As part of growing our group and local community, we started the Meet a Member initiative on newfoundlug.ca, to feature the people who make up our local LEGO community.  This initiative is 100% voluntary. Each month, we will interview a member of NewfoundLUG to find out how LEGO makes them tick, their passion for the hobby, and other fun facts about their LEGO journey.

This month’s featured member is: Charlie Mudd

NewfoundLUG: What is your first LEGO memory? 

CM: I’m not sure, the most prominent is at the age of 7 or 8 building custom Lego Inspector Gadget cars. I would build a simple car on a 2×6 or 2×8 plate and add extra tools and items.

NewfoundLUG: Did you have a dark age (a time in your life where you weren’t using LEGO) and if so, what caused you to emerge from it?

CM: Yes. My household had a purge around the age of 12 where most of my Lego was given away to younger cousins, after that I was mostly uninterested with buying more until I was older.

Around 1999 or 2000, I got back into it briefly out of enjoyment of the Adventures line, though I mostly just bought the small sets. I was restricted by how little actual blocks were included in the sets, and got out of it when I realized it would be difficult to build up anything of significance.

I prominently got back into Lego with the release of the Lego movie. Having it brought back into popular consciousness made me realize how much I enjoyed it, and I got back into building.

NewfoundLUG: Which set or theme has been most influential upon you, as a LEGO fan?

CM: Its difficult to say. Technic is where my interests have lied lately, to build and play with sometimes its enjoyable. Otherwise, there is no specific theme or set that has been inherently influential for me.

NewfoundLUG: What is your favorite part of the hobby? 

CM: The part that I most often do is looking at other peoples’ MOCs; I enjoy seeing what other people do with Lego, such as use new techniques and create things from properties I enjoy. After that, I mostly enjoy creating MOCs.

NewfoundLUG: How do you store your LEGO?

CM: In big piles on top of each other. Pieces are stored into general subgroups, such as modified plates. It isn’t an ideal sorting scheme, mostly just a rough sort to assist me in finding parts for MOCs. 

NewfoundLUG: Do you build MOCs? If so, of what?

CM: Yes, as previously stated. There is no specific category that my MOCs fall into such as medieval or space, I mostly just build how the parts fall on the table. This can include a variety of MOCs, from custom Bionicles to kinetic, motorized models to a Batman mosaic.

NewfoundLUG: Do you have a favorite part?

CM: I have no one favourite parts, though some parts like oddly shaped unique elements and translucent parts catch my eye.

NewfoundLUG: What theme would you like LEGO to produce?

CM: I unfortunately cannot answer that at the moment because I am not currently interested in buying or collecting sets.

NewfoundLUG: What’s your favorite thing about being a member of a local LEGO club like NewfoundLUG?

CM: My favourite thing about being a member of a group such as this is finding other like-minded individuals who do not negatively judge you about your hobbies or interests.

NewfoundLUG: Anything else you’d like to add?

CM: Don’t hate Mega Blocks, they’re just toys, have fun with it!

Thanks to Charlie Mudd for the interview! Interview was conducted by Patrick Barnes. Posted to NewfoundLUG.ca by Matt Zwicker.