HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOONBASE CENTRAL BY ED BERG, NEVADA

Happy Birthday Moonbase Central!

Sometimes it's hard being a lone wolf collector, one who doesn't belong to any local organization or club, and just sits at home gathering 'stuff' and then calling it a hobby. 

No matter how much of a loner a person is, collecting anything becomes more enjoyable when you're able to connect with people of like interests, other collectors of 'stuff'. Through these connections you're –we're – able to expand our knowledge and perhaps share the passion of our hobbies.

The Internet has been a boon to collectors of all types in that with the absence of any local activity, we choose instead to devote what time we can through our computers and the World Wide Web. 

Those first two words, 'World Wide' says a lot about the state of collecting today because it has enabled people from all over the globe to share ideas and knowledge without having to step on a plane and travel to the ends of the earth. 

Collecting as a past time in general is a huge category with innumerable facets which can be a tad overwhelming if someone's trying to find a website or forum that fits their interests. That's where blogs help fill in the void. 

Even though there are a gazillion websites and blogs out there, some quick searches will likely steer you towards a few that pique your interest.

And that's how I came across Moonbase Central. As the toys started to outnumber the trains out in The Cave and as space toys were high on the 'like' list anyway it wasn't long before I came across the blog. 

This was still a time when I hadn't fully grasped the concept of 'blog' but Moonbase kept coming up in my searches and before long I was hooked. 

Space toys were becoming an increasingly prominent part of my collection and the guys at Moonbase fueled the fires of collecting and were instrumental in getting me to start thinking about doing my own blog where space and sci-fi are a prominent feature.

The toys I grew up with: Premier Plastics Flash Gordon space ships

 

Toys introduced to me through Moonbase Central: Triang's line of SpacEx miniature space ships and support vehicles and…

 

 

…a whole new world of miniature space toy collectibles

 

Reading Moonbase and admiring the modeling work and photography also got me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things like…

…playing with Photoshop

 

…building diorama's

 

 

Perhaps not high art, but it kept me off the streets at night!

The point is, even doing simple things like this may not have happened without that inspirational kick in the butt provided by the gang at Moonbase.

Really, what it boils down to is that through blogs like Moonbase we end up becoming a part of a larger fraternity. We share interests and ideas and in so doing are compelled to do our own thing.  

So, here's a big 'CHEERS' to Paul Woods, Bill Bulloch, and Mike Burrows for their sustained and varied efforts and helping inspire people half a world away! Happy Birthday Moonbase Central!

Vielen, Vielen Dank!

Ed Berg

Las Vegas, Nevada