Memorial Day Reflections – Honoring Our Fallen Heroes

When Memorial Day comes around most of us are planning a three day weekend at the beach or other getaway or planning the food for our picnic or outdoor barbecue. Over the years, I have been guilty of perhaps spending more time on what fun activities I have planned for my weekend rather than spending the time in sober reflection for the contributions that our military and fallen heroes have sacrificed for our nation’s preservation of freedom. So, this blog post might go a little way to correcting that error and be my small contribution to remembering our fallen heroes and veterans.

Remembering Mom on Mother’s Day…

As Mother’s Day approaches, I think back of my dear Mom, Rose Pratiz Molina. Sadly, she passed away several years ago, but not without leaving an indelible place in my heart.  As a mixed Italian immigrant, my mom had that famous Italian love of food and  cooking and there are several Italian dishes a person can mention and in a flash I remember dishes my Mom made for our family and my mouth automatically waters, dishes like canolli, spaghetti with homemade marinara sauce and my all time favorite, osso buco.

So it is with a full heart and happy memories of days gone by, that I wish all Moms a Happy Mother’s Day.

The following video is a small tribute I pulled together last year for Moms.  I would suggest that you check out Animoto  in order to gather a few pictures together and create  a quick video for a slideshow presentation that you can put together for free and send to your mom for this holiday!

Best Wishes for a Prosperous and Productive New Year

Here’s hoping your new year has rolled in with a bang and did not roll in with a whimper considering the tough economic times we are experiencing. As your writing up your New Year’s resolutions to improve and invest in your online business, now is the time to review your web design and print collateral graphic design needs.  In an article, The State of Small Business Online Marketing Budgets that first appeared in American Express Open Forum, it stated the following:

Small businesses are predicted to maintain steady marketing budgets next year, including spending on websites, direct mail, e-mail marketing, social media and print advertising, according to a recent survey by Zoomerang and GrowBiz Media.
Small business marketing budgets leaned toward websites this year, with 39% of SMBs with fewer than 1,000 employees spending greater than 20% of their budgets in that area. Online spending is expected to continue in favor of websites, as 17% of respondents plan to increase budgets for their sites in 2011 — the highest percentage increase in planning for any marketing item included in the survey.

It seems small businesses are dedicating more resources to their online presence and starting your new business year in that direction will be a great investment that is bound to reap rewards as the year progresses. Best Wishes for a prosperous New Year!