In my vlog/podcast, just posted, I did a little commentary on my relationship with dogs, which included a little video of Scruffy, a cute little terrier mix rescue dog we've had for nearly four years. Shortly after I finished the recording yesterday (Sunday), Scruffy wanted out in the back yard. He was itching to chase a cat! I let the cat get a head start (he never actually catches them) and opened the door. He tore around the corner barking and then let out a loud screech of pain. What the hell? I ran out and found him dragging his hind end back across the patio. No idea what happened. No wounds, no sign of the cat. But he couldn't move his rear end or put weight on it.

 

Long story short: we ended up taking him to the emergency vet for an examination and X-rays. No major injury, no broken bones, just some sort of muscle injury which he should recover from. We were given a week's worth of medicine (pain killers mostly). This morning he's resting in his bed, but clearly not up to his regular daily walk of a mile or two. Not the way we wanted our Sunday to go. I won't even tell you what the bill was. Doesn't matter, right? When it comes to a dog ya love, what's money?

 

Speaking of recent posts on the blog, check out this morning's vlog/podcast, which features an interview with Katina Rigall Zipay about Women in Exhibition. Also a new video on the full cost of tradeshow exhibit ownership; and a bit of a speculative article on how the recovering economy may impact the tradeshow world.

 

Soundtrack for this week's issue: Chicago VIII, the band's seventh studio album. To my mind, it's about the time I started to lose track of the band. Their first couple of albums, both double-studio sets, were killer collections of jazz/rock that blew my young musician-drummer mind. Chicago VIII, released in March of 1975, tossed a couple of cool songs up onto the charts ("Harry Truman" and "Old Days") which I loved playing as a young teenage DJ. But much of the album I couldn't get into. Not sure why, on listening this morning, I conclude that it's a pretty good rockin' collection of songs. Click here to listen on Spotify.

James Clear:

 

Film director and screenwriter Krzysztof Kieslowski on unity: 

"If there is anything worthwhile doing for the sake of culture, then it is touching on subject matters and situations which link people, and not those that divide people. There are too many things in the world which divide people, such as religion, politics, history, and nationalism. 

If culture is capable of anything, then it is finding that which unites us all. And there are so many things which unite people. It doesn't matter who you are or who I am—if your tooth aches or mine, it's still the same pain. Feelings are what link people together, because the word "love" has the same meaning for everybody. Or "fear," or "suffering." We all fear the same way ... and we all love in the same way. 

That's why I tell about these things, because in all other things I immediately find division."

 

>>>

 

Matt Ruby on traveling:

 

Get off your phone
Old man alert: Lots of my traveling was before smartphones. So instead of checking Google Maps, I ripped out pages from a Lonely Planet guidebook to orient myself. There were no cheapo airlines like Ryanair so I slept on overnight trains which took forever to reach their destination. There was no Airbnb; the ferry landed and a bunch of old ladies waited on the dock holding laminated photos of the apartment they had for rent and then guided you there. You can technologize your way around a lot of hassles nowadays, but when you stick to a “TripAdvisor Top 10” mindset, you’re likely to have a cookie cutter experience. Putting the phone away leads to more randomness, intriguing interactions, and long cuts. These days, I carry a phone when traveling, but I tend to leave it in airplane mode. You save money on international fees, maps still work in airplane mode if you preload ‘em, and you can always find a café with wifi if you really need to get online.

 

7 Essential Tips to Engage Attendees at Tradeshows. They're already the show floor. How can you attract them and get them to stick around awhile?

 

SWOT Analysis for Tradeshow Marketing. Still one of the most-viewed posts on the blog.