A bit About Me

Thank you for visiting my web site. This web site is dedicated to my family who has, and who continues, to put up with my ideas, my bouts of creativity, my hobbies, my yearning for learning, and my “geeky engineering habits” that can annoy even the most patient mortal. This web site is a look at the past 35 years of my life and the things that I have kept me young and ticking. I have been a fortunate individual that has a career that is also his hobby. Well, I have multiple hobbies but one true vocation. That vocation has been electronics, computers, and networks.

I was luckier than most I believe in that I found my vocation while I was in the USAF. Once I was bit by the “electronics bug” the rest is history. I found I loved that industry and had a natural talent in understanding and designing electronic equipment.

In the early 70’s I also found war gaming, the board gaming kind. When I got out of the service, I continued in the electronics field but also started to write. I became a free lance writer and photographer. I started to get articles published and decided to produce a Syndicated Column that various magazines could publish. At the time, this hobby, Boardgaming, Wargaming, and Military Miniatures was a “closet hobby” that had a large following that no one would admit to playing these games.

It was about this time, that I knew that if the hobby had to grow, mature, it had to be introduced to the hobby industry as a recognized hobby. It was during this time that I approached the Trade Publication, Model Retailer and offered them my photographs to publish in their magazine. Through this, Model Retailer began to have some articles published about this Boardgaming, Wargaming, and Military Miniature hobby.

Next, I began to write a monthly column for Craft Model and Hobby Industry which was another Hobby Trade Publication. This column was a marketing style column to assist store owners in selling or generating an interest in Boardgaming, Wargaming, and Military Miniature.

You can see copies of both of the publications (in pdf format) and other columns and articles I have written over the years. Regretfully, not all of them have survived but as I have the time, this site will be updated.

There were many other things that I have done for the next 30 years and I will update those items at a later time. Feel free to look around and follow the links. I will be adding items to the web page and updating this introduction in the next few weeks.

While life has not been easy, I cannot say it hasn’t been fun. I have made some great friends in the hobby such as Jim Dunnigan, Duke Siegfried, and Gary Gygax to name a few and many professional friendships that are too numerous to mention. I have done a lot and feel that there is still more to do. I await the next challenge in front of me!!!!

As I tell co-workers or people who have worked for me, There is no such thing as a problem, it is only a challenge waiting for a solution.

Richard Mataka Sr.