Enjoy every sandwich

My mother taught me to pay attention to the universe when it's trying to send you messages. One that's been loud and clear in recent months, at least to me, has been summarized a hundred different ways throughout recorded time. Pay attention, and don't take anything for granted. Or, as the late, great Warren Zevon (at right) said in his final appearance on The David Letterman Show in October of 2002 when he knew his days were dwindling due to terminal cancer, "enjoy every sandwich."

Carpe diem, gather ye rosebuds while ye may, don't postpone joy. An earthquake, tsunami, random accident or devastating diagnosis could be as close as this afternoon. You don't know, so if you've been meaning to tell someone how terrific you think they are, tell them today.

Last week, I made my second annual trip down to Orlando for Global Pet Expo, the world's largest pet product trade show. The best part of the trip had nothing to do with the 2,300 vendor booths, or even the 80 degree temps (though I definitely enjoyed that part after a brutal New England winter). No, the best part was spending four days with co-workers/friends I've come to treasure. To be sure, we covered a hell of a lot of ground, and produced what I would humbly insist was outstanding coverage (you can read about the immense size of the undertaking here and here, the pet industry's explosive growth here, my single favorite booth at the show here, what it's like to meet Cesar Millan here, the top picks here and and my final thoughts here). So yeah, we were busy.

On Wednesday alone I worked a 15 hour day. But you know something? I had the best time, and I wish I didn't have to wait an entire year to do it again. During the first morning's breakfast staff meeting, I got to see one of the very first copies of Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori's new book Your Dog: The Owner's Manual. You can order it right now at Amazon.com. In fact, you really should. I'll bet folding money it'll go down as the best book ever written about dog care. Don't take my word for it, though. I've included the handy dandy Amazon widget. Check it out for yourself.

The hardcover's available now (Mine is on its way), and the Kindle edition is coming in a couple weeks, but can be pre-ordered today. But wait, it gets better. If you play your cards right (and live in the right parts of the country), you can meet Dr. Becker, Gina, and also Gina's uncommonly gorgeous flat coated retriever McKenzie. They're embarking on a national bus tour starting next month. Tour schedule here. Sorry, no Boston appearances.

Back to my original point, though. What I'll remember about the four days in Florida won't be any particular product, or even anything on the show floor. It'll be the break I had after work on Thursday, sitting by the hotel pool with two friends, enjoying a lovely Florida evening. It'll be the dinner after the work was done Friday night, the hours spent laughing and enjoying a superb meal. It'll be the satisfaction of knowing how fortunate I am to be doing good work with great people. It's not the destination, it's the journey I like to savor. Sometimes, like this month, we need a reminder to enjoy every sandwich.

Image credit: Warren Zevon, rutterorganization.com.