In Episode 10 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by TJ Bricky, LEGO Ambassador, content creator, and licensed therapist. TJ shares how LEGO has been part of his life since childhood, from early ‘90s sets to rediscovering the hobby through the Las Vegas Architecture skyline and diving back in fully with massive builds like the Titanic and Eiffel Tower.

They talk about LEGO as both a creative outlet and a therapeutic tool, from mindfulness and reconnecting with your inner child to TJ’s real-world experience using LEGO in therapy sessions with kids. The episode also explores content creation, conventions, the online LEGO community, and why the best way to enjoy the hobby is simply to do LEGO your way.

📍 Find TJ Bricky: • TikTok: @tj.bricky • Instagram: @tj.bricky • YouTube: @tj.bricky • Twitch: @tjbricky

Until next time… play well.

In Episode 9 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Maddie (BrickenMad), a LEGO builder and BrickFair staff member who shares her journey into the hobby and her perspective as an LGBTQ+ member of the LEGO community. Maddie talks about growing up around LEGO with four brothers, rediscovering the bricks during the pandemic, and how that rediscovery led to building travel-inspired MOCs, collecting modulars, and eventually sharing her creations online.

They also discuss Maddie’s time creating LEGO content on TikTok, how the platform and creator landscape have changed over the years, and the welcoming nature of the LEGO community for builders of all backgrounds. The episode touches on inclusive communities like AFOL Gals and Pals and GayFOL, the experience of attending and working at BrickFair, and the creativity that comes from building for fun—including the viral moment when Maddie’s cat turned the LEGO Colosseum into the world’s most expensive cat bed.

📍 Find Maddie online: • Instagram: @Bricken_Mad • TikTok: @BrickenMad

Until next time… play well.

In Episode 8 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) sits down with John Sosis—host of the Building Friendships podcast/web series and LEGO Ideas creator behind the Full House submission with Jodie Sweetin. John shares the unexpectedly intense story of how LEGO re-entered his life in 2014 during recovery from major surgeries, when he stumbled into a Toys “R” Us, grabbed the Palace Cinema modular, and rediscovered a version of LEGO that was far more detailed—and far more customizable—than what he remembered as a kid. From there, it spiraled (in the best way) into a deep dive through missed themes, aftermarket hunting, and ultimately building a platform where guests open up while they build.

The conversation veers into the modern LEGO ecosystem: aftermarket chaos, scalping culture, pricing creep, GWPs, and whether LEGO’s increasing focus on adults could someday expand into “edgier” IP territory. John also breaks down how Building Friendships evolved from a scrappy apartment shoot into a studio production with big-name guests, why ~450 pieces is the sweet spot for a one-hour interview, and how LEGO acts as the perfect distraction that gets people talking—sometimes too honestly. He closes with practical creator advice: stop overthinking, hit record, iterate, and let the show find its shape over time.

📍 Find John Sosis:

• Instagram / TikTok: @sayaintososis

• YouTube: @buildingfriendships

Until next time… play well.