At last week's ASI trade show, we all came back overwhelmed with new product knowledge, contacts, and promotional freebies. I do admit the best part about going to trade shows is the great new products we see and get. I came back with a personalized tote bag filled to the top with lip balm, promotional hand sanitizers, stress balls, promotional pens, promotional candy and so much more. Like most people, I am a weekling when it comes to the promotional food products they put out at the booths. Especially after walking around the show for hours, and once I get hungry, any booth that has food and candy, will get my attention! At last weeks show, after eating everything in sight, I have to rank this Chocolatier booth as my top choice. They had the best dark chocolate truffles I have ever had. After having a taste of their promotional chocolates, I felt like I was in Chocolate Heaven. Now, not only will this booth be embedded in my mind forever, they will surely by getting my business! 

This week, there is a huge promotional products show being held in the Jacob Javits Center in NY. I'm excited to see all of our friends there. Thousands of people come to the show every year to get information and view new items that are released. Whether its is promotional T-shirt or promotional pens, there is just so much to look at. I'll be sure to wear my comfortably shoes, since I will be walking the whole time. Now that the weather is getting warmer, motivators carries a huge variety Outdoor promotions for all of your outdoor events.

Or should I say "happy promotional products day"?  Cinco de Mayo is a day of Mexican heritage, pride and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American civil war.  ORRRR better known as the day where we eat lots of Mexican food and drink sangria, tequila and coronas.  Everywhere you go on Cinco de Mayo there are promotional products.  From beer companies to restaurants (including my favorite place, MOES, see below) even local radio stations get in on the action.  There are hats and beads and cups and any other promotional item you can think of being passed out on this extremely fun day.  Plus this year, it's on a Saturday!!  Have fun, be safe and enjoy all the swag!!

We have a magic pen fairy at Motivators.  Every couple of months this magic pen fairy comes around the office and delivers Motivators favorite pen to everybody. I have not caught a glimpse of him yet.  This amazing pen I speak of is the Uni-Ball Jet Stream.  It is by far my favorite pen that I have ever written with. There is no comparison thus far.  It is a sad day when your Jet Stream runs out.  It comes in 3 colors so everyone in the office is happy! I recommend this Promotional Pen to everybody!

This Tuesday March 27th, Ken, Kim, Laurie, Sam and I visited one of our top (and closest) vendors.  It was great to see how so many of our trade show booth accessories are actually produced.  It really gave us such a broader understanding of, the different kinds of imprinting methods as well as why the production times are what they are.  Here at Motivators we discuss all different kinds of promotional products every day.  It's a great thing when we can explain to our customers how production "behind the scenes" really works; it's something many of them really appreciate!  Below is a picture of the machine that fills and labels our hand sanitizers!

Every one of us uses a pen at some point of our daily lives. Something so expensive and small can help us get through our day. As for me I would not be able to get my daily tasks done without something to write with. No wonder pens are one of the top selling items in the promotional product industry. Here at motivators, we have a extensive line of pens ranging from a stick, twist, or click pen,  We also have a great selection of promotional pen sets. My personal favorite has to be the uni-ball Jetstream hands down. Writes silky smooth with no smudging.

This is an interesting time for sports fans. It's the calm before the storm, if you will. Baseball season is a few short weeks away, NFL hot stove is running rampant (please no Tebow references), the NBA season is in full swing, and although "no one cares about hockey Boomer", the regular season for hockey is wrapping up in another week or so. With the 4 major sports getting ready for some turning point in their seasons, college basketball is at its most exciting time! March College Basketball! It's the time when college basketball diehards and casual fans alike fill out their brackets, spend weekends at the local pubs receiving many logo March basketball products. Every college gives out tons of promotional products to help their students and fans cheer on their hopefuls for winning it all! So whoever you root for, wear your gear proud and good luck!

     I don't know about you, but I am really enjoying this unseasonably warm March weather. It makes you want to go and see what the world has to offer. In fact, the weather could not have at a more perfect time, because this past weekend was St. Patrick's Day. This year, it was on a Saturday, so many people were in Manhattan to enjoy the parade and all the bars the city had to offer. I was also in the city that day, but for another reason. For my girlfriend's birthday, I had gotten her tickets to the Broadway play "Anything Goes", and the tickets just so happened to be for the performance on St. Patrick's Day.

     For those of you who don't know, "Anything Goes" is a Broadway revival and a three time Tony Award winning show. The story involves wild antics aboard a cruise ship bound from New York to London. Billy Crocker is a stowaway in love with an heiress named Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Nightclub singer Reno Sweeney, who is also a good friend of Billy's, and Public Enemy #13 Moonface Martin aid Billy in his quest to win Hope. The play is filled with plenty of dancing, choreography, and tons of humor.

     The show was actually better than I expected. It was funny, the choreography was spot on, and the singing was entertaining. I am not one for musicals, but I did enjoy this one a lot. Our seats were great, too. We were six rows from center stage, which only added to the great experience we had. The "icing on the cake" for the evening would be that sitting right in front of us was comedic legend Jerry Lewis. Unfortunately, he was not in much a mood to be dealing  with any fans. He came in right before the lights dimmed out, was escorted to and from his seat by staff of the theater, and left the theater from a special exit. What a shame too because I enjoy his work and would love to have gotten a picture with him, or even an autograph, instead of settling for the candid shot you see above. I even had one of my custom printed pens with the "Anything Goes" logo in my hand, but I just wasn't able to get the autograph. None-the-less, we had an amazing time in the city, which is just one of many we will have.

One of my best friends during work here at Motivators is my pen! I use my pen throughout the day and it is very important that it can write well and it must be blue ink. My favorite one that glides while writing at the gel pens. They are just so much easier to use than your ordinary click pens and your writing is much more legible (or so I think). Even though no one sees the notes I take or the scribbles I make, it makes me feel good to know that I use blue ink. Especially when I don't have to try to write and the pen just does everything for me. Makes me feel all that better.