It’s funny how we all carry around a quiet list in our heads.

Not a bucket list… the opposite.

A list of things we’ve never done.

Some of them are intentional. Some just never happened. Some we’re oddly proud of. Others… maybe we’ve avoided for reasons we don’t fully understand.

But here’s the thing—people hold onto these “nevers” like a badge of honor. Not in a bragging way, but in a this is who I am kind of way.

So as you read through mine, start building yours in your head.

You’ll be surprised what shows up.

My “Never Have I Ever” List

I have never had a latte, frappe, cappuccino, or even a full cup of coffee.
Never needed it. Never wanted it. Somewhere along the way, I just skipped that entire culture—and now it feels like I’ve watched it from the outside my whole life.

I’ve never met my two half-sisters.
Life’s strange like that. Some connections exist on paper… but never in real life.

I’ve never been to my dad’s gravesite.
That’s one of those things that makes people pause. Sometimes it’s not about avoiding—it’s about leaving things as they are.

I’ve never seen The Sound of Music.
A classic, they say. Apparently everyone sings along… except me.

I’ve never seen an episode of The Office.
This one shocks people. It’s like I’ve missed an entire cultural language everyone else speaks.

I’ve never had an illegal drug stronger than marijuana.
That line was always clear. Never crossed it.

I’ve never had a tattoo.
For a guy who’s spent a lifetime creating art, I’ve never put any on my own skin.

I’ve never broken a bone.
Either good luck, good decisions, or both.

I’ve never had to take a prescription drug.
That one surprises even me. Just never been part of my story.

I’ve never run a half marathon or marathon.
I’ll walk, I’ll move—but I’m not chasing 13 or 26 miles for fun.

I’ve never served in the military.
Plenty of respect for those who have—just not the path I took.

I’ve never been in jail.
Another line that never got crossed.

I’ve never purchased a Beatles album.
Yes… The Beatles. The biggest band in history—and I somehow went another direction.

I’ve never gambled more than $20.
Just enough to say I did it. Never enough to care if I lost.

I’ve never been to a chiropractor.
No snaps, cracks, or adjustments for me.

I’ve never purchased a gun.
Another personal line—just never felt the need.

I’ve never broken 100 in golf.
Golf has a way of humbling you… and I’ve stayed humble.

I’ve never surfed.
Not much opportunity in Oklahoma… but still, never chased it.

I’ve never been on WhatsApp or OnlyFans.
Skipped a couple of modern trends entirely.

I’ve never owned a pickup truck.
In Oklahoma, that might be the most shocking one on this list.

I’ve never flown first class.
I’ve been on planes—but always in the regular seats with everyone else.

I’ve never watched a full hockey game.
I’m sure it’s exciting… just never stuck around long enough to find out.

I’ve never bet on a sports team.
I’ll watch, I’ll root—but I’m not putting money on it.

I’ve never participated in a protest.
Just never been part of that scene.

I’ve never seen a ghost.
No strange encounters. No stories to tell. Just… nothing.

I’ve never been fired.
Every job I’ve had ended on my terms. That one I’ll take a little pride in.

I’ve never been hypnotized.
No swinging watches, no barking like a dog on stage.

I’ve never had a piercing.
Not even once. Kept it simple.

I’ve never personally bought a brand new car.
Always let someone else take that first big depreciation hit.

I’ve never fainted.
Never passed out, never hit the floor. Always stayed upright.

The Real Point of This

This list isn’t about what I’ve missed.

It’s about the life I’ve lived.

Every “never” quietly says:

• what you value
• what you avoided
• what never interested you
• and what simply never showed up in your path

And if you’re honest… your list probably says a lot about you too.

Now It’s Your Turn

Start thinking about your own list.

Not the big obvious stuff—but the little things:

• The trends you skipped
• The experiences everyone else seems to have had
• The lines you never crossed

Because when you really look at it…
those “nevers” might define you just as much as everything you have done.

And that’s where it gets interesting.

PODCAST

VIDEO

The post 30 Never Have I Evers… appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

But then there are other things that just slowly fade away.

No big announcement. No farewell tour. No official last day. They’re just there one year, less common the next, and then one day you realize they’re basically gone.

That’s what happened to a lot of the little everyday things many of us grew up with. Not giant historic moments. Not major inventions. Just regular pieces of life that used to be woven into our routines. They were in our homes, our cars, our stores, our neighborhoods, and our weekends. They helped shape the look, sound, and feel of ordinary life.

Some of them were practical. Some were fun. Some were tacky. Some probably needed to go. But taken together, they gave everyday life a texture that feels very different from the world we live in now.

Here are 25 everyday things that have quietly disappeared.

1. Video and DVD rental stores

There was something special about walking into a video store on a Friday night and browsing the shelves. You didn’t just click a title and start watching in ten seconds. You wandered around. You judged movies by the cover. You hoped the new release wasn’t already gone. And if you found a hidden gem, it felt like a victory. Video rental stores turned movie night into an event.

2. Phone books

For years, every house seemed to have a big phone book somewhere near the kitchen phone. If you needed a number, you looked it up yourself. Businesses, neighbors, restaurants, repair shops—it was all packed into those thick pages. Younger people today may never understand how normal it was to flip through a phone book to find a plumber, a pizza place, or an old friend.

3. The lady in the elevator

There was a time when some nicer stores, hotels, and office buildings actually had an elevator operator—a well-dressed lady or gentleman who sat or stood inside the elevator and controlled it for you. It sounds almost unreal now, but it was once considered helpful, proper, and classy. Even elevators used to feel more personal.

4. Record stores

Record stores were more than stores. They were destinations. You could spend an hour flipping through albums, looking at cover art, reading song lists, and discovering music you didn’t know existed. Record stores had personality. They smelled like cardboard, vinyl, and possibility. Buying music used to feel like a ritual, not just a download.

5. Black & white TVs

A black and white TV was once a totally normal thing to have, especially in a bedroom, kitchen, or second room. The picture wasn’t sharp. The screen wasn’t big. And nobody cared. It was still television. Those old sets remind us how much less people expected from entertainment—and how grateful they were just to have it.

6. Fish and birds being sold in department stores

Back in the day, some department stores had pet sections where you could buy goldfish, parakeets, turtles, and other small animals. It seems strange now to think of shopping for socks, a lamp, and a pet bird in the same building, but that kind of thing used to happen. Department stores were full of surprises.

7. Ticket stubs to concerts and events

Physical ticket stubs used to be tiny souvenirs. People saved them in drawers, wallets, scrapbooks, and memory boxes. A worn ticket stub from a concert, movie, or ballgame could instantly take you back to that night. Digital tickets are convenient, but they don’t carry the same emotional weight as a little printed piece of paper you actually held in your hand.

8. Parking meters

Parking meters are still around in some places, but old-school meters with the coin slot and turning knob used to be everywhere downtown. You’d dig for change, feed the meter, and hope you got back in time. They were a small but familiar part of city life, especially in shopping districts and old downtown streets.

9. Local radio DJ’s on 24/7

There was a time when local radio really felt local. DJs had personalities. They lived in town, talked about local events, gave shout-outs, took requests, and felt like part of the community. Today, much of radio is voice-tracked, syndicated, or automated. It still exists, but the era of live, local personalities being part of daily life around the clock has faded.

10. Software not subscriptions

You used to buy software once and own it. That was the deal. You bought the box, brought it home, installed it, and used it until your computer couldn’t handle it anymore. Now, so much of the software world runs on monthly or yearly subscriptions. It may be more convenient in some ways, but it also means you often feel like you’re renting tools instead of owning them.

11. Full size spare tires

Cars once came with real spare tires that could actually get you somewhere. Not a donut. Not a repair kit. A full-size spare. It gave you peace of mind, especially on long drives. Today, many vehicles skip them altogether to save space, weight, and cost, but it’s one more example of practicality quietly shrinking.

12. Saturday morning cartoons

For kids growing up in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and even into the 90s, Saturday morning cartoons were a weekly event. You didn’t stream cartoons whenever you wanted. You got up early, grabbed a bowl of cereal, and planted yourself in front of the TV. It was a ritual. It was part of childhood. And it gave Saturday mornings their own kind of magic.

13. Tall TV antennas above everyone’s house

There was a time when neighborhoods were dotted with tall metal TV antennas rising above rooftops. They were part of the visual landscape. If your reception was bad, somebody might even have to go outside and turn the antenna while someone inside yelled, “Right there! Leave it!” Those antennas remind us of a time when television didn’t come through a cable, dish, or app.

14. Ash trays

Ash trays used to be everywhere—living rooms, restaurants, cars, motel rooms, waiting rooms, and office desks. They were so common that nobody thought twice about them. Some were plain, some were decorative, and some were oddly stylish. Their disappearance says a lot about how much daily life and public habits have changed.

15. One liter pop bottles

One-liter glass or plastic soda bottles used to feel standard. Families bought them, reused them, returned some of them for deposits, and poured drinks into actual glasses at home. There was something satisfying about a cold one-liter bottle sitting in the fridge. The packaging of soda has changed over the years, but those bottles were once part of daily life.

16. Music on cassette

Cassette tapes were portable, personal, and wonderfully imperfect. You could make mixtapes, record songs off the radio, and carry your music with you in a way that felt more hands-on than streaming ever will. Cassettes got tangled, wore out, and sounded rough sometimes—but they were part of the experience. Music felt physical.

17. Evening newspapers

There was a time when many towns had both a morning and an evening paper. The evening paper gave people something fresh to read after work, often covering local news, sports, and late-breaking events. As media habits changed, evening editions quietly vanished in many places. It was one more rhythm of daily life that disappeared.

18. Drive-In movies

Drive-ins were more than a place to watch a movie. They were an atmosphere. Families piled into the car. Teenagers hung out. Kids wore pajamas in the back seat. The giant outdoor screen, the snack bar, the little speaker hanging on the window—it all felt uniquely American. Some still exist, but far fewer than before.

19. Green Stamps

S&H Green Stamps were once a big deal. People collected them from grocery stores and gas stations, licked them, stuck them into booklets, and saved them up to redeem for merchandise. It took patience, but it felt rewarding. Green Stamps turned ordinary shopping into a kind of game.

20. Fuzzy covers on toilet seats

These were once surprisingly common in homes, especially in the 70s and 80s. Fuzzy toilet seat covers and matching bathroom rugs somehow became acceptable decorating choices. They were colorful, soft, and a little odd. Looking back, they feel like one of those trends that could only have existed in a certain era.

21. Wood-paneled walls

Wood paneling used to be everywhere—living rooms, dens, basements, offices, and family rooms. It gave spaces a warm, dark, cozy look, even if it also made some rooms feel like caves. For a long stretch of time, wood paneling was considered stylish and modern. Now it instantly evokes another era.

22. Bench seats in cars

Bench seats used to make the front of a car feel like a couch on wheels. Families could slide across the seat, couples could sit close, and riding in the car had a different physical feel than it does now. Bucket seats may be more efficient, but bench seats had a roomy, relaxed vibe that’s mostly gone.

23. Spinner racks of paper maps

Before GPS and smartphones, spinner racks of folded road maps were a familiar sight in gas stations, truck stops, and convenience stores. If you were taking a trip, you might stop and buy a state map or road atlas. Traveling required more planning, more guessing, and more unfolding giant sheets of paper in the car.

24. Dragging the local strip

For generations of teenagers, one of the main things to do on a weekend night was to “drag the strip”—cruising up and down the same street, seeing who was out, waving at friends, checking out cars, flirting, and just being part of the scene. It sounds simple, but it was social life on wheels. In many places, that tradition has largely faded away.

25. Fake plastic fruit on the table

There was a time when decorative fake fruit bowls sat proudly on kitchen tables and counters. Grapes, bananas, apples, pears—all plastic, all shiny, all pretending to be edible. It was home décor, somehow. Today it feels funny and a little kitschy, but once it was a perfectly normal touch in a lot of homes.

Looking back, what’s interesting is that most of these things were never considered extraordinary while we had them. They were just normal. Everyday. Familiar. Part of the background.

But when enough of those little background things disappear, the feeling of everyday life changes with them.

That’s really what nostalgia often is. Not just missing the big moments, but missing the texture of ordinary life. The objects, routines, sounds, and sights that quietly framed our days. A record store. A one-liter pop bottle. A phone book on the counter. A Saturday morning in front of the TV. A ride down the strip with nowhere important to go.

None of these things seemed huge at the time. But together, they helped make life feel a certain way.

And maybe that’s why they’re still worth remembering.

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The post 25 Everyday Things That Have Quietly Disappeared appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

That’s what this podcast episode is all about.

These are the kinds of things people do that are a little out of the ordinary—using places for purposes they weren’t exactly designed for, turning everyday moments into little adventures, or simply finding fun in ways the rest of us may have never considered. Once you start thinking about it, the world is full of this kind of off-label living.

Here are 20 quirky things people do that you may never have thought of.

People drive to movie theaters and buy popcorn, then leave and take it home just to enjoy the real movie theater taste without seeing a film. I used to do something similar in my own way—I would drive daily to a convenience store just to get cups of pellet ice to use at home. Sometimes it’s not about the destination at all. It’s about that one oddly specific thing you want.

Some families and groups of friends go to casinos and play hide-and-go-seek rather than gamble. While most people are focused on slot machines, cards, and the noise of the gaming floor, these folks turn the whole place into their own oversized playground.

A popular hobby involves enthusiasts watching and photographing aircraft from public viewing areas, parking lots, or other designated free locations. For many, it’s not just about planes—it’s about the sound, the precision, the motion, and the excitement of watching something massive rise into the air.

Some people use airport terminal lobby areas to relax, work, or simply watch the flow of travelers. Airports have a unique energy to them. Even if you’re not flying anywhere, there’s something oddly enjoyable about sitting there with a drink or laptop and soaking up the busy atmosphere.

Some adventurers fly to Oklahoma, pile into vans, and chase tornadoes during peak storm season. What sounds terrifying to most people is pure excitement to them. They travel hundreds or even thousands of miles just to witness nature at its most intense.

People visit upscale hotel lobbies just to sit and enjoy the atmosphere without ever staying there. There’s something about a beautiful hotel lobby—the lighting, the furniture, the quiet hum of activity—that makes it feel like a little temporary escape into another world.

Neighbors often attend open houses not because they’re moving, but because they want to compare the home’s kitchen, layout, updates, or design choices with their own place. Sometimes it’s curiosity. Sometimes it’s inspiration. And sometimes it’s just plain nosiness.

Some people travel specifically to look for graffiti and street art, especially pieces that are hard to find or tucked away in unexpected locations. To them, it’s like a treasure hunt mixed with photography, urban culture, and discovery.

Many people go to bookstores to read books or magazines right there on the shelves without purchasing them, treating the store a bit like a library. For some, it’s about saving money. For others, it’s just about enjoying the quiet atmosphere of being surrounded by books.

People go to Disney EPCOT mostly to eat food, look at art, people-watch, and soak up the atmosphere without riding much of anything. For plenty of visitors, the park is less about thrills and more about wandering, tasting, exploring, and enjoying the feeling of being somewhere imaginative.

Wedding crashing by strangers is a real, though uncommon, phenomenon. Some people have actually shown up at weddings they weren’t invited to just for the food, the fun, the music, or the thrill of slipping into an event unnoticed. It sounds like something from a movie, but apparently it does happen.

Some families stay at local or nearby hotels just to relax and swim in the pool. No big vacation. No flights. No major expense. Just a simple overnight getaway close to home that feels different enough to count as an escape.

People go to protests, parades, and big public events just to see if they can get on TV in the background. They’re not always there for the cause or even the event itself—they just want the fun of spotting themselves later on the evening news.

Certain groups of people spend time in cemeteries reading headstones, exploring the history, and taking in the quiet surroundings, even when they are not attending a burial. For some, it’s about local history. For others, it’s peaceful, reflective, and strangely calming.

Trainspotting involves visiting railway stations or trackside locations to observe, photograph, and record identification numbers of trains. It may sound unusual to outsiders, but for enthusiasts it combines travel, timing, engineering, and the thrill of catching a particular locomotive.

Lots of people join fitness clubs just so they have a place to gab. Sure, they may use a treadmill once in a while, but for some people the real attraction is social. The gym becomes less about sweat and more about conversation, routine, and community.

Some people go to a drive-thru just so they can secretly buy the order for the person behind them. They never meet the person. They don’t stick around for thanks. They just enjoy the quiet fun of doing something unexpected and kind.

Customers have been known to rearrange items in stores and then leave without buying anything. Maybe they like organizing. Maybe they’re bored. Maybe they just can’t stand seeing things out of place. Either way, they end up tidying shelves that don’t belong to them.

Some people travel so they can make pencil rubbings or take photos of manhole covers. In many places, especially overseas, manhole covers are designed with elaborate artwork, city symbols, and decorative patterns. What most of us walk over without a thought becomes, for others, a niche form of collecting and appreciation.

Urban exploration, also known as “urbexing,” is the exploration and photography of urban buildings, usually abandoned structures. Empty schools, warehouses, factories, hospitals, and forgotten spaces become the subjects of curiosity and art. For urban explorers, it’s about mystery, history, decay, and seeing places most people never see.

The truth is, people are full of these little quirks. And honestly, that’s part of what makes life fun. Not everything has to make perfect sense. Not every activity has to fit neatly into a category. Sometimes people just enjoy things in unusual ways, and those odd little habits end up being more interesting than the normal stuff.

Once you start noticing these kinds of behaviors, you realize the world is packed with harmless weirdness. People are constantly finding creative, funny, and unexpected ways to enjoy everyday places and experiences. And chances are, if you think about it long enough, you probably do a few quirky things yourself.

That’s what makes this such a fun topic. We’re all a little unusual in our own way.

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The post 20 Quirky Things People Do That You May Never Have Thought Of appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

Back in high school in the 1970s, my friends and I had a real garage band. We never really played out anywhere, but we had a blast. We practiced, we jammed, and we even wrote a few original songs. It was loud, messy, and perfect.

Now here we are decades later… and the world is wild.

Because of the advancement of AI, we can take a song we wrote and played back then and have it reproduced in a professional-sounding manner today. Not “replacing” the humans — just upgrading what we already created, like taking an old demo tape and finally making it sound like it always deserved to sound.

One of those songs is “Midnight Dreamin’” — which we’ve copyrighted and will be releasing soon. And honestly? I’d love for someone to record it and put it on an album.

But while I was writing my book, something else happened.

I kept coming up with these little short phrases — random words, memories, and ideas that were pure 70s. They were basically “sticky note reminders” so I wouldn’t forget to work them into the story.

Then a few years ago, I read through some of them and realized:
This isn’t just book fuel… this is song fuel.

So I decided my ultimate 70s book needed a matching ultimate 70s song — a true homage to the decade. A song packed with references that people who grew up in the 70s will instantly recognize… and younger people might not understand at all, but they’ll be curious.

That’s the point.

The lyrics are fun. They’re loaded with little time-capsule moments. And it’s the kind of song you want to sing along with even if you’re like, “Wait… what in the world is a clacker?”

Now that the lyrics are finished, I’ve pinned down the sound I want and sent everything to Stayton. He’s going to record it as an original song made 100% by humans — the way we would’ve done it back in the day.

Then I’m going to feed that human-made recording into an AI program and use AI as a tool to add extra instruments and polish it into a professional recording.

After that, the plan is to pitch it to artists who might want to record it and release it — just like “Midnight Dreamin’.”

This song is copyrighted. And once we have the final locked-in version, I’ll release it so you can help me get it into the right hands.

In the podcast episode, I walk through the verses and explain the references for anyone who didn’t grow up in the 70s — and for those of us who did, it’s a straight-up trip down memory lane.

And at the end of the episode, I’ll play part of the song so you can hear what it might sound like.

Alright… let’s get into it.

[Open]
Hey, Hey, Hey! These were the seventies! – This is an homage to the Fat Albert Saturday morning cartoon

[Verse 1]
We were marooned with a Skipper, – Although made in the 60s we watched the Gilligan’s Island reruns religiously

Used a fondue dipper, – Fondue was a quintessential party food in the 1970s

Heard a Monkee named Davy Jones. – The Monkees was a TV show ending 1968, reruns kept the group’s popularity alive in the 70s

—

There was a bunch named Brady, – The Brady Bunch was possibly the most popular kid sitcom in the 70s

That bionic lady, – The Bionic Woman is a classic 1970s sci-fi action series (1976–1978) starring Lindsay Wagner as Jaime Sommers

A trek with a doctor Bones. – Star Trek found a new audience in the 1970s, making it a cult classic and establishing the fan base of Trekkies

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
We took a stairway to heaven, – “Stairway to Heaven” is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released on 8 November 1971

Thanked 7-Eleven, – “Oh Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven” is a famous, long-running advertising slogan for the 7-Eleven convenience store chain

We Hustled just for fun. – “The Hustle” is a disco song by songwriter/arranger Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony. It went to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100

—

The Banana Splits danced, – The four Banana Splits are Fleegle (a dog), Bingo (a gorilla), Drooper (a lion), and Snorky (an elephant)

While Tattoo romanced, – Hervé Villechaize, the actor who played Tattoo on Fantasy Island, he yelled “De plane! De plane!”

During seasons in the sun. – “Seasons in the Sun” is a 1974 international hit song by Canadian singer Terry Jacks, topping charts in over 12 countries

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
We ate boxes of Zingers, – Dolly Madison snack cakes (chocolate, vanilla, raspberry) often advertised with Peanuts characters

Wore t-shirts with ringers, – Ringer T-Shirts exploded in popularity in the 1970s

Hung angels made by Charlie. – TV’s Charlie’s Angels were Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith, also popular pinup poster girls

—

There was a band out of Boston, – Boston is an American rock band formed in 1975 in Boston, Mass

A punk named Rotten, – Johnny Rotten was British-born singer and lead vocalist of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols

The Beach Boys were gettin gnarly. – The Beach Boys are an American surf rock band

[Bridge]
Amazed by Evel’s feats, – Evel Knievel was a defining 1970s cultural icon, famous for death-defying motorcycle jumps

Sat on banana seats, – Banana seats, defining 1970s youth culture, were long, padded, and tapered bicycle saddles

Everything was avocado green. – Avocado green was a defining, ubiquitous color in 70s interior design, symbolizing earthy tones

—

There were Barbies, G I Joes, – Iconic 1970s “dolls” for boys and girls

And bell bottom clothes, – Bell bottoms were iconic wide-legged pants, symbolizing counterculture, disco, and rebellion

Jarts with Clackers were obscene. – Jarts and Clackers were iconic, high-risk toys of the 70s that defined a “survival of the fittest” era

[Verse 4]
We welcomed back a Kotter, – Welcome Back, Kotter was a popular sitcom about a teacher and his unruly students known as the “Sweathogs”

Knew Presley’s daughter, – Lisa Marie Presley was a famous child in the 1970s, known as the only daughter of Elvis Presley

And found old Scooby Doo. – The iconic theme song phrase from the 1970s cartoon is “Scooby-Dooby-Doo, where are you?”

—

Space Food sticks with Tang, – Space Food Sticks and Tang were space-themed products marketed to children as futuristic and astronaut-approved

The Orphans were a gang, – The Orphans are a minor, low-ranking street gang in the 1979 film The Warriors

Bonds compatriot was Q. – Q provided James Bond with a variety of specialized gadgets for his missions as 007

[Chorus]

[Verse 5]
Meat Loaf by the dashboard, – “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” released on Meat Loaf’s 1977 album Bat Out of Hell, is a, 8-minute rock epic

Vader was a Sith Lord, – Darth Vader first appeared as a terrifying Sith Lord in the 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope

Halloween was a movie. – John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) is the definitive 70s slasher movie, featuring Michael Myers’

—

Knee high were our tube socks, – Tube socks were knee-high length, white cotton-blend fabric socks with distinctive red, blue, or yellow stripes at the top

Kids played with Pet rocks, – The Pet Rock was a 1975 fad that sold over 1 million, $4 smooth stones as, “hassle-free” pets

Shag made everything so groovy. – Shag carpet, known for its deep, plush, long fibers, came in vibrant or earthy colors

[Chorus]

[Verse 6]
We were raised on Watergate, – The 1972 political scandal at the Watergate Hotel that caused President Nixon to resign

Told we had to clean our plate, – Children were expected to eat everything served because “there are starving children”

Quint had the biggest jaws. – Quint is the grizzled, obsessive shark hunter in the 1975 film Jaws who operates the boat, the Orca

—

There was Saturday Night Fever, – The 1977 disco movie that defined the 70s dance craze starring John Travolta

The Wright dream weaver, – Gary Wright released the song Dream Weaver in 1975

Bandit broke the speeding laws. – Smokey and the Bandit movie in 1977. Smokey drove a Pontiac Trans Am

[Chorus]
Sunshine rays were never wasted, – Meaning we rarely let a sunshiny day go by without being out in it doing something

Ripe melon juices never tasted, – Kids were always eating watermelon and cantalope in the summer

As sweet as the memories, – Growing up in the 70s left us with the best memories

Of those seventies summers. – Carefree 70s summers were the highlight of the year

[End]
Those were the seventies,
Oh how we love the memories,
Take us back to our old friends,
One last time before it ends.

That’s it! Listen to the song at about the 44:22 mark of the podcast or video below. Let me know what you think!

PODCAST

VIDEO

The post Writing the Ultimate 70s Tribute Song appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

That’s been me for over two decades.

Long before social media made it easy to “start something,” I was registering domain names at 2 a.m., sketching logos, building sites from scratch, testing ideas, launching projects, shutting them down, pivoting, rebranding, and doing it all over again. Some made money. Some barely broke even. Some were experiments. Some were ahead of their time. All of them taught me something.

In a recent podcast episode, I talked about the 100+ domain names I’ve owned and the websites I used to operate. What started as curiosity turned into a career in design, branding, publishing, licensing, pop art, greeting cards, clipart, ecommerce, and hyperlocal media.

Here’s a look at the digital trail.

The Cartoon & Creative Empire

A huge chunk of my early web life revolved around cartoons, mascots, and licensing. I wasn’t just drawing characters — I was building ecosystems around them.

Shaggy Duck Studios

Logo design, graphic design, web design, hosting, and portfolio work.
This was the creative engine room. Branding before branding was cool.

The Curtoons Cartoon Company

Cartoon logos, weekly comics, funny cartoons, character design.
If it could smile, wink, or make you laugh, I probably tried to brand it.

E Cartoon Logos

Cartoon logos, mascots, custom characters.
Helping businesses look less corporate and more memorable.

The Cartoon Site

Clipart, gag cartoons, funny pictures, characters.
A hub for humor-driven art when clipart was in massive demand.

Life’s A Character

Royalty-free characters, licensing, brand mascots.
Built around the idea that every business needs a personality.

Little Sneakers Media

Character licensing and branded mascots.
More structured licensing plays — taking art and turning it into assets.

Cartoon License

Cartoon licensor, licensing services, branded characters.
Scaling the character concept into a business model.

e Funny Cartoons

Single panel cartoons that I sold.

Old Fart Cartoons

Gag cartoons, over-the-hill humor, niche laughs.
Yes, I leaned into the “over-the-hill” market before memes did.

SerenClipity Cartoon Clipart

Royalty-free clipart, CD collections, downloadable art.
Back when people still bought clipart on discs.

Free Clipart Pics

Free cartoon clipart and images.
Traffic play. SEO before most people understood SEO.

The Greeting Card Universe

At one point, I wasn’t just making cartoons — I was building entire greeting card brands.

ChuckleBerry’s

Retail greeting cards, birthday cards, love, holiday, and display systems.
A full-blown brand with multiple branches.

ChuckleBerry’s Wholesale

Wholesale catalogs and display programs.

GiggleBerry’s

Juvenile greeting cards for kids.

Paper Giggles

Funny birthday and friendship cards for girls.

The Blossom Bunch

Flower characters turned into licensed birthday products.

Alternative Birthday Cards

Humor-driven, offbeat paper cards.

WowzerZowzer!

Groovy, unexpectedly funny eCards — before social media killed most eCard sites.

Free eCard Site

Electronic greeting cards when email was the primary sharing tool.

Pop Art, T-Shirts & Personality Brands

Before “print on demand” was a buzzword, I was experimenting with personality-driven merch.

WeinerDuck

Colorful pop art posters, t-shirts, and offbeat character design.

Curt Shirts – Funny T-Shirts USA

Cartoon tees and custom designs.

Who Fawted?

Juvenile humor t-shirts that made kids (and some adults) laugh.

Groovy Goon

Funny “old fart” birthday gifts for guys.

Make Life Happy!

Positive sayings, t-shirts, cards, and ideas built around optimism.

The Groovy & Experimental Phase

Some projects were branding experiments. Some were culture plays. Some were just me testing the edges of the internet.

Zoinkies!

A groovy web concept focused on fun discoveries and pop culture vibes.

WebDoh!

“Earth’s Hippest Hoppin’ Information Destination.”
Pop culture meets buzz words meets early internet experimentation.

Laughing Bananas

You had to click to find out. Sometimes curiosity was the product.

Fascinating Ideas

Idea samples and examples — concept-based content marketing before that term existed.

Niche Sites & Traffic Plays

The early internet rewarded niche authority. So I built niche authority.

• Baby Dog Names – Puppy names, pet gifts, announcements

• e Baby Names List – Top 100 and unique baby names

• 50th Birthday Sayings – Funny milestone quotes

• Funny Little Sayings – Short-form humor

• Diamond Engagement Wedding Rings – SEO-heavy ecommerce niche

• Wedding Snoop Directory – Wedding planning directory

• Martini Lovers – Recipes, glasses, accessories

• e Golf Birthday Gifts – Golf niche gifting

• e Tattoo Designs – Tattoo ideas and design concepts

• eDiet Basics – Diet plans and fitness tips

• The Coupon Nerd – Online coupons and deals

These weren’t random. They were experiments in search behavior and monetization.

Ecommerce & Retail Concepts

I tested physical product categories too.

• The Classic Baby Store – Baby clothing, nursery furniture, gear

• The Poster Store – Movie posters, rock posters, college decor

• The Shaggy Duck Skate & Surf Shack – Surf gear, skateboards, beach wear

• Ag Steel Buildings – Agricultural metal buildings

Different industries. Same mindset: build it, brand it, test it.

Media & Community

Eventually, the creative and entrepreneurial experiments merged into media.

Enid Buzz

Local news, entertainment, and business coverage in Enid, Oklahoma.
This one stuck. Built long-term audience, advertisers, and impact.

Enid High School Class of 1981

Community information and alumni connection.

Reunion Mojo

Tips and tools for high school reunions.

Parent Family Education

Books, videos, parenting resources.

Personal Brand & Thought Platform

Curtis Tucker

A space for ideas, commentary, and thoughts.

Imaginative Wonders

Naming company and brand identity concepts.

Ad A Dude

Low-budget advertising network experimentation.

iPod Dude

Yes, during the iPod era. Accessories, reviews, and niche tech.

Wallpaperdude

Free desktop wallpaper and background tiles when customization was king.

What 100+ Domains Really Represent

Looking back, this wasn’t random chaos. It was:

• Testing markets

• Learning SEO

• Building brand instincts

• Understanding licensing

• Exploring ecommerce

• Practicing design

• Experimenting with monetization

• Failing fast

• Winning occasionally

• And constantly creating

Some of these sites are gone. Some evolved. Some were stepping stones to the next idea.

But every one of them represents action.

Most people talk about ideas.

I registered them.

Built them.

Launched them.

And moved on when it was time.

That’s the real story behind owning over 100 domain names.

It wasn’t about collecting URLs.

It was about building muscle — creative, entrepreneurial, and digital.

And I’m not done yet.

PODCAST

VIDEO

The post I’ve Owned Over 100 Domain Names! appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

I’ve seen every one of these multiple times, and if you’ve missed a few, you’ve just got some fun homework. I’ll give you the year, a quick synopsis, and a few random facts along the way. Let’s roll.

• The Lost Boys (1987) — A teenager moves to a beach town and discovers the local “cool kids” are vampires. Stylish, funny, and peak 80s gothic vibe.
  Random fact: The concept started closer to a “Peter Pan” idea with younger kids before it evolved into the teen version.
• Stand by Me (1986) — Four boys go on a life-changing walk to find a missing kid’s body, and come back different people. A coming-of-age gut punch.
  Random fact: It’s based on a The Body novella by Stephen King.
• The Goonies (1985) — A group of misfit kids hunt pirate treasure to save their neighborhood, dodging traps and criminals. Pure adventure comfort food.
  Random fact: The story was conceived by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner.
• Sixteen Candles (1984) — A girl’s sweet sixteen gets forgotten amid family chaos, while crushes and social disasters pile up. Classic teen comedy DNA.
  Random fact: It helped cement John Hughes as the defining teen storyteller of the decade.
• The Breakfast Club (1985) — Five high school stereotypes stuck in Saturday detention slowly realize they’re more alike than different. Honest, funny, and still weirdly modern.
  Random fact: It’s famously contained—mostly one setting, driven by character and dialogue more than plot.
• The Big Chill (1983) — Old friends reunite after a death and take stock of what happened to their idealism. Beautiful soundtrack, adult nostalgia, and sharp conversations.
  Random fact: The soundtrack became a massive cultural piece of the film’s legacy.
• Pretty in Pink (1986) — A working-class girl navigates love, class pressure, and friendship drama leading up to prom. Sweet, messy, and very 80s-romantic.
  Random fact: The ending was changed after audience reactions during test screenings.
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) — Archaeologist Indiana Jones races Nazis to a powerful biblical artifact. The template for modern action-adventure.
  Random fact: “Indiana” was reportedly named after George Lucas’s dog.
• The Empire Strikes Back (1980) — The rebels are on the run, heroes get tested, and the saga deepens into darker territory. Big emotions, bigger reveals.
  Random fact: The famous twist was guarded tightly during production to avoid leaks.
• Back to the Future (1985) — A teen time-travels to 1955 and accidentally risks erasing his own existence. Funny, tight, and basically flawless pacing.
  Random fact: Michael J. Fox replaced another actor after filming had already begun.
• St. Elmo’s Fire (1985) — A group of friends right after college struggle with adulthood, relationships, and identity. Peak “what do we do now?” energy.
  Random fact: It’s closely associated with the era’s “Brat Pack” cultural moment.
• Field of Dreams (1989) — A man builds a baseball field after hearing a mysterious voice, triggering miracles and a father-son emotional reckoning.
  Random fact: It’s adapted from the novel Shoeless Joe.
• Raising Arizona (1987) — An ex-con and ex-cop kidnap a baby and stumble into absurd chaos. Fast, weird, hilarious—comedy with heart.
  Random fact: A breakout early signature film for Joel Coen and Ethan Coen.
• Dead Poets Society (1989) — An unconventional teacher pushes students to think for themselves at a strict prep school, with inspiring and tragic consequences.
  Random fact: The “O Captain! My Captain!” moment became an enduring pop-culture shorthand for tribute.
• The Karate Kid (1984) — A bullied teen learns karate from a handyman mentor and finds confidence through discipline. One of the great underdog stories.
  Random fact: Pat Morita earned an Oscar nomination for his role.
• Footloose (1984) — A city kid lands in a small town where dancing is banned and challenges the rules. Big soundtrack, big rebellion, big hair.
  Random fact: It was inspired by real-life stories of dance bans in certain communities.
• Top Gun (1986) — Hotshot Navy pilots compete, clash, and chase the edge of skill and ego. Pure adrenaline and iconic quotes.
  Random fact: The film is often credited with boosting U.S. Navy recruitment interest during its peak popularity.
• Vision Quest (1985) — A high school wrestler cuts weight for an impossible match while falling into a complicated romance. Quietly intense 80s sports drama.
  Random fact: Madonna’s “Crazy for You” is strongly associated with the film’s vibe and era.
• Die Hard (1988) — A cop battles terrorists in a skyscraper on Christmas Eve. Smart action, tight suspense, legendary villain.
  Random fact: It’s based on the novel Nothing Lasts Forever.
• Risky Business (1983) — A straight-laced teen’s parents leave town, and one bad decision turns into a wild chain reaction.
  Random fact: The “sliding in socks” scene basically became a permanent 80s cultural stamp.
• Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) — A love triangle flips the usual “popular girl” formula, with friendship and loyalty at the core. A sleeper classic.
  Random fact: It’s another John Hughes-written story and feels like a thematic cousin to other Hughes-era romances.
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) — A lonely kid befriends a stranded alien and tries to help him get home while adults close in. Wonder, warmth, and tears.
  Random fact: Steven Spielberg was known for protecting the child actors’ emotional arc during filming.
• Cocoon (1985) — Elderly residents discover a mysterious pool that restores youth, but it comes with cosmic consequences. Sweet, strange, and surprisingly emotional.
• The Shining (1980) — A writer takes a winter caretaker job at a remote hotel, and isolation turns into supernatural terror. Cold, clinical horror perfection.
  Random fact: The “Here’s Johnny!” moment is famously tied to Jack Nicholson’s performance and became a cultural quote machine.
• Dirty Dancing (1987) — A sheltered girl on vacation falls into a secret world of dance and desire, and finds her voice. Romantic, rebellious, and endlessly rewatchable.
  Random fact: The film was initially treated like a smaller project… and then became a phenomenon.

PODCAST

VIDEO

The post 80s Movies Everyone Should See appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

Todd and I grew up in the 1970s, right here in Enid. I grew up running around with five friends on W. Broadway, the kind of childhood where you played outside until the streetlights felt like a warning shot. Those memories stuck with me. And without realizing it, they slowly became the foundation of something much bigger.

Now here we are: The 70’s Buzz Podcast is about to hit one million downloads.

This episode is special because it’s not just a celebration of a number it’s the story of how we got here.

The early itch to build something

I started working for myself in 2003, right when blogging was starting to feel like the next big thing. I wanted to create my own thing, something I controlled and I experimented like crazy.

At one point, I went all-in on a venture idea: creating 100 websites and blogs and earning money through advertising. It was a grind, but it taught me the most important lesson I’ve ever learned as a creator:

You don’t find the thing by thinking about it. You find it by doing a lot of things until one grabs you back.

In June 2004, I started CurtisTucker.com to blog about being an entrepreneur, a stay-at-home dad, and what it was like growing up in the 70s. That site became a place for my voice even if I wasn’t always consistent with it.

My first podcast experiments (before it was “a thing”)

Back in 2005, I recorded a few test podcast episodes just to see what it was all about. Podcasting was still early, and honestly… there wasn’t much traction yet. So I stopped.

But I never stopped being drawn to the idea of talking into a mic and building something that felt like radio but on my own terms.

The Enid Buzz years opened new doors

Around 2014, I was deep into Enid Buzz and looking for new things to build. That’s when I asked Todd if he wanted to do a video show called E-Talk. We filmed in a coffee shop, talking about Enid, bringing on guests, interviewing people. It was fun, it was real, and it proved something important:

Todd and I had chemistry on mic and on camera.

I also started doing a live morning show with Alan Clepper on KOFM, about 30 minutes a day, four days a week just talking about random things and what was happening in Enid. I was doing it for fun as part of Enid Buzz.

Then in 2015, I had the opportunity to go interview Garth Brooks, and I took Todd and a few other guys with me to Tulsa. That trip is one of those “bookmark” moments—when you realize you’re building experiences, not just content.

In 2016, I started doing a weekly Friday radio spot with Joe Friday on KNID talking about what was happening in Enid… until I was eventually told the new station manager wanted Joe Friday to stop doing the show with me.

By the end of 2016:

• E-Talk was done

• I wasn’t on local radio anymore

• But Todd and I still had the itch to do something

A ghost hunt, a supermoon, and the moment everything clicked

In October 2016, Todd and I went on a ghost hunting event and livestreamed it on Facebook. We were still experimenting, still searching for the “right” show.

We even had a vision: recording a radio-style show looking out of a big window in downtown Enid, talking about adventures and interviewing people.

We just didn’t have a place.

Then in November 2016, I got a wacky idea while chasing a photo: I wanted to take pictures of the supermoon from the top of Enid’s tallest building, the Broadway Tower. I asked the person managing it if Todd and I could go to the roof.

She said yes.

Up on that roof, while we were taking photos, I mentioned our idea of doing a weekly show from a downtown space with a big window. She suggested we ask the building owner—because Broadway Tower was almost empty.

And just like that, the thing we didn’t have… suddenly appeared.

Our first studio and the birth of BuzzHead Radio

In January 2017, Todd and I agreed on a very cheap rate for the front space at Broadway Tower. It had a huge window. People could see us recording if we set up near it.

We moved into our first real studio/office.

I loved the idea of radio, so I started BuzzHead Radio as part of Enid Buzz. We bought microphones, set up a podcast table, and started testing.

I think the first night we tested was February 10, 2017.

A week later, on February 17, 2017, Todd and I recorded our first proper audio show. The first episode was about King Kong.

The next episode featured our first guest, Tammy Wilson, and we talked about ghost hunting.

We did more random shows too including some interviews, some local stories, and yes… a few episodes about our memories growing up in the 70s.

The setback that accidentally helped us

Then Broadway Tower had a fire and lost electricity. We couldn’t record until it was fixed, so we stopped for a few months.

But here’s what’s funny: sometimes a setback doesn’t end something, it forces it to become something better.

By May 2017, we were back in the studio. I was still doing the KOFM radio show, but I could tell podcasting was growing and my own project deserved more focus, so I eased my way out of KOFM.

And then came the real turning point.

The decision that created The 70’s Buzz Podcast

I started hearing more about podcasting getting big, and I asked Todd if he wanted to meet every Tuesday night and record a podcast.

Todd didn’t even know what a podcast was at that time.

But Tuesday worked because neither of us had family at home that night which made it our night.

We decided to stop BuzzHead Radio and concentrate on one subject instead of a bunch of random topics.

That subject was simple and powerful:

Growing up in the 70s.

On May 30, 2017, we recorded the Green Stamp Store episode, plus several others over the next few weeks.

In June 2017, we uploaded Green Stamp Store to Spreaker and we were officially a published podcast. We had multiple episodes recorded, so we uploaded them kind of randomly over a few days… and yes, a few were out of order.

It wasn’t perfect. But it was real.

New studio, new consistency, and never looking back

In July 2017, we started looking for a new place to record because of issues at Broadway Tower. We found a spot high up in the Independence Tower. We took a short break from recording and uploading.

We moved the studio in August and started uploading again on September 16, 2017.

And here’s the part I’m proud of:

We haven’t really missed a week since. Even during COVID.

We had heard the average podcast ends by episode 7, so we told ourselves we just had to get past that number. By the end of September 2017, we were past 7 episodes and rolling.

The numbers now (and why they matter)

As of February 12, 2026:

• 429 episodes

• 998,792 downloads

• We’ll hit one million downloads before next week

Our most popular episodes are our 70s song episodes.

Our biggest countries:

• United States

• Australia

• Canada

• United Kingdom

And the platforms that get the most play:

• Spotify

• iHeartRadio

• Apple Podcasts

• Amazon Music

We’ve also evolved how we connect with listeners: now we do a Facebook Live every second Tuesday of the month.

One million isn’t the finish line

One million downloads is a milestone, no doubt. But it’s not just “a number.” It represents something bigger:

• People choosing to spend time with us

• People who miss the 70s

• People who love stories

• People who grew up like we did or wish they had

And honestly… it represents the power of consistency. Not perfection. Not fancy studios. Not “waiting until you’re ready.”

Just showing up, week after week, and letting the thing grow.

So if you’ve listened even once, shared an episode, told a friend, or jumped into a Facebook Live… thank you. You’re a real part of this story.

And if you’re new here?
Welcome. You’re showing up right as we hit one million and that’s a pretty fun time to jump in.

PODCAST

VIDEO

The post 70’s Buzz Hits A Million Downloads! appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

Some of them are obvious like photos, letters, heirlooms we know we’ll never part with. Others stick around for quieter reasons. They get tucked into a box. Slid into a folder. Moved from house to house without much thought.

Years go by.

Then one day you open that box.

What’s strange is that the things we keep aren’t always the things we meant to keep. They aren’t always sentimental at the time. They just survive. And decades later, they become accidental time capsules.

Recently, I realized I still have a surprising number of items from my childhood. Most of these items are from the 1970s, things I’ve carried with me for 40 to 50 years. Not because I treated them like treasures, but because they somehow avoided getting thrown away.

Looking at them now, they tell a story I didn’t realize I was preserving.

Not a highlight reel.

Just a life, quietly documented.

The Things That Stayed

Here are 22 random items I’ve kept from my childhood. None of these were carefully curated. They just… stayed.

• A wooden foot locker full of magic tricks from the 1970s, along with magic magazines, Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic, and several other magic books.

• A bird puppet named Emmett the Emu, bought around 1975, from the magic and puppet shows Stayton and I used to perform.

• About 200 comic books, ranging from the 1950s through the late 1970s—mostly Superman and Action Comics.

• A Hot Wheels Redline blue Classic ’32 Ford Vicky from 1968.

• A green Sesame Street Oscar the Grouch finger puppet.

• A marble collection, the kind every kid seemed to have at one point. I keep them in a retro red bubble gum machine.

• Cassette tapes filled with band rehearsals, mixtapes, Boogie Check, made-up skits, and Dr. Demento recordings.

• Letters from my sixth-grade pen pal in Korea, along with a knit hat and small wooden figures.

• Baseball, basketball, and football cards, including Joe Namath and Pat Riley.

• A photo of me unrolling my Farrah Fawcett poster at Christmas in 1976.

• A real Neil ringer T-shirt, a two-color silk-screened design.

• Cartoon park maps from Six Flags Over Texas (1978) and Mid-America (1976).

• My mom’s 8mm movie camera, a Mansfield Holiday Electromatic 8.

• Report cards from elementary school, junior high, and high school.

• Lionel O-gauge trains with metal track.

• A green rabbit’s foot keychain.

• A plastic slot-machine bank from Las Vegas—the handle still moves and spins the reels.

• A Radio Shack school calculator.

• Two vinyl albums: Kansas – Two for the Show and a 10-inch Cheap Trick – Found All the Parts.

• A single TV Guide from January 1978, with Kojak on the cover.

• Two Mad Magazines from 1977—one regular issue and one special edition.

• A KOFM window sticker signed by DJ Lester “Boogie” Michaels from the mid-to-late ’70s.

What These Things Really Are

Individually, these items aren’t rare or priceless. But together, they form something else entirely.

They’re proof of interests that came and went.
Of phases that mattered deeply at the time.
Of a kid experimenting with magic, music, art, humor, and creativity without realizing it was all connected.

What strikes me now is how normal these things were. None of them were saved because I thought, “This will matter someday.” They mattered because they were part of everyday life.

And somehow, they survived.

The Things I Let Go Of… and Found Again

What’s just as interesting are the things I didn’t keep but later went looking for.

Over the years, I’ve intentionally repurchased a few pieces of my past. Not to relive it, but to reconnect with it.

• I found my old banana seat bike again.

• I tracked down the same Grentech skateboard I rode as a kid.

• I rebuilt my vinyl album collection.

• And I found my way back to a red Kalamazoo electric guitar.

These weren’t impulse buys. They were quiet acknowledgments.

Not of nostalgia—but of continuity.

Those objects reminded me that the kid I was never really disappeared. He just evolved.

Why This Matters

We spend a lot of time talking about memories as things that live in our minds. But some memories live in boxes. On shelves. In drawers. In garages.

Sometimes the things we keep aren’t about the past at all.
They’re about recognizing the through-line.

The interests that never fully went away.
The curiosity that stayed intact.
The version of ourselves that’s been there all along.

And every once in a while, it’s worth opening the box and taking a look.

You might be surprised by what you’ve been carrying with you.

PODCAST

VIDEO

The post 22 Things I’ve Kept From My Childhood appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

They came from moments where I honestly didn’t know what I was doing. These events remind me of walking out in the deep snow this week on the trail in zero degree weather. There were no footsteps to follow. Was I going to make it all the way and then make it back before freezing? I didn’t know, I just went for it!

I didn’t have a blueprint. I wasn’t confident these things would work. Sometimes I wasn’t even sure it was a good idea. I just took a step, said yes, or kept moving—and somehow, things worked out.

Looking back, that’s been true more often than not.

We tend to overestimate how much clarity we need before we act. In reality, clarity usually shows up after we move, not before. At the time, these decisions felt messy, uncertain, and unfinished. Now, they look like turning points.

So in this episode, I want to share ten times I didn’t know what I was doing—but it worked anyway. Not because I was smart or strategic… but because I was willing to keep going without all the answers.

10 Times I Didn’t Know What I Was Doing — But It Worked

When I look back, none of these moments felt brave or strategic at the time. They felt uncertain. Awkward. Sometimes impulsive. In most cases, I had no idea where things would lead.

But every one of them led somewhere.

1. Switching majors in the car on the way to enroll at OSU

I changed my major while literally driving to enroll. No long-term plan. No confidence it would work. That decision didn’t pan out the way I thought—but it led to two years of graphic design school in 1983, which quietly shaped everything that came after.

2. Submitting a design to the KATT calendar contest

I sent in a design without any real expectations—and ended up winning the KATT calendar contest not once, but twice, in 1989 and 1991. It was one of the first times I realized: maybe I can do this.

3. Applying for an Advertising Director job without the experience

In 1989, I applied anyway. I didn’t check all the boxes. I didn’t have the résumé. But I showed up. That leap put me on a path I wouldn’t have landed on if I’d waited until I felt “qualified.”

4. Asking Denise to get a beer

This one was simple—and huge.

In 1997, while buying a birthday card at a party, I asked Denise if she wanted to get a beer. No overthinking. No big speech. Just a moment that changed my entire life.

5. Quitting a 13-year job to work from home on the Internet

In 2003, I walked away from a stable job to work online—when working online wasn’t exactly normal. I started designing cartoon logos and slowly figuring out how to make money on the Internet. I didn’t know if it would work. I just knew I had to try.

6. Turning Enid Buzz into a full-time business

In 2013, I decided to make Enid Buzz my full-time job without knowing if anyone would keep reading or following. There were no guarantees—just a gut feeling and a lot of showing up.

7. Trading advertising for a vehicle

Around 2018, I approached a car dealership with an idea: trade a vehicle for advertising. No precedent. No script. It worked. I ended up driving a free SUV for three years.

8. Driving to Nebraska to see a total solar eclipse

In 2016, I hopped in my SUV and drove to Nebraska on a whim to see a total solar eclipse. No hotel. No perfect plan. Just the sense that I didn’t want to miss it. I’m glad I listened.

9. Interviewing Garth Brooks

In 2015 I received an invite to interview Garth Brooks alongside all the state TV reporters. It was my first celebrity interview ever. I didn’t feel ready—but I did it anyway.

10. Throwing my name in the hat for the 2017 Presidential Inauguration

On a whim, I decided to put my name in for free tickets to the 2017 Presidential inauguration—without thinking through the logistics. I ended up getting picked, which meant I suddenly had a new problem: I had to fly myself there and find a place to stay.

I did a small crowdfunding campaign to cover airfare and started calling old friends to see if we could crash with them. None of it was planned. It was all figured out on the fly. But it worked—and I ended up experiencing something I never would’ve seen if I hadn’t taken that first, impulsive step.

The Real Lesson

Looking back, none of these moments came from having a perfect plan. They came from movement. From curiosity. From being willing to act before everything made sense.

At the time, these decisions didn’t feel bold. They felt uncertain. But uncertainty didn’t stop them from working—it was part of the process.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: you don’t need clarity to move forward. You get clarity by moving forward.

So if you’re standing in that uncomfortable space where you don’t quite know what you’re doing, you might not be lost at all. You might just be early.

PODCAST

VIDEO

The post Life Without A Script appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

These are the songs that don’t fade into the background. They drop you right back into a specific moment, with a specific person, in a specific place. No warning. No warm-up. Just instant time travel.

This blog post and companion podcast (below) is about those songs.

When Music Becomes a Timestamp

“Funkytown”
That song will always mean my first speeding ticket. I can still feel the nerves, the lights, the realization that adulthood had officially tapped me on the shoulder.

“Harden My Heart” – Quarterflash
Driving around with Brian Engleking at NOC. Windows down, nowhere in particular to go, but feeling like everything was ahead of us. Usually had Brenda and Janene with us singing along.

“Carry On Wayward Son” – Kansas
Straight back to our old garage band days. Loud, ambitious, and convinced we were onto something big.

“The Night Chicago Died” and “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero”
Hnaging out with Eric Wright. The first time I really sat down and listened to songs someone had actually purchased rather than on the radio. Ownership mattered.

Lunch, Jukeboxes, and High School Rituals

“Hot Child in the City” and “Kiss You All Over”
Ken’s Pizza jukebox at lunch in high school. That sound wasn’t just music — it was a soundtrack to being young and slightly reckless.

“Magnet and Steel” and “Life’s Been Good”
Oakwood Country Club, summer of ’78 with Stayton and Mike Stearman. Long days, slow afternoons, and the feeling that summer might never end.

Cars, Houses, and Family Memories

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”
My mom’s 8-track in her ’67 Thunderbird. I can still see the dashboard.

“American Pie”
The third floor of Brendan’s mansion on W. Broadway. We had the 45 record, and it felt important. We played it over and over again.

“Goodbye Girl”
Going to the movies at the Video Twin and then over to Pizza Inn, hoping to meet girls. Sometimes we did. Sometimes we just pretended we might. It was late junior high and early high school when we couldn’t drive yet.

Hanging Out, Growing Up

“Convoy”
Stayton and I hanging out at the Christian Church of the Covenant waiting on his dad. We played that song a million times.

“The Hustle” and “Fly, Robin, Fly”
My sister Connie listening to her 45s on S. Johnson. That sound felt modern and exciting. Well before I was buying my own music.

“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” – Paul Simon
Reminds me of Junior high. When lyrics started meaning something different and everyone in school was singing it.

“Suicide Is Painless”
Reminds me of my mom. Watching MASH every night after the news. Comfort, routine, and familiarity. I kept up the tradtion well into my college days.

Work, Love, and Life Shifts

“Unwritten” – Natasha Bedingfield and “Come Clean” from Laguna Beach
Takes me back to when I was working for myself at home in my Indian Dr. studio. New chapter. New rhythm.

“Missing You” – Tom Waits
Tami and CSU pop into my head. It was on the radio all of the time.

“All For You” – Sister Hazel, “3AM”, and “Push” – Matchbox Twenty
Dating Denise and driving back and forth to OKC.

Movies, Friends, and Summer Lives

“The Warriors Theme” – Barry De Vorzon
Hanging out with the guys at the movies in junior high.

“Tell Me What You Want” – Zebra and “Eyes Without a Face” – Billy Idol
Living with Stayton in Yorktown for the summer after my year at OSU. Summer of ’84!

“Against All Odds”
Living in Stillwater, hanging out with Brian Engleking. We went to see this movie and it has stuck with me.

“She Sheila” – The Producers
Going to Mexico with Stayton and his parents. Stayton had discovered the song and we listened to it the entire trip.

Milestones That Stick

“Years From Now” – Dr. Hook
Our first dance at our wedding. Still hits every time.

“Sunshine on My Shoulders” – John Denver
Stayton trying out for the talent show in sixth grade. Pure innocence.

“One Headlight” – The Wallflowers
Single days before I dated Denise. Hanging out at The Frisco and The Ramada.

“Roll With the Changes” – REO Speedwagon
Youth group nights at Emmanuel. Friendship and optimism.

Fatherhood and Quiet Moments

“Praan” – Garry Schyman
Making videos with my girls when they were very little. That one still gets me.

“Feeling That Way” – Journey
Living with Kyle Shirm in the dorm at NOC.

“Caribbean Queen”
Dorm life at CSU with Steve Voss.

Upstairs Rooms and Radio Days

“Fox on the Run” – Sweet
Hanging out in my upstairs room on West Broadway.

“I Want You to Want Me” – Cheap Trick
Always on the radio when Mom drove us to high school.

“Linus and Lucy”
Being a kid watching Charlie Brown holiday specials. Pure comfort.

“Get Right Back” – Maxine Nightingale and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
Building the haunted cardboard maze in Stayton’s garage. Long hours, big laughs. These were always on the radio.

“Three Times a Lady”
Spending the night at Todd’s house. One of those nights you don’t realize is special until years later.

Why These Songs Matter

These songs aren’t just music.
They’re landmarks.

They mark where I’ve been, who I was with, and how life felt in those moments. Everyone has a list like this. These songs that can stop time, rewind it, and let you step back inside a memory.

That’s the power of music.

And chances are, while reading this, a few songs of your own just surfaced too.

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