Curtis D. Tucker

Happy 10 Years Baby!

2008-07-24T09:28:00.000-05:00

I'm Totally Vintage

2008-07-21T08:02:00.004-05:00

When asked what I thought about going to an up coming concert I answered with my typical "swell". In a text message, sexy wife's friend thought my response was humorous and called me totally vintage.

I guess I am totally vintage if not down right retro. I wear my Chuck Taylors with white tee and have become very comfortable wearing wool sweater vests.

I collect pedal car memorabilia and dream of a day when I can be riding a long board on the waves of Hawaii. I happen to think the first few seasons of Happy Days were very cool and I own a vintage Sea Green American Stratocaster. I like the old Corvette better than the new and still catch reruns of Leave it to Beaver. I still think Adam West was the grooviest Batman and George Reeves was a cool Superman.

All in all if you asked me if I would liked to have grown up in the 50's, I would probably have to say that would have been pretty "swell".

Dinosor Bown

2008-07-17T19:06:00.002-05:00

Our oldest daughter recently found a rock on the playground. She's very intelligent and is reading and writing much like a second grader and she's only six. She decided that this was not a rock at all, it was the bone of a long lost dinosaur.

She found an envelope for her new bone and labeled it. Sometimes I wish I could just spell like my dotter.

Our Four Year Old Cuts The Budget

2008-07-17T18:49:00.004-05:00

Our youngest is definitely the child that knows what is right and wrong but usually chooses to do the wrong thing anyway. She's been told not to cut ANYTHING unless she asks. Of course she's already cut the carpet, curtains, hair, dresses, etc. You get the point.

We recently came across this brand new five dollar bill that our daughter had earned. If you notice, the border has been removed. When asked why the five dollar bill needed it's border removed, she answered, "I didn't like the border."

50 Ways To Increase Traffic To Your Site or Blog

2008-07-17T18:45:00.002-05:00

1. Create a video on YouTube, optimize it, link it to your site.
2. Leave comments on blogs related to your site, with a link back to your site
3. Join forums related to your site, leave comments with a link to your site
4. Optimize ALL of your pages for multiple high traffic keywords
5. Email friends and family, ask them to email friends and family
6. Run an ad in your local paper with your web address
7. Put your web address on your car, business cards and a t-shirt
8. Open accounts on social networks linked back to your site
9. Optimize graphics and photos with keyword names and alt tags
10. Start a blog (if you have a website), update it regularly
11. Submit your site to a dozen free directories
12. Announce a free give-a-way on your site
13. Create press releases and post on PR sites
14. Volunteer to give speeches and do interviews about your business
15. Trade links with as many web sites as you can
16. Twitter
17. Write awesome articles, submit to article sites
18. Build more than one web site
19. Add five pages to your site every week
20. Run a Pay-Per-Click campaign, only bid a penny
21. Interview a very popular web celeb
22. Pin up your business card at Starbucks
23. Join local message boards
24. Teach a class on your subject or business
25. Write a newsletter or be a writer for a newsletter
26. Join web rings and traffic sharing sites
27. Post ads on Craig's List and other classifieds
28. Create an ebook to sell on Clickbank
29. Add a RSS subscription button
30. Send your story to The Big Idea on CNBC
31. Get a magazine to do a story about you
32. Buy cheap links on hot sites
33. Pick a memorable domain name
34. Get people to Digg & Stumble Upon you
35. Send funny lists to bloggers to use on their sites
36. Choose high traffic keywords
37. Book a spot on Oprah
38. Create the world's funniest video
39. Run late night radio ads
40. Join associations and clubs
41. Be controversial
42. Create a Cafe Press store, sell stuff
43. Give away a prize on another site
44. Collect a mailing list and email to it
45. Guest post on another blog
46. Create a forum on your site
47. Create a fun Google Group
48. Start a podcast, submit to iTunes
49. Attend conferences and seminars
50. Add nude photos to your site (kidding)
50. Be patient!!

Things We Didn't Have In The 70's

2008-07-13T22:00:00.000-05:00

I was a kid in the 70's. As I look back I can't believe how many things didn't even exist back then. Here are just a few of the things we lived without...

1. Wireless remote control
2. Music videos
3. DVD's/Videos/VCR's
4. Portable music players
5. Personal computers
6. Cordless phones
7. Microwave ovens
8. Video games
9. Cell phones
10. Cable TV
11. 24 hour news
12. Airbags
13. Cartoon Network
14. Digital cameras
15. Email
16. Internet
17. iPods
18. Microwave popcorn
19. Space shuttles
20. Disposable cameras

The #1 Secret To Making Money Online

2008-07-09T11:17:00.004-05:00

Have you ever wondered what the secret ingredient is to make money online? When you boil it down into a nutshell there is one important factor to making money online and that key is eyeballs. Yep, good old fashioned eyeballs.

I can almost guarantee that you can have the best web site, the best content and the best offers in the world, but without eyeballs you're not going to make one red cent. I have been guruing (not a real word) several people over the past year and they have taken my tips, ideas and strategies and created great little empires. The only problem they are finding is that they are not making much money and the reason is... not enough eyeballs.

Eyeballs is of course just another term for traffic. Even the worst offer in the world will convert to cash with a large amount of eyeballs. With that said I would suggest that you learn how to direct eyeballs to your web sites. I will post 50 ways to add extra eyeballs to your website before the end of the month. Keep checking in and start learning how to drive traffic!!

Napping Sisters

2008-07-08T23:47:00.002-05:00

Little sister decided to nap next to older sister, only there wasn't enough room on the couch. Tiny obstacles never stop our youngest from accomplishing her goals.

Lolly Pop and The 4th of July Miracle

2008-07-07T07:39:00.010-05:00

With the 4th of July comes hot weather, fireworks, swimming pools, hot dogs and just every now and then a miracle...

My four year old daughter is a collector of things and one to turn a piece of trash into a treasure. She can put an irreplaceable value on the most mundane object or make you believe that a tiny bead is the lost Jewel of the Nile.

Recently this inquisitive daughter of ours went on a sleep-over to one of her very close friends. A friend that has a very peculiar pet. This friend has a dead June bug that she feeds and talks to every day. She takes it food and makes sure it has been resting nicely out in the flower bed. Well, this was an inspiration to our daughter! Only she now needed her own dead bug to love and to cherish.

When she arrived home she came running into my studio with a pink cup (the only color in the universe according to her). Inside that plastic, tattered old cup was her new pet, one dead roly-poly. She proudly announce that she had named her little dead doodle bug Lolly Pop.

For a couple of days she was on a mission to comfort and bring joy to the tiny dead bug. She fed it a Starburst candy and put the covered cup outside for Lolly Pop to get some fresh air. We of course played along with her fantasy and talked to Lolly Pop and would help make sure Lolly Pop was still inside the cup.

On the night of the 4th, Lolly Pop was given the special privilege of attending our cookout with several couples and their children. During the evening little Lolly Pop was carried from room to room so that she could enjoy the festivities from her special little cup. I was even requested to turn Lolly Pop over at one point because she just kept laying there on her back. As I flipped Lolly over there was no doubt in my mind that she was well past room temperature and very dead.

As the evening came to a close and we were all giving our good-byes an accident occurred and the pink cup was knocked from our daughters hand. Like a slow motion movie I watched in horror as Lolly and the cup now full of dirt, leaves and twigs hit the floor. The mess went everywhere and our four year old let out a scream crying for poor Lolly. We quickly secured the area and began sifting through the dirt and mess on the floor.

As it started to become apparent that Lolly was not going to be found I overheard the kids talking about a prior spill downstairs and began to think that Lolly had been lost during that spill. My daughter was crying and pleading for everyone to find Lolly. Then it happened, a miracle like no other, something I would not have believed had I not seen it with my own two eyes. There, about one foot away, was Lolly Pop on her back with legs kicking. Yes, legs kicking, this roly-poly was ALIVE!!

They say my mouth dropped and my eye bugged out because as sure as I'm typing this I just knew that bug had been dead for the last two days. My daughter screamed with delight and snatched up Lolly along with all of the other mess from the floor. The world had been set right, my daughter had her bug and I had seen a miracle.

As most of the people filed out of the house a conversation sprang up about what had just happened. I reiterated the fact that the roly-poly had been dead only an hour before. It was then that our friend, the veterinarian, announced that during the confusion he had run outside and unbelievably stumbled upon a larger but live roly-poly. He quickly brought it back inside and tossed it near the mess on the floor.

I was in awe. I couldn't believe how quickly he went into action and saved the day. My daughter really had no clue but she did mention that Lolly had gained a little weight. It's a joy to observe the imagination of children, but also a joy to see the creativity of great friends.

Political Daddy

2008-07-06T20:54:00.004-05:00

I don't want to sway or influence my daughters into believing a certain political view. I think each young person will know which party politics they most adhere to and which issues are most important to them. I also don't want anyone to read this post and get turned off because they do not agree with my politics.

With that said, I do want my girls to know what I believe in and how I view American politics.

I am a registered Republican and have been since I could vote. I've voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election since I could vote. I voted for a Democratic governor in Oklahoma in our last election.

I'm a soft core conservative. I believe in less government, less hand outs, much lower taxes, the right to own a gun and I feel abortion should not be used as birth control. I believe in a strong military and the right to destroy any enemy that indicates they mean to do any American harm.

I do not believe humans can control the temperature of the earth, thus global warming is caused by natural occurrences and is now being used by Liberals to sway elections. I believe in the death penalty and do not care if the criminal suffers during the execution.

I believe people should take more responsibility for themselves and if they can't, churches and communities should do more to help. I do not believe the rich should pay 1% more in taxes than anyone else in this country and I believe every person should pay some sort of tax. I believe social security is broken and should be eliminated. The health care system is also broken. Independent companies need to create fair health care services that will put the large, unethical providers out of business.

I believe gay individuals should not be discriminated against but do not believe they should be able to set an agenda effecting the majority of Americans. I would rather pass a pot smoker on the road than a drunk. I believe illegals should be stopped from entering our country and the ones that are here already should be given a short time period to learn English, fill out an application for citizenship and pay a fine for entering our country illegally. If they do not, they should be kicked out immediately.

I believe most politicians will bend the truth, change their stances and hide the facts to get themselves elected.

In the 2008 election I do not have a candidate I would do back flips for. I absolutely do not "get" the whole Obama thing. He's a great, young, articulate speaker and that's about it. I would not hire him to be the CEO of my Fortune 500 company, would not pick him as the troop leader of my Boy Scout pack, would not choose him to speak at an entrepreneurial convention and do not feel he has a solid plan that will be able to change one thing in Washington.

I think McCain can do a better job but not the best job for America. I think he is a war hero and would follow him into battle. I think McCain has the most experience to deal with world situations and will not hesitate to protect our country if needed.

Anyway, those are my views on things. Nothing is set in stone and I am always open to new ideas.

A Daddy Bloggers Play List

2008-07-05T16:04:00.007-05:00

Being the hip dad that I am I thought I would post my iPod play list as of July 2008. Also being a techno geek, Internet guru of sorts, I have a fine collection of iPods. I believe there are 10 iPods in our house at the moment.

Some of these tunes might surprise a few of you knowing that I am a 70's rock fan and ex-rocker. There's a story behind most all of the songs on this list. This is by no means a list of my favorite songs, just what is on my iPod at the moment. But each one reminds of a time period in my life, an event or just a feeling I get when I hear the song. Soooo, that being said, here are my top tunes 'o the day...

1. Love You 'Till the End - The Pogues
2. Time of Your Life - Greenday
3. Against All Odds - Phil Collins
4. Jurassic Park Theme - John Williams
5. One Headlight - Wallflowers
6. Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
7. I Melt With You - SUGARCULT
8. General Attitude - Collective Soul
9. Sweet Child Of Mine - Sheryl Crow
10. If You Leave - OMD
11. I Was Wrong - Social Distortion
12. The Wake-Up Bomb - R.E.M.
13. You Are The Music In Me (Sharpay Version) - High School Musical Cast
14. I Will Survive - Cake
15. Stand By Me - Ben E. King
16. Shame on You - Indigo Girls
17. More Time - Needtobreathe
18. U + Ur Hand - P!nk
19. Soak Up The Sun - Sheryl Crow
20. Bohemian Like You - The Dandy Warhols
21. Happy Days Theme - TV 70's & 80's
22. I melt for you - Modern English
23. December, 1963 (Oh What a Night!) - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
24. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
25. Don't Listen to the Radio - The Vines
26. Feeling That Way - Journey
27. Who Knew - P!nk
28. Goodbye Girl - David Gates
29. Come Clean - Hilary Duff
30. Just Like Heaven - The Cure
31. Hey Ya! - OutKast
32. Love Me Like You - The Magic Numbers
33. Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield
34. Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds
35. Suspicious Minds - Dwight Yoakum
36. Thank You for Being a Friend - Andrew Gold
37. Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
38. Take Your Mama - Scissor Sisters
39. Keep Pushin' - REO Speedwagon
40. Fox On The Run - Sweet
41. Our Lives - The Calling
42. We Will Rock You - Queen
43. Girlfriend - Mathew Sweet
44. Panama - Van Halen
45. If I Ever Leave This World Alive - Flogging Molly
46. Shake It - Metro Station
47. Last Train Home - Ryan Star
48. Hollywood - Collective Soul
49. Laid - James
50. Welcome to My Life - Simple Plan

Happy Sneaker Wearing 4th of July!

2008-07-03T10:55:00.000-05:00

AdSense Trigger Words

2008-07-02T13:04:00.006-05:00

Hi Guys!

Is anyone seeing PSA's over there to the right where my Google ads should be? For 24 hours now I have had that PSA show up just on my homepage. I've gone through every word looking for trigger words and changed any that I thought might be triggering it.

If you are an AdSense hound and can help me out take a look and see if you can figure out why I'm getting PSA's on this page only.

Thanks for da help!!

P.S. They may have finally disappeared.
P.S.S. They came back... I just removed the words w-i-c-k-e-d, b-i-g-f-o-o-t and O-J. Let me know if you still see PSA's.

Do You Dooce?

2008-07-02T08:17:00.005-05:00

I've had a well known community blog going for a few years now but just recently started this personal type daddy blogging thing. I'm finding that is a bit different looking for ideas about yourself and trying to walk a line between telling about yourself but not divulging too much.

Doing research on personal blogs I ran across what must be the most popular mommy blog out there. It is simply called Dooce. Dooce is actually Heather B. Armstrong, an individual that didn't start out to create a blogging empire and huge following but over time has done so.

She's funny, creative and bit on the edge at times. She likes to push buttons and in doing so has created somewhat of a cult readership. The reason I posted about her today is that I think she has done something pretty impressive.

Dooce has offered to give-a-way several Nintendo Wii machines for just leaving a comment on her blog. That is not the impressive part, the impressive part is that in two days she has around 40,000 comments! I understand that many people are leaving multiple comments but this is still a very impressive amount of participation.

If you are looking to become a professional blogger I highly recommend doing a quick study on Dooce. She currently has the magic touch and anything that might rub off can only do you some good. Check out her set up and quickly enter the drawing - Dooce.com.

Make Money With Cartoons - Graphic Design

2008-07-02T07:48:00.005-05:00

When people ask me what I do I normally pause and have to think about the many things that I do these days. I guess my main gig continues to be cartooning but it is becoming a smaller part of my business every day. The Internet allowed me to become the premiere cartoon logo designer online and also allowed me to quit my day job. The logo design above is one of my most popular and most commented on cartoon logos.

Today I've expanded into other ventures and several more cartoon ventures. I'll give you as many ideas on how to make money cartooning as I can. This is idea #1.

Create cartoons for logos, signs and graphic design purposes. If you decide to follow this route of cartooning you will need to be pretty talented at drawing and creating good looking designs. Many forms of cartooning rely less on a drawing talent but cartooning for graphic design requires it.

Cartoons are used in graphic design on billboards, in magazines, within logos and on many product label designs. You must learn how to work with the computer and know how to digitize a cartoon to make it in this field. More on the way!

Natural SEO vs. Pay Per Click Ads

2008-07-01T15:00:00.001-05:00

I was just emailing with one of my new readers and he brought up something I have not eluded to yet. As of today, I do not use any form on PPC ads, AdWords or pay for any other form of advertising. That is not to say that I wouldn't try some of those forms of traffic building in the future. I'll let you know when I use any form of paid advertising.

All of my traffic and income is based on natural SEO. That means I do not spend a dime on advertising, zip, zilch, nada. My traffic comes from my natural rankings in the search engines. My only reoccurring costs are for domain names and web hosting.

My web pages had over 5.8 million page views in 2007 and I aim to shatter that number in 2008. I have not optimized my sites very well for advertising and have relied heavily on Google Ads. This year I am trying new forms of income generation and I will share with you what has worked best for me.

I would guess 90% of my traffic is generated by Google. Another goal in 2008 is to create a large amount of new traffic using viral marketing. More about that later.

Check back and I will soon write some posts on how I can create that amount of traffic without spending a dime.

Adventures In Working At Home

2008-07-01T08:18:00.012-05:00

There are many days I wonder why I'm always running behind and why I don't feel like I get anything accomplished. I'm going to log one day in the life of a stay-at-home dad and Internet guy and show you how difficult it can be working from home. (Both of my daughters are at home because it is summer)

Monday, June 30, 2008
8 a.m. - 9 a.m.
Phone rings. My Mom Granny, my assistant webmaster called. She says the emails she is sending are getting rejected by my server. My youngest daughter wants me to tie a bow in her ribbon. I try to send myself an email and it does not work. I spend 10 minutes filling out tickets to find out why that email is not working.

Start reading the emails that are coming through. Bandwidth is running out on one of my sites. Go up bandwidth limit. Oldest daughter wants me to move step stairs so she can play with doll house. Another email says one clients inbox is full. I go online to up his limit so he can get his email. Both daughters ask me to get batteries for Cinderella Barbie Pumpkin Carriage.

Finish reading emails. Freelance client needs to get paid. Go to PayPal and pay client. One hour gone - money making work accomplished = 0.

9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Finally got to work on a sketch. Finished it and emailed proof to client. Started next sketch. Updated a few blogs real quick. Youngest daughter hungry, wants a snack. Work accomplished = .75 hours!!

10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Got the girls a snack. I ate a few peanuts. Answered a few emails. Worked on another sketch. Email now fixed. Sent another proof. Talked to girls about getting ready. Searched for character ideas online. Work accomplished = .75 hours!!

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Worked on logos. Searched for ideas online. Answered an email. Ignored a phone call, no message. Had the girls brush hair and finish getting ready. Work accomplished = .75 hours!

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Left the house. The girls and I ran to the post office. Checked PO Box. Deposited checks at the bank. Stopped for lunch. Groovy Mom joined us for lunch.

1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Back to the home office about 1:15. My Mom Granny dropped off some stuff for a blog. Girls fought over the computer and got kicked out of the studio. Worked on late designs. My Mom Granny called with a question on blog labels. Work accomplished = .75 hours.

2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Worked on a few assorted logos. Girls popped in and out to ask questions. Actually got 1 hour of work done.

3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Got the girls a snack. Answered a few more emails. Sent another proof. Checked some stats online. Money making work accomplished = .5 hours.

4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Changed clothes. Had the girls change. Answered a few quotes. Had to wake youngest daughter up. Took girls for swimming lessons at 4:30. Hit tennis balls while waiting. No work accomplished.

5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Out of the studio.

9 p.m. - 12 p.m.
Surfed the web for information and material. Answered emails. Watched TV while surfing. Put the girls to bed. Inked a logo. Left comments on a few blogs. Checked stats. Headed for bed after midnight. Money making work accomplished = 2.5 hours.

Phrases My Daughters Say Daily

2008-06-28T15:09:00.006-05:00

Okay Dads, when your kids reach the age of talking non-stop (about 4 years old) you will quickly learn that they love to ask the same things over and over and over again. There are a few things my four and six year olds tell me or ask me almost everyday. Here's a sampling...

1. Daddy I'm done going potty
2. Can I have a snack
3. Is it movie night
4. Do we have to eat healthy
5. Is it a school day
6. The light was yellow dad
7. Can I have some gum
8. What number is the Disney Channel
9. Will you sit next to me
10 I want to ride on your side
11. Talk like Goofy again
12. Leave a light on
13. Where's my waggy
14. Ouch, you're pulling my hair
15. Do I have to eat it all
16. Don't forget to check on me
17. Can you turn it up
18. Daddy stop singing
19. Will you carry me upside down
20. You're sweaty
21. Can I text Mommy

Hold Your Paws Up

2008-06-27T08:30:00.004-05:00

As a dad you wait for those priceless moments when your kids do or say something that comes so far out of left field that you can only laugh until you cry. Last weekend provided one of those golden moments.

Our girls have been taking piano lessons for several months now in preparation of their piano recital. Recently it was D-day for our little Liberace's. We all gathered together and sat through two and a half hours of piano plunking, chord bending and scale mutation. Not to say that we didn't enjoy our own kids interpretation of music theory, it's those darn other kids that had the hair on the back of our necks standing on end. None the less, we applauded them all just as though they were our very own.

Our girls sat up straight, played their parts and did a fine job. They were rewarded with a trip to one of their favorite restaurants (Chili's, in case they forget). We all ate, laughed and talked about the grand recital. As we neared the end of our meal, our 4 year old pointed out the fact that she had eaten almost all of her dinner.

We told her how proud we were that she had eaten so good and that she had done such a grand job at the recital as well as at the restaurant. She sat up proudly with her chin in the air and her shoulders pulled back and said, "Thank you, thank you, you can hold your paws up."

We all immediately began to laugh because we instantly knew exactly what she meant. She was trying to say, "Hold your applause." It was a great moment and she beamed from ear to ear as we made her feel like the silliest girl on the planet.

Enjoy your kids and don't forget that they are just kids. Allow them to be who they are and above all, have patience!

Warning: This has been another daddy moment, meant to embarrass and shock our daughters as they get older and read back about how cute and cuddly they once were. Apologies are now given if this post has interfered with or caused a boy to no longer have anything to do with you. Yeah right, boys are vermin that pick their noses and toot under covers.

My Quest For A Surfboard

2008-06-25T15:20:00.002-05:00

That Sneaker Wearing Dad is on a quest for a new surfboard...

100 Things A Daddy Should Never Do

2008-06-24T19:25:00.003-05:00

Here's a pretty good list of things I believe my four and six year old daughters would rather me not do. If I've broken any of these (which I have) I apologize now.

A daddy should never...

1. Wear black socks with sneakers
2. Sing in the car
3. Shave off his mustache
4. Wear anything pink
5. Grow hair on his ears
6. Kiss another woman
7. Bake a cake
8. Skip through a store
9. Wear a dress or skirt
10. Use a blow dryer
11. Put on lip gloss
12. Sit to go pee
13. Wear a party/pretty hat
14. Eat anything with sprinkles
15. Say, "I'm so sure"
16. Ride a girls bike
17. Roller skate
18. Sit in a tanning booth
19. Participate in Pilates
20. Wear fur
21. Shave his legs
22. Take a bubble bath
23. Wear socks with sandals
24. Buy panties
25. Eat grilled chicken salad
26. Go shirtless in public
27. Make jewelry
28. Wear earrings
29. Use hairspray
30. Watch My Little Pony
31. Toot in public
32. Smoke cigars
33. Wear earmuffs
34. Spray on a tan
35. Give sweaty hugs
36. Listen on the phone
37. Forget birthdays
38. Belly flop
39. Burp the alphabet
Read the rest of the list...

Build Your Own Personal Brand Image

2008-06-22T20:39:00.000-05:00

What in the heck is a personal brand image and why do you need one?

Your brand is what makes you, you. It's the important factors that make you different from everyone else. It's what makes you stand out!!

Don King has his hair, Superman has his cape, Linus has his blanket, Dolly has her big... voice, Teller has his silence, Elton John has his glasses. Each of these individuals stand out from the crowd because of a brand image. There is something about them that you remember! Do you have a brand image, a style of your own, or are you just part of the crowd? Would anyone remember you if they only met you for a moment?

What is my brand image? My brand image is my casual style and my really cool sneakers. I've begun a campaign of wearing old school Converse sneakers everywhere I go. I'm even using my sneaks in all of my website headers.

I'm trying to establish a brand that will be easily and quickly recognized. I've taken to wearing sneakers and white tee's every chance I get. People know me as that sneaker wearing cartoonist.

I gave a talk the other day to about 40 sixth graders. I was speaking about how I was able to start my own business and work from home. I wore shorts, a white tee covered by a Polo sweater vest and my trademark sneakers. I had almost as many comments about my sneakers as I did about my cartooning and Internet businesses.

Stand out from the crowd and you will be remembered. Your brand does not even have to be physical. Your brand could be that you give the fastest service with a smile or you do the best job and always throw in a bonus. Those type of things can become your brand if you stick to them and people know they can rely on them.

Find your brand and you'll be on your way to rising above the crowd. I'll try to do a future post on great personal branding examples. That's all for now! It's lunch time and my girls want their McDonalds! Talk about a company that knows a bit about branding.

About My Daughters - June 2008

2008-06-22T09:25:00.000-05:00

I hope the mixture of my posts on blogging, making money online, working from home and being a dad will be a good enough mix to keep everyone coming back for more tips, ideas and stories.

I guess I had better describe my daughters as I see them today. Both girls attend a Montessori school and have never had to stay at a daycare. I've watched them practically every day of their lives. I take them to school, have lunch with them most days and pick them up from school. They are very active and currently are involved in dance, gymnastics, piano and tennis.

My oldest daughter is now six. She is very bright and can read practically anything that is placed in front of her. She's kind, quiet, shy and a bit reserved. She loves bread and butter but hates ice cream. She doesn't so much like to be hugged or kissed but she's becomes very sad when we are away. She learns quickly and remembers everything. She rarely get into trouble and knows that doing certain things will get her in trouble. She does not push the envelope.

My youngest daughter is four going on twenty four. She is happy, lovable, outgoing and very rambunctious. She's smart but is not so much interested in learning. She loves to play, make up things and collects everything. She wants everything now and becomes very clingy to a new item until a replacement comes along. She loves to hug and kiss but has no problem waving good-bye to us when we leave. She loves sweets and is picky about everything else. She pushes the envelope on everything and gets into trouble daily.

Today was a great example of one of my four-year-olds memorable quotes. We were driving home from picking up Hostess Cup Cakes for breakfast, (her favorite at the moment) and we began talking about the clouds and the rain we had just experienced. Without ever having heard her use this word before, my four-year-old says, "I'm assuming the water that comes from clouds is pee." I chuckled like I always do and thanked the Lord again for giving me such wacky girls.

They bring a smile to my face every morning and I greet them with a big hello and a morning hug. They are by far the coolest things I have ever created.

Things I've Kicked Out Of My Bucket List

2008-06-20T23:01:00.004-05:00

I just watched The Bucket List, a movie about creating a list of things you would like to accomplish before you pass on. I got to thinking about the things I have already crossed off my bucket list...

1. Had beautiful healthy children
2. Happily married after ten years
3. Created multiple businesses
4. Went to Disney World
5. Owned a convertible Corvette
6. Bought a house, actually several
7. Had a cartoon nationally published
8. Wrote a song & performed it
9. Learned to play the guitar
10. Bench pressed 300 lbs.
11. Saw the Olympics live
12. Purchased a Fender Strat
13. Rode a camel, in Turkey
14. Toured Graceland
15. Lived in a foreign country
16. Cruised Highway 1 in California
17. Watched Tiger Woods win the PGA
18. Walked the entire Las Vegas Strip
19. more to come...

One Of My Entrepreneurial Ventures

2008-06-19T20:33:00.001-05:00

Check out my little greeting card company...
ChuckleBerry's Paper Card Company