Your Thoughts Sought on NY Times Article

So as not to influence your thinking on a New York Times Magazine piece, to be published Sunday, here it is without comment. I would love to have your impressions.

America's Game - For the Young and Me!

I love baseball.

Here are my two favorite baseball fans.

Young William Porter Hopkins wants a glove for his birthday. Think he might get one?

And then there's Sophia Louise. melt, melt...

Saying So Long to April with Greetings for May

As noted last week, I got so entranced by the new $100 bill that I completely forgot my Freebie Friday obligations. I'll try to make it up to you as we say goodbye to National Letter Writing Month. Let's greet the month of May with greeting cards. For your consideration, I have a set of 18 greeting cards for birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, and just plain expressions of the heart. All are engraved or letterpressed on Crane's 100% cotton paper.


Here's a sampling:

Leave a comment below and I'll put you in next Friday's drawing.

Graduation's a Great Time to Build Your Baby's Brand

This post is for all the Moms out there. Graduation is approaching quickly and you're going to be sending your babies out into the world of college or the world of work. Either way, your babies are going to be very small fish swimming around in a very big pond.

What's a Mom to do? Your babies need to create their own personal brand. They're well on their way, with all your years of nurturing, but there's even more you can do right at this juncture in their lives:

Give them stationery!

What? Yes, you heard correctly, even in this age of e-mail and cell phones and texting. (Here's a thought to ponder. All texting requires is a tool and two opposable thumbs. My, haven't we come a long way in our development?!)

It wasn't that long ago that those who first had a computer, who used e-mail, who bought a cell phone, a PDA or any other piece of technology were the ones who stood out from the crowd. They were admired and respected. They were out in front of the pack. They were the big fish in a small pond.

But the pendulum is swinging. Not backwards, but ahead toward a more civil, respectful and courteous society. Ask yourself this: who will stand out from the crowd; be admired and respected; be remembered most favorably:

The person who sends you a garbled tweet thanking you for that delicious dinner, or the person who sent you a hand-written thank-you note?

The applicant who follows up the job interview with an e-mail, or the applicant who follows up with a hand-written note acknowledging the generosity of time and consideration for the future.

The friend who catches up with you with a "wassup?" text or the friend who writes a note just because "I was thinking about you today."

The young networker who hands you his number on a wet cocktail napkin or the young networker who hands  you her card?

These are the people who will be remembered for their courtesy, respect and civility.

That can be your baby!

Here's a great start to building an esteemed personal brand. Send your little fish into the big pond with personal cards. They say "I have arrived. Here I am!"

Grazie, merci, obrigado, danke, gracias

Be grateful in many languages.