just for the pun utilizing the mask.
     
    Sure, you can nitpick over the dark red parts or the red feet, but I had fun building him. He'll be debuting at Bricks Cascade this weekend as part of the Super Hero theme.
     

     
    More pictures can be found on my BrickShelf.
     
    With any luck, I'll be inspired to build a whole superhero team!
     
    BZPower Topic!
     
    -CF
  4. ChocolateFrogs
    As you may know, LEGO and DC Comics released 22 variant covers for their comics in November to promote LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. I, of course, had to have some of these for my collection! Here's what I was able to snag:
     

    (^Link. Also: Flickr.)
     
    Some of these are gracing my collection (and will look great when/if I frame some favorite covers), some are being donated to the BrickFair charity auction, and some I'm saving for sale/trade later (or now, PM me).
     
    Some of the variant covers paid homage to covers that appeared a few years back:

     
    And just to be clear, only these variant covers are LEGO-ized. The contents are the exact same normal art as one would find in the regular cover comic.
     
    While variant covers are most certainly an easy gimmick to boost sales and perhaps gain new readers to a title, sometimes the price is right and the cover is cool enough to accept that. (What I won't do it pay way too much for a cover.) LEGO did this with Marvel last year for LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, and I was able to grab two (donating Wolverine to BrickFair's auction).

     
    What's next? I'll continue to collect and build superhero minifigs from all my favorite titles!
     
    -CF
  5. ChocolateFrogs

    The Last Toa Team

    By ChocolateFrogs,

    I built a Toa team back in 2008. They've appeared at BrickFair many times since then, but I never posted them because I always wanted to do something more with them. Enough procrastinating though, I'm not solid on some of these names and don't have backstories for half, but I like what I've built (though will probably experiment with CCBS shells, especially with the Water Toa's torso).
     
    I've put pictures on BrickShelf and Flickr.
     

     
    The team itself is composed on six Toa who were the last surviving members of their respective teams. They've banded together with a new destiny as a new team. My goal while building was to give them some similar characteristics (due to my building preferences), but make them all different given their origins. I gave them all Rahkshi legs and Mata feet since those are my favorite, but after that anything was fair game.
     

     
    Lekia, Toa of Air, nimble and wielding a boomerang.
     

     
    Korou, Toa of Earth, inspired by other diggers.
    (Rahkshi legs on the arms here instead, but those are arguably more powerful on Onu-Toa.)
     

     
    Kapiro, Toa of Fire:
    Kapiro likes to make a solid flame sword and, when necessary, spirals of fire. (His mask of telekinesis helps with this.) He has also forged his own backup blade (just in case).
     

     
    Koji, Toa of Ice:
    Koji fought to his last breath--before being wrapped in a cocoon of ice. While the rest of his team fell while defending their home island from an invasion, he released a nova blast of ice, first drawing in the cold to make the surrounding area molten hot, and then releasing a wave of ice that enveloped the whole island, stopped his enemies, and encasing him for a millennium in ice. When he finally thawed and emerged on a new island, where he would meet his new team, the ice had become a part of him and his armor.
     

     
    Roxoro, Toa of Stone, as tough as they get.
     

     
    Makoa, Toa of Water
    Makoa is only partially healed from being infected with Visorak venom. While she was able to get the cure before being permanently transformed into a Hordika, the rest of her team was not so lucky, and she still has flecks of her Hordika side in her armor and mentality. A fin resides on her back and blades on her arms, along with her "shark's tooth" stinger. Furthermore, she has a bit of a taste-for-blood temper, which is especially present when moving through the water.
    (This was my first attempt at a movable waist, but I need to implement it better.)
     
    I realize since these MOCs are 6+ years old, CC for something where my skills have changed is a moot point ("It seemed good at the time"). But I don't mind small tidbits anyway. Mostly I just wanted to finally post these officially, before I change them. (I might also dismantle a few to make way for new MOCs. "Kill your darlings" and all that.)
     
    And a reminder, I've put pictures on BrickShelf and Flickr.
     
    -CF
  6. ChocolateFrogs
    Man, that Toa Lhikan Hordika guy is awesome. Especially when he (and Turakii #1 Lavasurfer, maybe?) decides to send me a LEGO set not found in the USA! Realizing I desired the micro Tantive IV (with Alderaan globe) from the last LEGO Star Wars Micro Planets series, which was not released in the states, he kindly set me up with one!
     

     
    Sure, he builds up his own LEGO collection bit by bit, but then making sure his friends have some cool additions to theirs as well? It's great knowing he's got me covered with the little things.
     
    I love all sorts of micro sets because it lets me show off some cool ships and vehicles without having to break the bank (and find shelf space) on the larger ones. Plus building in microscale is so fun because of all the details implied by clever uses of pieces.
     
    My current lineup of micro (and midi) Star Wars ships and vehicles:

     
    -CF
    (I've also got a micro Batman Tumbler I'm debating giving to my brother or keeping for myself.)
  7. ChocolateFrogs
    I was able to snag these for $10 each at Barnes and Noble yesterday, which is half off and a more reasonable price I was willing to pay.
     

     
    I like them! They look great. I can fit two figs per section, mostly. As you can see here, I've (mostly) put custom figs up front and an official fig in the back (the more impressive fig, so to speak, shown off). They even have openings in the back to a wall-mount via screws. They also stack snugly. Unfortunately the top studs are slightly larger than 4 regular studs, so building something to fit on top will take a bit more work than just building a base with a 4x4 hole in it.
     
    This isn't the final display. I'll probably move the Firefly figs back out onto my shelf. And even when I do that I won't have room for ALL the Marvel figs (and with the chrome Star Wars figs, which definitely need to be protected from dust and fingerprints here, they take up more space from DC figs not housed here).
     
    While I would love to get more, having these kind of cases to display everything I want to show off would get extremely pricey. I think the next step is to get some small display cases, like one might have for model cars (or a LEGO DeLorean) and actually build some step-like features with staggering steps and figs, like I already do:
     

    (Also featured: Lots of figs.)
     
    However, all in all, I really like these and have no regrets purchasing them. It's just a matter of deciding which figs get to live dust-free.
     
    -CF
  8. ChocolateFrogs
    Now, everyone else is bringing their copies of The LEGO Movie, therefore I don't have to, right?
     
    What we should do is play the movie on silent and then we do all the voices (and sound effects)! Though I think I'd need to watch it a few more times before to be able to do so. (Someone print out the scripts!)
     
    -CF
  9. ChocolateFrogs
    That's the ultimate question: Take it out or leave it in the case?
     

     
    I received this awesome Aquaman ArtFX figure (statue?) at work because Barnes and Noble is doing some cool "Get Pop-Cultured" events starting this coming weekend (including giveaways like $45 ArtFX figures for costume and trivia contests), and I know that's something many of us geeks here might be interested in (including Batman/DC days, Marvel Day, TMNT Day, and others). Right now I'm just racking my brain for cool trivia queries and figuring out my own cosplay to join in on the fun. If you're lucky there might even be some LEGO activities (probably for the little kids).
     
    But here's my dilemma: Take Aquaman out and play with him or leave him in the box gaining value? Especially since I think I might just give it to my brother at Christmas, seeing as I already have not one but two Aquaman minifigures on my shelf. (Except my brother thinks I'm crazy for not taking him out and posing him.)
     
    Such is the question of an avid fan.
     
    In the meantime, go to B&N, have fun at the events, and pick up DC's the New 52 Aquaman graphic novels because those are some of the best things DC is putting out right now!
     
    -CF
  10. ChocolateFrogs

    Micro Neo-UFO

    By ChocolateFrogs,

    Just like my Micro Neo-Ice Planet ship I made a few weeks ago, I have expanded my Neo-90s Space output with another starfighter: Neo-UFO!
     

     
    The goal of "Neo Space" is to create sci-fi designs (ships, rovers, etc) influenced by the shapes, colors and concepts of the old space theme being imitated while taking advantage of today's wider array of pieces, colors, and building techniques.
     
    I'll take some 360-degree pix once I find my UFO 2x2 tile for the center.
     
    Again, this is for an upcoming display of mine. I have a few more days free to build, so I'll be making some more revamped/updated 90s space themes in micro.
     
    -CF
  12. ChocolateFrogs
    As per my front page news story, I'm up for interrogation this month in the BZPowercast. Which means I need questions to answer! That's where you come in--ask me anything!
     
    Anything? Well, sure, but we'll have a whole lot more fun with geeky questions or real questions inquiring about various aspects of life. And any gobdlygook nonsense will probably be ignored as it's hard enough when put on the spot being asked about the average velocity of an unladen swallow (you've been warned).
     
    Leave questions here or send them to me in a PM.
     
    -CF
  13. ChocolateFrogs

    Ruby Sparks

    By ChocolateFrogs,

    I finally saw Ruby Sparks! Wow, so good! Quite near being perfect (one little quip in the reply), amazing characters, well written to push characters to their limits and show them in various lights, and self-reflective on what makes a person and how you can't really change someone.
    I slightly teared up at the end. I hadn't thought a movie could do that for me, but it did.
     
    Quick summary: A writer who is terrible with girls starts writing the girl from his dreams, in hopes to get rid of his writer's block. Next thing he knows, she appears in his kitchen in the morning, freaking him out. Whatever he writes about her comes true. But should he use this ability to make her his perfect idea of a girl, or simply let her become the perfect girl for him, and vice versa?
     
    It's definitely one of my favorite films of the year. Do yourself a favor and check it out at Redbox. (Look up a trailer or two if you're apprehensive. It's NOT a romantic comedy.)
     
    Also, Zoe Kazan might be my latest celebrity crush. So cute! Also I can't wait to see what she writes next. (Knowing she wrote it also made me admire her acting at Ruby.)
     
    -CF
  14. ChocolateFrogs
    A big thanks to everyone in the last entry about reading a book versus listening to it on CD. There were many good arguments made towards the difference between enjoying a book through reading it versus listening to someone else read it (and Aanchir even wrote an essay. Bless. His English teachers must love him) and some points I had not considered.
     
    So coming off of Eyru's suggestion, I'm going to focus on just reading at least 10 pages a day. I started that last night and eagerly want to pick up The Two Towers again today immediately if it weren't for some other things I had to do. (After the 10 pages, if I don't feel like reading more, I'll switch to another book I'm in the middle of, something more engaging.) At this rate, I should have TT finished in less than a month. I'll start Return of the King sometime next year and apply the same tactics. With any luck I'll be fit for rereading The Hobbit in time for the second movie.
     
    I should probably apply this tactic to Cloud Atlas. And Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Both books are a little hard to get through at first.
     
    -CF
  15. ChocolateFrogs
    No, nothing to but the student living below me.
     
    Rather, the musical performance Stomp came to the school's esteemed Ferguson Center for the Arts, and I snagged tickets with some friends for $10 each! High in the balcony, but the performance was still absolutely fantastic!
     
    I have been anticipating this performance since the center's show schedule was published back at the end of the summer. Stomp has been on my "to see" list for almost ten years now, so finally getting that chance was, simply put, a dream come true.
     
    It was so fun to watch them make music off of literally anything. The brooms, of course, or simply their feet and hands, and trash can lids and buckets and flexible tubes and whatever else suited their fancy.
     
    What I also thought while watching the performance was that the troupe is almost the antithesis of the Blue Man Group. BMG takes tubes and paints and stays almost lifeless while they play futuristic, wild-looking instruments, whereas Stomp shows they are there to have fun using whatever junk they found around the street. (Either way, awesome!)
     
    The performers are very ingenuitive and know how to put on a show. There was never a dull moment and their cleverness shone each moment.
     
    -CF
  16. ChocolateFrogs
    How silly of me to forget. I joined in with the hype, being a Harry Potter fan myself, and just had to find out my house.
     
    Way back when, I of course wanted to be in Gryffindor. The house. Harry's house. Hey, I was in 3rd, 4th grade, frantically reading books 1-3 and eagerly awaiting book 4.
    But, after a while, I ascribed to Ravenclaw. Smart folks, them Ravenclaws, and I felt I wasn't going with the popular house.
    However, after careful reflection, I definitely liked Gryffindor and felt it was my house. I very much like the idea of bravery, standing up for what you believe in even if opposed, holding oneself accountable, following through, having guts, etc. I felt Gryffindor was where I belonged.
     
    Now, what Pottermore provides is just another one of many House-tests online. Some are highly inaccurate, some are done by psychologists with a Myers-Briggs test angle in determining your house (though from what I've seen temperament has nothing to do with it). What I wasn't expecting was the test that JK came up with for the Sorting Hat.
    The test has been getting some criticisms, depending on if you like your house or not. I almost don't feel JK should have decided unless consulting with a psychologist, but oh well. Some of the questions/choices were quite weird.
     
    In the end I got sorted into Ravenclaw! I can live with that. After reading the welcome letter, Ravenclaws are clever and witty, more than the average Gryffindor, and eccentric, to which I ascribe, so I am quite content with my house placement. I just might start to identify with it again like I used to.
     
    -CF
  17. ChocolateFrogs

    More Comics, Yesh!

    By ChocolateFrogs,

    Huzzah! Comic book Wednesday Friday (because I have a pull list and don't have to be at the comic shop ASAP and because I was writing a paper on Wednesday).
     
    If you haven't read the new 52 Aquaman, then let me say: He's no longer "meh." He's actually pretty epic and isn't going to take your "Aquaman sucks" comments any more.
    Also, Supergirl is one of my favorite superheroes, and I've only read 5 of her comics. Plus...her outfit. My roommate agrees on all points.
    Though seriously, Batman? Hard to beat that...
     
    Quick question: How good is the Flash? I mean, he just runs really fast. How can that stop crime? I guess I'll give him a quick looksie, at least.
    (I'm also going to read the #1 new issues of Savage Hawkman and Green Arrow, but I already heard Hawkman wasn't too good.)
     
    Second, the stuff you don't care about:
    New comics:
    -Wolverine and the X-Men 5*
    -Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha and Omega 2
    -Secret Avengers 22*
    -Venom 13.1 (Circle of Four part 2)
     
    Old comics:
    -X-Men Legacy 260.1 and 261 (and I placed it on my pull list) (I've already read these, they just came out, but as a completest it's a good enough place to start collecting as the Point-1 identifies a good jumping-on point for reading)
    -And three H---Boy comics. Parts 4, 5, and 6 of 6 in a series called Darkness Calls. (I had been wanting to read some of this character, and this seemed to be the best of what my local comic shop had to offer.) (In hindsight, I should have just sought out some trade-paper books instead. :/ I'm still getting used to that concept, but I do already have a few on my list, like Spider-Island, and acknowledge that I will have to halt reading some series soon and look for TPs a few months later, simply because that is just too much money to spend!)
     
    I almost, almost bought three old Supergirl comics, but I have no way of knowing if that 3-part story arc (45-47 I think?) was as good as it currently is in the reboot. (I was, however, tempted to get the first 4 comics (I bought 5) to have the complete collection, but the shop only had #2 and 3. Maybe they have #1, but no #4. Best if I take this as a loss.)
     
     
    -CF
    *Both are part of the comics leading up to Avengers Vs X-men in April!
  18. ChocolateFrogs
    I finished John Green's An Abundance of Katherines a few nights ago. I started Paper Towns soon after that same day.
    AAoK wasn't much, IMO, but I'll allow Green to not tickle my fancy once, especially since PT is going pretty swell in just the first chapter or two in the first 100 pages. I don't even know why I'm writing this now, I could be reading more!
     
    But past that, I got 7 new books for Christmas, which is going to keep me happy for quite a while:
    The Martian Tales Trilogy (just in time for John Carter [of Mars]!)
    Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children
    Neil Gaiman's American Gods
    H G Wells' The Time Machine
    And Wolverine: Tales Weapon X, a comic collection
     
    (Other exciting Christmas gifts included Kai's Blade Cycle and some money assisting my funding for a Jamaica mission trip I'll be making over spring break.)
     
    With that, excuse me, I must be off reading some more!
     
    -CF
  19. ChocolateFrogs

    Looking For Alaska

    By ChocolateFrogs,

    Read it. Go read it now. Do it.
     
    I started and finished Looking for Alaska (by John Green) over the period of four days. That's surprising for someone like me who doesn't make time to read much anymore.
     
    I did so because the book was fantastic!
     
    A friend was telling me last week about how a book isn't really good until you start emotionally feeling for the characters, when stuff happens and you just want to throw the book across the room or you have to stop reading for one reason or another. Sure, I've read some books that I consider my favorites, but I could not really relate with her.
     
    Until now. At the story's climax, I was tearing up. Continuing reading, and there might have been a tear or two. And I decided I had had enough for the night and would continue later.
     
    It was a fantastic book from the beginning, but from that point on the story just got better. And the book, well, I don't know if I'll ever read a book that good again.
     
    I highly recommend it. I wish I could buy a hundred copies and give them to all my friends.
     
    -CF
    DFTBA
  20. ChocolateFrogs
    My perfect Thanksgiving dinner would be delivery pizza (for the irony) and a well-made pumpkin pie.
     
    But then I probably wouldn’t be spending it with my family, so I guess I’ll live through eating this turkey so I can have my dad’s amazing pumpkin pie.
     
    It’s all about the pie.
     
    -CF
    Right now I'm watching some fantastic pumpkin chuckin' on Science channel!
  21. ChocolateFrogs

    The V V Odradek

    By ChocolateFrogs,

    What started off as this and evolved here and there finally emerges from the docking bay complete and victorious, ready to put some fleebnorks in their place!
    I present to you a Vic Viper, this being NoVVember of course.
     
    The Odradek:

    More pictures can be found here once the folder is moderated.
    Until then, feast your eyes on these.
    Including the pilot.
     
    Flickr.
     
    *****
    Back in January I ordered 10 1x2x3 white slopes. I must have clicked 70 though, because that is how many I got. When life gives you lemons...
    I really like how this turned out (my photographing could still use some work though, despite mini-tripod), especially given how much work I put into it getting shapes and angels right. I hope you do too.
    CC is fantastic and appreciated, of course.
     
    -CF
    PS, Kafka anyone?
  22. ChocolateFrogs
    I'm sure you all in the UK are having fun burning Guy Fawkes dolls.
    I don't think my American campus would approve much of me doing that.
    So I'll just watch V for Vendetta with some friends.
    Actually, I'm reading that right now. Bought it over the summer. I look forward to the differences (nothing too drastic right now, 2/3rds of the way through).
     
    -CF
  23. ChocolateFrogs

    New Shirts!

    By ChocolateFrogs,

    Most of my t-shirts are extremely geeky, because I wouldn't display my identity any other way. (Actually, I would say that all my t-shirts represent my identity. Which is why I don't wear things like free shirts for volunteering or attending a school sporting event. They aren't part of the me that matters. I want people to see me and instantly know I'm a AFOL, Browncoat, Whovian, Boy Scout, etc.)
     
    Over the summer I acquired a new t-shirt that was purely awesome:

     
    And then the artist made another one, which I had to get because it's equally awesome:

     
    Aw yeah!
     
    -CF
  24. ChocolateFrogs
    A mere sample of the books I care to read. I have a few more that could not fit, and there are some I want to borrow from my roommate (World War Z, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the rest of A Song of Ice and Fire, the Thron Trilogy). The Two Towers is in my backpack, a bookmark about halfway through.
     

     
    Of these on the shelf, I have only read 8 cover to cover: First 4 out of 6 books of the HHGTTG trilogy, Dawn Treader, The Giver, and The Great Divorce and The Screwtape Letters (highly recommended!). I just started V for Vendetta. And of course reading Dune (my dad's, along with the other first 5), A Game of Thrones, and Storm Front would presumably lead to the rest of the series.
     
    Honestly part of me thinks if I have enough discipline to start my days off in NaNoWriMo-November with two hours of writing, I should instead substitute that with reading and actually tackle some of these.
     
    -CF
    And this doesn't include books I want to read that I don't own!
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