Semioticians analyze symbols, so for this series, we’ve asked 25 of our semio colleagues from around the world to explicate the symbolism of… one of their own tattoos.

On October 30, 2002, the musician Warren Zevon appeared on Late Show with David Letterman for his final public appearance after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. I grew up with his music playing around our house, his CDs at the bottom of one of several alphabetized CD towers in our living room.

I was 14 at the time, more concerned with the musical guests on MTV’s Total Request Live than late-night television. My parents watched, though. Talking about living with his diagnosis, Warren spoke about how each moment becomes more valuable: “You’re reminded to enjoy every sandwich, and every minute playing with the guys, and being with the kids and everything.”

Enjoy Every Sandwich became my family’s motto. I actually don’t even really like sandwiches… but for me, what made the phrase stick was how it carries both sincere gravitas and levity in equal measure, a philosophy of taking life seriously without taking yourself too seriously. It’s a humble reminder to be thankful we’re alive and healthy enough to experience the mundane. 

About 13 years after Warren Zevon introduced it to the Meltsner family lexicon, when my brother and I planned to get tattoos together (his first, my second), it felt like the perfect choice. I chose the words alongside an American Traditional flower: a simple yet bold design for a simple yet bold credo. 

Naturally, with the privilege of aging, I experience more illness and death around me. Enjoy Every Sandwich feels more urgent now, more powerful, more poignant — a constant guard against taking any of it for granted.

This tattoo became the starting point for an American Traditional patchwork sleeve I’m still building, with most pieces a bit more visually interesting and whimsical than this one. I no longer get asked about this one very often. But whenever I have the chance to talk about it, I’m grateful to share — and to be reminded myself: Enjoy Every Sandwich.

TATTOO YOU: Nicola Zengiaro (Italy) on CORAL OF LIFE | Su Luo (Taiwan) on AN ISLAND, A TREE | Thierry Mortier (Sweden) on LIJFSPREUKEN | Cristina Voto (Italy) on JELLYFISH | Charles Leech (Canada) on SURF WAVES | Mariane Cara (Brazil) on BECOMING’S TRIAD | Chris Martin (Canada) on PUNK ROCK HEART | Angie Meltsner (USA) on ENJOY EVERY SANDWICH | Samuel Grange (France) on POLYMORPHOUS | Inka Crosswaite (Germany) on LAYERED FRAGMENT | Al Deakin (England) on FAMILY STAR | Hibato Ben Ahmed (France) on HENNA HAND | Max Matus (Mexico) on KALINGA REDOX | Whitney Dunlap Fowler (USA) on IN THE UNTETHERED | Chirag Mediratta (India) on PHOENIX & BUTTERFLY | Alexandra Ncube (England) on LIMINAL ROOTS | Josh Glenn (USA) on FALLING ANGEL | Aarushi Chadha (India) on PART-TIME PEOPLE PERSON | Serdar Paktin (Turkey/UK) on RESISTANCE & SURRENDER | Tatiana Jaramillo (Colombia/Italy) on EMBERÁ BLACKOUT | Antje Weißenborn (Germany) on FADED STAR | Sundari Sheldon (USA) on SUN | Roberta Graham (England) on SUNFLOWER/GUNMETAL | TBD (TBD) on TBD | TBD (TBD) on TBD.

Also see these global semio series: MAKING SENSE (Q&As) | SEMIOFEST SESSIONS (monthly mini-conferences) | COVID CODES | SEMIO OBJECTS | COLOR CODEX | DECODER (fictional semioticians) | CASE FILE | PHOTO OP | MEDIA DIET | TATTOO YOU (semioticians’ tattoos).