Like most other kids, Christmas was always the holiday to look forward to. Over the years there were many things that seemed to reoccur and made the holiday special. These are just a few of the most memorable things I remember from Christmas's past. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

1. The Christmas TV specials! I always had to watch Charlie Brown, Rudolph and The Grinch. Frosty, The Little Drummer Boy and It's a Wonderful Life are also notable. This was before cable, VCR's, DVD's and DVR's, so if you missed a special you wouldn't get to see it until the next year.

2. Getting a real tree. My mom would take us to the local grocery store to find a real tree. My sister and I always got to decorate the tree. In those days icicles were big so the tree had to be covered with a good layer of shiny silver icicles.

3. In later years my grandma decided it was easier and cheaper to wrap everything in tin foil. It became a family joke but always reminds me of Christmas. She always wanted to collect the foil and reuse it the next year.

4. Eating cream peas and poofy marshmallow salad. The only time we got to eat these treats was Thanksgiving and Christmas. We also always had a good selection of hot rolls.

5. Always having one big unwrapped gift from Santa. That gift was the first thing you saw and made the entire morning. We were never allowed to open anything on Christmas Eve.

Labels: Christmas, Family, Memories

I've been trying to remember what the coolest toys were that I received as a kid in the 70's. Here's a list of the ones I can remember...

1. Hot Wheels and MatchBox cars
2. The orange Hot Wheels track with dual loops - (I used to string these pieces of track all over my room and would create these huge, long roller coasters that we would send marbles down.)
3. G.I. Joes with the fuzzy beard
4. Figure 8 electric racing car set
5. Rock'em Sock'em Robots
6. HO size electric train set
7. Spirograph
8. Aurora Karate Men - these guys were cool.
9. Plastic green army men
10. Green can of Slime

Labels: 70's, Christmas, Memories

Going to the movies was a big deal in the 70's. I remember paying 50 cents to see many movies and usually only on special occasions. There weren't as many movies being released and there weren't multi-plex theatres.

So, seeing a good movie in the 70's had a pretty lasting impression on a young buckaroo. This is my Top 10 list of those movies that left a lasting impression on me. These of course are not the best movies of all time from the 1970's but these are my favorites. Enjoy the list and let me know which ones left lasting impressions on you.

1.) Close Encounters of the Third Kind - This movie was the coolest. I still watch it every time it comes on. I think this was the first movie I got to go see as a young junior high student on the weekend.
2.) Jaws - The best suspense movie of the decade. If only every kid could see this at the movie theatre as their first thriller movie.
3.) Star Wars - Wow! Who would have thought you could do that on a movie screen. Special effects before there were special effects.
4.) Animal House - Oh my gosh! The best boob movie for any young man in the 70's. Most likely the funniest movie of the decade.
5.) Saturday Night Fever - Can you say disco? The songs alone were enough to remember for a lifetime. Loved the dancing hated the acting.
6.) The Poseidon Adventure - An awesome adventure movie! Non-stop action. This movie was way cool in the 70's.
7.) Rocky - Yo.
8.) The Goodbye Girl - I thought Richard Dreyfuss was a great actor. This was a fun movie and I really like the theme song. I think this was my first chick flick.
9.) The Warriors - If you saw this movie and didn't want to go out and start a fight you just weren't normal. The best gang movie of all time.
10.) Phantasm - A little known horror flick that was ahead of its time. This movie had a cult following and that cult was my buddies and I.
11.) Smokey and the Bandit - Tran Ams and CB radios! Two of the coolest things you could want as a kid.

Okay, I had to add one because there are just so many. There are also many 70's movies that I love but I did not actually see until it was the 80's, like MASH, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Halloween and many others.

Labels: 70's, Memories, Movies

In honor of one of our favorite coming of age movies we are putting together a fun website full of Breakfast Club Quotes. We will also put together funny quotes from other movies like The Goonies, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Stripes, Caddy Shack and more.

Check it out...

Breakfast Club Quotes

Labels: 80's, Memories

In today's world of airbags, helmets and childproof lids I sometimes wonder why we are not all dead. Here are a few of the things we got away with when we were kids in the 70's...

1. Rode bikes without helmets
2. Boarded planes without being searched
3. Opened pill bottles with ease
4. Ate paint chips
5. Drove in cars with no seat belts.
6. Rode in the back of pick-ups.
7. Stayed home without 911
8. Never had a cell phone in the car.
9. Ate red M & M's
10. Rode skateboards without pads.
11. Drank water from a hose.
12. Never had a flu shot
13. Walked the streets at night.
14. Left our doors unlocked.
15. Sat in smoke filled restaurants.
16. Played with mercury.
17. Went to movies by ourselves.
18. Never washed our hands.
19. Played with turtles and frogs before eating.
20. Jumped on trampolines without nets!

Labels: 70's, Memories

Here's my list of the top things that made living in the 70's such a cool time period...

1.) Banana seats on bikes and cards flapping in your spokes
2.) Space food sticks, Tang and watching moon missions
3.) One liter glass returnable pop bottles
4.) Collecting Green Stamps and trading them for cheap prizes
5.) 8 Track tapes and having the coolest tape player
6.) Saturday morning cartoons
7.) Sonny and Cher - Donny and Marie
8.) Clackers, Slime and the Rubik's Cube
9.) Charlie Brown & Peanuts holiday shows
10.) Bell bottom jeans and half shirts
11.) Streaking, Dodge Ball and Hide'n Go Seek
12.) Slip'n Slide, & Water Wiggles
13.) Shasta, RC Cola and Mello Yellow
14.) One penny Jolly Ranchers & Bubble Gum
15.) Full size G.I. Joes with Kung Fu grip
16.) Disco (Need I say more?)
17.) Marathon Bars, Zagnuts & Watchamacallits
18.) Schoolhouse Rock & After School Specials
19.) My Farrah Fawcett poster
20.) Stratego, Battleship and Lincoln Logs
21.) TV Guide, Mad Magazine & 20 cent comics
22.) Herbie the Love Bug & Disney movies
23.) Afros, feathered bangs & long hair
24.) Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Land of the Lost
25.) Skateboarding & Hoola Hoops
26.) Watching the Banana Splits eating Zingers
27.) Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots & Hot Wheels
28.) Walter Cronkite & the 6 o'clock news
29.) Atari
30.) Trolls, Spirographs & Matchbox Cars
31.) TV Dinners & Jiffy Pop popcorn
32.) Elvis & Sandy Duncan movies
33.) Love, American Style & Laugh In
34.) The Brady Bunch & The Partridge Family
35.) The Midnight Special & Don Kirshners Rock Concert
36.) Monty Python and The Goodies
37.) More to come...

Labels: 70's, Memories

I love coming of age movies! They remind me so much of being twelve, growing up in the 70's. I had a very close group of friends that would find adventure in everything we did, much like the characters in Stand By Me and Now and Then.

We spent almost every day together in the summer and would skip dinner just so we could play late into the night. We were always outside running around the neighborhood playing games and tricking neighbors non-stop.

I've always wanted to write a book based on our summers of fun with a few added twists and turns. The movies listed below are the closest examples of the good times we had as youngsters. I know there are many more coming of age movies but these top my list and have bits and pieces that remind me of days gone by. They are in no particular order. Enjoy and if you've missed any of these, they would make great weekend rentals...

1. Stand By Me
2. The Goonies
3. Now and Then
4. Pretty in Pink
5. Dead Poet's Society
6. St. Elmo's Fire
7. October Sky
8. Breakfast Club
9. My Girl
10. American Graffiti

Update: 07/11/09

This list has gotten so popular I've decided to add another 10 movies. If you have not seen the first 10 watch those first and then check these out. Again these are in no particular order.

11. Sixteen Candles
12. The Sandlot
13. The Outsiders
14. Almost Famous
15. Dirty Dancing
16. Breaking Away
17. School Ties
18. Summer of '42
19. Mona Lisa Smile
20. The Man in the Moon

Bonus: 13 Going On 30 (A great little girl in big body movie)

Labels: 70's, Fun Events, Getting Old, Memories

Okay, look what I dug up! This could very well be the ultimate 1970's photograph. This photo is dated June '77. It is a picture of me (skateboard) and my friend Bruce Bradley. Can you spot all of the cool 1970's references?

A list of 1970's coolness:
1. Hair, longer with bangs.
2. Cut off shorts with pockets sticking out
3. Knee socks with stripes
4. How about my shoes! Those were the coolest sneakers!
5. Plastic skateboard from OTASCO
6. Ten speed bike
7. Ringer T-shirt
8. Sleeveless sweatshirt
9. Teardrop glasses, tinted.
10. No iPods, cell phones or electronic gadgets

Labels: 70's, Curtis Tucker, Getting Old, Memories

Wow! Since Farrah's passing I have been getting a ton of attention about this photo with me opening her poster. I was recently featured on the homepage of CNN.com! A writer from CNN interviewed me for a story on Farrah being the last, great pin up star. I'll post the article on the press page as quick as I can.

Here's a link to the story... link.

The photo will also be appearing in the next issue of Travel Girl Magazine.

The year was 1976 and I was a young, very impressionable kid. Farrah Fawcett was taking the world by storm and I was smitten. This is the moment I received my very own Farrah Fawcett poster.

I hung this poster on a wall in my bedroom and began to add magazine pictures, photo clippings and other memorabilia until that entire wall was completely covered. Charlies Angels was a hit and I had every promotional photo ever taken in my collection.

I will always remember the 70's and that iconic poster.

Labels: 70's, Curtis Tucker, Memories

Hey, I'm a kid of the 70's and I loved Land of the Lost with all it's Sleestack and Pylons. You have to remember that the effects and acting were well before Star Wars and Hannah Montana. We didn't know any better and thought the show was way ahead of its time.

Fast forward to 2009 and some yahoo executive thinks he can create a hit movie based on the Land of the Lost name. Add Will Ferrell, lame jokes and a story that has nothing to do with the original series and what do you have? A freakin flop!

Did someone really think the kids of the 70's were going to rush out and see this piece of junk? Did they think the Disney and Cartoon Channel kids of today would be rolling with laughter in the aisles? Boy were they wrong. The moment I saw the trailers to this movie I thought FLOP!! I wouldn't even rent this DVD on my worst day.

Now, why doesn't somebody take this story and create a GOOD movie for all of the LOTL fans? Think Jurassic Park, Planet of the Apes, a real attempt at updating something from the past. I would love to go see a true adventure movie based on Land of the Lost.

Taking a well known title and making a lame comedy out of it is such a waste of time. Will Ferrell? Pa-leeze.

Labels: 70's, Memories, TV

Wow! Summer has arrived! The crumb crunchers are out of school, the pool is open and the temperatures are on the rise. This will be the first summer my girls will not be in summer school. 3 months of hanging out with dad!

I used to love summer time when I was a kid. My sister and I were what was called latchkey kids, meaning we were usually home alone when school was out while our mom worked.

My summers were filled with days of skateboarding, bike riding and tadpole hunting. There was a creek near our neighborhood called Boggy Creek in which we spent many hours collecting tadpoles, frogs and turtles. We ruined many a pair of sneakers in that stinky creek.

I lived in an area that did not have any swimming pools so my friends and I did not do much swimming. My best friend did have a trampoline though and we spent hours playing on it. We would play dodge ball on it and on hot days we would put the sprinkler under it and jump on it wet.

The things I remember most about summers in the 70's were the locusts and their loud noises. There were some nights that they were so loud you could barely sleep. I remember sleeping with the window open most of the summer and having a fan planted right next to my bed.

Summer was the signal it was time to "cut off" that winter pair of denim jeans. We used to cut the legs off as high as we could so we would have the coolest pair of "cut offs". You usually had to wash them at least once before wearing because you wanted to have the best collection of threads dangling from the cut off area. Another ritual was to cut the bottom off your favorite t-shirt which made it a half shirt. Man were we styling with our half shirts and "cut offs".

We didn't watch much TV in the summer because we were always running around outside. We would also skip dinner just so we didn't have to stop playing. And what about that 70's craze called streaking? I have to admit that we might have streaked along Broadway Street once just to say we did. Glad we didn't have cell phones with cameras back then.

Speaking of cell phones, we never had a way of being found and never knew what time it was. This was a big bone of contention when a parent needed us for something. There was no way of finding us! What freedom that was.

Well, more about my summers days as a youth later. Get out there and enjoy the sun!

Labels: 70's, Memories, Summer

The year was 1976 and I was a young, very impressionable kid. Farrah Fawcett was taking the world by storm and I was smitten. This is the moment I received my very own Farrah Fawcett poster.

I hung this poster on a wall in my bedroom and began to add magazine pictures, photo clippings and other memorabilia until that entire wall was completely covered. Charlies Angels was a hit and I had every promotional photo ever taken in my collection.

We're all older now and I just watched a special on Farrah and her battle with cancer. I wish her the best and will always remember the 70's and that iconic poster.

Labels: 70's, Memories

Well, did ya know it was National Comic Book Day? Me neither. Check your local newspaper, library and comic book store for details on free comics today.

I was one of the biggest comic book collectors when I was a yute. My comic of choice was Superman. I was always a DC guys as opposed to being a Marvel guy. Anything with Superman in it I collected.

I actually have in front of me at this moment a big tote full of 12 cent and 15 cent comics. I have lots of Superman, Action Comics, Superboy, Supergirl, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. I used to carry my collection around in a brown grocery sack. I remember that I could never go anywhere with just a few of my comics, I always had to take the entire collection.

I could tell you the entire story of every comic by just seeing the cover. I must have read each one several dozen times.

The big thing in the 70's was hitting the pawn shops on our bikes looking for golden oldie comic books. After reading our newest gems we would start to trade and haggle to get the titles that we liked. I would always give up a Spiderman or Fantastic Four for a Superman or Justice League.

The comics I remember at a younger age were Sad Sack, Richie Rich, Hot Stuff and Captain Rock. Do you still have your comic collection? What were your favorites?

I'm really thinking of selling my collection if anyone knows of a good comic buyer. Let me know if you do. Happy Comic Book Day everyone!

Labels: 70's, Comics, hobbies, Memories

It's that time of year again! Tornado season in Oklahoma. April and May are great months to get out and do a little tornado chasing when things are getting a little slow around the house.

Last night our little town of Enid took a minor hit from a tornado or two. The major part of town was unaffected but North Enid had dozens of homes damaged and our large Expo Center had much of it's roof blown off.

Tornado sirens went off several times during the evening and our girls became little magnets not wanting to let us out of their sight. The television warnings told us to get into a basement or the smallest room in the house. We felt fairly safe where we were since we could see exactly on radar where the tornado was headed. Normally I would have been out chasing the tornado but due to darkness I decided to sit this one out.

When you live in Oklahoma you deal with tornadoes every year. I remember as a kid seeing the warnings on TV. Back in my day there was not as much sophisticated equipment, so each time a tornado was near, my mom, sister and I would climb into a small closet or bathroom and sit it out for awhile. We were never hit by one but it sure made things exciting.

Fast forward to adulthood and I am now out chasing as often as I can. My Hot Wife and I actually followed the May 3, 1999 tornado in OKC. We had been watching it on TV for over an hour that day when I finally decided that if it wasn't going to go away I was going to go see it.

As it got closer to Del City we were quickly driving towards it from Edmond, Oklahoma. I had the radio on and could hear the meteorologist reporting on the exact location of the storm. As we got closer to the storm we noticed that almost all of the traffic had disappeared from the highways. We even passed Sheriff cars that were hiding under an overpass.

We arrived in Midwest City within a few minutes of it hitting town and lifting for a short period of time. Debris was just starting to drift back to the ground and everything was covered in a solid coating of insulation, trees and muck. Luckily we were in a Honda Prelude and were able to drive under the power poles that were leaning over the roads.

That was the strongest tornado on record and it really leveled many areas around OKC. Just to let every know I do keep tabs on the tornado location and never put myself in the path of one. If I can dig up the photos of the May 3 damage I will post them.

That's about it for now! I better get off because it looks like the storms are firing up again. Who knows, it might be time to go chasing!

Labels: Fun Events, Memories, Tornado

We were at a group Easter party this weekend and had a really great time. As the evening cooled off and we moved inside we all ended up in the living room with the TV on. Being Easter Eve there could only be one show on the television - The Ten Commandments!

We all sat around talking and studying what a classic this movie was. The acting and effects were so over the top but seemed so cool when we were younger. Many people in the group could not believe that watching TTC was an Easter tradition. There was a long discussion about when color TV came along and when TTC was made. All of the talk about old shows got me to thinking about some shows I had not thought about for a long while.

There are some really obscure TV shows that I remember as a kid. I think they were all imports from other countries. Not many people know what I'm talking about half of the time. Did you ever watch these shows?

Here Come The Double Deckers - A Saturday morning show about a bunch of kids that had a cool fort with an entrance through a wooden fence.

The Goodies - This was another Saturday night show much like Monty Python. There were a group of guys doing very odd skits.

Pippi Longstocking - Stories about a very strong girl with orange pony tails that stuck out to the sides. She wore long striped socks.

Remember back in the day when we only had three main channels and at times channel 13? Can you imagine only three stations from which to choose? How did we ever survive? And how about the fact that we had to get up and turn the knob if we wanted to switch channels. Yes! TV's used to have knobs!!

Then there was the whole TV antenna thing which I won't even get into.

My how things have changed. Now, if the remote goes out we have no idea how to turn on the TV let alone change channels. I remember getting our first 20 ton VCR and the coolest thing about it was that it had a remote control on a cord for channel changing. The cord could reach across the room and we thought that was the bomb!!

Gosh, remember when TV shows had all new episodes one right after the other. They lasted the entire season. Unlike today, where we are supposed to feel privileged if we get three new episodes in a row. And then they throw in more reruns and play up the fact that there will be another new episode in two weeks! Woo Hoo! Big fat deal.

TV has become as much a part of life as a light bulb. You come home, you flip on the TV. You wake up in the morning, you flip on the TV. You eat dinner, you flip on the TV. Most restaurants even have TV's now! Even McDonalds!

Well, enough of that. I've got to stop blogging and finish my day. My favorite TV show is about to come on don't ya know.

Labels: 70's, Getting Old, Memories

Remember those great old family vacations? You know the ones where you would load the kids into the station wagon and you'd head off for a ten hour drive with no air conditioning. I remember laying on the floorboard in the back of the car on the "hump". It was the best place in the world to nap. It was warm and there was a steady hum that was very soothing.

Nobody had to wear a seat belt and you were free to roam the car. You'd drive until you wore out and you'd stop at the next motel. There were maybe three suitcases and you had everything you could want.

Today's vacations are so much more complicated. There's the planning, the reservations, the mileage and the over abundance of suitcases that barely fit into the one ton SUV.

We are currently on vacation in Breckenridge, Colorado. Our girls are skiing for the first time and they went up the lift and skied down on their first day. It was so much fun watching them cruise down the slope hanging onto our ski poles.

All is well and I will post a few photos from Breckenridge in case you have never been here.

Labels: Family, Memories, Road Trips

It was always fun to play outside with your friends in the 70's. Seems like everything we did was outside. One of the best parts of starting a new game was figuring out who was going to be "it".

These are a few of the ways we would choose who was "it":

1. Bubblegum, Bubblegum
2. One Potato, Two Potato
3. Eeney Meeney Miney Moe

The games we played as kids:

1. Kick the Can
2. Hide and Seek
3. Smear the Queer (politically incorrect I know)
4. Murder in the Dark (inside)
5. Dodge Ball
6. 4 Square

We also made up our own games. One game we called Musclins was a combination of tag, hide and seek and kick the can. Burn out was a game played between two four square squares. The point was to throw a ball as hard as you could into the opposing four square and get it by your opponent. The ball had to bounce once within the four square area.

My favorite game of all was trampoline dodge ball! Two guys on each side of the trampoline trying nail the guy on the trampoline with a dodge ball. Could life have been any better?

Labels: 70's, Fun Events, Memories

This is an update for the girls to read one day in the future:

February 17, 2009 -
You girls are watching lots of Sponge Bob Square Pants these days. Not sure why but you are. We just had Valentine's and you both received necklaces, scratch pads and candy. Both of you take dance, piano, tennis and tumble. We saw Paul Blart Mall Cop and you loved it. Go figure.

Chaney scribbled permanent marker on the counter and has been banned from television for a week. This is good because you have not been doing piano practice and this will now give you plenty of time. Chaney, you love to give gifts and you love to get gifts.

Piper, your dance group performed at the boy's college basketball game last night. You had your teeth cleaned today and will head to Stillwater to see about braces down the line. Piper, you have become interested in the computer and want to start your own blog.

Both of you are attending Cimarron Montessori School and are pretty darn smart. I take you to lunch every Monday and we eat at the Club every Friday.

Labels: Daughters, Family, Memories, Sisters

Today's world is full of safety lids, seat belt laws, restrictions and many other things that have been created and forced upon us for safety's sake. When I look back at some of the things we did as kids I often wonder how we made it to adulthood.

This is a list of things that my friends and I did but probably should not have done. We made it through every one of these events without major injury. I post this list to inform my daughters that I know about these things and I will be monitoring that they are not repeated.

1. Like most kids we snuck out while spending the night at a friends house. The danger here was that is would be 2 am in the morning and we were between the ages of 9 and 12.
2. Roofs. We climbed onto or out on every roof we could find. In grade school we would climb on the school roof to retrieve any dodge ball that might have been lost earlier in the day.
3. We actually used to slide down the valley of our two story roof on a Frisbee. We would sit on the Frisbee and slide almost to the end of the ridge and at the last moment we would use our feet to stop just before plummeting off the edge and falling two stories to the ground.
4. We would sometimes sneak the trampoline close to the garage so we could jump off the roof onto it.
5. We spent many an afternoon winding through the drainage tunnels under our town. Many times we would get several blocks underneath the streets. Of course nobody knew where we were in case we ever got stuck.
6. Fire. A really bad one. We set a few things on fire that we probably should not have. Especially at the houses that had fireplaces. Anything plastic was meant to melt!
7. Climbing trees. We used to climb some trees so high that we were on branches that could barely hold our weight. I remember feeling a few trees lean so far that I thought I was a goner.
8. Throwing things at cars. We had a ritual of throwing eggs and snowballs at cars. Our biggest problem there was that we usually threw from one of our own houses and those that got hit knew where to track us down.
9. Pool hopping. Many times we get a big group of guys together and go from pool to pool hopping in and running like heck. We would hit the hotel pools and as many backyard pools as we could find.
10. Sledding down hills on pieces of cardboard. This one did cause me to get 6 stitches when I ended up hitting a broken bottle with my knee.
11. I may add to this list as I remember more long lost adventures that we had as yutes.

I know there were many other things that we did that we knew were on the "do not do" list but as kids you do as much as you can get away with. Like I said earlier, we all made it to adulthood and we're no worse for wear. What daring things did you do as kids?

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

Well, history was made tonight. Our five-year-old ate her first sandwich. Yes, that's right, we forced our child to eat a plain ham sandwich. I know you're thinking we're such bad parents and kids should not be forced to eat things they do not like. Unlike the days when we were kids.

The list of things that she won't eat include sandwich's, hamburgers, pizza, ketchup, BBQ sauce and a few other grossly horrific food items. We've let her get by with this for some time now because she does eat carrots, sweet potatoes and most other foods.

Tonight's historic event was followed by my speech about what I had to eat as a kid. If you grew up in the 70's you might remember a few of these. The absolute worst was liver! You know the liver that looked like a steak. I think that might have been a food I refused to eat a time or two. When I did eat it I was holding my nose, literally, and would fill my mouth with some liquid to get it down. If today's kids only knew!

Other foods of contention included hominy. What in the heck is hominy anyway? Then there were the oldies but goodies like broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach and lima beans. Yes, lima beans! Who eats lima beans? What about spam? Are your kids eating spam? On the holidays we had to eat unearthly things like black eyed peas and stuffing.

On the other hand, I also remember the great things I ate as a kid. Who didn't grow up on fried bologna sandwiches, Spaghettios, mac and cheese and frozen pizza?

My how the times have changed. So, when my girls grow up and read this many years from now, remember that mom and dad weren't so bad after all.

Labels: 70's, Daughters, Dining, funny moment, Memories, Parenting

Remember back in the day when you wanted a photo? We're talking back when I was a kid, in the 70's. We'd either pull out our slim, black 110 camera or if we were lucky we'd pull out the bulky Polaroid Instant Camera.

Taking pictures has come a long way baby. As kids we could get instant Polaroids with the funky colors and funny border around them like the New Years 2009 photo above or we would have to send our 110 or 35mm film off to be developed. A week or two later it would return and we would gleefully rip open our envelope to see our dozen grand photos.

If you were like my friends and I, you would find a stack full of blurry photos mixed in with a few shots of your friends with their heads cut off. At that age it didn't matter much, that the color was bad, the composition was horrible and you just shelled out eight bucks for twelve bad pictures.

Fast forward to 2009 and my how things have changed. Polaroid camera you say? 110 film you ask? Those days are long gone. Today we have micro cameras that take pictures big enough for posters and they're digital! That means you get to take as many pictures as you want and you can delete the bad shots. Wow! What a deal.

No more film, no more waiting, no more photo albums... what!! No more photo albums? That's right. With the ease of today's photography many people are accumulating thousands of digital pictures without ever taking the time to get them developed and stuck into photo albums. We've all got a zillion pictures but we can't ever look at them. Wrong! Read on...

I'm guilty of not getting digital photos developed and now have a good thousand pictures taking up space on my computer. Today there are great sites like Flickr and Facebook that allow us to post our photos online. This is a great way to share photos with people a world away.

I've also recently discovered a great software called Jalbum. This software builds your albums for you and helps you upload them to their site or your own site. It's great!

I recently uploaded the photos from our 2008 Disney World trip. They are now online for the family and the world to see. Take a look and see what we were doing exactly one year ago today. Just click on the main photo and it will transition to the next. Enjoy!

The Tucker 2008 Disney World Trip

Labels: Daughters, Family, Fun Events, Hot Wife, Memories, Parenting, Photo, Road Trips

I attended Northern Oklahoma College after high school. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and felt that starting out at a small school might help me find my way. Junior college for me was in the early 80's. Michael Jackson was taking the country by storm and the drinking age in Oklahoma was 18 years old.

By pure luck I ended up in the college dorm that soon became the campus Animal House. We were a pretty mixed group of guys mostly from Oklahoma but we also had a good mix of guys that came from areas like Canada, Louisiana and Venezuela.

We were affectionately known as the Markley Boys. We kept a pretty tight crew together for two years and wreaked havoc on the campus every chance we got. The photos above is from our second year Flag Football team in which we won the championship.

Life in a small town like Tonkawa meant there was not much to do when you weren't in class. Of course it didn't take much for us to create our own entertainment. There were the typical keg parties down by the river, raiding the girls dorms and late night runs to fool with campus security.

We weren't malicious and kept things pretty much on the up and up. We were always the first to be called to see the Dean when things went wrong on campus. We were filed in one by one and grilled by the Dean of Students. Of course we would stick to our stories and rarely was there ever enough proof to find us guilty of anything, when of course we did most everything accused of.

I was almost kicked out of the dorm for not cleaning my room. It came down to a battle of wills. It wasn't that I didn't want to clean my room, I just didn't want some bozo dorm parent telling me how and when to do it. There were many adventures at our small school and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I don't see how any group of guys could have had more fun at one of the major universities. We were so called, Big Fish, in the proverbial Small Pond and we ate it up.

Being in college taught us many of life's lessons. We had friends quit school, some were kicked out and some left with no reason. We had friends die in accidents and some marry and have babies. We had rivals along the way and got into a few scraps here and there.

I had really great friends from NOC and wonder what may have happened to many of them. If you went to Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa around 1981-1983 I'd love to hear from you. If you lived in Markley Hall send me a note and I'll buy you a beer. It might not be from Norm's in Ponca City but I'll make sure it's a cold one.

Labels: 80's, College, Fun Events, Memories

Our generation is getting a little grief for our addiction to the iPhone and the BlackBerry. Folks older than us just don't understand the connection we now have with the world through a small handheld device. Wait a minute... or do they?

I seem to remember a time in the 70's when our parents and the folks older than us were cuckoo for cocoa puffs. It wasn't the iPhone back then, it was... the CB radio! My gosh! Talk about an addiction to something new that connected you with other people.

The CB addicts not only had their own language but they had their own movies, their own songs and their own "handle". Did you have a "handle"? I'm not sure I remember too many things that were a bigger craze than the CB radio. Anyone remember the song "Convoy"? Wow! What a cool song, Rubber Duck, come on.

Smokey and the Bandit also helped propel not only the Trans Am into Pop Culture but also the CB radio. So the next time an old foogie gives you a hard time about your iPhone, just remind them of a time not so long ago when the country was spending useless hours talking on the CB radio.

10-4 Good Buddy, I'm off the air.

Labels: 70's, Memories

January 20, 2009 is a historic day. We will inaugurate the first black President of the United States. My daughters are to young to understand exactly how significant that is but they do know that it is something special. With all of this presidential stuff going on I got to thinking about the presidents I have seen in my lifetime.

I saw President Richard Nixon at Vance, AFB in 1974, President George H. Bush at Convention Hall in 1992 and I saw President George W. Bush's landing at Vance, AFB in 2006.

I've got a small collection of things from the Nixon visit to Enid. My great grandma was a huge Nixon fan and she waited 3 hours in the sun to see him. These are the things I received after her death.


In 1974, I was not heavy into politics. As a matter of fact, at eleven, I really knew very little about politics and the news. I do remember that countries were always getting attacked by guerrillas. Being just a youngster, I always wondered why gorillas were attacking people. Little did I know.

I do remember hearing about Watergate but not really understanding what all the fuss was about. The first election I really remember was Ford/Carter. I spent the night with my best friend the night of the election and we got to stay up until we knew who the winner was projected to be. Of course, Carter won and we went to bed wondering what was going to happen to the country. I was a republican even then.

Labels: 70's, Enid, Memories, politics

It's my sister's 47th birthday and she is now officially older than me. You see we've both been 46 years old for the last 23 days. My sister and I were both born in 1962 and we are not twins. Huh?

My sister was born in January and I came along later that year in December. Growing up, many people thought we were twins. We even looked a bit alike at a very young age (see photo below).

Luckily we outgrew the look alike thing and I ended up with the good looking gene while she ended up with the mediocre gene. Sad but true.

My sister and I grew up in the 70's when there really wasn't anything to do. No video games, no iPod, no cable and no VCR. My only hope to find adventure was to terrorize my sister.

My favorite terror plot was taking the talk thingy out of here phone. In those days we had to hold a receiver that was connected to the phone by a cord. You could unscrew the receiver and remover the sound making device. My sister would run into her room and answer her phone only to hear the person on the other end repeatedly say, "Hello? Hello?" I would normally be under her bed laughing my butt off.

Listening under the bed with an old cassette tape recorder was another fun activity. My best friend and I would sneak under the bed and listen to all of her boring phone conversations. We would usually hear something like this, "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? You've got to be kidding me? Are you kidding me?"

Eventually we would get bored and spring out from under the bed, leaving my sister screaming for mom at the top of her lungs. We had many more good times pulling pranks on my sister which I will detail later. I just want to end this post by saying happy birthday sis and beware, there might be Saran Wrap stretched over the toilet seat next time you sit down!

Labels: 70's, Family, funny moment, Memories, Photo, Sisters

I re-post this in honor of the King's birthday...

I remember back in the 70's when my sister and I would stay up late on the weekends and watch the Friday or Saturday night late movies. In those days there were only 3 major TV stations and no VCR's or DVD players. Ultimately there would always be an Elvis movie rerun. As bad as the acting was, they still remind me of my youth and I get a kick out seeing them from time to time.

I actually remember the day Elvis died 31 years ago. We lived in a rent house on south Johnson street in Enid and my mom's best friend called. She told me to tell my mom that Elvis had died. I don't think I really thought that much of it because by that time Elvis had faded from the spotlight.

Later in life I made a trek to Graceland on my way to the Atlanta Summer Olympics. For some reason I felt the need to find a tiny memento of the King. On the tour there were signs posted and cameras watching every step so it wasn't like I could just nab a book or something from his library. I would have taken a light bulb from a lamp if I could have reached one. Everything was kept pretty much out of arms reach.

As the tour began to wind down I knew my chances were running out to leave with a part of Elvis history. That's about when I saw a glimmer of hope. It was the grooviest, greenest, lushest shag carpet I had ever seen! It was like there was a mile of it covering the famous jungle room. I'll have you know that green is my favorite color and I wanted some of that green shag carpet!

Although there was a rope keeping me away from my lush, green pasture I quickly noticed that the carpet actually went all the way up the walls! Wow! What luck. As the tour exited the jungle room area, I plucked one single strand of green shag carpet from one of the jungle room walls.

I still have that strand today and if you feel the need to be close to Elvis, just give me a call and we'll break it out and watch Jail House Rock together.

Labels: 70's, Curtis Tucker, funny moment, Memories, Olympics

Wow! Between a mom in the hospital, a family with the flu and the holidays, I have not been able to get much updating done. But, I'm back!

I thought I would do a quick review of 2008 for my girls to look back on. For the Tucker family, 2008 was a great travel year and we have much to be thankful for.

Disney World Trip - I think the trip to Disney World had to be the highlight of the year. The girls had their first plane ride and spent several fun filled days with the princesses of Disney.

Marco Island - During our Florida vacation we were able to visit Grandma and Papa at Marco Island. The girls had their first trip to the beach and enjoyed the plane ride back to Oklahoma.

Las Vegas - Vegas baby! Hot Wife and I spent several fun filled days in Vegas, staying at the Venetian. We traveled with another couple and spent all of our time eating, shopping and walking the strip. The girls spent quality time with Grandma and Papa.

Cancun - Hot Wife turned 40 and headed to Cancun on an all girl trip. Her and her good friends had a blast and I was able to spend several days of quality time with my girls.

School - We made the decision to leave the girls at their Montessori school. Our oldest moved upstairs into the "older" kids class and our youngest began extended day. We toured the local public school but just couldn't see a good enough reason to make the switch.

Activities - Our girls spent more time in tennis lessons and tennis clinic. They were both in dance and gymnastics and both also performed in the big dance production. They both improved in their piano lessons and were part of a piano recital. The girls dropped gymnastics and switched to tumbling later in the year.
Hot Wife and I played more tennis and I joined the men's doubles league. We all spent many days at the club pool and the girls continued their swimming lessons.
Hot Wife and I did not get any golf in together although I did play a couple of 18 hole rounds, the most I've ever played in one year.
Our girls ran in their first mini run, a school fundraiser. They enjoyed their first trip to Tulsa and we got to stay in a hotel.

Events - I started this cool blog. The girls both lost the same top front tooth. We made it to our 6th anniversary in our house. We put on a new roof. We saw the closing of our club house for reconstruction. Granny Ann went to the hospital for surgery. Papa had knee surgery. Cousin Skylar had a baby girl.

All in all it was a great year and set a high standard which we will attempt to match in 2009.

Labels: Daughters, Fun Events, Hot Wife, Memories, Road Trips

Many posts on my blog deal with my fond memories of growing up in the 70's. The kids of the 70's are now adults and are influencing the world. The events of those years shaped us and made us who we are today. They were awesome times and I look back on those memories with great fondness.

It seems I'm not the only one trying to remind people of those eventful years. Architect Darryll Sherman, a fellow 70's youngster has turned author and written an account of his 1970's childhood. His new book, My '70s Book, has been released and is poised to bring back all of those 70's memories.

Do you remember having to do real chores to earn your allowance? Do you remember a time when you had to make up your own games and use your imagination when playing? Or how about getting one big gift at Christmas and sometimes even having to share it with your brothers and sisters? If any of these memories ring true for you, you will this new book.

Many of us easily identify with My '70s Book as it takes a sentimental journey back to a typical childhood in 1970's suburbia. What child of the '70s doesn't remember riding around on their stingray bike with the banana seat? Or playing yard games like croquet with the whole family? There were no cell phones, no computers, and no Gameboys to constantly entertain kids. Children had to use their imagination and make up their own games. Squirt guns were the ultimate outside toy! An electric light saber was created by waving a stick around and making noises with your lips!

My '70s Book includes lists of many of the bands, movies and television shows that defined the decade. Sherman even includes some of the popular commercials and advertising slogans that will have readers reminiscing about their days in front of the tube. Who can forget "Ancient Chinese secret, huh?" or "I can bring home the bacon; fry it up in a pan!"

Perhaps the most poignant part of Sherman's book is the chapter "Things we had and took for granted" where we realize how much life has changed for American families since those simpler times. Back then, the neighborhood was safer and kids could stay outdoors all afternoon playing until dinner time, when the whole family would sit down and have a home cooked meal ... together.

Find out more about this walk down memory lane at bookstores like Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Borders and others.

Read more http://www.my70sbook.com

Labels: 70's, Getting Old, Memories

The live trees come from Wisconsin and make perfect Christmas trees. We strap the tree on top of the SUV and take it home. The girls can hardly wait to decorate the tree and ask ten thousand times when we can drag the decorations out of the attic.

Tonight we get to drag the totes out of the attic and will decorate the tree while watching Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

Happy Holidays!

Labels: Christmas, Daughters, Memories, Photo

To help keep you in the holiday spirit I have tracked down dates and times of the most popular Holiday Classics. Mark your calendars and enjoy! I will most likely add to this list as we get closer to Christmas.

12/1 7:30 ABC How The Grinch Stole Christmas - Cartoon
12/2 7:00 ABC Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Animated
12/3 7:00 CBS Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Animated
...... 7:00 & 9:00 TNT A Christmas Story - Movie
12/4 7:00 DISN The Polar Express - Movie Animation
12/5 7:00 ABC How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Movie
12/6 7:00 KAUT Miracle on 34th Street - Movie
12/7 7:00 AMC Prancer - Movie
12/8 7:00 ABC A Charlie Brown Christmas - Cartoon
12/12 7:00 CBS Frosty The Snowman - Cartoon

Labels: Christmas, Memories

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

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

Every now and then I get a Flash of Genius. One Flash of Genius came when I needed to create a homemade Halloween costume several years back. I had no idea what I wanted to make but somehow started piecing together one very unique costume.

I don't even remember how I started the design but I had a crazy idea that I could create a coffin and somehow cut a hole in the bottom in which I could slip my body. I figured I could make it look like I was in a coffin and use my legs to move the coffin around. It didn't take long to figure out that I could create another body on the outside that looked like it was carrying the coffin.

I made everything on this costume from things I had around the house. The coffin was made out of cardboard and the legs in the green sweats were even made out of rolled up cardboard. I even made every finger of the monster hands carrying the coffin out of rolled paper which I made look bloody.

I would slide under the box through the hole and into the coffin. My head at the top of the box is what would actually keep the costume on. My hands were free to move around which really added to the effect.

I actually wore this costume to some Halloween contests and won a few prizes. From time to time I'll pull some idea out of the air and it turns out to be a Flash of Genius. Now, if I could only figure out how to repeat that at least once a week. That would be a real Flash of Genius.

Labels: Halloween, hobbies, Memories, Photo

I showed my true devotion to my hot wife by making a second trip to Soonerville in Norman. We are a true house divided seeing as how I attended OSU and she attended OU. Both teams are ranked in the top 10 for the first time in years which makes the Bedlam game something to really look forward to. But first, the Cowboys have to get passed Texas which beat OU. This is gonna be good!

Here we are doing a little pre-game at the Mont and then a photo taken from our upper deck seats of the "Red Sea".

Labels: Hot Wife, Memories, Road Trips

A few weeks back we had a big get together in OKC with the couples in our tennis crew. We did a night on the town in Bricktown and spent time at a bowling restaurant. The next morning I opened our window at the downtown hotel and started taking a few photos of the area with my iPhone.

As I was taking pictures and spying on the people walking down below I noticed I, myself, was being watched. I spotted two kids across the street in the adjacent hotel very high up. They looked like a brother and sister pair and were also spying on the people down below. They had an advantage I did not, they had binoculars! As soon as I noticed that they had spotted me I waved. You could tell they were thrilled and both waved back and passed the binoculars back and forth.

The lesson, watch what you do in your hotel room with a curtain open. You just never know who might be watching.

Labels: funny moment, Memories, Road Trips

We took the girls to the airshow this weekend to see the USAF Thunderbirds. Despite the strong wind and lack of places to sit, they were real troopers. The loud jet engine noise was a big hit. We saw helicopters, B1 Bombers, B2 Bombers and several vintage aircraft.

Being somewhat of an Air Force brat and having an entire family that worked on an Air Force base, I've seen my share of airshows which included the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels. Being on the base brought back many memories of the times I spent there as a kid.

My dad was an MP in the Air Force which led to a few stints on or around bases when I was little. I was born on Fort Sam Houston military base, lived on a base in Turkey and also lived on Clinton Sherman Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

Check out additional photos on the Photo of the Day page.

Labels: Daughters, Memories

The street that my friends and I lived along in the late 70's was a very wide avenue lined with older two story houses. Along every block there were very large elm trees that would cast great shadows over the bumpy sidewalks running along either side.

Each September would bring the beginning of Fall, the cooler air and the turning of the leaves on the huge trees standing in the front yards of most every home along the avenue. September also brought the beginning of the great cardboard box adventure.

I think I love Halloween so much because it brings back so many memories of my best friend and I and the adventures we had while building our own haunted maze inside his old, multi-room garage.

Our quest would begin with our carefree hunt for the biggest and best cardboard boxes in town. We were both in junior high and couldn't drive so we relied on our trusty old bicycles. You know the ones, bright colored paint, banana seats, chopper style handle bars, goofy white grips and chrome fenders. Real junior high nerd bikes straight out of the seventies.

My bike was multi-colored with reds, oranges and blues while my best friends was mostly green. We would ride these modes of monster transportation all over town searching out appliance stores, furniture stores, dumpsters and the most coveted place of all, the funeral homes. You see, couch boxes were good, refrigerator boxes were great, but coffin boxes were the piece de resistance of our haunted maze.

There was one slight problem when finding these magnificent boxes. Getting them back to the garage on our bikes became a small adventure in itself. Read more...

Labels: 70's, Curtis Tucker, funny moment, Halloween, Memories

Way back in the 70's the coolest thing about a phone was getting an extension for the coil cord connecting the hand receiver to the phone. Having that extension would allow you to walk all the way into the next room without having to carry the phone. Wow! What technology.

That wasn't the only cool thing to come along in the 70's in the way of telephone advancement. Remember when rotary phones were old school and the new technology was push buttons!! We were so advanced it wasn't even funny. And to think we didn't even know that slim line phones with push buttons on the receiver were just around the corner.

Fast forward to 2008 and the phone has evolved into the cell phone which has evolved into the most important piece of electronics in the modern world. You may be laughing and saying to yourself that the computer is the most important piece of electronics in the world today. Well, as all iPhones owners know, the iPhone is a computer!

The Tuckers should be known as the iFamily. At last count we had 10 iPods and 4 iPhones. We are definitely Apple Geeks and own four Mac computers.

The iPhone is the coolest piece of technology ever invented. It's a calendar, an address book, a camera, a photo album, a MP3 player, a video player, a text messenger, an email system, a weather forecaster, a calculator, a GPS system, an electronic map, an answering machine, a clock, an alarm, a stop watch, a notepad, an Internet browser and a phone! But that's not all! With the latest software, the iPhone has become thousands of more applications.

My newest favorite application, shown on my new iPhone in a photo taken by my old iPhone, is called iChoose. Have you been driving around trying to decide on where to eat? Can't decide if you should buy something or not? Are the kids unable to settle an argument?

iChoose solves all of those problems and more. Use the heads or tails coin or the yes/no button and instantly make life decisions that were once so hard to make. With the touch of your finger watch as the coin flips from heads to tails over and over again until it lands on the only probable choice. It is the ultimate decision maker, restaurant chooser, argument solver and all around fun application.

If you don't have iChoose get it for free. If you don't have an iPhone, call me, I have a slightly used 40 foot coil extension cord available for your handheld receiver.

Labels: 70's, Curtis Tucker, funny moment, Memories

I remember where I was when...

* The 1973 flood hit Enid
(Bailing water out of my great-grandma's basement on Johnson Street in Enid. She was kidsitting my sister and I when my mom went bowling.)
* I heard that Elvis had died
(Living on Broadway Street in Enid. My moms best friend called and told me to tell her that he had died.)
* President Reagan was shot
(In my house on Grant Street in Enid after school. I was sitting on a stool flipping between the channels because we didn't have remote controls.)
* The space shuttle Challenger exploded
(In my college rent house on Broadway Street in Edmond. Stood in the kitchen and watched it over and over on a tiny little TV with my roommates.)
* The Edmond post office shooting occurred
(Driving down Edmond Road in Edmond only five blocks from where it was happening on my way home. Got home and heard the helicopters buzzing overhead.)
* The OJ verdict was read
(Home for lunch at my house on Cherokee Street in Enid screaming guilty, guilty, guilty!)
* The OKC Murrah Building exploded
(In my office at Evans in Enid. Lillian Evans called and said there had been some type of explosion in downtown OKC.)
* The May 3rd F5 tornado hit OKC
(In my Honda Prelude with my wife driving right behind it as it lifted and left Del City/Midwest City.)
* I was told my Grandma had died
(At a seafood restaurant in Santa Barbara while driving up Highway 1 with my wife and her brothers family.)
* 9/11 happened
(Watching Fox News at my house in Enid. Went to work thinking a small plane had accidentally crashed into the World Trade Center.)

Labels: Curtis Tucker, Memories

As long as I can remember, going all the way back to junior high school, I have had a "thing" on my forehead. The first decade or so I didn't think much about it and always wrote it off as a growth, wart or birthmark. I've always been asked what it is and never really knew what to tell people.

It's never really grown much or changed. It never hurts. And it has kinda become my mascot. I did get annoyed with it a few years back and took the Compound W to it. I almost had it gone, when what'ya know, it came right back. That's when I figured I wasn't dealing with any ordinary wart.

The other day, hot wife and I were shopping with a couple from our tennis crew. He's a doctor, she's a shopper. He looked over at me and without much emotion asked, "What's that on your forehead?" I answered with my standard, "I don't know, it's been there as long as I can remember. I think it might be some kind of wart." He very casually stated, "That's basal cell carcinoma. You need to have that removed."

Wow! Needless to say I was a bit flabbergasted. I asked what that meant exactly. He told me I had skin cancer but not to worry, I wasn't going to die. Thank goodness! I just started my own blog and I've got lots more to say!

I'm now going to schedule surgery and have my little friend removed. I'll most likely replace my "thing" with a scar but at age 46 (I think) I'm too old to really give a hoot.

So let this be a warning to all parents and kids. Wear some sunscreen and when you have a growth you're not sure about, go see a doctor. I'll keep you informed on how things go.

Labels: Curtis Tucker, Getting Old, Memories

My littlest little crumb cruncher turned 5 this weekend and we threw her a glamour shots style party with many of her friends. This is her older sister playing reporter during the party...

Labels: Daughters, Memories, video

The pool is officially closed and the girls are back in school. Here they are showing off missing matching front toofs. There are many times lately that they look very much like twins.

If I remember correctly, I lost both of my front teeth at the same time. I believe I was in the first grade. My mom was helping me pull a shirt over my head and the neck of the shirt caught on my loose front teeth. One yank and my teeth went flying as the shirt came over my head.

I most likely got a couple of quarters, whereas today, our daughters rake in 5 dollar bills for each tooth. Even the tooth fairy is keeping up with inflation.

Labels: Daughters, funny moment, Memories

I've often wondered if I'm an entrepreneur. As a kid growing up I never really thought about it because I had no idea what an entrepreneur really was. When I look back on the things my best buddy and I did I see that we had a hint of entrepreneurism all the while.

We both happened to be interested in magic and began doing magic shows in my garage in the sixth grade. We would charge a quarter a person and one time might have actually had five or six kids at one show. We eventually ventured into doing birthday parties and added a fun guitar/singing puppet show to the act. I did the puppets and he played guitar and sang. We did shows for our church (picture above) and other interested places.

We also had Kool-Aid stands, raked leaves, pulled weeds, cleaned garages and many of the other kidpreneur type businesses. We even put together a haunted garage every Halloween with a fun maze inside. We didn't charge money for that but it was quite an operation to put together.

As we got older we formed a garage band and became very famous for only playing in the garage. Again, it was not a money making venture but did teach us about buying equipment, organizing schedules and working together.

It was around this time, which was high school, that I began to doodle cartoons. When I went off to college I was doodling enough that I began to do small cartoon and logo projects. I also designed and had my first line of greeting cards printed, which I sold mainly to friends and relatives.

Once I started freelancing I never stopped. Even with full time jobs out of college I always looked for freelance projects on the side. Because of the portfolio and knowledge I was able to gain I eventually turned my freelancing into self-employment.

Self-employment freed me from working 8 to 5 but if I wasn't working money wasn't being created. That's when I turned to the Internet looking to become an entrepreneur.

As of today I am all three. I am self-employed as a freelance cartoonist. I earn half of my income from cartooning, web design, graphic design and a few other side things. I earn the other half as an entrepreneur. I have created a group of web sites that generate money whether I am in my studio or on vacation. I have also created a small greeting card company that sells itself online.

My goal is to eventually drop the freelancing all together because of deadlines, collecting money headaches and dealing with complicated clients. I will then be a 100% entrepreneur running multiple money making web sites and a growing greeting card business that will one day have a large number of employees.

Labels: Curtis Tucker, entrepreneur, make money, Memories, Photo

When you think back on all of the cars that you've owned over the years do you have a favorite? Do you remember your first car?

My first car was my grandmas white 1957 Chevy Belair. It was made of good old fashioned steel, had four doors, blinds in the back window and a trunk big enough to sneak four people into the drive in movie. The car was a tank.

A few of my other vehicles were Jeep CJ7's. I owned a hard top and a soft top. These had to be the funnest vehicles I drove.

Then there was that one special car. The one you always remember. The car of all cars that you owned. Mine was the 1974 Millie Miglia Red, convertible, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. What a sweet car. Many people called it my mid life crisis.

This was the car I drove when I met and married my hot wife. We had a great time cruising and wish we could have kept the car. When I began commuting 85 miles from one town to another I sold it to save some money on gas.

Let me know your favorite set of wheels.

Labels: Curtis Tucker, Memories

Labels: Daughters, Memories, Road Trips

Although I love to get out and enjoy the fresh air and the hit the ball on the golf course, I have never had the time to devote much attention to the sport. Getting serious about golf in your mid 40's can be very challenging, especially when all of the people you know have been playing regularly for many years.

My advice to any young person is to take up golf as early as possible. It is a sport that you can play long into your later years and it is a very social game. Many business deals take place on the golf course and many negotiations are concluded after 18 holes.

The first few times I actually remember even being on a golf course were in 1982 at my Junior College in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. There were no greens, no fairways and we pretty much were there to empty a few beer cans. Those were the days of Caddy Shack which might explain my fine golfing attire.

Here are a few shots from my buddy Kyle Shirm (Photographer Extraordinaire). These may very well be documented proof of the first time I ever played golf... enjoy!

Labels: 80's, College, Curtis Tucker, funny moment, Golf, Memories

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".

Labels: Curtis Tucker, Memories

Labels: Daughters, funny moment, Memories

Labels: Daughters, funny moment, Memories

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

Labels: 70's, Memories

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

Labels: Curtis Tucker, Memories, music

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

Labels: Daughters, funny moment, Memories

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...

Labels: Curtis Tucker, Memories

Everyone that knows me knows that my favorite color is green. It's not just a passing thought either. I will actually make choices based on colors and will almost always choose green over any other color. I may have even owned the largest green hat collection in the world at one time. My girls know that my favorite color is green and love to make me things colored in green.

Living in a state with no major sports teams in any sport I was never one to follow sports teams other than an occasional following of the Dallas Cowboys. That was until the day, in the early 80's, I discovered Boston Celtic basketball, Larry Bird and the parquet floor. From that moment I was hooked and began to bleed Celtic green.

The rivalry between the Celtics and the Lakers in the mid-80's had to be the best series of all time. Bird against Magic was magic. It's the only series I'd trade my Sea Green Stratocaster to see. I thought those days were gone forever...

Fast forward to 2008 and I'm bleeding Celtic green again!! The green team is up by 36 over the arch rival Lakers in game six as I'm posting this. My girls are asleep and completely unaware of the Celtic magic that has reappeared after all these years. My veins are filled with that Celtic magic once more and tomorrow I will awake, put on my sneakers, find my loudest green shirt and smile.

Thank you Boston, thank you.

Labels: Curtis Tucker, Memories

The thing about growing up without a dad at an early age is that it's kinda like growing up without an uncle you never met. You hear stories about him and wonder what he might be like but you realize he's not a part of your life and you easily forget that he might have once been a part of your childhood.

When my parents divorced in the mid 60's, they divorced. My dad high tailed it out of town and I have not seen nor heard from him since I was about five or six. I was just young enough to not have really relied on him for many things and was not old enough to have a multitude of memories. My dad has always been that guy in the pictures that was once married to my mom. A sad way of looking at it for some but a mundane reality for others.

Growing up without a dad had its ups and downs. Every one of my friends growing up had a dad and as far as I knew all had pretty great marriages. The funny things was, as much time as I spent with many of my friends, I really never saw their dads that often. Most dads were off working during the day and then seemed to disappear at night. None of my friends dads coached the baseball team, were Boy Scout leaders or spent time playing outdoor games with us. So I never really felt like I was missing out on anything.

I do think I would have pursued sports a little more had I grown up with a dad. Especially one that might have coached me and could have built up a my confidence a bit. I never saw myself as a good athlete growing up and I actually never really was that interested in watching sports. Looking back now I know I could have been good at one sport or another but I just never gave it much effort.

As weird as this might sound I actually ended up with two dads rather than one. My mom did a great job of filling in for that fatherly role. She signed me up for baseball and came to my games, she had me in scouts and helped me earn my badges and she encouraged me to pursue the things I was interested in. My mom did a great job of showing me how to make my way on my own. She always worked two jobs, without complaining, and first showed me that entrepreneurial spirit that I finally harvested in my adult years. I never realized it in all of the years that she ran her craft business but my mom was a business owner. She worked hard, managed her business and turned out a quality product.

My second dad... read more

Labels: Curtis Tucker, Daughters, Memories, Parenting

I am very blessed to be in the position of belonging to our local country club. It has become a routine with my daughters and I to eat there every Friday. Mom sits in most Friday's but the girls and I have missed very few.

Every waiter there knows us by name and they pretty much know what we will order. One waiter has created his own ritual of giving my girls flowers after every Friday lunch. The entire staff is getting to watch our girls grow up and they have almost become like family.

My oldest orders corn dogs and shoestring fries most of the time, she changes it up with a cheeseburger or grilled cheese every now and then. She really loves the muffins and tries to get as much butter on each one as she can. My very picky youngest daughter, gets her chicken strips and fries almost every week. Once in a while I can get her to do spaghetti. She refuses to try ketchup (?) but likes to dip everything in salsa and even puts it on her spaghetti!

One of the lasting memories I have as a kid is eating at a local restaurant in a round room. Every year on my birthday, my family would get together and eat at this restaurant. It is something I looked forward to and still remember. Just think, that was only once a year! Think of building a tradition you do every week or every month.

Create that ritual of doing something with your kids every week at the same time and set it in stone. Your kids may not think much of it now but they will look back on it years from now and remember it as one of their favorite times.

I hope you girls enjoyed spending time with dad every Friday. I looked forward to it every week.

Labels: Daughters, Dining, Memories, Parenting

There are so many cool memories from the 70's. I am going to list what sticks out in my mind the most and the things that influenced me the most. This list may grow as time goes by. This is not a list of everything from the 70's, only the things that had an impact on me, that sneaker wearing kid who grew up in the 70's. Enjoy!

1. My most favorite Farrah Faucet poster
2. Charlies Angels of course
3. Bell bottoms with sneakers, tattered
4. The Gong Show! Gene, Gene...
5. Land of the Lost & the Sleestack
6. Billy Don't Be A Hero - Song
7. The Night Chicago Died - Song
8. CB radios and Convoy Song
9. The Warriors Movie
10. Phantasm Movie
11. Asteroids Game
12. Monty Python & The Goodies
13. Sonny and Cher
14. Klackers
15. Only four TV stations
16. TV antennas
17. No remote controls
18. Saturday morning Bugs Bunny
19. Davey and Goliath and Jot
20. Vacation Bible School
21. Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
22. Saturday Night Live
23. Midnight Special
24. The Banana Splits
Read more of my 70's influences...

Labels: 70's, Curtis Tucker, Memories

"I never had any friends later on, like the ones I had when I was twelve... Jesus.... does anyone?" - Stand By Me

That line from the movie Stand By Me is a perfect reflection of me at age twelve. It was 1975 and I was in sixth grade. That was the year that I met my best friend. He's on the front row, far left, I'm third from the right with those really cool pants on.

Being twelve in a small town in 1975 was golden. We were just old enough to ride bikes all over town by ourselves and just young enough to not need a job or any heavy responsibilities. Our parents didn't worry about abductions and we were free to roam from neighborhood to neighborhood.

That year in school we had a really great teacher and our core gang was made up of five guys, two ten year olds and and three twelve year olds. All of us lived right on Broadway street with me living the furthest west. Our school, also on Broadway, was an old brick two story structure named after President McKinley. At that time, pre-political correctness, we were known as the McKinley Bombers. Read more...

Labels: Curtis Tucker, Enid, funny moment, Memories