Meet a member: Jena
Posted by Huw,
Today we are interviewing Jena, who's an office manager in Paris with an awesome tattoo:
What is your first LEGO memory?
I remember getting 6653 Highway Maintenance Truck, I must have been 5 or 6 years old. I have built it backward and forward so many times.
I have found memories of my first Space set, 6928 Uranium Search Vehicle. I pleaded to get more to be able to have a complete lunar landscape.
Did you have a dark age and if so what caused you to emerge from it?
If I had one I don’t remember it. I know I’ve kept playing with all the sets I had in my childhood, especially Technic, Pirates, Castle and Space (basically all of them!), even though the great statistics tool on Brickset tells me I didn’t get any new sets between 1996 and 1999. I began buying my own sets when I first got a job, and they were Star Wars.
Which set or theme has been most influential upon you, as a LEGO fan?
This is so difficult! I think Castle and Pirates created or fed my passion for architecture. I don’t really distinguish the two themes, they have a lot in common from a buildings point of view. Then Space and Star Wars (same thing): that’s the future of humankind.
What are you building right now?
I’ve just built again 70810 MetalBeard's Sea Cow, because I’m impatient to get 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay.
How do you store your LEGO?
I have built an elevated bed, so I can fit 16 big translucent plastic bins for the sets that I keep in numbered ziplock bags. I also have a wall of drawers for the MOC parts, sorted by shape, and sometimes by colours. We have a designated wall for the minifigs. And then there are built sets all over the house. I’m grateful that my two partners are so lenient regarding the space my LEGO collection takes.
Do you build MOCs? If, so what?
Not as much as I’d like. Every creation I make takes weeks because I have difficulty making decisions. I work best with someone around I can show the things I build.
I’m very proud of my Paris Skyline, I’ve done a number of Brickheadz, LEGO Tower floors, mini modular buildings (8x8 plates) and a series I haven’t published yet of micro modular versions of the Modular series (on 4x4 plates).
I also had a project on LEGO Ideas, Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Pavilion, but unfortunately t received very little support.
Right now I’m expanding the Ninjago City landscape with more buildings. I’ve just adapted the New Year Temple onto a 16x32 baseplate, and added a bubble tea venue on top.
What is your favourite part?
If I really had to chose (but by now, you know choosing is not really my strong suit), I would have to say the Erling/headlight brick. I actually got the Creator Expert logo tattooed on my side for when I visited the LEGO House in Billund.
What theme would you like LEGO to produce?
I’d like a return of the Architecture houses line. They were really simple and beautiful. I’d love a mix with the Castle line, or Architecture versions of the wonders of the world… But to be honest I’m already a happy girl, without the money or the space to buy or build everything I’d like, so I don’t have a big frustration on missing themes.
Do you have a presence on Instagram, YouTube or elsewhere?
I’m everywhere but I’m trying not to, because it’s addictive! https://www.instagram.com/jenas_elle/
https://twitter.com/JenaS_elle
I’ve made a few fun time lapses and stop motion animations, especially one with the Big 75192 UCS Millennium Falcon, and one with 71043 Hogwarts Castle which you'll find on YouTube.
Do you have any interests or hobbies other than LEGO?
I make chainmail and scalemail, which are quite close to LEGO now that I think about it. And at the moment I sew face marks to protect local medical professionals and groceries employees from COVID-19.
How long have you been visiting Brickset?
I’ve been a member since 2013, and I don’t remember when I started reading. Basically the site is my only source of LEGO news, so I’m back every other day.
What's your favourite/most used feature of the site?
I remember the reason I created an account was to keep online a list of the sets I have, because SEVERAL TIMES I ended up buying the same set twice. The Owned and Wanted pages are my favourites places on the Internet.
Are you a member of a LUG? Which ones?
I haven’t found a LUG where I would feel completely comfortable. On one hand, to me LEGO is not exactly a social activity. On the other, as a bisexual trans woman, I run a significant risk when I’m out and about without properly vetting a space first.
I was disheartened by the clash around GayFOL last year, and I’m very enthusiastic about The Women's Brick Initiative, I’m a member of both groups. But being in France means I’ll probably never meet the people in the group.
Have you been to a LEGO event?
Sadly, I’ve never been to one. Does watching hours of Youtube reports count? :-)
I’ve visited the Art of the Brick Expo in Brussels, and the DC Comics version of it in Paris.
If it counts, I’ve loved spending a day in the LEGO House in Billund, and I’ll be happy to go there again.
Thanks Jena!
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17 comments on this article
Thanks for doing your part in the Covid-19 situation! We need more people like you in the world.
Elevated beds to make space for LEGO are the future! (I'm currently in the process of convincing my partner of that...)
Very inspiring read indeed.
Love that Pompidou Centre!
@MonsterFighter said:
"Love that Pompidou Centre!"
Agreed! The Paris skyline is brilliant, especially the use of red skeleton arms for the stairs/walkways at the Pompidou Centre.
Making a MOC does take a big time commitment which is one reason why it so impressive when someone does a good job of it, like you have done with that Paris skyline. It looks great!
Lucky are those that get to build huge sets , just watched Your MF build(speed build) and hummed along ,I do that for anything SW I build, keep up the great work and a Lego tattoo is as dangerous as th Dark Mark, I too am marked ,only downside is can't use those pieces
Several members have highlighted the Erling/headlight brick as a favourite part.
I wondered when 6653 Highway Mantenance Truck would crop up in these articles. It too holds a special place in my memories from receiving it on Christmas Day as a 7 year old. Its such a simple set with a huge capacity for play. I was obsessed with building roads & roadworks at that age and that was perfect teamed up with 6647 Highway Repair.
Your whole Paris model is very cool, but I especially love how you conveyed the distinctive look of the Centre Pompidou - I remember in my French textbook at school, that was one of the Paris locations we were taught about. Sadly I have not yet managed to visit Paris, but it really stuck in my head.
Ooo, nice tattoo!
Also. Elevated bed you say? I need an elevated everything...and/or a basement.... ;)
I love that Paris skyline. Well done! I don't have any tattoos, but if I ever get one I might copy what you did. Pretty cool!
I'm with Huw. That is one awesome tattoo!
same necklace thing as i wear!! love it so much :D thanks for doing your part with making face masks! means a lot to immunosuppressed folks like me. my partner has been making masks and i have a friend who's just starting to do chainmail, the chainmail process seems especially tedious but gotta say the end results are amazing!!
I can't tell you how utterly disappointed I am that, when introduced as having "an awesome tattoo", it was not immediately explained in the answer to the very first question.
I agree with the LUG thing, as a trans man in this community it's always a tossup if people will be supportive or not. Love the ninjago city expansion moc!
Thank you all for your nice comments :)
@DarthWalle : I've recreated it as a vector file if you wish :)
@tris : one of my partners has epilepsy, so she's considered vulnerable and I'm anxious to keep here safe <3
and @saltbrick : You have all my support :)
Love the tattoo! And lovely city there with the lighting!