When the associate editor of Midwest CEO Magazine went looking for the latest professional to feature in his December issue, he went straight to the Internet. Dayne Logan was looking for a cartoonist to feature in the magazines Goatlocker section.

Each month a person is selected and their unusual or unique working environment is focused on in the magazine section. Logan ended up on MY blog and found several photos I posted showing my fun cartoon studio. I was contacted by email and agreed to a short phone interview about Curtoons and an in-studio photo shoot.

Midwest CEO Magazine is a regional magazine and can be found in most large book stores. From Denver to St. Louis, Kansas City to Oklahoma City, businesses in the Midwest all face a similar set of challenges and can learn from each others solutions. These solutions, tips and articles are what you will find in each issue of Midwest CEO. Visit their site.

Read the short article here.

Labels: Curtis Tucker, entrepreneur, Photo, Press

The best holiday children's shows were around when I was a kid. The Peanuts holiday specials, the Grinch, Frosty, Rudolph and a few other less remembered claymation type shows like the Little Drummer Boy.

These holiday specials bring back so many good memories that it is virtually impossible for me to not watch them when they come on, much like the Wizard of Oz.

Although, by today's standards they are very simple, I think that is what has made them last for so long.

I'm trying to pass that warm fuzzy feeling on to my daughters and they are getting excited for this evening because Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole gang are on tonight!! Yippee!! It's officially the holiday season once you've seen A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Gather the family around the TV and watch this fun holiday classic.

Our family loves these shows so much that we stick the CD with the songs from a Charlie Brown Christmas into my car and listen to it over and over. The girls love the Charlie Brown theme song and ask for it every time I start the car. I've requested that they both learn to play it on the piano.

The show runs tonight, Tuesday, November 25 at 7:00 p.m. on ABC (Channel 5).

Happy Holidays and eat much turkey!!

Labels: 70's, Daughters, Fun Events, Memories, Parenting

Hot Wife and I attended a rock and roll Halloween Party this year. The theme was rock and roll. Here we are as Kid Rock and Avril Lavigne. A good time was had by all.

Labels: Fun Events, Halloween, Hot Wife

I was asked by an emailer this week what it is I do exactly. When asked that question I really have to stop and think. Depending on the day, the answer can be completely different. Here is an idea of what I TRY to do. I don't always succeed but this is somewhat close. These are the top 5 things I do daily.

1. I draw cartoons for clients worldwide. They are used for logos, illustrations and other marketing materials. I do not draw a cartoon strip.

2. I build my own websites and blogs, fill them with content and make money from Google AdSense, affiliate sales and outside advertising.

3. I create royalty free cartoon characters and clip art and sell them online.

4. I build, host, optimize and update websites for other clients.

5. I own a small greeting card company where I create, market, print and mail paper cards to retail and wholesale clients.

I could probably make a descent 8 to 5 job out of any one of these but what fun would that be? Juggling ten things at once and staying up until 1 am every night has its rewards. Being an entrepreneur gives you the ability to make as much money as you are willing to put forth the effort to make. It can be a little addicting actually.

The key to being a true entrepreneur, which I am slowly finding out, is not working harder and longer, but learning to work less and smarter while maintaining the same flow of income.

Well, as of November 2008, that is what I do. What will I be doing in November 2009? That's the exciting part! I'll be doing whatever I want to be doing!! Is this a great country or what!!

Labels: Cartooning, Curtis Tucker, entrepreneur

Well, I'm conducting a little experiment. After watching hours upon hours of political crap I finally reached my limit and on election night 2008 I stopped watching the political news. Today is exactly 14 days since I've watched Fox, CNN or any of the Big 3 nightly news shows. I have not even listened to any political Talk Radio.

I'm learning that even though you do not watch the news or listen to political Talk Radio you are still very well aware of what is going on in the country. I catch pieces of news from overhearing people at restaurants, talking to friends and several other avenues. You cannot get away from the news by watching sports, entertainment programs or listening to morning radio. It's always a topic of discussion.

I must say that it has been a little less stressful listening to the same doom and gloom being repeated over and over again. I spend more of my time thinking of positive things like creating my greeting card company. Will I turn on the political whining once again? Who knows. I'm sure if some huge world event takes place I'll have to watch. In the mean time I'm enjoying living in my cartoon world where everyone is nice, everyone gets along and I can color things any color I want.

Labels: Curtis Tucker, politics

I am very proud of my two daughters. They both put in time and effort walking on their own to qualify for the Kids Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa. The run was only 1.2 miles but the kids felt like true runners.

Both girls completed the race well ahead of many others and received medals for their effort. It's never to early to get your kids physically active. Our girls loved walking and want to continue. Get your kids outdoors and keep them active!

Labels: Daughters, Fun Events, Photo, Sisters

After much talking, thinking and even more contemplating I've decided it's time to kick this thing I call ChuckleBerry's into high gear. I've been selling greeting cards on the side for years and have my designs scattered throughout the country and even a few corners of the world.

My goal is to keep my greeting card company small and innovative while at the same time growing it into a recognized national brand.

Help me out by buying some funny greeting cards, getting your friends to buy cards or even asking your local gift shop to carry my cards. I have added well over 100 designs to my collection and have put together a complete online catalog. Browse my cards and see if there aren't one or two that at least make you chuckle.

Also follow my entrepreneurial rise as I report my progress on my greeting card blog.

One of my most popular cards...

Labels: entrepreneur, greeting cards

When Hot Wife went vacationing for four days it left me and my two girls to fend for ourselves. Working at home, this gave us even more time to spend together. We had a great time, ate out, shopped and watched movies.

I think the most important lesson I learned from this weekend is patience. When you are around your kids for days on end and they get wound up it can be a bit trying at times. There were instances when both daughters were jumping around, talking loud and making absolutely no sense. In a restaurant this can become nerve racking.

Each time I was about to tell them to be completely quiet and not move I would think about something. What if, heaven forbid, something unexpected happened to one of my precious daughters? What would I give just to hear them laugh and scream or see them jump around just for one second? I would give anything.

With that in mind I would politely ask them to tone it down, take a deep breath and thank God that there they were, my daughters, with me having fun and being kids.

Labels: Daughters, Dining, Parenting

Our Wednesday Night tennis was canceled this week due to the fact that all of the tennis playing wives decided to gallivant off to Cancun without the husbands. Not to be ones to sit and mope, the dad's decided to pack up the crumb crunchers and do a dad's night at the club buffet.

All dad's with vacationing wives showed up and brought the buck-a-roo's. Notice my oldest and youngest daughters actually not sitting next to me. Funny how they're both sitting next to doctors. Maybe that is an indication!

All went well and we got off the hook for cooking at least one night's meal. We now have three more nights of daddy/daughter bonding. Let's see, there's McDonalds, Chick Fillet, Rib Crib, Donuts...

Labels: Daughters, Dining, Fun Events

Hot Wife and I attended our first murder mystery dinner with the tennis crew and a few other close couples. The event was a celebration of a couple of birthdays.

We each received an invitation with our names and a description of our characters. The setting of the party was a country club awards dinner loosly based on Caddy Shack. We had to attend the dinner in character. I was picked as the dainty Lee Wong, an unlucky gambler that swings both ways, if you know what I mean. Have you picked me out of the crowd?

The evening began with a stretch limo ride around town where we all got our first clues and introduced ourselves. After a few drinks we made a pit stop to see one of the tennis crew couples that was unable to attend. From there it was back to the dinner and more clues.

We all enjoyed a great time and made our guesses as to who the killer was. The killer turned out to be Mow, the assistant grounds keeper. If you get a chance to attend a murder mystery I would suggest you do it.

Thanks to Sugar Rush in Enid for doing a great job.

Labels: Dining, Fun Events, funny moment, Photo

Labels: Daughters, Fun Events, funny moment, Halloween, Hot Wife, Memories, Photo, Sisters