Imagine how painful it is to step on a Lego, then imagine taking a bath in them. That’s just gotta hurt.

If you’ve been reading CNN.com, you probably read this article about Lego Artist Nathan Sawaya, who quit his job as a lawyer (in New York City? Probably a well paid lawyer) to play with Lego bricks. I, er, mean “art” with Lego bricks.

Clear plastic crates stuffed with LEGO bricks in every hue are stacked high against the walls. A computer sits on the floor, but it’s not functional. The red, yellow and blue replica is made entirely of LEGO.

In fact, everything in the room is made of LEGO; a cash register, a monkey, a bowl of fruit, a vase of flowers.

Here in Sawaya’s Manhattan studio, the 33-year-old artist snaps bricks together to create sculptures, big and small. His medium may be a beloved kid’s toy, but some of his signature pieces are incredibly grown-up.

CNN: How is a LEGO artist different from a LEGO hobbyist?

SAWAYA: I get paid! In all seriousness, I’ve tried to take LEGO in a direction it’s never been before. I’ve tried to put it in a museum setting, and I’ve created very large-scale sculptures that are on tour for the next couple of years. And that’s something that I think is a little different from your average hobbyist who’s really just building for fun

CNN: What does LEGO capture that other media do not?

SAWAYA: LEGO is something that almost everyone has played with at some point in their lives. I notice a lot of times when people go to my shows they want to touch the sculptures.

I receive many e-mails from people who have seen my work and are then inspired to get down on the floor with their kids and build. In fact, the museum show also has a building area for kids who are inspired to build their own artwork after seeing my pieces.

I will always defend Lego as an art medium not that removed from paint and canvas, pencil and paper, or clay and pedestal. That said, I’ve no illusions about my own abilities in the medium. I’m a part-time hobbyist, and my Legoing reflects that. Go to Brickshelf, go to Lugnet, and you will see some truly amazing Lego works.

(Not, mind you, that I’m not a sucker for compliments regarding Hogwarts…)

Oh, and Lego related (for the Romulan fan who might be reading this …)
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So my career assessment yesterday morning consisted of …

1. Editing my resume
2. Editing my cover letter
3. Giving me a bunch of handouts
4. Showing me the career center’s “library”
5. Preparing to drill into my head that getting a job is itself a full-time job

Actually, there was some good information on some of those handouts, and the “library” seems to have some excellent resources — I expect I’ll be heading down next week for a browse. In any case, I was expecting a 200-question scantron or something. Luckily, my counselor seemed overjoyed that I wasn’t expecting a job by the end of the week and had set “realistic” goals for myself.

So J$ tagged me with a meme (but I’m doing the “abridged” version): “list out your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location.”

Top five favorite places to eat out? Are you kidding me? Five favorite? I’ll have a hard time thinking of five places I’ve eaten out at more than twice in the last year …

1. Dizzy Issie’s.
300 w. 30th st., Baltimore City
(410) 235-0171

Although I think I’ve only been there half-a-dozen times or so in the last two years, it really is the epitome of what a “neighborhood” bar should be — cozy, compact, good food at a cheap price.

2. Bruce Lee
1815 York Rd # B, Timonium
(410) 252-8866

Located next to the Mars supermarket at the intersection of York and Ridgely Road (technically, Lutherville), it’s my one-stop-shop for Chinese food. My one stop menu item? General Tso’s chicken. It’s Chinese food … Americanized. And there’s a big — gignormous — poster of the Yangtze Kiang on the wall. No, not the crashed runabout. (Also: this one’s a cheat, a take-out, not an eat-in, place).

3. The Nautilus Diner
2047 York Road, Timonium
(410)-561-9236

This is one of those places where either the food is great and the service is lousy; or the service is great and the food is lousy. If only they could find some balance between the two …

4. Bateman’s Bistro
7800 York Rd, Towson
(410)-296-2737

Okay, so Bateman’s was a popular lunch/dinner destination for me over the last year at school. The big draw was that it was located on campus, and in fact, I had an evening class in the fall semester located in the same building. Here’s to going to class blastered!

5. The Grocery Store (Gucci Giant)
York Rd, Hunt Valley

WHAT? It’s like a big take-out place, when you think about it …

Clearly, I don’t get out enough, as those are the only four places I’ve eaten out at more than once in the last year. I should try expanding my horizons …

From the BBC:

The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter will open at the Universal Orlando Resort, in Florida, in 2009.

Harry Potter author JK Rowling said: “The plans I’ve seen look incredibly exciting, and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed.”

The park will feature rides, shops and attractions based on Harry Potter locations like Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

Oscar-winning production designer Stuart Craig, who has worked on the Harry Potter films, is leading the creative design for the park to ensure it remains faithful to JK Rowling’s vision.

“Our primary goal is to make sure this experience is an authentic extension of Harry Potter’s world as it is portrayed in the books and films,” he said Craig.

Yeah, I realize I’m a twenty-eight year old kid. What can I say? By feeling young, I hope to keep my youthful appearance for decades to come.

UPDATE:

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