It is Spring Break but apparently no one let the season coordinator know! It is beyond just a bit rainy – to which we are pretty accustomed in Vancouver. No, it is not just rain: it’s cold and sleet and hail and snow, and it seems to be keeping us indoors. Aaaack!

For the second day in a row H has declared it is Star Wars Day. He is planning a Star Wars Movie Marathon. I am having a bit of trouble tearing him away from his computer. He is loving Star Wars fan films on youtube, and, frankly, I can see the appeal!!

My plan is to lure him with the idea of doing a post together. This may not be terribly well thought out – as he is a bit of a reluctant writer – but if we can get over that minor bump – he has some awesome ideas to share.

As well as being a fan of Star Wars, H is also a lover of all things Lego. He is frequently constructing things that completely blow me away. Here is his latest project:

“This is a Lego gun that is powered by elastic bands. The elastics are what reload it – they make it automatic… well… semi-automatic. There is one elastic that brings up this little pin that pushes up the ammo. The ammo is little Lego pieces and they will shoot out the barrel. The elastics also make the trigger work. “

Mom’s note: It will shoot about 90 cm (3 feet).

“I like playing with Lego because that is when I can put my ideas into something awesome. When I build something new with Lego I like to start building something random or get some ideas off of my laptop. Sometimes there are some good Lego plans on youtube. There is a link on how to make different things. The one I used for this was How to Make My C96. Remember to pause the video as you are making the project.”

“I find Lego soothing – it calms me. I like the feeling of Lego in my fingers.”

The down-side to Lego is that it can be hard to clean up – and, if you are a parent like me who has ever accidentally stepped on one of the pointy little pieces, I am certain you will agree that the clean-up aspect is of critical importance.

Here is H’s lovely solution! His invention is made with (what else?!) duct-tape and he has dubbed it his Lego Clean-up Hand:

It is not terribly efficient – but I think it is rather clever and hilarious!

And so… I suppose on this rainy day we have now come full circle, and I will simply leave you with a quote to tie it all up:

Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together…       ~ Carl Zwanzig ~

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30 Days of Autism is a project designed to fight stigma, promote civil rights, and increase understanding and acceptance for those who process and experience the world differently.

© Leah Kelley, Thirty Days of Autism, (2012)