“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”

A few days ago I turned 42 and I’m so thankful to still be blessed, in so many incredible ways. But I’ve spent most of the hours of the last decade focused on working, working, and working. Working my way up the ladder in companies, then on to building up (and sometimes) tearing down my own companies, trying to “get ahead” and “get somewhere”, but where? I had not only lost sight of the life I always aspired to live, I had completely abandoned and turned my back on the person that I truly am. I wasn’t living to my potential. I wasn’t living to my value system. I wasn’t living. And I wasn’t happy.

That was me a mere two months ago, in the March 2013 blizzard, putting up the pending sign on my house near Boston, Massachusetts. Since then, I’ve averaged about 2-3 hours of sleep a night. I’ve packed all my worldly possessions into one portable storage container that’s currently living in Nashua, NH. I’ve driven over a thousand miles. I’ve whittled my traveling gear down to whatever fits in two duffle bags and my computer bag (which by the way can surprisingly fit my laptop, tablet, chargers, memory cards, travel chargers, earphones, camera AND an extra network cable. What, you think I have a problem? I DO have to work while on the road you know!) Which brings me to last Monday…when I dropped my Ruby and Mrs. Jacob Clayton off at the home we’re renting and then immediately left to work around the clock for 3 days on a launch for a huge re-brand/website/social media/everything project (announcement coming this week!) in a hotel where there was high speed internet, and no distraction, a vending machine, and free, unlimited coffee. I’ve dropped the ball on so many other MyUntangled Media clients. The company has grown. I spent too much time doing business with the wrong people. I made mistakes, but that’s how I learn. I don’t like goodbyes, so I kinda skipped them and I know that’s rough for many people. I’m so sorry to my peeps that fit in that category…Welly, Jose, Claire and so many others, please don’t be mad. It’s such a big move and it just got so crazy at the end. I’m also learning how to live with regrets.

This is me now, on an island off the southeastern coast of North Carolina. I crave solitude. I crave the ocean. I long for a place to write and play music. I got so tired of trying to fit a square into a circle, that I finally gave up. In Massachusetts, to have a home 3 blocks from the beach you need to be a millionaire, and I wasn’t seeing that on my horizon, despite my efforts. Those lucky folks are relegated to living in the fancy suburbs, and commuting in traffic for hours a day in and out of the city so they can spend a couple of weekends a year and a week or two here and there, sitting in more traffic, to get to their house on the Cape. (I know, first world problems here but I’m just baring my soul…so bear with me.) I don’t understand how I let myself start blindly following someone else’s set of “rules”. You know, the ones that say the only correct path in life is to go to college, then go get a big job, then go buy a big house (with a good school system, and of course you’ll need a big mini-van or SUV), then rinse and repeat until you’re 62, then (supposedly) you’ll get enough money to live off of. Then what? THEN you move to an island in North Carolina? I’ll be 62 in 20 years, and since I make my own rules, I say “my time is now”, and I’ve never been more sure of anything.

When I first visited the island a year ago, on the coffee table at my hotel was a copy of the book Desiderata for Dog Lovers: A Guide to Life & Happiness. I had never seen it before and wasn’t all that familiar with the poem either. I opened up the book randomly to this page and snapped the picture above which has served as my constant reminder ever since. Of course I immediately Googled the poem, which begins:

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.”

and ends:

“With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”

I’m not sure what my religious beliefs are but, at that moment, I definitely felt something powerful washing over me. I cried like a baby and I promised myself I would get back here someday, that I would drown out the noise with the sound of the ocean and throw everything up in the air for a chance at happiness and peace and what I know is a better life for me. It’s so hard to know if you’re making a mistake, especially when you’ve made so many. It’s so hard to trust your own voice, to trust that it’s OK to choose happiness, whatever that means for you, whatever your age. Well, it was hard until 5 days ago when sitting alone in that hotel room somewhere in North Carolina, working on a website, delirious with exhaustion, smelly, hungry, beyond stressed, I received the following email:

“Hi Jacob,
I know this may be a weird place to do it but I couldn’t find you anywhere else.
My name is [deleted]. I am an alumni of UML and you were my adviser. I am sure you had many students walk through your door in those years so I don’t expect for you to remember me. I am emailing you to say Thank You…. whole heartedly I remember having chats with you about what I was going to do as a career, music, art, poetry, food, and just life. I remember every time that you see me you would say to me, “big things man, you, your going to do big things”. I use to laugh it off. I remember you telling me to go do whatever it was that made me happy, that I was meant to share (poetry). I remember our last conversation where I told you that I would always stay in contact with you… I’ve been looking for you ever since. Your kind hearted words and in your face advice really had an impact on me. So I just wanted to let you know what I’m doing these days..with the poetry. My friends and I have successfully started our non profit [name deleted] we teach young people in the city of Lowell to “write” their wrongs and find voice in verse. I have also moved on to becoming the Teen Program Director at my local Boys&Girls Club. So once again Thank You Jacob for the impression and the confidence you left with me.

Sincerely,
A guided soul”

This email touched me so deeply and affected me so much, I cried like a baby and felt something incredibly powerful and wonderful wash over me again. I haven’t been able to talk about it or even respond to it, until now. So, I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you so much, guided soul. I’m sorry we lost touch and let’s not let it happen again. Of course, I remember everything about you and, more importantly, I remember everything inside you, your beautiful poetry. I wanted to let you know what I’m doing these days…I just walked the 3 blocks it takes to get from my house to the beach. I’m pretty much all alone out here as it’s late in the day and the tide is high. I just sat down on the sand and pulled out my notebook and a pen to write some wrongs in this post, old-school style. But I’ve gotta sign off now to go watch the sunset over on the other side of the island. I’m trying really hard not to miss any of them. Every single day is a gift and I’ve wasted too many. I’ve changed a lot since we last spoke. I’m not just advising it anymore, I’m living it. I’m living. And I’ve never been happier. I hope you’re as proud of me as I am of you.

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When the kind folks at CloudStar.com approached me to do a review of some of their Wag More Bark Less products, I leapt off the couch at the chance. My first order of business was to do a little research on the company. I nosed around their website and discovered that Cloud Star began their wholesome, healthy dog treat line with a product named the Buddy Biscuit. It may be coincidence or kismet but it is kind of neat that I began my residency in Massachusetts at a shelter called Buddy Dog. This had me feeling like my buddies from Cloud Star and I were off to a great start.

My treat package arrived quickly and quietly. It is interesting to note that a new delivery guy started servicing my area around the same time my Cloud Star package arrived. He seemed to intuitively know – or had he been warned? – to drop the package at the garage and slowly back away toward his truck. Either way, this simple, smart act he delivered along with my treats made me immediately Wag More and Bark Less. Thanks, new delivery dude.

Okay, okay, I am getting to the good stuff: the treats! I received a box of Wag More Bark Less Oven Baked Dog Treats in the Pumpkin Pie Recipe flavor. Mom is kind of a stickler when it comes to ingredients and she was thrilled with these all natural, wheat-free treats. With glee she read off some of the ingredients: barley flour, oatmeal, rice bran, pumpkin, whole oats, and chickpea flour. Those words made her happy which meant I got to move on to the taste test. Finally! I am happy to report that the Pumpkin Pie Recipe treats boast a nice crunch to go along with their delectable flavor. I look forward to trying the Apple Smoked Bacon, Chicken Pot Pie, and Peanut Butter Cookie varieties soon. Very soon. Like, if you are reading this please arrange for a delivery, okay?

Moving on to the Wag More Bark Less Soft & Chewy Dog Treats. I received two varieties of these soft and tasty nuggets of a dog treat: Apple Smoked Bacon and Peanut Butter Cookie. The fact that chickpeas are the first ingredient listed in these natural and wheat-free treats made mom ecstatic. She is a chickpea kind of chick. Whole chickpeas go in a whole lot of her favorite recipes: chilies, soups, lasagnas, and salads. Given this, I may have tasted a “just dropped on the kitchen floor delicious and nutritious” chickpea or two in my time. I am happy to report that my new favorite soft dog treats have chickpeas as a main ingredient. The Apple Smoked Bacon has a sweet and smoky flavor while the Peanut Butter Cookie has a sweet and nutty flavor. The Chicken Pot Pie and Pumpkin Pie Recipe varieties are on my “must try soon” list as well.

Some people have me confused with a sommelier because during my walks I am often overheard rejoicing, “smelly, yeah!” I am not in the business of pairing wine with food, but in the spirit of being a good sport, I highly recommend pairing any of the Wag More Bark Less treats with a clean bowl of H₂O from the 2013 Household Tap Collection.

PS Thanks for the Wag More Bark Less stickers and magnets. I have put them to good use!

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Cattail shoots are a spring treat waiting to be discovered by those of us who typically forage for our food at our local supermarket. Pull on your highest rubber boots and get ready for a trip to “Big Sky Grocery” where the freshest, tastiest produce is always free!

The look of cattail shoots resembles a scallion – with white bottoms and green tops, they have multiple layers and are watery. The scent and flavor is like cucumber. Cooked lightly, they retain their crisp texture. They can also be eaten raw (some people report being allergic to them so try them cautiously at first).

Ready to dig in? Or wade in? First, find a nice stand of cattails, away from the road or any other runoff. Look for green shoots sticking 12” or more out of the water. Reach in, a few inches below the surface of the water, and pull/snap the shoot. Repeat. You might need 25 – 30 for four side servings.

Once you collect a bucket of shoots and are back on dry ground (and hopefully avoid getting a boot full of swamp water as my son did) you will want to trim them to about 4”, so you have mostly the white part remaining.

Take them home and wash them really well – you know where they’ve been! Oh, and while you’re on the hunt for cattails, look out for wild chives – they will provide some of the flavor when you serve them.

My first try was lightly steaming the shoots and then adding a little butter & salt. The next night I was more adventurous and tried them in a light cream sauce.

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On a recent typical spring New England afternoon, with the weather still in a state of hesitation, the soon-to-be Mrs. and I arrived at the Wachusett Village Inn just shy of our scheduled 4:00 pm tasting, with the in-laws soon to follow. After meeting the hostess, we were seated immediately after being greeted and the food, from that point on, came in an onslaught to the taste buds for close to forty-five minutes. May it be noted that prior to the tasting, we were asked to choose various items for each respective course of the 4 course meal. We had 5 choices for hors d’oeuvres⁶, 2 for the appetizer, all of the salads were offered for tasting, and 4 entrees. Keeping our guests in mind, as a considerable amount of them are vegetarians, our choices and the results are as follows:

Course 1 – Hors D’oeuvres

• Caramelized Onion and Apple Tart with Thyme and Gruyere Cheese
• Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Chutney
• Vegetable Spring Rolls with Zesty Orange Glaze
• Pan Seared Scallops served in a Phyllo Cup drizzled with Basil Oil
• Mini Beef Wellingtons Wrapped in Puff Pastry and filled with Mushroom Duxelle

Originally, we intended to taste the Mediterranean Display, which consists of hummus, red peppers, Kalamata Olives, and a plethora more, however, it was not available for private tastings, which ours happened to be, so one of the aforementioned items was thrown in as a wildcard. After everyone sampled each hors d’oeuvres, discussion was brought forth about which were keepers and which, if any, would be lost to the Mediterranean Display. It was unanimously decided that the Mini Beef Wellingtons, although quite tasty, would be cut.

Course 2 – Appetizers – Two choices enter, one choice leaves

• Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque⁷
• Ravioli with Ricotta Cheese in a Roasted Garlic and Chive Cream Sauce

To be honest, the winner should be a given. As good as the Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque was, and this is coming from someone who typically does not prefer squash, it had no chance. The ravioli will, by far, be a better fit for the guests…(well, I hope.)

Course 3 – The Salads

• Bouquet of Mixed Greens with Garden Vegetables with Creamy Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Dressing
• Classic Caesar Salad with Romaine Lettuce tossed with Garlic Croutons, Parmesan Cheese, Cracked Black Pepper and Creamy Caesar Dressing
• Radicchio, Bib, Belgian Endive, Crumbled Blue Cheese and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing
• Red and Yellow Beefsteak Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella and Aged Balsamic Glaze

This course was chosen solely out of consideration for our guests. Normally, the Radicchio, Bib, Belgian Endive or the Red and Yellow Beefsteak Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella would have been our choice, with more preference going towards the latter for me. However, those are some choices for people who really get into their salads, those who want something more than just the normal greens, shredded carrots and other standard topping. Seeing how a large portion of our guests are not those kind of people, we decided to go with the Caesar salad. I mean, like it says, it is a classic.

Course 4 – Entrees – Two to be chosen

• Maple Teriyaki Caramelized Salmon Filet – Marinated Filet of Salmon, Maple Glazed finished with a Citrus White Wine Butter Sauce
• Chicken Saltimbocca – Chicken Breast topped with Proscuitto Ham and Cheese, served over Sautéed Spinach in a Sage Cream Sauce
• Portobello Eiffel – Grilled Marinated Portobello Mushroom layered with Zucchini, Summer Squash and Baby Spinach served with Saffron Beurre Blanc
• Prime Rib of Beef Au Jus – Slow Roasted Prime Rib of Beef

Coming to a decision for the entrée was a little more complicated than we originally anticipated. Every course had a wonderful presentation and was tasty in its own way. What came to light, after giving everything a once over, was the limited options for those who are not vegetarians. If we decided to have one meat dish and one vegetarian dish (of which there was only one option) it wouldn’t be as diverse a choice for those who do eat meat. Seeing how everything tasted great, we asked if there was the option of just ordering the number of vegetarian plates needed. Thankfully, the venue was flexible (as they have been with many other things) and said it would be no problem. In the end it was decided that the Chicken Saltimbocca and the Maple Teriyaki Caramelized Salmon Filet would be the winners. This way, if there were any pescetarian’s or people with dietary restrictions, there would be a choice for them as well. Both the bride-to-be and I were extremely pleased with how we were able to meet everyone’s needs, and with excellent food at that.

Thus ends this chapter. What will the next post be about? It’s hard to say, but it probably won’t be as tasty as this one.

¹ Quick realization
² For those dying to know which “Save the Date” we decided to send…after more deliberation (much more) we finally were able to settle on sending them on flat paper, rather than glossy.
³ Which is all that has been done
⁴ My vote is for good old Cheese Wagons
⁵ Apparently black Florsheim Hugo’s are NOT ok
⁶ Said in the most obnoxious way possible
⁷ Not to be confused with “soup”

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On May 18^th and 19^th, 2013, I will be walking in the Boston Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I am walking for the many women in my life who have been affected by this unfortunate disease. Though I’m required to raise at least $1,800 to walk, I hope to raise more! The money I raise will be managed and disbursed by the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade to help provide access to care for those who most need it, fund educational programs, and accelerate research into new treatments and potential cures. I’ll be just one of thousands of people who will walk up to 39.3 miles over two days, raising awareness and promoting education. If you would like to help support me and my efforts to reach my goal, please consider making a donation using this link. Early detection is key!

Thank you-

Michelle

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One of the best parts of the trip was always driving the car off the ferry when we arrived on the island. We would breathe in those familiar smells, and check out what had changed as we drove to our rental. One year, just off the docks, we saw the sign for a new cookie shop, the Nantucket Cookie Company. Though of course we had brought baked goods–likely both something my mom and I had baked the day before the trip AND cookies my Gram made and packed for us in an old Ritz tin–we knew we would be stopping to check this place out. (We never met a cookie we didn’t like.) Soon this shop became a place we had to visit once or twice during a trip. They made great Nantucket cranberry-oatmeal, snickerdoodles, chocolate chipotle, and iced lemon cookies. We would buy an assortment, bring them home, and cut them into pieces so that everyone could try a piece of the different flavors. On the sad day when we had to pack up the car and return to the mainland, someone would run to the cookie shop and get our favorites to accompany lunch on the boat ride home.

Our favorite cookie of all was the mocha polka (now called the mocha frost). This was a lot like a chocolate crinkle cookie, but it had chips and a hint of espresso. My brother and his wife loved the cookie so much that they ordered them to give as favors at their wedding. It became my mission to figure out how to replicate these cookies at home. My version of these cookies has met with the approval of my favorite cookie tasters–those who have tried the original and those who have not. I always try to make them for my brother and sister-in-law for their birthdays at the end of April or for their wedding anniversary. In fact, I dropped off an early birthday batch yesterday. I wonder if there are any left today…

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We’re thrilled to welcome back guest blogger Carla Boucher to share her experiences fostering Greyhounds as we participate in Blog the Change for Animals.

“April is Adopt a Greyhound Month” How often do we see that type of headline, sign or internet meme? But, no…really…it IS Adopt a Greyhound Month! I look forward to seeing this each spring, as I HAVE adopted a greyhound and fostered 10 of them, to help them prepare for their forever homes.

(“Adopt a Greyhound” video courtesy of Friends of Retired Greyhounds)

I have loved the breed for years and was finally able to begin fostering in 2008. Our first foster, Boca, became a “foster failure”. So called because we failed at fostering and made him a member of our family.

I don’t know a lot about how foster parents of other breeds do, but it seems that greyhound foster families “fail” at it quite often. The group that I am involved with, Greyhound Options, sees this happen fairly frequently. The foster program is, in my opinion, the best way to learn about a dog’s personality and then match up the right greyhound with the right family. Our group encourages a home visit, for up to a month, in order for the adopter to see how the dog fits in to their lifestyle.

There is just something about this breed that makes even non-dog lovers fall in love with them. Is it the soulful eyes, the elegant demeanor, the legends (urban and otherwise), that make us so passionate about these dogs? We do crazy things with them like buy them special apparel, pose them in hats, use their photos on our Christmas cards, have reunions and cookouts, and countless web pages and Facebook groups.

I admit, I did not used to be a dog person. I was a cat person because cats are so cool and aloof. They aren’t needy like dogs and don’t really seem to know if we are around much at all. Then I met Amber. A friend asked me to dog sit and being between jobs, I thought, “why not? I can tolerate a dog for a week.” Amber was a beautiful, fawn-colored greyhound and the queen of her house. Like most greyhounds, she would spend 14 to 16 hours a day sleeping. She was not at all high maintenance. Sure, she needed 3 or 4 walks a day, but since we were dog sitting at the beach, it was not a chore at all. Amber loved her human and looked suspiciously at me for the first day or two. Once she warmed up she was a love. Most greyhounds “love the love” and will sit happily while they are petted, groomed and generally worshiped.

One of the wonderful perks of adopting a greyhound is that they are very used to their crate when they come into a home and are almost housebroken when they arrive. Their crate is their safe place and most are very happy to be in them. Greys are generally very healthy, having been raised as athletes, and can live 12 to 14 years.

Many greyhound groups, like Greyhound Options, host “meet and greets” nearly every weekend. As they are based in Weare, MA, there are more events in the western part of the state, but the eastern branch of the group also hosts meet and greets in the Boston area as well as around the Merrimack Valley. May 5, 2013 is our eagerly anticipated annual Spring Fling at Northwest Park in Windsor, CT.

I can’t say enough good things about these dogs and would encourage anyone to “meet” a greyhound and “greet” him or her into your home. It was the best thing that I ever failed at.

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