Lego at 50 is saving my childhood.

LEGO saved my childhood. A childhood geek deprived of computers, D&D and other geekdom in country South Australia. However, my parents did over supply me with Lego.

Lego is more than a set of training tools for future 3D maths wizards and engineers. The blocks are unique units of imagination. Want a plane? Build one. Think the plane needs a hanger? Build one. Cannot find the bits to make your own go-cart? Do it in Lego.

Lego, apart from being 50, hasn't changed. All of my Lego that was not sucked into Mum's vacuum cleaner or eaten by the dog has been inherited by my son.

Being the geek parents we are, more Lego has been obtained and the Lego-gene was passed on. The lounge room's carpet multicoloured in Lego plastic colours and the sounds of scrunching for that one wiley piece that is at the bottom of the box to complete the jet fighter.

In recent years, Lego has reentered my life. As you get older, a part of the male brain switches to mid-life crisis. Thankfully, my crisis involves reliving childhood toys: computers, computer games and Lego. Lots of it. From buying my wife a model Ferarri in Lego (as I cannot afford a real one) to the Mindstorms kit.

Lego saved my childhood, and might just in fact keep me on the midlife straight and narrow.

Thanks, Lego. Happy birthday.