Short Story: Who Stole My Brick? - Chapter 2

(Note: By now, you should know to read Chapter 1 and Prologue before reading this)

Chapter 2: Things are Getting Wyld

(Wyldstyle's narration)

There's a certain stench in the hospital that you can't find anywhere else. It's a mixture of sickness, medicine and miracle of life. It leaves some queasy, some irritated and some worried. For me, it just makes me want to get of this place as soon as Emmet could get back on his legs.

Poor guy was beaten up pretty badly. According to the doc, he sustained few broken ribs, disfigurement on the plastic markings on his torso, few punches to face and misplaced limbs. The docs managed to put him back in the right figure for the last part but he was advised to stay for night.

While I was glad that he didn't die, I couldn't help but feel a sense of regret for putting him in charge of the most important brick in Ray's LEGOverse, the Piece of Resistance. I admitted, knowing that I wasn't the chosen one (something that I have prepared my entire brick life) kinda pissed me off. With Emmet's lack of awesomeness, I could have taken the Piece from him since the beginning but I held back. Then, it came to a point when I couldn't resist anymore. The irony of my feelings. Sometimes I just wanted to strangle him.

Anyhow, we needed to boot the hospital before Lord Business realized the Piece was not with Emmet. We could use this to our advantage...somehow. Vitruvius should know what to do.

"Yawn~"

Darn it! All these late night shenanigan made me drowsy. A little overpriced coffee from Larry at the coffee joint next door should do the trick. But I couldn't just leave Emmet alone in the room. What if someone kidnapped him? Hmm...Perhaps, I would just make a quick trip there and come back before anybody knew I was gone.

1 hour later...

"Boy! There were just so many coffees to choose from," thought Wyldstyle as she tried to comfort herself with that excuse.

(Narrator)

The hallways were silent at the depth of the night. That didn't bother Wyld. She was dominant and assertive. Plus, she had seen her fair shares of battles. She was trained for the worst of the worst because she thought she was the chosen one and one couldn't be more prepared. However, her downfall was that she was too eager, too quick to judge.

In her absence, Emmet was visited by Detective Kaine to which Wyld didn't expect. She was just about to walk into Emmet's ward when she caught sight of the officer. Subsequently, she overheard them in their conversation.

"So you're saying you didn't remember the person who took the brick?" enquired Detective Kaine

"Sorry no sir. The person knew where to knock me and somehow blurred my memory. Talk about skilled in combat, ya know?" answered Emmet.

In Wyld's frantic mind, she unintentionally mistook Detective Kaine for Good Cop/Bad Cop, thinking that he caught up to them. Now,  he was interrogating Emmet for information. Wyld cursed in her mind thinking that the Emmet had a tracking device latched onto him without them knowing. In her state of mental frenzy, she accidentally bumped onto the wall directing others' attention to her.

"Oh hi Wyld! Why are you being all sneaky over there?"

Stunned, Wyld did the only thing she could think of. She ran like the wild wind that she was.

Noting this as an act of panic, Detective Kaine sprang into action. As he exited the ward, Wyld was already halfway down the hall. Nevertheless, Kaine gave chase to her. Wyld ran past a few wandering and possibly confused patients who were on their way to the maiden's office to complain about the noise. Seeing that the cop was still a distance away, Wyld let out a sigh of relief until she turned a sharp corner and bumped into a nurse and her clipboard. It took Wyld a moment to get herself up and realize why she was running. Before she could spring again, Kaine caught up to her. Instinctively, Wyld karate chopped Kaine on his left arm before he could even take out his handcuffs. Then, she leg swept him, causing him to fall. This was the opportunity for Wyld to dash back to the ward and grab Emmet before he was incarcerated. 

Seeing firsthand Wyld's moves, there was no doubt in Kaine's mind that Wyld was the perpetrator. She had the strength and martial arts knowledge to induce unconsciousness and she had the agility to make a getaway before anyone noticed her presence. Using his detecting skills, he saw an old lamp hanging precariously on the ceiling that Wyld was about to run through. Without a moment to lose, he fired two shots and the second shot snapped the wire. As if it was an elaborate Rube Goldberg's machine, the lamp landed on Wyld's head. She collapsed and lie there. It was a good thing she was in the hospital 'cuz the lamp hit her pretty hard.

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"What?"

"Where am I?"

"Ouch! Why can't I move my fingers? Oh wait, I don't have them."

In reality, Wyld couldn't move her hands. It seemed that she was handcuffed to a table. The room she found herself in was pitch dark. The only illumination was a lamp hanging above the center of the table. For some reasons, she wanted to karate chop the lamp.

BANG!

Suddenly, two hands slammed the table and the cop appeared. Now that she was able to look at him closely, it wasn't Good Cop/Bad Cop. His badge indicated that he's Detective Kaine. That gave Wyld some relief but it didn't give her any comfort since she's cuffed to table. Before she could think further, Kaine demanded her to confess.

"I know you did, Wyld. You had the perfect motive. According to Emmet, you wanted to be the chosen one but he ended taking the role. You were jealous and you took the opportunity to take his brick in the dark alley at the fairground. Admit it and I will go easy on you," demanded Kaine.

First of all, Wyld wanted to strangle Emmet. Secondly, she knew she didn't steal the Piece of Resistance but she was jealous. Initially, she was reluctant to confess the truth but given that she didn't have any choice, she let the cat out of the bag.

"Yes, I was jealous," explained Wyld. "But I didn't steal the Piece. Why would I when the main goal is to defeat Lord Business."

"Then, tell me why you were in that dark alley. It seemed like the perfect spot to stage a robbery," retaliated Kaine.

So, Wyld explained that she actually went to visit a fortune teller. Coincidentally, the tent was near the dark alley. She wanted to ask if she was the chosen one and not Emmet. Perhaps, there was some mistakes in the cosmos. Unfortunately, there were no mistakes.

"It was embarrassing. That's why I was secretive about it. I really wanted to be the chosen one."

"That's a nice fairy tale but..." Before Detective Kaine could finish his sentence, Batman barged into the room and released Wyld with his skeleton key.

"She's telling the truth and I'm releasing her," asserted Batman.

Angered, Kaine responded, "Under who's authority!"

"Mine! Cuz I'm Batman!"

Kaine and Bat ended up throwing punches and Wyld had to put a stop to it. It was revealed that Wyld and Bat were a couple and Bat was not too happy about Wyld being interrogated. He insisted that she was innocent. Reluctantly, Kaine had to concur as the Bat is usually always right. He still despised the guy.

"If it wasn't her, then who else could it be?" questioned Kaine.

"Well, I did see Gandalf running past me when I was finishing with my session. Perhaps he had something to do with it since he had that magic staff of his" said Wyld.

While perplexed at first, Kaine reached a revelation. Gandalf might not had the skills like Wyld to injure Emmet but he did have the magic to conjure beastly warriors and make forgetting spells.

Excited, Kaine rushed out of the interrogation room, leaving Batman and Wyld bemused.

"So, it's dark here...Wanna make out?" asked Batman.

Stay tuned for Chapter 3: The Not So Usual Yet Expected Suspects

Constraint Creatively

When I first started my LEGO photography and later, continued onward with my blog, I have to admit that there were days when I encountered a 'creative block'. Similar to a writer's block, this term (which I just created) illustrated a halt on one's creativity. I simply didn't know what else to shoot or what else to write about.

Some days, I tried my best to stage the most creative scene to photograph and sometimes, it worked. Most of the time though, it ended up becoming something horrid. For instance, this Christmas special that I shot last year:

It's supposed to be the face of a snowman, comprising of mini pictures of hats and snowmen. Initially, I thought it was creative but after a few comments from Cyren, I knew it was not one of my best photos. Additionally, I had a few to match this atrocity to which you can find somewhere in my distant past Instagram.

My point here is that sometimes, when you try to be 'too creative', you end up with something the exact opposite. Maybe there are some points for creativity but the picture would be downright sore for the eyes. When facing these 'creative blocks', we force ourselves to invent or conjure something unique even though we are cognitively suitable for the task for that time being.

The thing about creativity is that it should not be forced upon. It should be inspired and struck one's mind when it is ready. Then, you might unexpectedly create one of the most interesting piece ever. As mentioned above, I had experienced 'creative block' and I tried to force myself to be creative during such moments. These photos usually consist of the least likes on my Instagram and it was for good reason.

The reason behind me forcing myself was because I blindly participated in the #lego365 challenge whereby one has to shoot a LEGO photo per day. It was fun at first but eventually, it became a chore and I ended up hating LEGO photography. Good thing was I realized it soon and I dropped myself from the challenge. After a few weeks, my interest in LEGO photography rekindled.

In short, creativity should be evoked through inspiration and personal pacing. That's what makes it creative in the first place. When it is forced, it becomes stagnant over time and you might lose interest in whatever it is that you are doing. In Psychology, we relate this to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The former can be defined as whether you are motivated by personal interest while the latter is defined as motivation through external means like money.

So be intrinsically motivated and build something creative. Don't be constrained by your own bricks.

Project Throne: Throne of The Mad Clown

Ruling doesn't have to be serious all the times. Just sit back, enjoy, and herald the reign of madness.

Name: Throne of The Mad Clown

Regalia: Big Smile

Totem Animal: N/A

The world is too miserable these days. If you ain't working overtime for money, you're feeling sorry for yourself in a corner of the house. Enough with the sob story! It's time to put a smile on that frowny face. So, make way for a new reign and the power shall lie on this seat.

Packed with a punch of surrealism, this seat is unlike the previous few which were all mundane and typical. Behold the Throne of The Mad Clown! It is structured with a big wide smile to tickle your funny bones and two giant eyes to foresee that nobody will ever frown again in the new reign to come.

However, in case anybody do frown, there's a joy buzzer right in front of the throne which can be turned on by whoever's tookhes is on the seat. The buzzer does many wondrous things. For example, each eye would spray concentrated acid on those who are unfit for the new world order or the giant chomper would devour them. Yum!

Of course, that's only if people disobey the rule. C'mon, who wouldn't like to smile every now and then. That's what the throne represents anyway. FUN! Out with the misery, and the somberness and the frustration. There's none of that with the rise of this throne.

To get you excited, here's a collage of the throne from different angles.

Since this is based on a funhouse, you would have guessed it that I 'borrow' the pieces from Harley's and Joker's funhouse hideout. Hope they are not too mad about it but then again, they're mad already. We're all mad. Might as well be happy and smile while we're mad.

"Life is full of these little ironies." - Tyrion

Stark like the Desert

Here's something you usually don't hear people say: "I love the desert".

Well, I'm one of those unusual people who actually enjoy the sight of the stark coarse land. Devoid of life, devoid of anything with the exception of dry heat in daylight and extreme cold at nighttime...and the occasion presence of poisonous sand-dwellers.

Do bear in mind that I do enjoy sunbathing on the beach and traversing the dense humid jungle. I am, nonetheless, from a tropical country. These places are my domain but the desert is a location I have never actually visited. I have even explored various caves and industrial wastelands around Malaysia but never a desert.

Now, you might wonder, since I never actually visited one, how could I like such a place? As I have mentioned, desert lacks any life except for a few poisonous critter that could kill you in one sting. There's no water in the vicinity unless you are caught in a mirage. It's just plain sandy without the cooling breeze of a beach.

True of the matter is, I love the starkness of it. The warm wind that blows against me as I imagined myself standing deep in the sand with nothing to behold other than miles and miles of sand. The heat maybe unbearable if I stand there too long without a sunhat but just imagine the comfort of seeing nothing. The peace and serene that the desert has to offer and you slowly find yourself blend into the sand underneath you. The clouds above you are clear as ever and everything becomes clear. At night, there are no lights in any directions except for the stars above blinking ceaselessly and you can just lie there, taking in every breathtaking moment of it. (of course, make sure no critters come and disturb you or possibly kill you as you do this).

While I'm saying all this out of a reverie, I find myself stuck in this reverie these days when I'm facing the stress of life. The fact that I can find comfort in such setting is saying something. Perhaps, it's the fact that there is nothing in the desert. The nothingness that I yearn for in life. No stress, no frustration and maybe even no happiness but just satisfaction being there.

Who knows? When I actually visit one, I might not like it. As of now, my reverie consists of me enjoying the view of dunes as warm yet cooling breeze blowing against my face. 

Project Throne: Mariana Throne

(Note: Sorry for the delay of the Throne Project post. I was too busy forgetting to write it last week so I will feature two thrones this week. We will start out with this one first,  Mariana Throne.)




Name: Mariana Throne


Regalia: Trident


Totem Animal: Clam






Description:

Just looking at its name, you know this throne based on undersea theme. Deep in the trenches of the vast ocean, the Mariana Throne lays there in its majestic structure. Enough sunlight from the surface world gleams on the golden ornaments of the throne. It is also just enough for a few marine flora to decorate the seat, giving the throne a sense of serenity as the plants sway along with the light ocean current.

In spite of its calm tranquility, this throne beckons a powerful relic - the Trident. This regalia is more than a decorative item. Those who possess this control the ocean. This includes the animals and plants living in it, the ability to control water current and the ability to summon a devastating typhoon or cyclone, you name it.

To illustrate its power, just observe the throne itself. It's filled with remnants of past disasters. From the skull of inquisitive diver who stumbled upon the royal seat to the ship's wheel above the throne that was once a piece of a sturdy cruiser, the throne is an epitome of unimaginable power of the seven seas. The Greek pillars at the top divulge its origin. Some surmise it's the legacy of the God, Poseidon. Hence, it explains the trident and the power.

For the totem animal, a simple clam was chosen. While there is not much sight to behold, the bivalve is an indicator of the throne's durability and strength. It can withstand severe environment and yet grow tremendously in size. Given its sturdy characteristics, it sits there idly like the throne and waits for those brave enough to find it. The thing is, underneath the throne, there is a pile of treasure, rummaged from all those sunken pirate ships. As a metaphor to the throne, only those who are strong to pry it open deserves the pearl inside,

In the process of coming up with something to build, I came across my old ship parts. This part is the stern of a really old LEGO set and not wanting to waste a potentially good piece, I started putting stuff on it to see what it will turn out.

It slowly turned into a beautiful throne so I decided to turn it into a piece for my Throne project.


Lastly, "We Do Not Sow" - House Greyjoy.

The Simpson Series

I am a bit late on this but as they say, better late than never. In recent times, all LEGO fans should know that the latest Minifigures Series has hit the stores around the world with the The Simpson Series. Malaysia just released this series a week or two ago. Yes, the popular Yellow Characters from Springfield are transformed into tiny brick...yellow figures for your purchase and collection. LEGO universe just got a little bit bigger.

Anyhow, I bought my first Simpsons LEGO and like all the previous series, there are certain trinkets you gotta look for to collect them all. Here's my advice on how to detect each minifigure (for avid collectors).

1) Homer - feel for his doughnut (small round circle brick) or his remote
2) Bart - skateboard
3) Marge - her hair is a major giveaway
4) Lisa - saxophone
5) Maggie - teddy bear or her distinctive body. It's joined together
6) Grandpa - Flat newspaper but to differentiate between him, Milhouse and Ralph who also has a similar flat piece, feel for the legs. Grandpa's legs are movable.

7) Ned - toolbox and cup
8) Krusty - Krusty's head piece is different from the rest and you can feel for his pie.

9 & 10) Milhouse and Ralph - now these two are the toughest to identify by far. They both have similar items and short legs. One way to go by this is to feel for the head. Ralph's head is more roundish whereas Mihouse's head is a big bulky with glasses.
11) Apu - feel for the squishee cup (no handles)
12) Nelson - the bat
13) Itchy - club
14) Scratchy - axe
15) Chief Wiggum - bullhorn
16) Mr. Burns - Blinky in a bowl (usual lego head) and an radioactive stick

While I notice that many others have already written this list, I wanted to spread the info further to help those who do not have access to their websites. Let's all help each other and collect the bricks that we desire. Speaking of which, LEGO company is pretty generous with the distribution of current series. So don't worry about having trouble finding these figures.

Happy hunting!

Short Story: Who Stole My Brick? - Chapter 1

Note: It is advised that you read the Introduction and Prologue of the story to not be lost. Thank you. link: http://legobricklife.blogspot.com/2014/05/short-story-who-stole-my-brick.html

Chapter 1: Keeping the Fairground Clean...of Crime!

(Detective Kaine's narration)

       The name's Detective Kaine. I had been on the force for a few years now and I'm best when it comes to detecting crimes. No, really, I swift and speedy when it comes to sensing troubles nearby. Don't believe me? Well, I heard a scream nearby not a moment ago and judging by the clownish pitch, I would say it came from the funfair that is in town. Now, I just have to wait for dispatch to confirm it. Hey, what can I say, I don't wanna barge into a false alarm. I may look rough but I'm quite the meticulous fella.

       Now, back to sympathizing me. Like I said, I never miss detecting crimes but sad to say, I have never solved any of them, no thanks to a certain bat. Darnit, I hate him. His multi-billion gadgets, multi-billion crap mobile and a skater-punk side kick. Kinda remind me of a certain billionaire from Gotham but I just couldn't put my mind on it.

      Whatever! Batman has been taking credits for all the past crimes I detected but not this time. Not for this crime. Whatever went down at the funfair, I will be sure to crack the case before the Bat does. Just gotta be calm and wait for...

"Kaine, do you copy? We have a ..."

"I'M ON IT!"

      Like I said, I had to solve this crime. No way the Bat was taking all the credits again. Without a moment to lose, I sped into the night and into the next junction. Of course, I drove under the speed limit. Would be pretty embarrassing if I were to be fined by my buddies. Haha. Now, only if I could find some traffic police to buddy up.

30 Minutes later and 5km away~

     Anyhow, I reached the funfair not long after. Dispatch later filled me in on the crime. Apparently, a nobody by the name of Emmet had an important brick stolen from his back. The guy's pretty messed up judging on the bruises. A clown on stilts named Bernie was the sole witness but I would keep him under my watch if I couldn't help it. You know what they say, witnesses are prime suspects as well. I heard it from some crime show. Too much of them these days but valuable advice nonetheless.

     Not a moment to lose, I brisk walked into the fairground, I popped a cigarette and snapped my lighter to lit it. It ignited and I watched as the flame diminished into a bright ember. An upward stream of smoke appeared and I took a puff from the cigarette.

"AHEK, AHEK!"

      That was probably the most horrible thing I had put into my mouth. I didn't understand no idea how the cops on movie did it. They look cool and slick when they smoke but darn, they must have practice or something. Without thinking of putting that thing into my plastic mouth again, I snuffed it out with my foot and strolled away towards the crime scene.

      Coming back to the crime scene, just thought I was early to the scene of the crime for once, there he was. Standing there in his black cape while analyzing the crime scenes with his high tech LEGO bricks. Oh, I'm the Batman, I'm so dark and sad and cool that everybody likes me. Blah blah blah. Darn, I hate the guy. Nevertheless, I could turn this into my advantage. Ya, that's what I would do. Let him do all the crime analyzing and I would interview the witness. Now, just gotta find the witness. A clown on stilts was it? There's a clown crying by the corner. Perhaps he's the one and nice stilts he had.

"Hi clown, I'm Detective Kaine here. You're the one who found Emmet?" asked Kaine.

"Boo hoo. That be me. Who would do such a thing to such happy people? Boo hoo." responded Bernie.

Before I was able to continue my interrogation, the Bat barged in like he owned the place. Who did he think he is? Bruce Wayne?

"I will take it from here, detective. Reports say you saw four suspects. Any of them had pointy ears?" queried Batman.

"Why yes. I..." said Bernie but before he could finish, I had to cut him off. I needed to know the full story and I would not let the Bat solved this crime before I did. So, I demanded the clown to tell the full story. Obviously, the Bat found it annoying and frustrating to listen to what he already knew but I was the law enforcement there so I had the authority. Not some vigilante in a cape.

"Errrr...ok. Well, I will start from the very beginning," Bernie said as he tried to recall what happened but it was hard to take him serious with that clownish make-up on his face.

(Bernie's narration)

     "Well, the day started just as usual. I was entertaining them kids with my stilts. Oh how things were joyful and happy. Made me happy clown and them kids were happy too, ya know. So, I was walking around the park putting smileys on faces when I noticed a lonely minifig standing there in the dark. Now's that no way to spend your time in a funfair."

    "I thought I went over there to cheer the guy up with some juggling or balloon animals on my stilts. Next thing you know, I heard him screaming and this other minifig was beating up the guy. Now, I couldn't wear my glasses on the job so I didn't really get a good look at the other minifig. Just the silhouette."

   "Another was, it was hard to run in these stilts, ya know. By the time I got there, it was too late. The minifig was lying on the ground and his brick was stolen. Oh the horror! Oh the sadness! Oh the unhappiness! Boo hoo hoo."

"Alright enough with the crying. You said you saw someone with pointy ears?" asserted Kaine.

"Well, by the time I got there, I saw four minifigs running away from the scene. One had pointy ears like a cat, as I was telling Batman. One had a fedora and a whip. One had a staff and the fig was old with grey hair. And last one I didn't get a good look but I think it was a girl fig," answered Bernie.

(Detective Kaine's monologue)

     After the clown was done explaining, he went back to sobbing. I thought he had enough so I didn't press on. As much as I hated it, I had to discuss with Batman to narrow down the four suspects. Now who could they be. This town was full of minifigs and these descriptions could apply to any of them. I had to crack my noggin for this one.

     As expected, I couldn't rely on the Bat on this one. See, he preferred to work along and he seemed to have some ideas on who the perpetrator was. Luck was on my side 'cuz he got a call from the Justice League on some Doomsday trouble. The Bat could save the world and all but I ain't got time for that. This case was more dire than saving the world 'cuz I wanted to solve it.

    Subsequently, he left and I investigated the crime scene a bit. There were plastic scraps everywhere. Poor fella might have taken a hard beating. Speaking of which, my associates told me he was hospitalized in the Brick Mercy Hospital. I put a mental note to check up on him for clues later.

    Nothing particular stood out from the crime scene. I did notice some poop residue nearby. The stench was enough to indicate it. It looked as though someone might have stepped on it or scrapped but who would scrap poop. I pitied the fella who stepped on it though cuz that's some stinky poop. It probably came from the stray cats in the alley. I was going to leave it alone but just to follow procedure, I got one of the officers analyzed it back at the lab. 

     With no clue to follow up, I decided to visit Emmet at the hospital. Meanwhile, I kept replaying the clown's statement in my mind. 4 suspects and one of them was a girl. It didn't hit me until I looked at the officers' reports of the crime scene. One of Emmet's friend was a girl named Wyldstyle. Thinking about that made me realized why were they in that corner of the funfair in the first place. Was it a perfect spot for a theft? If so, what could this girl, Wyldstyle want with that brick, this Piece of Resistance?

    Some many questions and I didn't have the answers but I did know that there were some interrogations to do in the hospital.

Stay tuned for Chapter 2: Things Are Getting Wyld

Trapped on A Bridge and The Amazing Spiderman 2 Review

Every Saturday since April, I have been going to SS15 (a place nearby but a few kilometers away) to work for this special needs center. They cater to both special needs and normal children but so far the kids I'm teaching are either fine or borderline cases. I have seen the severe ones which I have to admit is not easy teaching them anything.

Anyhow, this post ain't about that. So, to go to this place, I need to take a bus. Otherwise, it's 20min to half an hour walk away. I usually walk home after my session is done as I like to listen to music and wave at the vehicles passing by. Today, my agenda was slightly different. After my session was done, I went to watch The Amazing Spider Man 2: Rise of Electro but more on that later. By the time when the movie was over, it was already 5pm and ominous clouds loomed the sky. Being the impatient rascal that I am, I didn't wait for the bus and instead, I took off knowing that the rain was about to fall. Amazingly, I made it more than half way through before the rain started and I found myself stuck on a bridge with a cover overhead.

Since it was a downpour, there was no way I was getting off the bridge for a while. Instinctively, I took out my iPad and started taking some photos. Of course, the only LEGO I brought along was Spider Man which I intended to shoot at the cinema but I ended up forgetting about it so I had to do so on the bridge. Other than the LEGO photos, I shot other scenery (with names) as well and they are as followed:

Cascading Freeway

Paranoia

Frankly, it was nice to just watch the cars went by on top of the bridge. Try it sometimes, just to clear your mind.

Now it's time for:

Spidey Review

There will be a major spoiler for those who haven't watch the movie yet. Fans should see this coming from the trailer but if you still don't want to be spoiled, go away now, read no further. You are warned.

Ok, the overall movie was, like the last one, 'meh'. That's the only word I can describe it. However, I do love the character building between Peter and Gwen in the latest one. Jamie Foxx as Electro was awesome as well but I felt that they didn't develop him as much as the two main characters. For the viewers, he just seemed like a nutty scientist (like all the villains of Spidey films) who turned psychotic because of 'accidents'. 

The villain origins for all the Spidey film (even some from the original trilogy) was so lackluster that not even Electro's electricity can revive them. It's the typical story plot whereby a shy super genius was bestowed amazing powers and turned evil due to some personal vendetta. Electro was worse as they did so little to electrify his character development. Less so than Dr Connors, a.k.a The Lizard. The only thing that sparkled for him was his transformation and the fight scenes with Spidey. When you put a villain's name in the movie title, you expect more from him other than a few fight scenes here and there.

That brings us to the other two villains as seen from the poster, Green Goblin and Rhino. Don't expect too much of them with the exception that they will eventually lead up to Sony's plan of filming a Sinister Six movie. Sinister Six is the opposite equivalent of Avengers whereby Spidey's worst villains ganged up to fight the wall crawler. I just wished Sony would collaborate with Marvel on this but oh well, one can only hope things go well.

Now, back to Peter and Gwen. The sequel definitely focused more on them as a couple and how they overcome the obstacles of Peter being a superhero. Emma Stone did an amazing (I think I have used this word way too many times) portraying Gwen the way she loved Peter as shown in comics. At times, the movie gave off a romantic love story similar to Captain America 2 giving off an espionage thriller.

As for the big spoiler, again, fans would have foreseen this and that particular scene made me tear up a bit. That was how romantic the love story was amidst scenes of unrealistic boss battles. One can't help but feel sorry for Peter which leads me to this photo.

Gloomy and forlorn - just like his love life.

Anyway, if you haven't watched the movie yet, it's worth watching once. It can be a bit draggy due to the movie length (which was too long) but if you are sucker for love stories and a bit of actions in between, then maybe you can watch it two times. So, I give this film my personal rating of 3 out of 5.

Now, I will crawl into my web of blanket and snooze like the arachnid I am. Bye~

Project Throne: Throne of The Scorpion Queen

Episode 4 of Season 4 is out and this is my fourth throne.

Name: Throne of The Scorpion Queen

Regalia: Double Scimitars

Totem Animals: Scorpion (one red, one black)

Description:

Inspired by the Egyptian deity, Serket, this throne lies in the scorching land of desert sand. It is guarded by a common animal that dwells in the harsh environment of the desert - the scorpion. With its durable skin and venomous sting, the critter is an ideal animal guardian to the throne. Additionally, there are two critters protecting the throne. One lurks and patrols to ensure the safeguard of the seat. Using its predatory nature, it will attack anybody who dares to come close. Even those who manage to elude the anthropod's detection, the red scorpion hangs on top of the throne keeping a watchful eye on any trespassers. Some say that scorpion is the goddess herself. 

One must understand that Serket is the goddess of healing poisonous bites and stings. As I mentioned, in desert, scorpions and snakes roam the land. Some of the most potent venom came from these critters. Thus, Serket was reverenced as she could assist healers by absorbing the poison from unlucky passerbys. In her murals, she is depicted as a woman with a scorpion on top as a headdress.

Given the deleterious condition of the throne, one can imagine that only the most worthy one may sit on the throne. Indeed, the two adorned scimitars symbolize divinity or divine power as a reference to the goddess. Such powerful status cannot be wrongfully blessed upon those who are unworthy. Serket is very particular about who holds the power of the throne as those who sit on the throne will possess the likeness of her powers, which can be disastrous on the wrong hands. Thus, most of those venture to sit on the throne either die from poisoning or being burned by divine fire. Serket finds this somewhat amusing but it's getting dull after a few centuries.

Pieces of this set derives from Pharoah's Quest series no. 7306. Initially, I did not intend to make it Serket's throne but rather a simple desert throne. However, once I added the scorpion as a mantle, it was more fitting to dedicate the throne to her instead. The sand is real desert sand that can be bought from pet stores. I have two geckos to take care of and they need the sand. By far, I love this throne the most because it seems like the most simple yet meaningful throne I have built so far. 

With that, I have come to the end of the post. Stay tune for more thrones and my other posts in the future. 

"The Dothraki follow only the strong."

A Month of Concocting

Today's Labour's Day! Yay!

Too bad I'm not a labourer. Nope. Still jobless at the moment but the light is shining brighter in May. I'm saying this with my finger crossed behind my back.

Anyhow, it's time to review my April. This month was slow paced as compared to the previous three months. However, I did concocted a few new potions to spice up my life. Firstly, I found two part time jobs of which I'm still working for one of them.

On the weekdays, I was selling pretzels whereas I spent my weekends (mostly just Saturday) teaching kids English at a special need center. While selling pretzels was a new experience for, alas, my dwindling interest in it didn't prolong my stay for May. As for the teaching assistant job, what can I say, I actually like being a teacher.

Funny thing was that back in high school, I constantly told myself to never even consider a teaching job. It's true that people change and sometimes it's for the better. At least teaching makes me happy (for now). So, you can assume what kind of job I'm applying these days.


While I spent most of my days job hunting as well as working, a few fascinating event did happen (otherwise, I would rot with boredom). Thank goodness for that. First of all, I had my first visit to Cy's fieldwork venue in My Gopeng Resort. While there, I saw my first ever Rafflesia, the world largest flower Vileplume is based on. Whoever says the thing stinks from afar needs to get their nose checked. Nevertheless, it was nice to get out of the city life (again). I need to do one of these trips more often.

One potion was concocted for me by Sunway Psych Department. I was featured in a Sunway (my university) magazine. It detailed my award for having one of the best research presentation in a psychology conference. Though I took the picture when I shaved off my hair,  it was another first time of something I have for my life.

Lastly, I conjured up a Facebook Fan Page for my LEGO photos as I thought my photos were piling up and it was getting hard to sort them. Given Facebook's unlimited photo storage as well as the capability to categorize them, I decided to just upload all my old photos along with the new ones there for your pleasure viewing (that is if you like looking at them in the first place >.<).

Well, that was my April. Hopefully, May can be a bit face paced for me. I can feel myself morphing into a slug or a sloth. Four things I do look forward to in May are the 4 movie highlights of the month - The Amazing Spider Man 2, Godzilla, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Maleficent.

What do you look forward to in May and how was your April? Perhaps it's time to reflect?

Short Story: Who Stole My Brick? - Introduction & Prologue

I have always been interested in writing short stories with existing (sometimes random) characters. Some of my Instagram pictures comprised of random made up story, detailing the scene or set up of the picture. An old picture of mine with a lady in a mountain spring epitomizes some of my short stories on Instagram. I created an album dedicated to such stories on my Facebook Fan Page with the link here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.722550361100022.1073741831.722517214436670&type=3

However, with a blog to utilize, I thought of writing a longer and more sophisticated story just to spice things up as well as challenge myself. Thus, my first 'long' short story will be a crime thriller featuring the minifigures below:

Cast
1) Detective Kaine
A self-proclaimed beat cop who desperately attempts to solve his first crime without the interruption of Batman. He has this affinity of wearing sunglasses  no matter where he is (it's part of his swag).

2) Batman
The dark knight is the greatest detective there is in Ray's LEGOVERSE. Boyfriend of Wyldstyle, Batman strove to please his beloved by outshining a new competitor, Emmet. Also, he is a rival of Detective Kaine.

3) Emmet
With the Piece of Resistance glued to his back, all the minifigures in Ray's LEGOVERSE want a piece of it. Whether it's for selfish purposes or betrayal, Emmet is in trouble and it looks like he just becomes a victim of theft.

4) Wyldstyle
A sexy, spunky gal who yearns so much to be the chosen one but that title befalls to Emmet. While envious, she still does what she can to make sure the Piece stays on Emmet's back...or on her hands.

5) Gandalf
An immortal wizard who is always off on an adventure to save the world from the clutches of evil. He might need something powerful to assist him on the journey as well, namely The Piece of Resistance.

6) Indiana Jones
An archaeologist or a treasure hunter? Indie always has a knack for valuable items.

7) Catwoman
Like Indie, Catwoman just can't keep her paws off of precious items. She has a thing for a certain bat as well.

8) Bernie, the Stilt-Walking Clown
A funny clown who just wants to entertain children, Bernie finds himself as a witness to a heinous crime to which he must help the detectives to solve.

Since this is just an introductory post, I will finish it off with a prologue to the story. I will insert pictures as an aid for my story telling (also, to make the story interesting so that you all won't fall asleep). I'm new to this so bear with me. Anyhow, let's start the THRILLER.

Prologue

Joy and laughter filled the air in the local funfair of Ray's LEGOVERSE. Young minifigures were running around tugging at their parents to visit this game vendor or that cotton candy stand. Many were intrigued by the Stilt-Walking clown, Bernie as he entertained the kiddies with his uncanny ability to walk on high stilts. Even those who had fear of clowns found themselves drawing to Bernie. Their fearful frowns turned into gleeful chuckling as they watched the amazing clowns performing tricks so high up.

Yet, not all visitors of the fair were happy. Silently creeping away from the crowd, Emmet and Wyldstyle stopped in front of a mysterious tent.

"Errr...Wyldstyle, remind me why we are here again?" asked Emmet.

"Hush Emmet!" exclaimed Wyldstyle. "We don't want any attention, especially with the Piece of Resistance stuck to your back."

"OH! Alright! But why are we here again when we were supposed rendezvous with Unikitty and Vitruvius at Cloud Cuckoo Palace?" 

"Gosh! I just told you before we entered the fair," said Wyldstyle with a growing frustration at Emmet's inability to remember details.

 In order to keep Emmet quiet, Wyldstyle explained yet again that she has an errand to run before going back to the cloud palace. Meanwhile, Emmet was attempting to listen intently if he wasn't so busy daydreaming about Wyldstyle being cool and hot.

"So, do you get it now?"

"Huh? What? Oh ya, I so totally get it now," responded Emmet but his facial expression betrayed him.

"UGH! Fine. Just wait over there by the wall and make sure you stay of trouble. Last thing we need is the Piece of Resistance missing. I'll be right back," asserted Wyldstyle as she made her way into the tent.

Like a lovesick schoolboy, Emmet skipped to the wall continuing his reverie about Wyldstyle. A minute into his wait, he heard a 'bump' in the alley adjacent to the wall. Now, this startled him a bit but Emmet calmed himself down by imagining a stray cat jumping into a trash can.

Suddenly, there was a loud 'BANG!'.

This time, Emmet was spooked. Yet, having the compulsion to follow instruction, Emmet remained in his spot. He kept telling himself it was a stray cat doing an aerobic stunt or whatever stray cats did. Now, he heard footsteps. His heart began racing and he could fill blood pumping through his plastic veins. Sweat droplets started to form on his forehead as the footsteps drew closer. His reverie turned into a nightmarish thoughts and he closed his eyes hoping it would somehow make whoever was coming went away. Then, there was a tap on his shoulder.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" screamed Emmet.

While he was expecting someone malevolent, it turned out to be a minifigure (whom shall not be named) that he knew of. He collected himself, seemingly trying to look cool.

The next thing Emmet knew was that he was lying on the cold icky ground with bruises all over his plastic body and the Piece of Resistance was removed from his back.

"Ouchhhhh...that really hurts," moaned Emmet. "And these janitors aren't doing a good job keeping the fairground clean."

Stay tuned for Chapter 1: Keeping the Fairground Clean...Of Crime.