~ For Splatty's Sudoku Solution, February, scroll the bottom of the Viewpoint column. ~

My New Venture 

A new year, a new venture for me. One I want to tell you about FIRST and one I hope you'll want to check out for yourself, today and for the rest of this year. No, I'm not asking you for money. I want you to go and check out the new blog I've started. It's called Stuff to Say: Life, Love, Laughter...Trucking? and you can find it by clicking here: http://megancullingford.blogspot.com/  

As the name indicates, my blog is going to be not only on trucking but on life in general. Many times I've talked to drivers who read the column I've written in Trucker's Connection for an eternity (aptly called Viewpoint, note the correlation between that and this column) and I've asked them if they feel I should only be writing about trucking stuff--the hard core rules, regulations, happenings and goings-on of this industry in particular. Or are they interested in reading about other stuff--life in general stuff. You know, in-law troubles, raising of children, love of pets, dealings with maintaining a home in today's economy, overcoming cherry cobbler addiction, finally ditching the rainbow leg warmers you insist on wearing every time you wash your truck...things we can all relate to. What? You aren't addicted to cherry cobbler? I notice you don't deny the leg warmers. But nonetheless, you can follow what I'm getting at here. And overwhelmingly, I've been told: write about anything you please! We're desperate and will read anything. Anything, I tell you.

And so I've followed your lead in Viewpoint in Trucker's Connection.  I again followed that lead in That's What She Said, my cleverly named column in the pages of my sister publication, Downtime (full of puzzles and entertainment for drivers and all industry members!). And now, I am following your lead in the new blog. Only, the blog is more timely. I can write something yesterday (as I did) and you can be reading it right this minute. You could've read about it five minutes after I finished writing it, had you known about it.

This will be fun because, also as the name implies, I have stuff to say--lots of it. And I hope that you find it entertaining enough to read now and then keep checking in with as time goes on. Who knows what calamity might befall on me and I'll feel the need to share with all of you, and annialate in words whoever has wronged me. Ha! Ha! The power of the written word. To make you laugh, make you think, make you appreciate what you have.  On the blog, you can opt to become a follower; there's a handy location to click on for that. Or you can simply make that page a favorite bookmark and visit regularly.  And you can even toss in your own two cents by making comments, available at the end of each entry.  For you lurkers out there--a new word I just learned today, defined as someone who follows along but doesn't make any comments--you can come along too. We can't all be commenters. That's a new word I just made up.

So again, the blog, which I ambitiously plan to update every couple days or so, can be found at http://megancullingford.blogspot.com/ And you can always email me to tell me what you think...you know, if you just want to keep things between you and I.

Who is Splatty?

You say you've seen him mentioned in our magazines but you're wondering who the heck this fellow is? Great question! Splatty is our loveable, huggable website mascot who will be making appearances throughout the website as well as in all of our print partner publications. We believe TheTrucker.com is a website that sticks with you no matter where you go across the country, hence our slogan: Sticks with you like bugs on a windshield. And thus, what better mascot than a bug? We're clever that way.

Our very own Splatty is host of the free puzzles we bring you through Downtime magazine each month (Word Finds, Crosswords, and the always-addicting Sudokus). Each month, one sudoku will be Splatty's own special one with a solution that can only be found right here. Even better, you have the opportunity to share your thoughts and input with us on a variety of subjects. Taking a few moments to provide them will also garner you a very cool, one of a kind gift that you can only get from us.

Splatty's Sudoku Solution from the February Downtime:

And your prize-winning opportunities:

Number 1: Make TheTrucker.com your home page. Why? Because I'm asking.

Number 2: Peruse this website and all its newsworthy contents. Then email me with your thoughts or opinion on any of the topics you find (which may be included on the site). Remember to include the name of the article you're commenting on, your opinion of said article and of course your name and mailing address. It's that simple. 

Megan Cullingford has been the Publisher of Trucker's Connection Magazine since 2000.  Prior to that, she spent six years as the Editor, and throughout her tenure has penned the magazine's Viewpoint column--a standing favorite among readers.  If you have comments, questions, concerns or compliments, she'd love to hear from you.  Email her here.