A True Artist...

I love that I was lucky enough to be born into a group of interesting people. Every member of my family has a talent that is unique to them and that makes them quite fun to know. (I am still trying to hone a talent.)

Nhung joined our family in January and it became apparent immediately that she is the harbors many talents. She is funny, smart, and an excellent cook! It didn't take long for us to discover one of her greatest skills, though: Photography! I just wanted to share some great Nhung shots with all of you (click on the photos to get the full effect):
Let's start with everyone's favorite Subjects:

Maisie




Murphy (who by the way, has abandoned me to go sleep in Joe and Nhung's bed every night. What-ev cat! )

Vinnie and Steve (She has quite a knack for catching people at the perfect moment)

Erin

Madeline (playing with a magic wand)

Natalie

Welcome to the family Nhung! We are happy to have you, and your talent!

On a side note: Mick, After seeing these, I agree. We should have splurged for a fancier camera!

"Looking for Empty Boxes"

This was a phrase that my co-worker from the Detroit News used to use frequently. On any given day, you could ask her how she was doing and she was likely to reply " I am looking for empty boxes." What does this mean you ask? Typically it meant that she was frustrated with work and expecting to be fired. In other words, she would be living in a cardboard box relatively soon. This same co-worker also later introduced me to her trademark "Don't screw me file" in which she would keep mementos, e-mails etc. that would highlight the great job she really did do at work. She was a mixture of funny and paranoid, but who could blame her? I've lost count of how many layoffs the Detroit News and Free Press has had at this point.

Lately, I feel as though I am going to start looking for a nice refrigerator box myself. Not because of my job mind you, but the fact that I can't seem to find a place that I would like to move into. First, there is the buy vs. rent debate. Mick is more comfortable with renting, whereas I am having a hard time accepting this as a possibility after owning our own home. I really enjoyed taking a piece of property and making it our own. There is something very satisfying about looking around your space and knowing that it is the way it is because you made it that way! It was ours from chimney top to driveway.

The prices in Detroit are phenomenal right now because of the, lets face it, terrible economy. (I will refrain from scolding those of you that drive foreign cars.) This presents an opportunity as well as a problem. There is real estate for the picking, but what if we were to find ourselves in the position of having lost income? The thing about Michigan is that whether or not you work for the auto industry... you work for the auto industry. My brother Mike was laid off as soon as I got here, serving as a bit of a warning. (Mike literally has the best work ethic of anyone I know. I am 100% convinced that the paper cannot and will not survive without him. They are fools.) I am going to be cautiously optimistic. I have had the month to observe my new workplace and I take a lot of comfort in the fact that Make A Wish seems to be managed fantastically. That is a very grateful me talking!

The worst part is that I have found a condo that I would love to buy. It is tiny, has two bedrooms and includes a basement. We don't need any more than that. It is little, affordable, and the layout would still provide us with the opportunity to separate the house in a harmonious way. Upper floor = quiet (bedroom & office- Mick's domain! ) Middle = louder (living room & kitchen) Lower floor= loudest (sewing & laundry). Plus the landscaping there is really pretty! http://web.mac.com/ksluice/iWeb/TheVillage/Welcome.html This is one of those moments where I really have to tell myself to rule with my head and not by what I want. Normally I am really good at letting logic rule, but darn it! I drove through and thought that it was too cute! Logic says "Rent!" We would want to move in 4 years anyway because our financial situation will probably be very different then, and if anything should happen, you can always get out of a rental situation. I think that's what we need to do. Yes, I have just convinced myself while typing this post.

The problem with renting in a college town is that what is available is typically not what my 30 year old self would like to live in. Parties going on in the middle of the week? I don't really miss them. Or, perhaps it is more accurate to say that I just don't want to live next to them. (I mean, I'll go! I'll just leave by 8:00 for bed.)

There are a ton of apartment complexes everywhere, but quite frankly, they depress me.
I think that complexes are void of personality (can we say white walls?), and feature such amenities as sand volleyball courts and pools. You will never catch me in anything that remotely resembles a bathing suit and despite the fact that my maiden name is Carrie Walsh, I have never played volleyball without injuring myself. (That was a reference to Kerry Walsh, the olympic beach volleyball player.)

I looked at a townhouse a couple of weeks ago that I shot down because it was ugly and had no dishwasher. Horrors! I also fear that I would be forced to keep the vertical blinds by the condo association. I don't have anything against them. They just weren't in the best of shape and IKEA has such very cute and inexpensive curtains. What the rental condo did have was a layout that was what I was looking for. Goodness gracious! It even had a basement! I may call on it again. I just have to hope that it has not been rented in the meantime.

Well, send some good wishes our way. It is fairly certain that I am going to miss my July 1st deadline and we are going to have to figure something out for all of our stuff. I cannot keep mooching off of my very generous parents. (The poor dears have put up with an array of crap from me including a generally poor, stressed out demeanor and a quite a bit of messiness on my part. Sorry Mom and Dad!) After all, if I don't get it together, I am going to have to start looking for empty boxes!

Look out Sunday... here I come!!!

Oh my. What a month. Well, since I last posted, a few small things have happened. No big deal. Just a few slight inconveniences. This won't be an overly clever entry, but hey, we have a lot to catch up on!

The weekend before we moved, we wound up having a very last minute gathering of sorts. I had planned on packing, cleaning and finishing a few sewing projects that weekend, but the opportunity to spend some last minute quality time with friends proved to be too tempting. Instead my weekend was filled with baking, entertaining and...oh yes...an open house crammed in there somewhere. I wouldn't trade a minute though.

The next couple of days were spent getting ready for our departure and on the 20th I had my last day at the American Cancer Society. It was tough at best. I won't go into it too much. Let's just say there will be a mourning period and I am going to miss everyone so much! Later that night we had dinner with our friends Tammy, Steve and Eric at Patton Alley Pub. Another gut wrenching goodbye to good, good friends.

That evening we had also received an offer on our house! The next morning, our real estate agent Michael came over and helped us to write our counter-offer. We were supposed to leave that morning and drive through to Michigan in one day, but this delayed our travels so we wound up turning it into a two day trip. So, we packed up our car on Thursday, complete with two unhappy, sedated, yet vocal cats and began the journey.

We wound up stopping not too far from Chicago for the night and had to wrestle with Maisie to get her from out behind the disgusting hotel bed in the morning. On our way to my parents we received a call that our counter offer had been accepted! Whew!

So, we arrived Friday afternoon to find not only my parents, but my sister and my niece Erin "cuddlebug" were there. What a nice homecoming! We had plans with Mick's family that night so we met at his parents house for dinner. Brian, Pat, Allison and our new niece Leah also came. We were exhausted, but I will do just about anything for some Leah time, so that was okay. Have I mentioned lately how cute Leah is???? I'm just saying...

Anyway, Saturday we got up and started to run errands. Why you ask? Because Mick was getting on a plane to go to Paris that afternoon! That's why! That was another sad day. I was excited that he would get to experience a month in France and so sad because I would miss him. I was also a tiny bit jealous.

After Mick left, I didn't sleep very well, which if you know me at all, you know that is a fairly common occurence. I spent the next couple of days running errands in preparation for my first day of work at Make A Wish including spending a bit too much on clothing. (Much of my clothing had the Relay For Life logo on it.)

Tuesday I started at MAW. I was extremely tired, but fortunately the one thing that kept me going was the promise of a restful weekend...and the fact that Merry the woman training me is hilarious. I am quite excited that I get to work with her. (I will save the rest of MAW for a future post.)

Unfortunately, my dreams of a restful weekend were quickly dashed. I wound up working Friday night and all day Saturday, finally got to hang out with a friend (Sarah) and then got up early on Sunday for Leah's baptism. I am dragging but working with Wish Kids, volunteers and hanging with Sarah and Leah made it all worth it.

Sunday night I thought that I would go to bed early and get a lot of sleep in. Murphy had other plans and kept me up by pawing at my face for much of the night. When I tossed him out of the room, he cried outside of the door. Give me a break, cat!

So, it is Tuesday. I have managed to have a relatively relaxing evening, though I admit that I am hardly thinking straight. This Friday I have Erins recital, and the Edison street sale starting Saturday morning. I plan to sleep in on Sunday and I am telling you that no one can stop me. Don't even try to call before noon. Look out Sunday... here I come!!!

I have been to the Emerald City of the Ozarks...

If you don't mind my bragging for a moment, I must say that my parents raised my siblings and I to appreciate the finer things in life. We delight in a good meal, appreciate the arts in all forms, and even dabble in them ourselves (in various ways.) There is, however, one seemingly less sophisticated pleasure that we savor... amusement parks.

Most self-respecting adults would probably not brag that they were a bit of a roller coaster junkie. Nor would they boast that they had been to Disney World over a dozen times. I apparently am missing that sense of shame and embarrassment because one of the first things that people are likely to learn about me, is that I LOVE roller coasters and amusement parks. (Disney in particular).

Now before you write me off as a no-class thrill seeker, let me explain where this fascination comes from. On my old blog, my sister once left a comment that very accurately described our Mothers introduction of Disney to us. She wrote: "mom never sat next to us during a Disney movie commenting on the cute and fuzzy bunnies, but instead said things like, “look how they drew the reflections on the water. That’s amazing!" It is so true, and that attitude extends to the Disney parks as well.

Disney parks are the full immersion experience of an idea. What I mean by this is that Disney not only creates an idea, but designs an environment that will evoke a desired reaction by a visitor. I love the concept that a company can be so committed to a story that it wishes to tell, that it will stretch the boundaries of creativity and technology to make that story a reality. The Disney experience is about more than just rides. That being said... I love a great ride too!!!

My non-Disney park experiences revolved around two other parks. The first was Boblo island. This was a smallish park on...you guessed it... an island. When I was a young child the Boblo boat (similar to the Branson Bell for you Springfieldians), would take us to the island. I LOVED the Boblo boat because there was dancing. I don't think that I ever danced, but lets face it, a major draw of theme parks and that boat is people watching!

Once the boat pulled up to the island, my family would go have a picnic of cold fried chicken and sides and we would then hit the rides. They were tame by comparison to today's rides, but fun nonetheless. I have many fond memories of that time and if I should ever hear the 80's song "Electric Avenue," I am instantly transported there.

My other non-Disney park is Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. After Boblo closed when I was in grade school, this became the "it" park to go to. The draw of Cedar Point (or "America's Roller Coast") is that for a long time, they had the worlds tallest and fastest roller coaster called the Magnum. It was huge, a smooth ride, and a lot of fun. Other parks built taller coasters, so CP decided to build the Millennium Force. I don't know if MF is still the tallest and fastest, but I really hope that it is. When it opened, I remember that there was discussion in the media that this coaster could be pushing the line for major injuries and head trauma. (not a joke.) I haven't ridden that one. While Cedar Point has the thrills, it is lacking a real theme. It is all show and no creativity (but is still fun.)

This very lengthy introduction leads me to the real purpose of this blog post. As I mentioned, I have no shame about my love of amusement parks and so it is only natural that I had mentioned my desire to go to Silver Dollar City, our local amusement park in Branson, to my friends at work. When I put in my 4 week notice, my friends sprung into action and planned a day for our group at SDC. They know me too well, and I was grateful that a group of classy and chic women would indulge my childish obsession. (Though I think that they were excited too.) Thanks ladies!

So, last Saturday we ventured out to SDC. To be honest, I was expecting another Cedar Point. By that I mean rides, but nothing particularly special. I was pleasantly surprised! SDC chose to adhere to a classic Ozark hillbilly theme, and they did it very well. The park is actually quite pretty and is dotted with mature trees, hills, and free standing, themed buildings. The hillbilly workers were slightly disturbing, but they helped to create the atmosphere. All good.

We started with a fun and kicky little coaster called Thunderation. It gave you the option of riding backwards or forwards. Allison and I chose a cart that faced forward and I have to admit that it was a little weird to be looking at someone face to face during the ride. (And I prayed that they would not experience motion sickness, if you know what I mean.)

Next, we headed to the kiddie area so that Finnley could hit the rides. The park definitely tried to replicate some Disney rides. I saw teacups, a ride with pirate ships that looked oddly like those found on the Peter Pan ride, and of course this "flying elephant ride": (can anyone say Dumbo?)
Here is Jessica Bertholdi and Finn. I wish that you could see his face!

The oddest ride, well... downright perplexing was called "Fire in the Hole." This was the original Silver Dollar City coaster and Ashley insisted that we ride it. I knew that it was supposed to feature the Baldknobbers who according to the brochure had "set the town on fire!" When I think of the Baldknobbers I think of the oafs in the Baldknobber Country Jamboree (see photo from previous post.) I was expecting a storyline where the toothless guy has some kind of lighthearted mishap that causes a ride full of hilarity. While waiting in line, they even have a live Dalmatian for you to pet. (Thereby reinforcing my lighthearted hunch.)

Here is Eastan with the Dalmatian at Fire in the Hole!

The ride started out careening through dark hallways and a town indeed on fire. Imagine my surprise when the culprit turned out to be nothing like the toothless hillbilly, but a bunch of guys that looked like this instead:

Upon exiting the ride, I immediately asked: "Um, you guys, did I just witness some secret meeting? Was that a KKK themed coaster? What WAS that????"

(This is the part where they laughed at me.)

It turns out that the Baldknobbers were actually a vigilante group in the Ozark mountains in the late 1800's. The area was quite lawless at that time and so the Baldknobbers were formed to bring peace and justice to the Ozarks. That sounds like a lovely thought, but they were actually quite violent. According to legendsofamerica.com "They would hang or beat a man to death for assault, disturbing the peace or destroying property." It also mentions that if anyone spoke against them, they might turn up beaten to death in the woods. And then there are those masks...

So after Fire in the Hole, I am haunted by two questions:

If they were such an awful group, A) Why is there a Baldknobber Jamboree show? and B) Why are they the subject of a roller coaster at Silver Dollar City?

The rest of the day was great! We rode another coaster called the Powder Keg that is pressurized so that it starts at 60 mph. FUN! We also looked at other things that SDC has to offer such as glassblowing,candy making, a candle shop, etc.

The best part of the day though was spending time with my friends. Some of the Squirrely Girls went: Carla, Allison, Ashley and Jessica Blake and then we also had two additions: Katie Towns (the Audrey Hepburn of the ACS) and Jessica Bertholdi who I actually replaced, but is a really cool girl and I am so glad that she came too! We were also joined by Eastan (Ashley's son) and Finnley (Bertholdi's son).

Since living in Springfield, I have been so lucky to have met a group of smart, talented, FUNNY, and caring women. Silver Dollar City was entertaining, but the fact is that when you have great friends, you can have just as much fun sitting around and staring at each other. Thank you so much girls! It was a fun day at the park, but for me, it was so much more than that! I will miss you all like crazy! -Carrie-

Supplemental Income

In these times of economic uncertainty it is important to have a backup plan should one find oneself in the unfortunate position of being unemployed. I take this piece of wisdom to heart and have been working on my financial security through what I have come to realize is a flawless source of income:

Cat Portraiture

Yes, I have a passion for photography, and a passion for cats. When you combine the two, you have a fiscally responsible business plan that is sure to provide for the family indefinitely.

This little venture started just two years ago when several family members came to Springfield for my birthday. Our cat Murphy was lounging by the decorated tree, gazing up at the beauty and no doubt pondering the miracle that is Christmas. My brother Mike snapped several photos of him, and that was the first moment that I realized that I had the goldmine that is a photogenic cat. You just can’t keep a beauty like this to yourself. You must exploit it so that others can enjoy it as well. Here were the results of our first Murphy photo session. You may have been the lucky recipient of the Christmas card that resulted:




















Murphy was the perfect subject and we were not really looking for a new muse, but one day Maisie showed up on our porch just begging for work. After some serious discussion and deep reflection we decided to schedule a photo shoot.

We settled on a prop shoot and in the grand tradition of the McCulloch Cat Modeling Agency, decided to use a Christmas theme. The fear on her face and the glow of her eyes was just not going to sell, and while we wanted another cat, we did not want a charity case. If there is one rule that remains in our household, it is that you will work to earn your keep.















One thing that I have learned with photographing cat models, it is that you have to set a tone. I decided to give Maisie another shot, and really concentrated on this. The results were astounding!

I would say: “Give me cattitude Maisie!” and she would produce this:





I would say: “Be thoughtful! Think of the future!” and she would give me this:















Maisie really developed, and of course Murphy continued to turn out consistent work:

I have focused on Murphy and Maisie throughout this post, but I assure you that I can achieve similar results with your favorite feline. I can bring out the glamorous side of any cat. Murphy and Maisie aren’t special, they are just lucky enough to have found me.

Packages start at only $595.99 for 3- 8x 10’s and 24 wallets. If you truly love your cat we can customize a package that will showcase their beauty within.
Cash and credit cards are acceptable. No personal checks please.

Contact me at your earliest convenience to book your photo shoot.

Sincerely,
Carrie McCulloch
CEO, CFO, Chairman of the Board
McCulloch Cat Modeling Agency

P.S. Modeling is also available for the less cuddly, tempremental cat, but an extra fee and sedation are required:

The Long Awaited... Things That I Love About Springfield!

Welcome! First of all, thank you for following me to my new blog site. I must say that the ease of use is much better with blogger. Also, I really wanted a cute background and Wordpress just was not cooperating with me. This is much more me... don't you think?

The move from Wordpress is the perfect timing for this post because I am going to be talking about my move to Springfield, Missouri from Dearborn, Michigan. As you will remember, I had posted an entry about things that I miss in Detroit. Today, I will let you all know why I am glad that I live in Springfield:

1. The People!

My first week in Springfield was a little rough. It became abundantly clear from the moment that Mick and I arrived here that people were as a whole, very friendly. Take for example our trip to City Utilities the first day to have the utilities switched to our name: We went to this city-owned building expecting to find a run down office with lines out the door, tired, over-worked, and rude employees. Instead we walked into a brightly lit atrium where we walked up to a desk and were greeted by a giddy young woman. She observed our licenses and upon seeing that we were from Michigan, exclaimed: "Oh welcome to Springfield! You are just going to LOVE IT HERE!" She could not have been nicer and Mick and I walked away...bewildered. Clearly, there were friendly people in Springfield, but how was I going to meet them?

Enter: The Zackrisons and the Kirks (and Paul too, but he doesn't live here anymore.) We had been living in Springfield for about a week and just that morning I had been whining on the phone to my Mom about how I hadn't met anyone in Springfield yet and how homesick I was. I just wanted more than anything to go to Costco and Ikea with my Mom and Sister and end the day with a big meal at an Arabic restaurant. Instead... Mick and I had just gone to this new restaurant that we had heard about called Cheddars. (You can stop laughing now, Springfieldians.) As we were getting out of the car, the "group" descended upon us.

The first person I noticed was Eric Zackrison because, well, he is hard to miss. I would describe him as one of the most likeable people you will ever meet, with a bushy beard, a tall stature, and a really great laugh. His wife Julie is incredibly friendly, outgoing and equally likeable. They own Patton Alley Pub and it was easy to see that we were going to be frequent patrons and friends of theirs. Next were Steve and Tammy Kirks. Steve is one of the smartest people I have ever met with a quick sense of humor and a love of food. Tammy is a scream and is so creative and funny that it would make your head spin. The best part about meeting these people that night? They like beer and invited us for one! We had so much fun getting to know everybody that night that the next morning I called my Mom to very casually let her know that we had "met the neighbors." (Though internally I was the kindergartner shouting: Guess what Mom? I made a friend! I made a friend!) These friends of course led to more friends and I was so grateful because it was when we made connections in Springfield, that I knew that I was going to be okay.


Another group that I am so glad to know are my co-workers. I truly work with a wonderful group of women. Aside from the amazing (and I do mean amazing) things that they do professionally, they are a talented group in their personal lives as well. They are funny, thoughtful and creative and I am so glad that they are my friends. Some of us have gone on to form Squirrely Girls (see my old blog) and yes, we do hang out on the weekends!


I can only begin to tell you about all of the wonderful people that we have met here. We are so lucky!


2. Branson!


I mean... come on! How can you not love the cheesy atmosphere that is Branson, Missouri? It is miles of awful souvenirs and even worse shows, and I love every last inch! Well, okay, I've really only gone to Dolly Partons Dixie Stampede, but I go to the outlet mall often! Branson is the dream getaway for any active senior citizen looking to kick up their heels, get an early bird special, see a show, and be in bed by 7:00.


"The Strip" is really the best part. It starts down at Branson Landing which is an outdoor mall/ entertainment venue. It was built just a couple of years ago and has quickly become a destination for shoppers and diners. It is supposed to be upscale and modern and is inhabited by a bunch of young whipper-snappers who like to drink the devils brew and shop for revealing outfits that show their ankles and such. They put the Landing down at the end for a reason!


You then progress up through "Old Branson" where you land on one of my favorite little Branson gems: Dicks 5 and Dime. Oh yeah! The first time I took my Mom to Dicks she exclaimed that it is how most dime store were when she was a kid. I am the type that adheres to any family heirloom/ memory that is thrown at me, so I was instantly attached to Dicks 5 and dime. The floors are creaky, the soundtrack is ancient, and the merchandise is priceless! Have you been looking for a fancy hankerchief, a book of paper dolls, or some old-lady undergarments? This place is for you! They also carry the wide selection of Branson junk that is found in most establishments on the strip, but the classic goods really make it worth the trip.


Our drive continues and we see more Branson staples. There is of course, the Dixie Stampede and Dick Clarks American Bandstand Theater. (Do not, I repeat, do not eat at the ABT diner!) Coming up are the various theaters for people you have never heard of. No really, you have never heard of them and somehow these seniors keep filling the seats! Have you heard of Jim Stafford? Moe Bandy? More importantly... would you pay to see them? Off of the strip you will find other shows such as Yakov Shmirnov (who ironically makes me want to yak), Shoji Tabuchi and the Kirby Vanbirch show which stars Kirby the magical unicorn. The oldest show is the Baldknobbers Jamboree, which stars these guys:









'Nuf said.






3. The Creative Community

Creativity is a vital part of the culture here. My friend Tammy owns Red Bee Designs (click on the link to the right.) Her jewelry is phenomenal and I am happy to say that I own quite a bit of it! I have also met Jen and Nate Falter who own Springfield Pottery shop. It contains some unique beautiful pieces. There are numerous art galleries in town and the first Friday of the month always garners an art walk. The downtown really comes alive as the businesses host and showcase local artists. It is so much fun to get a great meal (at Patton Alley of course) walk around downtown and see some original art.

It isn't just the actual artists community that breeds creativity though. The crafting community is alive and well in Springfield and I am proud to say that I am a part of it. Just down the street a few doors from my house is a business called She's Crafty that is packed every weekend! And of course, there are the Squirrely Girls...

In Detroit, I can't say that I really have any friends that sew or knit. They thought that it was neat that I did, but I didn't have anyone that I just got together to craft with. Then one day at work, it was mentioned that my friend Ashley knitted. Soon after, I found out that Jessica, Allison and Amy did as well. It wasn't long before I joined the circle. Allison is also a sewer, and soon the rest of the group joined she and I in the sewing club as well. Frankly, Carla went nuts with it! Go Carla!

The champ of all crafters is none other than Sarah Kerner (her link is beauty school dropout) I am constantly in awe of her work. This is not just because she turns out the most beautiful and intricate pieces that I have seen, but because she does it in such a speed that frankly... Well, I can't imagine how she does it. I could learn a few tricks from that girl!



Well, I do love Springfield. Detroiters, you really should come to visit. Those of you that have certainly have not been disappointed. Springfieldians, feel free to add your favorites as well! I could go on and on about the things that I love, but frankly, I need to go to bed! Good night everyone!

P.S. Comments are a girls best friend ;)