By Cindy Atoji Keene
Etsy vendor Dara Cheek wants to encourage the “buy local” craft movement in the Boston area. She’s a new breed of artist curator who aims to bring online artisans into collaborative communities, including assembled marketplaces that showcase some of the 58,858 items sold by Etsy members in the Boston area. “Even as the Internet opens up new connections and opportunities, it becomes even more important to bring the world of Etsy outside to the people,” said Cheek, who makes natural and global inspired jewelry.

. Q: What’s the learning curve for a craft-prenuer such as yourself?
A: It’s definitely a new approach to first build an art or craft business online using e-commerce websites such as Etsy. It’s forcing artisans such as myself to be not just smart at artsy endeavors but also tech wizards who can master keywords. It takes technological knowledge to make yourself visible in a very saturated space. It took me two years to get up to speed and understand search engine optimization, tagging, titling, and other ways to display and categorize. I’ve also had to embrace blogging, promoting on Facebook and Myspace, tweeting products, , participating in blog giveaways and charity donations, utilizing Pinterest, Flickr, and Tumblr, and most recently, making use of new crowd-sourced shopping/curating sites like The Fancy, Luvocracy, Svpply, and Polyvore.

Q: What’s the holy grail for Etsy sellers?
A: There are millions and millions of items for sale, so to get on the website’s front page and be featured in the highlighted collections is one of the best ways to get found. I’m constantly trying to master their search algorithms, which is tricky because it changes all the time. It’s all optimized for how a buyer would search for an item, and not for the sellers.

Q: How do you take an “Etsy-style” photo to highlight your listings?
A: There’s a lot of debate about photos on Etsy forums. When I first started out, I tried to take interesting photos that showed off my personality. I framed my jewelry in a natural setting and used moss and branches as ornamentation. But now there’s been a shift from staging of items to simple, clear close-ups of objects on a white background. I use a large white box and fill it with cotton filling so it adds texture and shadow, and then zoom in as much as possible.

Q: What other online craft marketplaces are gaining traction?
A: I also sell on Scoutmob, another site for independent artists. They have a special focus on searching websites by locale, so it’s popular among the younger crowd and folks looking for deals. I also like the Daily Grommet, Handmade Artists’ Shop and Fab.

Q: After factoring all your Etsy fees, PayPal fees, materials, and time, do you make a profit?
A: It's really difficult to say. I'm still in the process of building my business. All the fees do add up. Etsy recently changed the way they accessed fees; they take about 3 percent of the sale and it cost 20 cents to list an item and another 20 cents if you need to renew your listing. Paypal fees are similar; they charge for every sale as well. Of course, you have postage and shipping expenses and any ads for Facebook or Google advertising.

Q: What do you do about shipping?
A: I sell small jewelry pieces so I try to keep them affordable and still provide shipping in a method consistent with my brand. Etsy encourages sellers to ship in a thoughtful way as opposed to just throwing something in a box. I ship everything in a silver foiled gift box and a bit of ribbon so recipients recognize they’re getting a handmade piece from an individual seller.

Q: Why are you producing shows like “Assembled,” the handmade arts market at Assembly Row?
A: “Assembled” will showcase handmade arts and crafts at Assembly Row on May 18. It’s the first of an art series in Somerville, every Saturday through September. The first one features Boston Etsy artists and I’m responsible for collecting a curated group of handmade artisans to participate. I am focusing on diversity with a goal to have a broad range of styles, cultures, and media represented in the artwork being displayed For online artists, it’s just nice to get to talk to the people who buy your pieces and build a community with other vending artists.

Q: Etsy scandals have been in the news because of the controversy between "handmade" and "factory made." What's your view on all this?
A: There will always be unscrupulous people out there who just view Etsy as another virtual marketplace to take advantage of. It is so incredibly frustrating to have your handcrafted jewelry listed alongside an item that was stamped out by the thousands in a factory, both with the designation “handmade.” But I think my customers want something special – they want something with a great story behind.

8. How often do you work in your pajamas?
When I wake up, the first thing I do is finish pieces that were in progress the night before so I can get them off to the post office. In an effort to save time, not only do I not bother changing clothes, I drive to the post office in my pajamas to make sure those shipments get out in time.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

As the director of a small public library, Nathalie Harty gets into the nitty-gritty every day, whether helping patrons download e-books onto a tablet or creating an library wish-list for Amazon. With a staff of six and a building of 4,900 square feet, the Langley-Adams Public Library remains an information hub for Groveland and is busier than ever, said Harty, circulating about 5,000 books, DVDs, music CDs and magazines monthly. Despite sequestration cuts that threaten the library’s funding. Harty has been creative in juggling resources, keeping programs thriving and adding new technology.

A: What are the most popular books currently being checked out or requested at your library?
Q: Books mentioned by Oprah and other media outlets such National Public Radio bring patrons into the library to request those titles. Right now, we can’t keep the novel Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn on the shelf – the wait list for this suspenseful thriller is quite long. Another popular novel is The Good House by Anne Leary, which is set on the North Shore. We have also had to purchase multiple copies of Francona: The Red Sox Years by Terry Francona and Dan Shaughnessy.

Q: What are the most common type of reference questions?
A: It’s a toss up between high schoolers working on their research paper and genealogy questions from adults. I love challenging questions – one patron recently asked for peer-reviewed articles about a certain type of rare bird. It was fun to guide him to our electronic full-text journal database that anyone in Massachusetts can access.

Q: Is the Dewey Decimal System is still relevant?
A: I have mixed feelings about this. Most small and medium public libraries still use this classification system, since it’s a great way for librarians to organize and catalog their collections. But the Dewey Decimal System is not necessarily an easy way for our patrons to easily find what they’re looking for. At our library, the previous director adopted the BISAC (Book Industry Systems Advisory Committee) for the adult nonfiction collection. This is a system that the publishing industry uses for subject headings. It’s more “browser friendly” for patrons.

Q: How did you decide to become a librarian?
A: I didn’t become a bookworm until I was in middle school when I discovered romance novels. Later, my college library inspired me to become a librarian. I was supposed to be studying, but instead wandered around the aisles, amazed at the book and journal collections. After getting my undergraduate degrees and working in the corporate world for a few years, I decided to explore library school. But first I did some volunteering at the Chelmsford Public Library and was immediately hooked. The rest is history.

Q: What are reader's response to controversial books, like Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James?
A: We do carry the Fifty Shades trilogy. I didn't know anything about it until patrons starting coming in asking for it and really talking it up. So I ordered the series in regular print, large print and audio.They are a huge hit and almost never on the shelf. I did read them myself to better understand what all the talk was about. To date we have not had any formal complaints about this series.

Q: There are some reports of books as the favorite carrier of bed bugs. Any at your library?
A: Thankfully, we don't have bedbugs in our books and there have been no reports of any library in the Commonwealth that does have them. I recently attended a very informative webinar about bedugs and what to look for.

Q: What’s one of your all-time favorite books and why?
A: I have many favorites, but I love 19th century novels. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is close to the top. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it – I seem to pick it up every five years or so. Pride and Prejudice has so much between its covers: humor, wit, romance, sarcasm – plus, it’s beautifully written. There is a reason why there are so many film adaptations of this novel, not to mention all the current novelists writing spinoffs.

Q: How many books do you have at home?
A: I actually don’t have many books at home any more. I used to own scores and scores but when I moved from place to place, they got very heavy. I donated most of them and now borrow books from libraries. One caveat: If I borrow the same library book more than twice, I buy a copy for home. Case in point – I need to purchase my own copy of Practical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle, by Diana Sanfilipo.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

"Wine is Sunlight, held together by water” – this is the email signature used by Judith F McDonough, a Boston-based wine wholesaler who last year founded Mariposa Fine Wine and Spirits. McDonough is one of the few female wine wholesalers in the state angling her way into a traditional male-dominated market. “With the state's byzantine regulations, it hasn’t been an easy road but I’ve persevered and gotten my fine Italian wines placed with restaurants and retailers and the future is looking bright,” said McDonough, a former national sales rep for gourmet food products who decided to expand her portfolio to include wine.

Q: What type of wines from Italy do you represent?
A: Italy has 3,000 indigenous grapes and many of these regions are identified with specific wines. I represent award-winning wines from small vineyards; elegant boutique wines of great value not previously sold in the U.S. My niche is currently five Italian regions, Friuli, Lombardy, Calabria, Piedmont and Puglia. I have wines like Franciacorta, which is refined sparkling Italian wine – Italy's answer to France's champagne.

Q: What do you do as a wine wholesaler?
A: Massachusetts is the fourth largest consumer of Italian wines in the U.S. I’m sanctioned by the Commonwealth with a license to sell wine – not directly to consumers, but to hotels, restaurants, convenience stores, specialty grocery stores and caterers with a liquor license. I get my wine from the winery, supplier or vendor and then call on sommeliers, chefs, managers, and other distributors. It’s hard work, but I also get to taste wine and talk about it for a living. I also organize wine tastings, and other events to promote wine.

Q: Describe a typical sales call.
A: I carry a nice segmented tote bag that holds 12 bottles of wine and I am also permitted to transport up to 10 cases in my vehicle. I’ll recommend wines in my portfolio that best enhance a client’s menu. When we begin tasting, I uncork the wine and am the first to sample. I look at the work, smell the wine, pour it in the glass and aerate it by swirling – it’s called snuffing – then spit. I’ll make sure the wine is showing and tasting properly.

Q: How does one get a license to sell wine?
A: The Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) requires a copious amount of documentation to be filed, as well as an interview, financial review, criminal background check, and necessary fees. They want to know where the wine will be stored; how you’re being funded; origin of the wines, and other details. I am storing my wine in a public warehouse in Mansfield that has been approved by the ABCC; according to blue laws, this warehouse must be three miles from a church or school.

Q: Why has wine wholesaling been a male-dominated market up till now?
A: I have no idea but it’s been all about the old boys club. A lot of businesses are very loyal to their current distributor and won’t consider a new face. It’s very difficult as a female to bring in wines that have never been tried before. A lot of New Englanders don’t like change. But you have to be tough, and you can’t take “no” for an answer.

Q: What’s your favorite wine?
A: That’s a very tough question. I love Old World wines that have a varied character, balance of components, complexity and a sense of place, such as Ugo Lequio, Barbaresco, Chiaromonte, and Riserva.

Q: What’s your go-to sales outfit?
A: Always an elegant dress and great shoes (La Petite Robe di Chiara Boni, Elie Tahari). If I’m delivering wine, I’ll wear leggings or jeans, a great shirt and leather jacket and boots. I like effortless ease.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

In the quest to understand the mystery of sleep, researcher Erin Evans has studied the effects of sleep deprivation in high stress work situations, from astronauts to police and doctors. “Sleep is more complicated than most people realize,” said Evans, a sleep medicine fellow at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The effects of disrupted circadian rhythms – or the sleep-wake cycle – has been linked to everything from forgetfulness to obesity and heart disease. In addition to her sleep research, Evans is a sleep consultant at Isis Parenting, helping hundreds of families improve the sleeping habits of their children. As a mom of two children, though, Evans admits that even as a sleep expert, she’s constantly challenged by her 2-year-old son, who is a textbook case of a “poor sleeper.” “I thought I knew everything about sleep, but he’s putting me through the wringer.”

Q: You recently gave a seminar on how to help your child and yourself sleep better – what was the gist of the information you presented?
Q: I think many parents don’t know where to begin to address sleep issues. It’s only when sleep is being taken from you that it becomes an all-consuming concern. We imagine this peacefully sleeping baby but don’t know how to get to this reality. Sleep in a young infant is a moving target and while one 4-month-old might sleep through the night, another may need to nurse a few times a night. I firmly believe that there is no "one-size-fits-all" strategy. The most important thing is to develop a plan that is realistic and that the family can implement with consistency.

Q: How did you get interested in sleep as a research topic?
A: Sleep takes up a third of our lives. But why do we need to sleep so much? What is the point? We know now that sleep plays an important role in memory, learning, and cognition, but 10 years ago, when I first started studying sleep, it was more of a huge mystery. There continue to be many unanswered questions about sleep that intrigue me.

Q: What are the different ways to test sleep?
A: It depends what you're looking at. For insomnia, for example, people may not necessarily report sleep accurately – often they ‘misremember’ the amount of time they actually sleep. Sleep duration can be studied with a watch-like device that has an accelerometer inside. Because sleep and wakefulness differ by the amount of body movement, this wrist actigraph measures motion. If we have more extensive question, such as what does caffeine or light exposure due to sleep, we might use electrodes to look at brainwaves.

Q: What did you find out in your study of astronauts?
A: I went to the Johnson Space Center in Houston to speak to astronauts before and after space shuttle voyages. This was part of the largest study of sleep in space ever conducted. Astronauts sleep a little less in space and we wanted to find out why, and whether we can control this. We are now analyzing that data.

Q: Do you ever take naps?
A: I do, because I work the night shift, monitoring sleep studies. There’s a saying among sleep researchers, ‘Some must watch, while some must sleep.’ As a result, I often need to take a nap to set myself up for optimal cognition during the night.

Q: When there are sleeping scenes in movies, what do they usually get wrong or right?
A: They are almost always wrong. I find myself yelling at the television every time that happens. If someone is doing a sleep study, for example, they’ll put electrodes on someone to find out about their dreams. This cannot happen – we look at brainwave activity, but can’t know what someone is thinking or dreaming about.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Squash is considered one of the world’s most aerobic racquet sports, said Paul Mathieson, head squash pro at Dover Squash and Fitness. In a four-walled indoor court, players rally as they try to score with a small, hollow rubber ball. “It’s a very strategic game that also requires mental tactics – like a physical game of chess,” said Mathieson, who has traveled to every continent playing squash while competing in several world championships. He is now coaching up-and-coming players, from four-year-old beginners to collegiate players, as the Dover club attracts an increasing number of junior players.

Q: Why has squash has exploded in popularity in the state in recent years, particularly among young people?

A: There are more facilities being built, including more courts in private middle schools and high schools. This has increased the number of squash courts in universities, with more varsity programs and club teams. And as more pros like myself come from overseas, the game gets promoted from a local level.

Q: Why is squash such an aerobic racquet sport?
A: The court is quite small and the ball doesn't bounce much so it requires a lot of energy and effort to get to the ball before the second bounce, as dictated by the rules of the game. Players have to lunge for the ball, which requires flexibility and speed, as well as hand-eye coordination and good concentration and patience.

Q: You’ve played squash around the globe. Are there any differences from country to country?
A: The dimensions of the squash court are identical no matter where you go. But because of different coaching styles and weather conditions, the game does change depending on where you are playing. In Egypt for example, players tend to attack more because it helps to finish off rallies faster – you don’t want to be going on for hours and hours in the heat. In England, it’s colder, so the rally is more prolonged so you try to outlast your opponent. And Australians are strong power hitters.

Q: How do you teach players to think strategically?
A: It takes a year or two just to develop shots and technique, then after that, I try to get kids to focus on strategies. There’s no secret formula, but one important tactic is to hit the ball in such a way that your opponent is forced to move back and forth on the court, tiring them out. There are also ways to take advantage of an opponent’s mentality; if they lose their temper, for example, then you can manipulate that.

Q: How did you start playing squash?
A: My father played in squash leagues, and one day, at age 14, when I went to watch one of his matches, I got on the court myself. I took to it very quickly and from that point on, went to the best squash schools in England, and trained with the most elite coaches and players in the country. There were four squash courts within a two-mile radius of where I lived, so it was very accessible, and I trained all the time.

Q: How many squash racquets do you have?
A: About 60 racquets. I have so much squash equipment, my wife had to throw out some of my squash equipment just to make space.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Who cleans up after a bloody murder or suicide? The potentially gory mess of brain matter, skull fragments, and pieces of corpses doesn’t faze crime-scene cleaner Bill Ciaccio, 33. He considers his job a service to the families who are left devastated after the investigators leave. Mopping up after someone dies involves handling risky biological waste such as blood and other bodily fluids, and properly disposing of material to avoid spreading viruses and diseases. “We have to treat everything with the utmost precaution, whether it’s a drop of blood or very morbid or grotesque,” said Ciaccio, who is a regional supervisor for Aftermath, a crime scene clean-up company.

Q: What sort of trauma do you clean up after?
A: It doesn’t have to be a crime scene; we also do industrial accidents, unintended deaths, gunshots and stabbings. My crew also does all the squad cars and jail cells for a lot of municipalities. There are strict laws about who can clean up fluids in a prison or police car. It could be vomit, feces, or blood – we see it all.

Q: How soon after it after the event do you show up?
A: We like to be in crime scenes shortly after the investigators leave the scene. The longer you let it sit, the more the odor and fluids spread, and what could be a one-day job turns into a very big endeavor. There can be odor and insect infestation because of the blood.

Q: What procedures do you follow?
A: We are on call 24 /7. When a call comes in, we have an hour to respond and be at the shop in North Attleboro. We’ll start contacting the family involved and get them up to speed so they know what to expect, and we’ll help them with the insurance paperwork. Upon arrival, the scene will be quarantined; plastic sheeting is erected and air scrubbers pump out the dirty air. The task could take four hours or three to four days. All surfaces are disinfected, sanitized and deodorized in a procedure called a biowash.

Q: What was it like when you saw your first crime scene?
A: I was nervous and I wasn’t sure how I would react. It was a bad decomposition on the Cape. An older woman who lived alone had passed away and was left unattended for 2-3 weeks in the summer time.

Q: How did you get involved in this line of work?
A: It suits me well because I have a background in construction, which is helpful because some clean-ups require that floorboards and walls be removed. My experience with the mortgage industry helped deal with the insurance paperwork. In many cases, homeowner’s insurance will cover the costs to clean up after a trauma.

Q: How do you keep emotionally detached from the scene you are encountering?
A: I don’t think I always am able to remain detached. There are times when I have a very difficult time staying professional. You’re dealing with people who have had the worst day of their life. Sometimes it really hits you and it’s hard to understand why things happen. I don’t have any answers. It shows you no one is far from tragedy. It could hit any of us at any time.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Acoustical engineer Herb Singleton always carries a pair of ear plugs with him – it’s not just to protect his ears, which are an important tool for his job, but also because he understands that noise pollution can cause countless adverse health affects, from high blood pressure to hearing loss.

Solving a noise or vibration problem often requires detective skills to track down the culprit, whether it’s a complaint about trains rumbling by or construction site din. “The primary goal of acoustical engineering is the reduction of unwanted sounds, but it’s often challenging to figure out what’s causing the noise and how to control it,” said Singleton, who says solutions include soundproofing a building, adding mufflers to equipment, or erecting noise berms made of soil, stone or rock on a property.

Q: How does acoustics fall under “engineering?”
A: Acoustics is engineering, but it tends to be a mix of electrical and mechanical engineering, with some physics thrown in. Since it's not a "fundamental" engineering discipline, it's not considered by some to be engineering; for example I'm licensed as a mechanical engineer in Massachusetts because the Mass Board of Licensure doesn't recognize acoustics as a separate discipline. This creates problems since the lay public will often defer to engineers in matters of sound, but many of these engineers don't have acoustics training and get sound concepts completely wrong – for example the misconception that trees and foliage make effective sound barriers.

Q: How do you measure noise levels?
A: Sound level meters can measure noise, whether it’s a person in the field or unattended noise monitors that run automatically for several days. These instruments are brought back to the lab and run through the computer. The trade off is that there’s a lot more data but also interfering sounds such as barking dogs or auto traffic that need to be screened out.

Q: What’s an example of a community noise project you’ve worked on?
A: A neighbor lived next to a Sudbury farm that had a noisy chicken coop. He wanted to document the noise levels to show that it wasn’t just roosters crowing in the morning but chickens who were active all day and night. He was able to successfully stop the farm expansion.

Q: How do you address train noise and vibration issues?
A: We can recommend sound mitigation measures by measuring train noise and seeing if it violates applicable noise limits. For example, if steel wheels are spinning on the tracks, they can create an annoying squeaking noise. This can be caused by wheels that flatten over time or have divets in them, in which case the train needs to be maintained or lubrication added to the track. For future rail projects, computer models use equations to calculate a noise level.

Q: You’ve been in this field for almost two decades. What changes have you seen
A: The biggest change is the availability of low-cost computer hardware that has transformed the practice. Now we can perform measurements today using relatively inexpensive tools that might have cost thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars even back in the late 90's.

Q: What’s your noise pet peeve?
A: Restaurant noise. Restaurants are often intentionally designed to be loud, which bothers me because as a customer, I hate screaming to hold a simple conversation. As a noise control engineer, I also know these high levels often exceed OSHA guidelines and therefore restaurant workers are likely experiencing hearing damage in addition to their long hours and low wages.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Like most avid golfers, Krishna Ramchandran is always trying to improve his game. Four years ago, when he started hitting the driving range, he quickly realized that playing like golf pro Tiger Woods is easier said than done. “My golf game at that time was poor, and I needed a way to see what I was doing wrong,” said Ramchandran, a computer engineer who saw in his experience an opportunity to create technology that changes the way people learn sports. Over time, he built a smart phone app that allowed him to video record his golf swing and watch it in precise slow motion – something that wasn’t possible at the time – and collaborate with other golfers to get tips for improvement. He launched the tech start-up Ubersense in 2011 after launching on the Apple app store and finding that users were using the app for other sports such as tennis, baseball, swimming, and gymnastics.

Q: What’s the 30-second elevator speech for Ubersense?
A: It’s a mobile app that’s like having a personal coach in the palm of your hand, using state-of-the-art video coaching tools – like virtual “chalk” and audio commentary – to help athletes and coaches improve their performance.

Q: Why is the golfing community so quickly adopting swing analysis apps?
A: Golfers are inquisitive and also a bit geeky, always looking for new aids, whether a new club or new apps. In the past, you needed a grand to set up a massive high-speed device on the course to videotape your form – and then a few days later, your golf game breaks down again and you can’t figure out what you’re doing wrong. Being able to analyze a swing’s sequence can help coordinate movements, like head positioning or other body mechanics, to improve technique. And, he adds, his golf handicap is down by about 15 strokes.

Q: What are some sports that have unique challenges when it comes to recording video analysis?
A: The US rowing team used our app to prepare for the Olympics. The biggest challenge was that the team and coach were on separate boats, so it was hard to focus on the individual rowers and the waves can create shaky recordings. But we’ve seen many rowers record videos while practicing in the gym on rowing machines rather on a live boat.

Q: What sports are using Ubersense that you didn’t expect?
A: I don’t think you’d call this a sport, but some masseuse use Ubersense to teach students the proper hand movements. We also have a relationship with the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation; this use case is mostly around the start, which is one of the most technical parts. The coaches also use multiple iPads on different turns to analyze how high or low the sled goes.

Q: How does using this app change the feedback that coaches can give?
A: Baseball coaches, for example, can compare two videos, perhaps a amateur player versus a pro, and use lines to pinpoint exactly what angle the athlete should be at when they take a swing. Angles become very important. Or for track and field, a coach can mark a freehand drawing on a video, which makes it easier to focus their commentary.

Q: Is the Apple store is the new version of the American Dream?
A: The mobile app stores offer excellent platforms to reach millions of users. It was easier to make money in the earlier days when most companies with deep pockets were still trying to figure out how to best build apps. The competition nowadays is fierce and apps have to be of very high quality in order to be successful.

Q: If you had to pick one programming language as your favorite, what would it be?
A: The C programming language and its variants, C++ and Objective C. I used to do a lot of C and C++ programming before Ubersense. We develop almost exclusively in Objective C nowadays as it’s the primary language used to create iOS apps. It is a really beautiful and elegant language if one is able to master it.

Q: What are some of the coolest hacks you’ve done in the past?
A: Probably the most fun hack that I did was when I was 8 years old. I bought some cheap parts in a flea market to build a remote controller battery powered toy truck.

Q: East Coast vs. West Coast for app development?

A: It really doesn't matter as long as one is able to surround oneself with top-notch talent. The West Coast has more such people to choose from, which is an advantage, but the competition to hire them is higher. The East Coast has equally talented people, and I would say that it’s a much more tight-knit and collaborative community.

Q: Your favorite app outside of Ubersense?

Flipboard - it aggregates all of the news and information in an elegant and easy to use interface.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Greenhouse manager Lynn Ackerman admits she was a bit unnerved at first about taking care of centuries-old camellias and grapevines grown from cuttings taken in the 1870s from Hampton Court in England. “I’d wake up in the middle of the night wondering, ‘Oh God, did I close that greenhouse vent? I was a bit of a wreck being steward of these noble plants.” But now, after serving as Lyman Estate horticulturist for over two decades, Ackerman, 51, said she’s more comfortable taking care of the notable collection. The historical estate in Waltham has among the oldest greenhouses in the country, built between 1804 and 1930, and still houses plants from those eras. Ackerman tends to thousands of plants and maintains award-winning orchids, while welcoming visitors to the greenhouses in all seasons.

Q: What’s the story behind these greenhouses?
A: There are four greenhouses, the earliest built in 1804. They are all connected with a brick backbone, and each one was constructed for a different sequence of plants by subsequent generations of the Lyman family. There is a camellia house, grapery, and a greenhouse for cut flowers. Today the greenhouses also shelter orchids, citrus fruits, exotic houseplants, orchids, and herbs, and are open year round to the public so visitors can enjoy the picturesque blooms.

Q: What makes the greenhouses different from other greenhouses?
A: They are completely different from commercial greenhouses, which use the latest technology in automation and insulation materials. But we strive to be historically accurate, so I take care of the garden just as they did 200 years ago. Instead of automatic watering systems and temperature control, I need to walk around and open vents, and water everything by hand. The lean-to style greenhouses have a glass roof facing southeast to capture the most sunlight. And instead of vast monocultures of mums, for example, we might grow 10-20 different plants.

Q: Which plants are the most difficult to tend to, and why?
A: I would say the camellias, because although the cool temperature and lighting are all perfect in the wintertime, in the summer time it’s a different story. The plants are rooted in a semi-permanent ground bed, so the trees have to stay in the greenhouse even in the sweltering days of summer when it easily gets over 100 degrees. This puts a lot of stress on plants, since we don’t have large air conditioning or cooling units. I have to do my best to hose and mist, and make sure the fans are going to keep evaporation up.

Q: How did you become interesting in horticulture?
A: I grew up on a dairy farm in upstate New York. My grandmother was a fantastic gardener and plant person. I was very inquisitive and watched her propagate geraniums for her porch. I was amazed you could take a little piece of plant and turn it into this amazing flowering bush.

Q: If there was one question you could ask the original owners of the Lyman Estate, what would it be?
A: Oh god, there are so many. Even all this time, I wish I could be a time traveler and see exactly how the Lymans did things. They didn’t even have rubber hoses to water plants, yet they accomplished big gardening feats.

Q: Do you believe people are born with a green or brown thumb?
A: I don't think it's green or brown – I think it's a matter of awareness and having horticultural common sense.

Q: What’s your favorite plant at the greenhouse?
A: I guess it would be a particular Madagascar orchid. It’s fairly small but very regal looking, and blooms almost continuously with white, thick and waxy flowers.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

While most artists are inspired by a blank canvas, Adie Sprague’s “mixed media of choice” is frosting and batter. As head baker of Treat Cupcake Bar in Needham, she applies her degree in studio art and sculpture to the world of cupcakes. While proper measuring of ingredients is key for baking perfect cupcakes, Sprague finds cupcakes the ideal showcase for her artistry because of their versatility in toppings and flavors. “There are endless combinations of options, and cupcakes are a delicious art form both in taste and appearance,” said Sprague, 27, who is also in charge of menu creation, and serves as Treat’s general manager.

Q: There are reports that the cupcake craze is over. What’s your take on this?
A: There may be cities that are saturated with cupcake shops but in Boston, there’s still plenty of enthusiasm for cupcakes to go around. Cupcakes are an indulgence, a low-priced luxury capitalizing on the love for sweets, without the commitment of buying a big cake.

Q: What goes into making a good cupcake?
A: We’re baking 700 to 1,000 a day, with 15-20 different flavors, including the mini cupcakes. It’s important to not cut corners; our butter bill is the biggest expense that we have – butter is expensive but that’s what it takes to make a good cupcake.

Q: What do you think of off-the-wall flavors, such as bacon-flavored cupcakes or fried chicken and buttermilk cupcakes?
A: While some cupcake brands offer savory cupcakes that feature flavors like bacon or cheese, we specialize in sweet treats. One of our funkier flavors was a spicy and sweet chai tea cupcake; we also did a faux sandwich cupcake – Fluffernutter topped with peanut butter frosting. We try to differentiate ourselves by offering other products as well such as cake pops, cupcake flower arrangements, and of course, our make-your-own cupcake bar.

Q: What’s the biggest challenging in satisfying a wide-range of possible dietary restrictions?
A: Before we opened this store two and a half years ago, I baked a lot on my own. One of the first cupcakes I made was vegan; you can use coconut oil and almond milk and ingredients like that. I work to ensure all Treat customers feel welcome, and mix up special dairy, sugar and gluten-free recipes. The biggest challenge in developing vegan and/or gluten-free cupcakes is making a delicious gourmet product without it being too expensive. Ingredients for these cupcakes are more costly, but we want them to be similarly-priced as our other flavors.

Q: How did you get started in baking?
A: I always pictured myself as a baker and did a lot of side jobs while going to school. For one sculpture assignment, the professor asked the students to take any part of the body and use any medium to make the mold. While everyone else used clay or plaster, I used brownie batter. When I eventually listened to my heart, I realized cupcakes and cakes were my destiny.

Q: What’s the most fun you’ve had with a cupcake?
A: One custom order was making a Mr. Potato Head out of all edible material. The giant cupcake was the same exact size as a Mr. Potato Head, while white chocolate pieces were the arms and accessories. It was pretty fun. An interactive toy but edible.

Q: Is there any innovation you’d to see made to the cupcake that would improve it for you?
A: Cupcakes are such a delicate product. I wish there was a way to make them easier to transport and ship. It would be great to make them bottom heavy as opposed to top heavy, but you can’t change physics.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

With two generations of railroad workers in her family, there's no doubt working on the rails is in Chelsea Carr’s blood. But as a locomotive engineer, Carr, 23, is the first female in her family to actually take the controls of a 285,000-pound diesel engine as she operates commuter rail trains throughout Eastern Massachusetts.

Hired as an assistant conductor with Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR) four years ago, Carr quickly worked herself up to the job of conductor, then attended MBCR’s engine school, graduating as a locomotive engineer last year. She now works as part of the MBCR’s mechanical and engineering team six days a week, on-call as a locomotive engineer. “Every set of equipment runs differently; you have to make constant adjustments,” said Carr. “You might have a seven-car double-decker set, which runs differently than six cars that are a flat set. As an engineer, I need to operate at 100 percent and know every rule and how to apply them, no matter what situation I’m in.”

Q: What does it mean to be an on-call engineer with the MBCR?
A: I could be called at any time and asked to show up within two hours to run any train line that originates from South Station. On Monday, I might be called to Providence; maybe Greenbush on Tuesday or Middleboro on Wednesday. I go wherever I am needed.

Q: What did you learn at MBCR’s engine school?
A: This training program included classroom instruction, simulation, and hands-on experience in locomotive operation. We had eight weeks of mechanical training course, then learned how to run trains from different outlying points.

Q: Is one particular commuter rail line more challenging than another?
A: If I’m going to Wickford, R.I., for example, there’s more pressure because I’m dealing with two railroads – Amtrak runs to Wickford. If I’m going out to Worcester, there’s CSX. In either of these cases, there is more traffic and I need to deal with not just my own crew but a different railway’s crew as well. It’s important to get the train safely and efficiently to its destination, but sometimes you need to run around a freight train.

Q: What goes into your job that people might not be aware of?
A: We need to know how to troubleshoot a problem that an engine or train might be having. It could be something really simple, like a governor button, which controls certain mechanisms or systems, or it could be more complex, such as a rescue move for another train.

Q: How challenging is it to run a commuter rail train to its destination?
A: Locomotive engineers are required to not just have mechanical training but also to know all the physical characteristics of a line – where the stations and signals are, inside and out, and all the rules that pertain to that particular place. If I’m going to Plymouth, I need to know the grade of the territory and whether it’s uphill, downhill, or curved, and then run the train accordingly. As I get closer to the Franklin-Dean station, I’ll put a little more power on the uphill to maintain top speed of 70 miles an hour.

Q: What’s it like to be from a railroad family?
A: My grandfather worked in a tower, which is the equivalent of a train dispatcher now. My father is a track laborer. I rode the trains when I was a little kid, so there’s a lot of nostalgia around the railroad for me.

Q: When driving a commuter rail train you must get to see parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island from a different perspective. What’s your favorite scenic view?
A: Watching the sun come up in Warwick, R.I., and seeing all the boats docked is really pretty.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Some of the ingredients in processed dog food could be considered almost toxic: Cancerous food dyes, meat by-products, artificial flavoring and colors, sodium, and preservatives. When Newton resident John Edwards, 36, started researching pet brands and comparing labels, he realized that Sasha, his golden Lab mix, might be healthier if she ate the same natural, fresher, and locally sourced foods as humans. With more consumers interested in a more holistic approach to pet food, Edwards saw an opportunity in the $52 billion dollar pet product industry for a pet food made in New England with organic, premium ingredients. He launched The Well Fed Dog in 2010, formulating recipes made in small batches in a commercial kitchen, including beef and sweet potato; salmon and pumpkin; and unorthodox pet food ingredients such as collard greens, blueberries, and celery. “More and more pet owners understand that responsible ownership means making their dog’s health a priority. That means investing in a nutritious, balanced diet,” said Edwards, who said he is part of a new breed of “pet-preneurs.”

Q: What are some ingredients in commercial food that you find particularly offensive?
A: Meat meal is a dried meat product that comes from ground bones and flesh, but it’s a non-specific animal, so it could be a mix of pigs, llama, horses, deer, or anything else. This mulligan stew of junk can’t go into the human food supply chain. Even road kill makes its way into it. Instead, our dog food is locally produced with fresh fruits and vegetables and human grade meat.

Q: How does one break into the pet food market?
A: It is a difficult task, since there’s a lot of oversight from the USDA, FDA, AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials), and each state’s department of agriculture. As a former banker, I went from one very regulated business to another, but this background was helpful in picking my way through the red tape. There are regulations on how ingredients can be labeled, what testing needs to be done, preparation and storage, and other best practices.

Q: In your opinion, when does dog food go “over-the-top?” Isn’t it unnecessary to have grass-fed bison, or free-range emu in pet food as some places offer?
A: What’s important to one person might not be to someone else. Some people may think that cruelty-free protein sources like grass-fed bison in dog food is over-the -top, but having options can give you peace-of-mind. Although some of these protein sources may seem strange, multiple allergies in dogs are incredibly common. My own dog is allergic to chicken, which is in almost every major food brand because it’s a cheap protein source. She was very sick until we discovered it and removed it from her diet.

Q: The consumer is often faced with a glossary of pet food terms, ranging from "natural" to "human grade," etc. What advice would you give them to help navigate this maze?
A: Consumers face this with human food too and it’s terribly confusing. The phrases can mean different things in different situations, so it can get pretty complicated. I wouldn’t rely on any of these terms in isolation as a proxy for quality. “Natural” or “Human Grade” could be a marketing gimmick or it could be a true indication of quality. The bottom line is that people can’t rely on these terms to choose a quality food and need to do their own research. Talk to your vet, investigate the manufacturer to see if there is a history of recalls, and shop at stores with knowledgeable staff.

Q: Allergies, obesity, high-maintenance -- what are some other special needs of dogs that you’ve addressed in your dog food?
A: A local vet I work with recently told me about a really interesting patient of hers with a food allergy. The dog had a history of biting people and the owner was getting frustrated with the situation. They’d tried working with trainers and behaviorists with no luck. As kind of a last ditch effort, they switched up the food, and almost immediately the biting stopped. If a dog is suffering from a food related condition they cannot always communicate that and will sometimes lash out. An animal’s wellbeing goes far beyond just providing the minimum level of nutrition.

Q: Obesity in dogs is increasing. Is this an owner problem or a dog problem?
A: Diet and lifestyle are the first victims of our busy lifestyles. The solution for obesity in pets is the same as for people; a little less food in the bowl and a lot more exercise. Losing weight can be a great team project for you and your dog; dogs make excellent walking companions. A dog being overweight is really an owner problem because they rely on us to take care of them.

Q: Are you planning on coming out with a line of cat food?
A: Cats and dogs have very different nutritional needs, although we tend to think of them in the same class. Cats are really carnivores and hunters in their natural state, while dogs have been evolving next to humans for the last thousand years and are perfectly designed to steal food off your counter. They require more diverse nutrients and carbohydrates.

Q: Does your dog Sasha get blueberry facials or wear rain slickers?
A: That’s not my thing. I start to get a little worried about dogs that are dressed in silly costumes.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Architect Ethan Anthony claims to have laid the cornerstones for the first true Gothic churches built in the U.S. since the World War II. With graceful stone spires, soaring arches and ornate stained glass windows, they are legacy designs intended to last for centuries. By dedicating himself to the revival of such traditional sacred architecture, Anthony is carrying on the tradition of his firm’s early twentieth century founder, Ralph Adams Cram, who created religious masterpieces such as the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City. “Sacred architecture is architecture of the spirit, and includes all denominations and inclinations, from Buddhist all the way to High Roman Catholic,” said Anthony, 62. “It’s not about the ego or church image but more about spiritual fulfillment,” said Anthony, who completed such structures as St. Edward’s Chapel at the Casady School in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church, Houston, and Phillips Chapel at the Canterbury School, Greensboro N.C.

Q: Modern day sacred architecture – isn’t that an oxymoron?
A: It depends on what coast you’re on. Here in New England, it is a contradiction in terms, but most of our work is in the Bible Belt area, including the Midwest, South, and all parts of the heartland. Construction in New England, though, is few and far between. The archdiocese still has far more churches than they wish they had.

Q: You’ve completed a wide range of churches. What project is your favorite?
A: The Syon Abbey, a monastery in Virginia. It sits on the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. We build it with tremendous support from the monks to do the design that they envisioned. They even got their hands dirty and did some of the construction themselves. The building came out beautifully.

Q: Can sacred architecture also be sustainable?
A: We try very hard to be energy-efficent in the way we build, and incorporate a lot of LEED principles in our design, although usually the religious community can’t afford to apply for LEED designation, which is very expensive. We use durable building materials that don’t decay quickly, extra insulation, and other sustainable measures.

Q: Your firm was founded in 1889 by Ralph Adams Cram. How does his work influence you?
A: Cram was one of the founders of the Boston Society of the Arts and Crafts, and his sense of high-quality material, groundness in tradition, and being a part of a long history of classic architecture is very much what I am interested in as well. When I joined the firm, I started going through all the archives – there are maybe a hundred thousand drawings in the Cram collection in the Boston Public Library. I spent many days going through these drawings, and looking at the details. It set a high standard for me to aspire to.

Q: How did you become interested architecture?
A: From the time I was a little kid, my mother taught me about carpentry and talked about architecture with me. She was very interested in Frank Lloyd Wright and modernist architecture. The irony of my interest in traditional architecture is that I grew up in a very modernist house with a flat roof that was a bit ridiculed in our neighborhood.

Q: What will the church of the future look like?
A: Churches and spiritual life are very diverse and constantly changing. We continue to have a range of different solutions to that one question, “What is the best ‘home’?” People continue to fall on one side or another of this question, either modern or traditional. But even in traditional churches, you will see incorporation of technology, such as incorporating sound systems in the liturgy.

Q: Do you ever feel you were guided by divine inspiration when designing a church?
A: "Inspiration" is a critical part of every project. I often despair of finding a solution, then the answer arrives on its own. My best work is done on an airliner tray. Closer to God. I work even better in First Class!

By Cindy Atoji Keene
The “Jeep wave” is a tradition among Wrangler drivers, symbolizing loyalty, fraternity and a common passion for adventure and freedom. For Peter Catanese III, waving to other like-minded enthusiasts as they pass on the highway is just one of the reasons he loves being a “Jeeper.” “There isn’t another vehicle on the road that’s like a Jeep. It’s an iconic brand that’s fun and sporty,” said Catanese, the mastermind behind JustForJeeps.com. He says the website has expanded his family’s dealership, Central Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Norwood, into a popular source for Mopar parts (equipment manufactured for Chrysler vehicles.) JustForJeeps.com, launched seven years ago, draws about 3,000 visitors a day and generated $2 million in Internet-based parts sales last year, including to drivers in the Australian Outback and Tahiti. JustForJeeps.com also carries accessories and gear for Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Cherokee, Compass, Patriot and Commander, including Jeep-branded golf balls, hoodies, umbrellas, and even socks. “Jeep owners are among the most loyal,” said Catanese. “Their enthusiasm is endless.”
Q: This summer, you held the first annual Jeep Festival at the dealership. How did Jeep owners respond?
A: It was a rainy day in August, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but 300 Jeep owners showed up with their vehicles, mainly Wranglers. Caravans of Jeeps met up at service plazas and other places around Boston and drove down together. We had raffles, country music, and just hung out. One of our slogans was, “Jeeps, Jeeps, Jeeps! It’s a Jeep thing – you wouldn’t understand.”
Q: Jeeps used to have a reputation for unreliability – is that still the case?
A: Not at all – Jeeps are completely different now. Starting in early 2000, the entire Jeep and Dodge brand changed. The new Grand Cherokee is amazing, especially for the price, mid $30,000. There’s an updated Wrangler too; they came out with four-door vehicles that made it a practical vehicle for the family instead of the vehicle that always sat in the driveway.
Q: What’s the most popular item or accessory that you sell?
A: Even more than parts, Jeep clothing – like children’s Jeep overalls – are popular. In the last year, we’ve also sold a lot of cargo liners, splash guards, tote bags, and folding chairs. Running boards, or side steps as well as roof racks also go quickly.
Q: How did you happen to start JustforJeeps.com?
A: After I finished college, I started working at the dealership, managing the Internet sales department for new vehicles. But I just didn’t enjoy the price- haggling part of my job, and one day, a Mopar sales rep visited and told me about how another dealer was attracting a lot of customers by selling Mopar parts online. I decided we needed to do the same thing. It’s a good niche, because only dealers can sell Mopar parts – regular customers can’t just go out and get them.
Q: Did you expect to be selling worldwide?
A: We have shipped anywhere you can think of, including Vanuatu, a remote island in the South Pacific where one of the Survivor seasons was filmed. We haven’t gotten many orders from Africa, but we’ve had Jeep customers in the Middle East, South America, the Caribbean, and a huge business to Australia.
Q: What was it like to grow up the son of a dealership owner?
A: When I was 16, I got a demo car, lucky me. It was a new Grand Cherokee. Even up to today, I’ve never owned a car; all my cars were owned by the dealership. Today I drive a green Wrangler.

Q: Of all the Jeeps, which one is your favorite?
A: The Wrangler. It’s practical and a lot of fun, and practically the only car where other drivers wave to you. I recently put the Wrangler to the test and went off-road at the Rocky Mountain Terrain Park in Maine. I often thought, “We’re going to tip over” or “I can’t go up that incline,” but the car proved me wrong.

Q. I have been at my company for three years, and I have done well, with only positive reviews. I have a new boss, who hovers over me when I am at my desk and touches my arm and shoulders. He also spends too much time in my office on things that are not work related. He has invited me to lunch several times which I have done because he is my boss, but it makes me nervous. I want to keep my job. What should I do?

A. You should be able to feel comfortable at work, with clear boundaries as to what is professional behavior, and what crosses the line. Massachusetts and federal law protect employees from sexual harassment in the workplace. This includes overt “quid pro quo” harassment where a boss asks an employee to provide sexual favors in exchange for a raise, promotion or even to keep her job. There is also a “hostile work environment” in which a boss, co-workers, or both, say or do things which make the work environment so oppressive that no reasonable person would tolerate it. The catch is that the harassment must be based on your gender (or race, age or some other protected category) and it must be genuinely intolerable, not just to you but to any reasonable person. For example, having a boss who is mean or unreasonable is not illegal.

I consulted with Valerie Samuels, an employment lawyer at Posternak Blankstein & Lund in Boston. Attorney Samuels notes that this is a difficult situation because, although it’s your right to raise your concerns with senior management, it’s likely that your boss won’t be thrilled to be called onto the carpet. Given that your boss has not done anything clearly inappropriate, your first step should be to tell him that you feel uncomfortable about his actions. Your boss may just be touchy-feely and not even realize he is making you uncomfortable.

Attorney Samuels advises that any retaliation by your boss or others in the company is unlawful. If talking it over with your boss does not do the trick, or makes things worse, she suggests you promptly report this situation to human resources. Explain your concerns and provide the names of any co-workers who have witnessed the conduct. Human resources should investigate your concerns and address them with your boss. If this does not resolve the problem, seek advice from an attorney or you may file a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

Employees no longer have to put up with harassment based on gender, race, religion, age, disability, national origin or sexual orientation. Know your rights and call attention to these issues but keep in mind that not everything rises to the level of unlawful harassment. In this situation your boss may be clueless, have poor interpersonal skills or be just too friendly

By Cindy Atoji Keene
Yacht broker Marc Winder admits his name is apropos for his job at Sailboats Northeast in Marblehead. He gets teased frequently about his surname, but says for boat buyers and sellers, it’s an apt reminder of his maritime services. As a yacht broker, he acts as an agent, assisting with negotiations and helping clients locate vessels to purchase. “Unlike a house or car, people who are buying a yacht are doing it because they want to, not because they have to. So it’s a very pleasurable experience for all of us,” said Winder, 62, who likes to say that he “jumped ship” four years ago from construction management to become a yacht sales professional. Most of his customers are families looking for a recreational yacht, but he also has “high enders buying very exotic race boats.”

Q: What’s the difference between a yacht and a boat?
A: The two terms get thrown around interchangeably, but boats tend to be row boats or dinghys, whereas yachts are serious boats with sophisticated rigging, mechanisms, and electrical systems. We often also refer to them as ‘vessels,’ since that is how the Coast Guard refers to anything that floats.

Q: What types of yacht are in currently in high demand?
A: There is a great deal of activity in high-performance sports boats, sometimes called ‘one design’ because they are a uniform style that is used for racing. They are fun boats with minimal cruising accommodations but still suitable for a couple nights out on the waters. A family might do a Wednesday night race and then head for a weekend jaunt on an island.

Q: What’s the typical price range for a yacht?
A: Anywhere from as little as $2,500 to $250,000 and up. It’s important to work within your budget. One of my early questions is, ‘What are you comfortable spending?’ It makes no sense showing yachts beyond their reach – it’s cruel.

Q: Is brokering a yacht still very bound up in tradition?
A: It continues to function in a very polite way, where there is a great deal of trust invested in brokers. We sit down without attorneys, and often I equally represent both buyer and seller. Some first-time buyers are a bit surprised by the level of care that goes into the transaction, including documenting the vessel and transferring documentation. My commission is 10 percent of selling price, which gets divided up in multiple ways.

Q: What kind of boat do you own?
A: I used to have a wonderful Freedom 32 which I sold, much to the gnashing of teeth of my two children. So I am still hunting for my own boat. A yacht broker is his own worst customer.

Q. I work at a restaurant full time, and most of what I earn is based on tips. We have always kept our own tips, but the new manager decided [we] are now going to pool tips. No one on the wait staff is happy about it, and we are now making less than we used to. I’m not saying he is skimming, but I want control of the money people leave me. What can we do about this?

A. Changing the way anyone gets paid is not something employees typically enjoy unless compensation goes up. How organizations deal with tips has been a matter of much controversy over the last few years. To get accurate information, I consulted with Daniel Field, an employment attorney at Morgan Brown and Joy, LLP in Boston who explained: ‘unless the restaurant is skimming or distributing tips improperly, the new tip pooling policy at this restaurant is probably lawful’.

Massachusetts and federal law allow employers to mandate that restaurant employees participate in a tip pool; this is often done to ensure that all employees who serve customers receive a fair share of the tip. Tip pools are subject to several important legal restrictions. The Massachusetts Tip Law forbids an employer from requiring any wait staff employee to participate in a tip pool where tips are distributed to anyone other than wait staff employees or service bartenders. A wait staff employee is defined by law as a person who provides direct service to patrons, such as serving food and beverages, running food or bussing tables. Service bartenders do not have to provide direct service to share tips, but can simply prepare "alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages for patrons to be served by another employee." The federal minimum wage law, (Fair Labor Standards Act) further prohibits tip sharing with employees who do not customarily and regularly receive tips, such as kitchen and administrative staff.

Management employees may not share in tips, whether they are pooled or not. According to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division, which enforces the law and where Field formerly served as Chief, “Workers with limited managerial responsibility, such as shift supervisors, assistant managers, banquet captains and many maître d's may not participate in tip pools. Managerial responsibilities can include supervising banquet events, making or influencing employment decisions, scheduling shifts or work hours of employees, supervising employees and assigning servers to their posts.” A federal appellate court recently ruled that this means that employees, such as servers in coffee shops who act as shift supervisors and who have only “exceedingly slight” supervisory duties, may not participate in tip pools.

Massachusetts law provides for significant penalties when a tip pool is administered incorrectly– whether it is employer-mandated, or employee organized. Even inadvertent mistakes by restaurants can have serious consequences, and can permit employees to recover from their employer three times the amount of their lost tips, plus their attorneys’ fees. Many local restaurants, resorts and coffee shops, large and small, have faced multi-million dollar judgments after erroneously including supervisory, administrative or kitchen staff in a tip pool. The law is controversial and some employers have responded by forbidding tipping altogether, while others have cut lower level supervisors out of tip pools, as seems to be mandated by the law.

Daniel Field is partner with Morgan, Brown & Joy, LLP which represents employers exclusively in employment and labor law matters.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Scot Hopps gets plenty of teasing at the Lenox Hotel for his incessant attention to detail, including his vigilance to “light patrol” – swapping out the occasional rogue incandescent bulb to more energy-efficient LED. Hopps, the “Director of Green,” an environmental program manager for the Boston luxury hotel, is responsible for championing the hotel's numerous environmental initiatives, including hybrid vehicles, filtered water stations, LED roof signs, waterless urinals, and an entire hypo-allergenic floor. It’s more than a “green” hotel movement, though, said Hopps. “ ‘Green’ is definitely the term du jour but the duration and scope of what we are doing is more about sustainability and a long-term scope that encompasses not just the environment, but also a dedication to community, service, health, and business.”

Q: Isn’t it difficult to be green and also a luxury hotel?
A: That’s one of the myths about sustainability – that it limits or reduces pleasure, or that “I don’t get to have as enjoyable an experience because I’m thinking about being green.’ But the opposite is the truth. For example, if you’re eating local seafood and taking the T instead of driving, these are all enhancing your experience of green travel in New England, as well as allowing you to really enjoy the city. For the Lenox Hotel, many of our environmental efforts are behind the scenes, such as employee uniforms created from recycled plastic bottles, soy-based ink for all our printing, or washable plates and cups in our employee cafeteria.

Q: What projects are you currently working on?
A: We’re making an ambitious attempt to completely eliminate plastic water bottles from the hotel by installing filtered water stations on each floor as well as having attractive carafes and glasses in each room. And instead of single-use shampoo, conditioner and moisturizer bottles, we’re also working on implementing amenity dispensers in guest rooms, which eliminates a huge amount of waste.

Q: The Lenox is over a hundred years old. Does that make greening the property more difficult?
A: Yes, it does, and I’ll give you an example. The lobby has incredible chandeliers and when I tried to replace the decorative candelabra bulbs with LED technology, it didn’t have the right warmth and charm. So instead of using an inadequate off-the-shelf solution, we partnered with a vendor who customized the LED bulb till we were able to put it side-by-side with the existing bulb and not tell the difference.

Q: What's the best way to find out if a hotel is sustainable?
A: More travel search engines are adding the option for guests to be research which hotels are ‘green.’ But there is an overuse of green marketing online – almost all hoteliers are making environmental claims, so the best way is to ask questions when talking to the front desk or when calling to book a room.

Q: How did you get interested in sustainability?
A: Before I earned my engineering degree, I worked in just about every hospitality role, from overnight bellman, room service, housekeeping, and hotel manager. Later, I worked for a company that installed renewable energy systems. So it was a great marriage of the two. In addition, as a scuba diver, I am very interested in protecting our natural world.

Q: What energy conscious measures do you take at home?
A: I am the one who runs around the house and turns off all the lights, much to the dismay of my wife, who is often walking right back into that same room. I would also like to create a system where my dog’s rambunctious energy can somehow be harnessed into heating the house, but I haven’t figure that out yet.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

The human nose is the most sensitive instrument in the world, said Roy Desrochers, a sensory analyst at GEI Consultants in Woburn. People can detect odors in even infinitesimal quantities, so if a product smells foul or a manufacturing plant is giving off a stench, highly-trained experts like Desrochers are often called in by manufacturers to address odor and flavor issues. His tasks range from the absurd, such as eating dog and cat food, or smelling used feminine napkins, to the enjoyable – such as tasting beer, ice cream and chocolate. “Sensory evaluation helps companies evaluate their products and services to ensure product quality, consumer satisfaction, and marketing success,” said Desrochers, 51. “Odor and flavor issues can be complex and aren’t always easy to understand.”

Whether it’s trying to determine the best shelf life of products; detecting possible smells from paper or plastic packaging; or examining a tainted water supply, Desrochers deploys a panel of human evaluators to respond to the products being tested. Test results are recorded, then a statistical analysis is deployed to generate insights and inferences regarding the product, said Desrochers, who also spends more than half the year traveling the globe to provide sensory staff training in places such as India and Taiwan. “As consumer preferences change, businesses must also frequently re-evaluate flavors, tastes and odors to determine product strategy,” said Desrochers.

Q: What’s the difference between your nose and the nose of the average person?
A: The main difference is that I’ve worked very hard to smell and taste a lot of things and memorize what they are, so I can put a correct name to it what I’m smelling and tasting. You might say, ‘this is a funny taste,’ while I would say it’s nonanoic acid, which is a rancid tasting beer. While we are both tasting the same thing, I can identify what it is and what to do about it. It’s like practicing a musical instrument. It’s important to have a vocabulary that expresses how something smells and tastes.

Q: What is your typical day like?
A: I show up for work at 7 a.m., and by 7:30, I could be sitting at a beer panel tasting six different beers. Then, at 8:40, I’ll be conducting a second panel, tasting orange juice. Then I might get a complaint about odors in a neighborhood, so I’ll drive around the streets and go to the factory grounds to try to pinpoint the cause. In the afternoon, I’m back in the lab, sniffing new plastic resins to use for a beverage bottle; then later, I’ll have a video conference with a group in India, Internet tasting with people around the world. My last panel of the day might be new prototypes of low-sugar chocolates.

Q: What do you do if you have a cold?
A: If you are just congested and a little bit of air still gets through, that’s all you need for the nose to work. The nose can be somewhat fickle at times, though, with certain safety mechanism to protect you. If you smell something really strong, such as hydrogen sulfide, a smell from sewers, the nose will shut down and won’t let you smell it anymore.

Q: How did you get into this line of work?
A: I have two degrees, in chemistry and geology. I thought I’d be working in a lab doing analytical chemistry, but I interviewed for a job that ended up being for a beer taster. The woman asked me, “Do you have any objections to tasting beer?” I spent my first 19 years at this company, doing all sort of sensory, environmental and packaging work, not just beer.

Q: What’s the future of sensory analysis?
A: There’s a lot of activity around e-noses, or electronic noses, especially for testing tobacco or alcohol. The technology is getting better, but I don’t think instruments will ever replace people.

Q: What’s your favorite smell?
A: That’s a tough question; it’s like asking which one of my kids is my favorite. But I’m a bit of a romantic, so I like things that remind me of the good old days, like musty books. I also love the smell of good perfrume, especially a nice fruity, floral scent.

I have to write a self-evaluation as part of my annual review with my manager this month. Should I be tough on myself so they know I’m open to constant improvement, be honest about my strengths and weaknesses; or go easy and let my manager point out my development opportunities?

Congratulations on taking the strategic approach to your performance review and development plan. Evaluations are intended to help further your career and provide benchmarks that may impact monetary rewards. As uncomfortable as it can be to evaluate your own performance, it is critical that you sing your own praises as honestly as you share your areas for development.

Depending on the size of your company or team, you may work for a manager who is less aware of your day-to-day activities and responsibilities. Therefore, your self-evaluation is a great place to reflect back what it is you do for your organization. You don’t need to provide finite detail, but providing an overview is helpful. Even if your manager is very hands-on, it’s still important to communicate what your role entails, your achievements, and challenges.

When detailing your accomplishments and successes be as specific as possible. For example, use quantifiable terms like ‘demonstrated strong leadership and budget management skills on X project’ as opposed to using subjective adjectives like ‘great’ or ‘excellent’. Where you can, tie results and outcomes back to productivity; how much revenue was driven (if possible) or how much money or time was saved.

Provide concrete examples of where you went above and beyond to help specific people or teams on specific projects.

As you discuss your professional shortcomings, give specifics on how they have been a hindrance and how you have worked on them and plan to continue to work on them. Give an example of a project where you felt you were not at your best, what you learned and what you are doing differently now. Also remember that everyone has areas where they need to develop and your manager will appreciate your honesty and your self-awareness. If there are ways your manager can help, whether through a class, or teaming with him/her, make that suggestion.

Your self-evaluation is an opportunity for you to drive the dialogue about your professional growth and livelihood. You should always be just as honest about your assets just as you would be your liabilities. It’s not bragging; it’s a requirement for managing your career.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

In the decade that she has been studying marine ecology, Randi Rotjan has seen major changes in coral reefs, including reef loss due to a boom in coastal development,; an increase in invasive species such as lionfish, and other changes in the ocean. As a New England Aquarium scientist, she has been collecting real-time data on warming oceans and reef loss in her research as she explores the tropical waters near places like Belize, Saudi Arabia, and the Bahamas. “It’s amazing to dive into the oceans and get a glimpse of the way it should have been before people started interfering,” said Rotjan, 35, of her studies at the far-flung Phoenix Islands in the Central Pacific Ocean, so remote that they are a five-and-a-half day boat trip away from Fiji. “But even in such a remote locale”, Rotjan says, “human-induced change is evident”.

Q: Why the interest in Phoenix Islands as a research site?
A: It is one of the most spectacularly far-off locations you can image, almost 1,000 miles away from any other land mass. Their remoteness has protected them from local human activities that stress coral reefs in other parts of the world. They are a barometer, a bellweather for understanding global changes.

Q: How do you do data collection and sampling in the field?
A: We mostly work underwater, on SCUBA, doing work with our own two hands. The interesting thing about working in water is that it is 3-dimensional: I am working on not just a horizontal plane but vertically as well, which I use to my advantage. W do studies that require counting the number and status of fish and corals along a given distance. To make these measurements, I take a camera, clipboard with underwater paper and pencil, and take notes while swimming along. Sometimes I’ll bring a hammer, chisel or drills to put samples into tubes.

Q: How do you prepare for an expedition to the middle of nowhere?
A: It’s a giant undertaking that requires several years of planning and fund-raising to make it happen. For the Phoenix Islands, we don’t see another human being for a month except for the people on the boat, so we need to bring fresh water, food and medical supplies, and all of our scientific and personal equipment. This can include underwater photography and video equipment, small robotson a tether, measuring tapes, tags, and temperature loggers.

Q: How did you become interested in coral reefs in particular?
A: This was totally by accident. While an undergraduate at Cornell, I focused on honeybees, insects that live in colonies. Later, I spent time on plant genetics. With this background in biology and ecology, I found myself drawn to marine systems, and I eventually focused on coral colonies, which are both colonial (like honeybees) and depend on sunlight (like plants).

Q: How do you cope with seasickness?
A: I do get very seasick and there’s no good remedy for it. The term I use for it is ‘feeding the fishes.’ You just need to work through it and eventually find your sea legs.

Q: What’s your must-have treat that you pack to get you through expeditions?
A: It’s herbal tea. I bring it with me everywhere. A good cup of tea, something decadent like ginger chamomile, is ultimately calming, no matter what environment you’re in.

by Cindy Atoji Keene

The data scientist has been called the sexiest job of the 21st century. The emergence of this role – an elusive blend of software engineer, statistician, and business analyst – is akin to a cowboy trying to harness the wild frontier of “Big Data.” As organizations wrestle with the volumes of information generated by mobile devices, social computing, the cloud, and more, data scientists help turn data into insights that companies can use.

Big Data will add 1.9 million IT jobs in the U.S. alone by 2015, with a majority of those hires happening in Boston and Silicon Valley. Some of those data scientists are brilliant, quirky and nocturnal, said Andrew Schwartz, Lattice Engine’s co-founder and data scientist, who lives on a sailboat on Boston Harbor; rides a bright green recumbent bike to work, and does his best work between midnight and 4 a.m. “To really understand a problem, it helps to be completely isolated with my computer. I have to sit and stare at it because it takes me a while to get everything in my brain. The longer I can work and understand the problem, the more productive I am,” said Schwartz, who created Lattice Engines to help businesses make more informed decisions about sales and marketing opportunities. Companies, for example, can make predictions about which customers and prospects are most likely to buy products, based on data about purchase history and customer service records, as well as outside sources such as LexisNexis, tax records, and other databases.

A: Is there an art to data science?
A: Data science is a mixture of business analysis, analytics modeling, and data management, and you have to know how to look at large amounts of data to help businesses gain a competitive edge. It’s like a scientist painting a picture: you have to do some analysis and sketch out what the main figures are, while also teasing out the fine-grain details, like choosing your colors. A data scientist needs to be methodical but also make guesses.

A: Data scientists can look at data and spot trends. What trends have you discovered?
Q: In a previous company, for example, I worked to help a casino optimize their slot machines. We did some controlled experiments to see how customers responded to payoffs, or winning the jackpot. We discovered that the size of the ‘take’ is not as important as the frequency and distribution, meaning that people are very responsive to hearing someone else win, even if it’s just a small amount of money. They are more likely to stay around and play if they hear other people hit the jackpot.

Q: How did you become a data scientist?
A: I have a Ph.D. in Math from Harvard. Like everyone else, I went off and taught. I was standing in front of a calculus class of 150 students when I realized that none of the students really wanted to be there, and no one would ever use what I was teaching. After classes ended, I went sailing for three months with a programming book, and by the end of my trip, I knew how to program.

Q: What are some buzzwords among data scientists?
A: Hadoop is a system to put break up problems and put together results; Hive is a tool to make queries and build up a particular analysis. You also might be using SAS or R as a statistic library. The other big buzzwords are machine learning, regression analysis, and a nice one, bagging and boosting.

Q: What’s the future of the data scientist?
A: We are right now in the early stages of data science, so for the next five to 10 years, we’re going to be seeing a lot of projects opening up that are addressing the types of problem that you need Big Data to handle. In the next 15 years, as the basic footprint of Big Data spreads into a range of domains, then it will be time to find commonality and pull together a single Big Data optimization platform.

Q: Give us an analogy of how big Big Data is.
A: Big can be very big. It’s equivalent to the total of every email sent or received by Gmail for the past four years; or every financial transaction by every bank; or a reading of all the information on every person on every flight in the US for the past three years.

Q: Are you using data analysis to buy a new boat?
A: Yes, I am looking for a slightly bigger boat, so I’m following the classified ads and doing a data analysis for pricing, including how long a boat has been on the market, and the relationship between price, space, and retail value. I’m spending all my time trying to correct my models of analysis. My boat broker hates me.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Actuarial science is consistently ranked as one of the top jobs, with relatively high salaries, comfortable working conditions, and low unemployment. Actuaries have been compared to cross between a weather forecaster and math whiz, putting a price tag on future risks and applying financial and statistical theories to solve business problems. For James Forbush, partner at Aon Hewitt, actuarial science incorporates aspects of all that he enjoys: math, programming, finance, and consulting.

Forbush, 45, who helps clients design and manage retirement program for their employees, said that many people think he spends his days looking over mortality tables. “I am often asked to try to predict when people are going to die, but while life expectancy is a component of my work, it is only a small piece,” said Forbush.

While actuaries have always been number crunchers for the insurance industries, more and more actuaries are going beyond the traditional arenas to get involved in politics and marketing and other fields, even using predictive modeling to forecast elections.

Q: What are some recent projects that you've worked on?
A: A recent project involved assessing whether a client should offer lump sum distributions to former employees. The company wanted to assess whether it made sense to offer the employees a single lump sum payment instead of lifetime payments many years in the future.

Q: You’ve been an actuary for almost 25 years. How has the field changed?
A: In the past, we used more calculators, manipulated numbers manually, and applied mathematical shortcuts. I remember in some cases carrying around stacks of punch cards from old Fortran processing machines. Today we are ten to 25 times more efficient and accurate than we used to be.

Q: Why is the demand for actuaries so high right now?
A: Many companies have ramped up their focus on risk management in recent years. There are many factors that have caused this, not the least of which are the 2008 market meltdown and large-scale events like the BP Gulf oil spill and Hurricane Sandy. This focus on risk is not a short- term fad but a structural change in how business is managed.

Q: Why did you choose this particular field of work?
A: I was definitely the type of kid who loved math; I was always looking for extra math work to do in school. I spent many hours in my youth wading through baseball statistics. When I graduated from MIT in ’89 with a degree in economics, I first looked for a management consulting job. But during my job hunt, I talked to an actuarial consulting firm and this really made the field come alive for me.

Q: If you ever decide to give up the actuary business, would you consider handicapping races at the racetrack?
A: While the track would be fun, I would definitely head to the casinos and play blackjack. I was always envious of the guys at MIT that I knew who played on the blackjack team for money. I highly recommend Ben Mezrich’s book, Bringing Down the House, about the team’s exploits.

Q. I would like to ask a colleague I respect tremendously to mentor me. I don’t work with him directly, but I know he’d be a great help. How do I ask? I don’t want to be a burden and I hope he’d enjoy spending time with me too. I want to bring specific ideas and goals to the table - is that too pushy?

A. There is a difference between pushy and prepared, and if you are going to ask for career support from someone, you need to show just how seriously you take their time and that you are highly invested in making the process easy.

A mentor is a person who acts as a trusted advisor to someone less experienced or new to a job or industry. Some industries and functions have apprentice roles with a senior craftsperson that plays the mentor. Some organizations have formal mentor/mentee programs, or mentoring can happen informally between two people who agree to a mentoring relationship. Either way, the mentoring arrangement should be determined by the goals and availability of the mentor and protégé.

There are many benefits to working with a mentor. They can help you with professional development, offer advice and encouragement, help you develop a network of colleagues and professional contacts, and help you understand politics in the workplace and the savvy to avoid issues.

The fact that you have a potential mentor selected means you’ve already crossed the biggest hurdle. You know your mentor, and don’t have a straight reporting relationship. Identifying a potential mentor who works within your company would be great, but is not a requirement. Finding someone who works or worked in your industry or function however is critical. You will benefit most from working with someone who has a shared understanding of what you do and where your challenges fit in your career trajectory.

Before you ask, assess the strength of the current relationship. Is there a mutual respect? Does your potential mentor like you? Have they been supportive in the past?
When asking your potential mentor to work with you, explain why you want to work with them and provide 2 or 3 goals you would like to work on through the relationship. Provide suggestions on how they might be helpful. Explain what you have learned already from “being in their circle”. If they suggest keeping the relationship informal, ask them to consider a 90-day trial period where you meet 2-3 times to asses if the mentor/protégé relationship will work. That gives you ample time to determine if it’s a fit, while giving you both an out if it’s not. Many people are interested in supporting others, but worry that they will take the burden of “making this work”. Let them know you hope to retain the informal relationship as well, but that you would also hope you have something to offer them, and open up the idea of a two way street. Clearly communicate your hopes on how long the ‘trial’ relationship will last and how frequently you would like to meet. Ask what might be the right amount of time for them. Remember their time is valuable and this shouldn’t be a never ending assignment.

If they say no, recognize the timing may be bad, the relationship isn’t there, or they don’t want the added responsibility. Be professional and retain a cordial relationship. They may suggest other people you can meet who can also provide professional development opportunities, and a flattered colleague is better than an unhappy mentor and mentee.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Being a nail technician was a career path that Vivian Ong never questioned. “It’s in my blood for sure,” said Ong, 21, of MiniLuxe, a Newbury Street nail and beauty lounge. With more than a half-dozen relatives in the nail business, Ong grew up helping out in her aunt’s salon, and the day after her 17th birthday, the minimum age for state licensure, she was already applying for her nail technician license.
One nail industry survey found that that nationally, 45 percent of nail technicians, like Ong, are of Vietnamese descent, and in Massachusetts, one report identified more than 4,000 licensed Vietnamese American nail technicians in the Boston area. “Many Vietnamese Americans have found good employment at nail salons, even though they may not be fluent in English and or have a high education level” said Ong, who is studying business at Suffolk University and training to become a customer service manager at MiniLux. “It’s a profession that requires proficiency but still can be learned quickly.” Ong loves cosmetology and especially doing nails because it’s not a lengthy process and offers a lot of variety. “Nails are not a pricey luxury service; getting your nails done is affordable, and a lot of my clients find it relaxing,” said Ong. “A $19 dollar manicure is not a whole lot of money for a whole lot of heaven.”

Q: When you first were training, what was the most difficult thing for you to learn?
A: A lot of people think that being in the nail industry is easy, but some aspects of the business can be demanding. One huge aspect is just being able to multitask – engage in conversation with a client while giving a really good manicure and still finishing on time. Creating a relationship with clients is vital to our success. The other factor is precision. Nails come in different, shapes, and sizes, but no matter what the type, they need to look good in the end. This can be a challenge. If nails have ridges, for example, sometimes you buff and smooth and the ridges still show up.

Q: What’s your favorite gadget to use?
A: It would definitely be the cuticle nipper. I can go without cutting or filing nails, but I can’t go without cutting cuticles. With a manicure, when the cuticles are cleaned up, hands feel lighter and breathe. Take my buffer away – I don’t care as long as I get cuticles trimmed.

Q: Any regular at a nail salon knows that the lacquers, like those made by OPI, have catchy names on the labels, right?

A: Whoever gets paid to name these nail polishes is the luckiest person in the world. The nail polish colors are so creative and so cute. I like Elephantastic, which is a bubble-gum looking pink, or Cajun Shrimp, a popular coral orange. In the winter, a hot color is a deep burgundy called Wicked; another nice shade is a dark purple, Lincoln Park After Dark.

Q: What is required to get your nail tech license?
A: It depends on what state you live in. In Massachusetts, you must attend a licensed school, complete the minimum required 100 training hours, then pass written and practical exams required by the State. Nail techs learn about sanitation practices, nail and skin diseases, protocols and services, and, of course, the fundamentals of manicures and pedicures. It’s a tough 100 hours and you may not leave the school as a perfect manicurist, but the rest is perfected while on the job.

Q: What new trends are you seeing?
A: Nail art is definitely growing lately, as well as nail candy, little sparkly beads glued onto the nail, which is a 3-D type of art. Women are also painting just the ring finger on each hand a contrasting color, which shows a lot of personality.

Q: Can you share one of your favorite tips or tricks with us?
A: When you’re giving yourself a manicure at home, add a little bit of glitter to the base coat. This creates a bond that helps polish to last longer.

Q: Whose celebrity nails do you most admire?
A: Definitely the Kardashians. I follow them on Instagram and they always have the perfect manicure. Kim and Kourtney always post pictures of their nails. Unlike a lot of celebrities, they don’t have artificial stiletto nails. I’m not a huge fan of those.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

When is a slice of cheesecake viewed as a complicated still-life composition of color, form, and texture? When it’s being shot by food photographer Andy Ryan, who says that a photo of a cheesecake slice should evoke the same visceral response as if you actually had the dish in front of you. “There are a lot of complex flavors in the engineering of food. A good photo visually calls out a food's characteristics and presents them in their best light while at the same time being cohesive and believable,” said Ryan, 48, a Lexington and New York City-based food photographer who has shot photos of sizzling burgers, frosty grapes, high-end wines, restaurant interiors and more, for commercial clients such as The Cheesecake Factory, Barnes and Nobles Cafes, Starbucks, as well as Food and Wine, and other publications and websites.

Ryan, who also does architectural, engineering and corporate photography, got started on his career path at age 5, when he won a local art competition with a photo shot with the family Kodak instamatic, followed three years later by a Polaroid sx-70 won through a bank raffle.

Q: How many photos do you typically have to shoot before getting the “right one”?
A: The tweaking of ingredients and camera position are a bit like golf. Sometimes I nail it; sometimes it’s a birdy or a boogie. Then there are times when nothing is working but this is what makes a good photographer – anyone can get a good photo, but can you do it every time, in any condition? That is what makes a professional.

Q: What’s the most challenging photo shoot you’ve been on?
A: It was in Korea, and the photo shoot location was 120 feet underground in a Jules Verne-type cavern that was being excavated for a subway line extension. Water was cascading everywhere, and I had only a few minutes to set up my lights before the Korean official and his entourage showed up. I shot them in these outrageously difficult conditions, blending the light with a strobe because I wanted an eerie lighting effect. I got 10 shots, and then went back to the airport and flew back home.

Q: What’s the total weight of the equipment you generally have with you on a shoot?
A: My camera bag weighs about 45-50 pounds, and I have a tripod, which is another 7-8 pounds, as well as 10-pound computer, cables and hard drive; a 30-pound bag for lighting stands, umbrellas, gels, and other grip gear and two 80-pound bags of power packs and lights. It all adds up. I have to bring all this stuff since I never know what will come up.

Q: What tricks of the trade do you use, if, for example, you need to take a photo of ice cream before it melts?
A: I know there are all manner of tricks, such as using lard instead of ice cream, but for me, what you gain in control is lost in authentic visual flavor values. When I shoot ice cream or cream cakes, I shoot the real thing. It's extremely challenging, because the “nose “of the cake melts before the heel of the cake has even lost its frost. I work with dry ice to isolate that front end so it stays cold while the heel thaws.

AQ: Who are your favorite photographers?
A: It's kind of changed a lot over time. These days I'm into Robert Capa, known for his images of the Spanish Civil War, and Berenice Abbott, an American photographer best known for her architectural images of New York City in the 1930's. I've also been influenced by the French photographer Eugène Atget whose images of Paris created just after dawn are exquisite. But my greatest influence is Boston College professor Charlie Meyer, a photographer and filmmaker. He is my mentor. He taught me to go with a flow but still make it happen.

Q: Do you take photos with your smartphone?
A: I do. I have an iPhone and I have to admit I’m compulsive about taking photos with it. It’s crazy what it can do, and the quality of the photos is improving all the time. I love to use the Postagram app, which turns mobile photos into real postcards and then mails them to anyone you like.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

The bite is a complex system that includes up to 32 teeth, gums, upper and lower jaws, and facial muscles. A healthy bite has not just aesthetic impact but also functional benefits, said orthodontist Sam Levine of Levine Orthodontics in Lexington. Crooked teeth and a bad bite can contribute to tooth decay, wearing of tooth enamel, and even headaches and jaw joint pain. “We think of braces as merely straightening of the teeth, but teeth that are properly aligned can enhance your overall health – as well improving confidence and self-esteem,” said Levine, 37, who uses the Damon system of orthodontics made by Ormco, based in Orange, Calif. And as braces become more comfortable to wear and better at repositioning teeth, Levine is seeing patients from ages 7 to 70, as more and more adults opt for orthodontic treatment. Rather than the metal-mouth look of a generation ago, new materials and other technological advances have made smaller, less obtrusive braces available. Braces today range from translucent to tooth-colored ceramic braces, clear aligners that can be worn at night, and other devices.

Q: What are the most common conditions that you see?
A: Overbite, overjet, and buck teeth – are common, and more rarely, underbite. And hand-in-hand with these bite issues are crowded teeth, or when teeth twist and turn. There is largely a genetic component to these conditions, along with environmental factors such as thumb sucking or other habits. One national study found that approximately 60-70 percent of the population have a problem that could benefit from orthodontic treatment.

Q: How has treatment advanced?
A: Braces have gone through a revolution of sorts. Braces used to be bands tightly attached with a ligature tie or wire around teeth, which caused a lot of pain and discomfort. But instead of pushing teeth as hard as you can, the concept now is low-force and low-friction, with a brace made up of sliding mechanisms which generate forces and gradually move the teeth over time. Dental appliances continue to make improvements, and now clear braces are virtually invisible.

Q: There have been reports of younger and younger kids seeing the orthodontist. Are you experiencing this in your practice?
A: There is cultural pressure to have that perfect celebrity smile, as seen in magazines and movies. Sometimes patients or their parents are eager to get started on orthodontic treatment. The American Association of Orthodontists does recommend that initial evaluation should occur no later than age 7 or at the first signs of problems. But it’s important to understand that starting treatment early doesn’t necessarily mean finishing early. There is the certain age when treatment is most effective.

Q: Why did you choose to become an orthodontist?
A: . I think of orthodontics as the ultimate mix of art and science. As an orthodontist, I’m able to have a long-term relationship with patients – and I don’t have my hands in their mouth the whole time. I also had a Jewish mother, so I joke that my choice was to be a lawyer, doctor, or dentist. As a kid, I was a tinkerer and liked to work with my hands a lot. And it helped that I had a really good dentist who inspired me.

Q: What’s the future of orthodontics?
A: Braces are currently a stock product; we have a box of braces that we choose from, then individualize by bending wires and our other skills. But customization is a big step; we can take a tooth impression, make a 3-D model on the computer, then design a smile and create custom braces for that patient. Custom braces can reduce treatment time.

Q: What’s the record for someone losing a retainer?
A: Too many to count. One patient lost his retainer three times in the first month. We’ve had retainers that travel the world and get lost overseas somewhere; retainers put in the washing machine or dryer. Dogs love retainers – it’s the most expensive dog toy you can buy. Retainers have the smell or scent of the owner, so if a dog likes the owner, he likes the owner’s retainer.

Q: How do you resist not judging someone’s teeth and the work they need to get done?
A: A smile is the first thing you notice when you meet someone, whether you’re a professional or not. As a dental resident, when I was still learning, I would always think, ‘How can I fix that?’ Now I still see smiles, but my thoughts are limited to diagnosis and not the treatment.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

There can be as many as 20 dogs, 50 cats, several birds, bunnies and other small animals housed at the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Cape Cod Adoption Center, located in Brewster. From time to time, there are also chickens, horses and wildlife – up to 1,300 animals a year that are saved from abandonment and neglect or just need a new home. It takes a small staff and an army of volunteers to keep up with the demands of the shelter, said manager Sandra Luppi. “Egos are checked at the door because nobody is above picking up pet poop or vomit,” said Luppi, who added that the animals, some of which are abused or sick, often need constant care and training before they’re adoptable. And in addition to handling the animals, there’s also the dynamic of dealing with an ever-changing parade of people, some of whom are surrendering a loved pet because of economic hardship.

Q: Are you ever surprised by the kind of animals that might come through the door of the shelter?
A: In this line of work, I’ve seen many different types of animals, both domestic and wildlife, including snakes, hedgehogs, opossums and raccoons. The rescue league has an animal ambulance that responds to calls, whether it’s a cat stuck in a tree or an injured seabird. We have a barn that is primarily used as a holding center for animals seized through our law enforcement department, where we have had horses, goats, ponies, as well as a trio of miniature horses.

Q: How has the economy affected domestic animals and local shelters?
A: Sadly, I think effects of foreclosure have had an impact, especially during the height of the recession. People have surrendered a pet because they couldn’t afford to live in their house any more. That’s where we come in – our role in the community is to provide a safe and caring place for people who can’t keep their pets, and greet them in a compassionate and non-judgmental way. They have the assurance that the pet will be well-cared for, and have the space they need to continue their lives.

Q: How do you help pet owners find lost dogs or cats?
A: We take reports of animals that are lost and found, and offer advice on how to look for pets. If an animal has been seen but is difficult to capture, we will often refer owners or animal control officers to our rescue department in Boston. They have the technical rescue skills and equipment necessary to help capture even the very elusive.

Q: Has it always been your dream to work with animals?
A: I have a great love for animals. When I saw an injured animal by the side of the road, I’d turn around and go back to help them. My initial dream was to be a veterinarian. I didn’t end up going to vet school but ended up in a traditional office environment. I had a good career but when I heard there was an opportunity at the rescue league, I decided to take a chance and apply.

Q: How do you keep the shelter from smelling like poop?
A: I do have to say that we get a lot of compliments on the cleanliness of the shelter. We are very diligence in keeping up on the animal care and making sure bedding and cages are always clean. There’s the added benefit of our indoor and outdoor runs which make for nice airflow throughout the building. The shelter needs to be a clean, happy environment because we are setting an example for how animals should be taken care of.

Q: Have you ever adopted a pet from the shelter?
A: Yes, I have one currently. He is a very smart and spoiled 11-year-old beagle. He was very shy and not very interactive and needed some socializing. I had recently lost my 14-year-old dog, so I just took to this guy. I love beagles in general since my grandparents had them growing up. It was an easy adoption.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Cheese monger Peter Lovis has been behind the counter at the old-fashioned Cheese Shop of Concord for over a decade, but his background as a turophile goes back to the 1970s. During his long affiliation with the cheese industry, he has seen American taste buds change from a handful of few standards like Jarlsberg and cheddar to today’s mind-boggling artisanal selections. “Most people didn’t know or care about cheese in the past, as compared to the thousands of imported cheese we have now,” said Lovis, 51, who said that he feels like his whole life has been an apprenticeship to owning this store. When he was 15, he started working at a mom and pop store in New Jersey (“as a way to avoid playing football”), then for a gourmet shop, importing company, and finally a distributor. “I’ve worked through the entire supply chain. Instead of getting my MBA, I should have gotten a HVAC refrigeration license,” said Lovis, who just purchased two new freezers so he can expand his inventory of prepared and frozen foods.

Q: Are cheese sales seasonal?
A: I make 30 percent of my gross sales during December. That’s when more people are entertaining more, serving quality cheese; making hors’ d'oeuvres, and enjoying comfort foods. That’s when we also when we host a parade and roll out the red carpet for a 400-pound wheel of Crucolo cheese from northern Italy. This giant supply of cheese ensures that we won’t run out of it during the holiday season. I’ve even been to Trentino, Italy, where I helped make this cheese as well.

Q: What should someone look for when tasting a cheese?
A: First and foremost, do you like it? Does it taste good and bring you pleasure? Don’t be forced to like it because someone said you should. One thing I look for is complexity of flavor – it should evolve as you taste it. Perhaps it is creamy and smooth and then develops a bite; or starts off stinky, then has a creamy richness and hint of salt.

Q: Your head cheese buyer’s name is Brie. That’s very serendipitous.
A: Brie Hurd was a college student who started working here and has been with us ever since. There’s a new energy and excitement among many young people who don’t see this as a job but a cool new profession, as demonstrated by the American Cheese Society's new certification program, a comprehensive test that attests to a cheese purveyor’s knowledge and professional status.

Q: How do you decide what sorts of cheese to carry?
A: We have between 150-200 types of cheese at any time, and over a thousand different cheese over the course of a year. Our inventory changes all the time, depending on availability, season, and demand. There is no firm metric. Cheesemakers send us new products all the time. But we will have some standard items; for example, we’ll always have a one-year-old Manchego cheese in stock.

Q: The Concord Cheese Shop is one of the oldest continuous cheese shops, established in the 1860’s. How did you come to buy the cheese shop?
A: I was in the wholesale cheese business and I called on this store. The first time I walked in, it was like being at home – it was exactly like the store I first worked in as a teen, from the banners to the counters. A good friend of mine was general manager here, and said to me, “You should put on an apron and get back in the retail cheese business.” A few years later, in 2001, I was told the store was for sale, and I was so excited, I raced home and got two speeding tickets. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Q: Have you ever purchased from a chain grocery store with their plastic-looking cheese?
A: My wife and I were on vacation and we ran out of cheese. I went to the supermarket and I picked out what I thought was a nice gruyere. I brought it home and it was dead, well past its prime. She still teases me about it today, but it proves my rule: don’t buy cheese unless you can taste it first.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

This winter, much of the oil used to cook all the fried clams and onion rings that are so popular on Cape Cod may be repurposed to heat local homes. A Sandwich-based company, Cape Cod Biofuels, is ramping up its efforts to recycle used vegetable oil into biofuel for home heating oil. Marc Watson, one of the founders of the biodiesel conversion firm, which employs seven employees out of a new plant in the Sandwich Industrial Park, likes to joke that he has one of the dirtiest jobs on Cape Cod. "Everything in the plant, including us, is covered in grease," said Watson. "On most days I go home smelling like burnt French fries or fish.

Cape Cod Biofuels works with over 600 restaurants across the Cape, South Shore and Rhode Island, picking up waste vegetable oil, refining it into biofuel, and then selling 100 percent of it to Falmouth-based distributor Loud Fuel, which blends it with heating oil and supplies it to homeowners. Biodiesel is a clean-burning liquid fuel that burns cleaner and emits fewer harmful toxins and pollutants into the air, according to Watson. The impetus to start the company came five years ago when he and three friends were running construction-related businesses and fuel costs skyrocketed. "In an attempt to lower fuel costs, we began recycling vegetable oil into biodiesel to run our trucks but soon found that the oil was better suited for home heating oil. That's when we launched the business," said Watson.

Q: Is used restaurant oil becoming a commodity?
A: This oil, which often goes into drain traps or grease dumpsters behind businesses, whether a family restaurant, fast food chain, pizza parlor or donut shop, used to be free. But now that there's demand from commodity and environmental companies, we need to pay for it. The price varies from 40-50 cents to $1 a gallon. If it goes over $1.50 a gallon, it doesn’t work in our business model and it's not worth it to the oil and grease renderers. It's not liquid gold.

Q: What types of oil can you use to create biodiesel?
A: Ninety percent of our biodiesel comes from waste vegetable oils, but we can't use trans fat, which is that lard stuff that was outlawed. It is very laborious to convert to biodiesel, since it comes into the restaurant as a stick of butter and leaves as a stick of butter. It makes the oil so thick and creamy. Some restaurants still blend it in to get a certain taste in food, but we try to talk restaurants into using the best oil that they can. It's better for us and everyone else too.

Q: How are you making your process more efficient?
A: Our newest addition to the plant, a centrifuge, will extract more oil from restaurant food waste; before that we used gravity. The centrifuge is a time machine and speeds everything up, so what used to take a day now takes 15 minutes. The centrifuge separates the small particulates out and gives us a much better product. In addition, every by-product of the whole process is used to create energy in one form or another. For example, our wastewater and glycerin go to the state of Maine to an anaerobic digester that creates methane gas to run generators. We also run our vehicles on B20, a 20 percent biodiesel, 80 percent regular diesel blend.

Q: What is the process of converting the oil?
A: The process for converting the used cooking oil to biodiesel is called transesterification. This is basically the removal of glycerine from the vegetable oil. We do this by mixing potassium hydroxide and methanol together which forms a catalyst that is then added to our batch of vegetable oil. The two solutions mix for about an hour and then are left to settle, the settling phase allows the glyercine to drop out of the vegetable oil, leaving the biodiesel behind. The biodiesel is then washed with water, dried and sent through an ion exchange column to produce ASTM quailty biodiesel for use as on road fuel or home heating oil.

Q: What's the future of the biodiesel industry?
A: The future of biodiesel has lot of uncertainty and politics pay a big part, including a biodiesel tax credit that comes and goes, which plays a big part in growth and production. For the general public, the biggest misconception is that biodiesel is more expensive. It's comparable to the cost of regular diesel. What we really need here in Massachusetts is more political support. New York has mandated that 5 percent of all diesel has to have biodiesel in it. Rhode Island is also five years ahead of us and has huge political support.. At one point, Massachusetts mandated 2 percent, but that's not even on the table anymore. We need to catch up.

Q: Is converting biofuel a DIY endeavor?
A: We did start by buying a kit online. We blew up some equipment through experimentation and some uneducated trial runs. But it's not something I would recommend. It took us many years to figure out how to do it the right way, and the tricky part is that conversions need to be under the right temperature, as well as other factors. There's definitely a science to it.

Q: Do you look covetously at your wife's cooking oil remains?
A: Definitely.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Shoes today are more than footwear -- they're high-tech gear with specially engineered components for fashionable and functional designs. Within this $2 billion industry, many companies, like Vibram USA, based in Concord, are looking for a competitive edge by deploying shoe testers who help assess new technologies. "We put our products in the most extreme conditions by executing tests directly in the field," said Steve Ellis, who not only actually tries out shoes himself but also oversees the lab and wear-testing. Every day there is a new problem he is trying to solve in conjunction with the product engineers and designers, whether it's "hot spots" in the shoe that may cause blisters or a sole that starts to separate from the upper.

The Vibram Tester Team is responsible for testing the FiveFingers line but also completes thousands of tests on products that have a Vibram sole on them including cycling, skateboarding, rock climbing, snowboarding, trekking and fly fishing. "One week we may be hiking mountains in northern Italy, the next we're fly fishing in Montana or mountain biking in New Hampshire," said Ellis, 26, who has a physics degree as well an MBA focusing on the commercialization of technological innovation. He creates tests that evaluate fit and comfort, durability, shock-absorption, and more. "The shoe soles are used on different terrain, from rocks and soft terrain to snow or ice, depending on the final consumer use," said Ellis.

Q: Give me an example of a recent test that you conducted?
A: One of the Vibram designers recently made a sole for a mountain bike shoe and wanted to know how well it would work on the hills themselves. So we asked pro or semi-pro bikers to try them out at Highland Mountain Bike Park in New Hampshire. They gave us feedback that we compiled into a report. With mountain bike soles, it’s all about seeing how well the design locks into the teeth of the pedals.

Q: How do you structure your tests?
A: They are like other scientific tests, with benchmarks of past products, a control group, and a double blind format whenever possible. If our chemist creates a new compound targeted towards road running applications, first we perform a battery of lab tests to understand the compound's physical properties. Next, we bring natural environments and surfaces into the laboratory and calculate information. Then lastly shoes are distributed to our tester team who will document things like weather/temp, distance, location, and running surfaces, etc. They'll on comment on the differences in the grip of the soles. We then compile the results and make a decision on validation.

Q: You have a physics degree specializing in experimental physics and data analysis. How does that help you with the shoe testing?
A: Whether it's the static/dynamic coefficients of friction, pressure testing, balance, or forces, these are all concepts from physics. For example, if there's an issue with a snowboarding boot, I can place the shoe inside a mechanical abrader that stimulates a certain amount of force over time against the sole. Vibram has a major shoe-testing complex in China, where we do in-vivo testing, which is recreating outside environments in an indoor setting to conduct tests.

Q: How do you find your testers?
A: Right now, the focus is mostly on athletes and sports professionals, such as a group of fly fishermen in Montana. The rivers in that area have different moss, rocks, and ecosystem than here in New England, so we were very interested in how our product worked out there. Another recent group of testers were hunters who wear the Vibram Five Fingers because they're stealthy and give a better ground feel. We're testing new compounds with these guys. But we are also looking to expand our group of testers to consumers by creating an online data base, but that's still in the works.

Q: What have you done to address the complaints that Five Fingers retain odor?
A: We are always looking for new solutions, whether it's new anti-microbial fabrics or rinsing solutions. Working at the office, where all of us wear Five Fingers, there's a fair share of people with the stinky foot problem, so we're constantly working on it, even trying coconut shell shavings, which are supposed to stop microbes.

Q: Have you had any unusual reactions when you wear your Five Finger shoes in public?
A: It's always interesting going to the airport, taking my shoes off and putting them in a scanner, especially if it's an international destination. They're a good conversation opener, especially if people have never seen them before.

Q: How many pairs of Vibram shoes do you have?
A: I have so many pairs they won't fit in the closet. There are piles in the basement as well. I'm giving my shoes away to people at this point.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

The smallest details count in landscape design, from storm water drainage systems to paving materials and seasonal plant color. It is not unusual, for example, for landscape architects to spend an entire day just planning the placement of trash receptacles and making sure a garbage truck can back up into the site to remove waste, said Michael D'Angelo, 27, a landscape architect at Copley Wolff Design Group in Boston.

"When designing spaces and the elements within the spaces, it is vital to ensure that all of the details have been given a thorough review. For instance, do we have enough seating? Will it accommodate those with disabilities? Are the materials suitable? And even: how will we prevent skateboarders from 'grinding' on the seat walls and benches and destroying the surfaces? Of course most changes can be made all the way up to construction, but there is surely a cost associated with that."

D'Angelo's experience spans from green roof decks to college campuses. A LEED professional in building design and construction, he is currently working on the penthouse terrace at The Clarendon, a 33-story luxury residential tower located in the Back Bay. He is also working on the headquarters expansion for an insurance company, which includes nearly a city block of streetscape revitalization, and the addition of two public parks. "I strive to make landscaping memorable by including a unique feature that draws people there, whether it’s a quiet corner to sit and read, or a beautiful garden terrace," said D'Angelo.

Q: You're currently designing a fountain for a park -- what's the thought process behind it?
A: This is a 36-foot long, 18-foot-high water feature that will be an iconic focal point. Large buildings surround it, so from a design aspect, the fountain needs to be scaled correctly or it will look 'off.' We develop actual physical models as well as computer models and look at it from all vantage points to make sure it’s the right axis and size. In addition, there are safety concerns, such as worries about people slipping and falling, so mechanical devices need to be built-in to shut the water off if it's too cold or windy.

Q: Urban architects such as yourself are often creating 'streetscapes.' What is a streetscape?
A: This is a phrase we use in the industry to talk about an area adjacent to a building, whether it's a concrete sidewalk or a seating area. The site-planning looks at adjacent use, whether retail or a restaurant, and whether pedestrian access is needed. If trees will be planted in a sidewalk, there is a lot of science involved, such as using soils developed by different universities that provide both structural support for sidewalks as well as nourishments for the trees to grow.

Q: What some of your favorite plants?
A: I really like working with a really simple color palette. I prefer using a handful of plants, versus 50 to 60. This gives a strong vivid impact when looking at the landscape from afar.

Q: Why the increasing popularity of green roofs?
A: Green roofs create insulation for buildings, which lowers heating and cooling costs and absorbs run-off from the rain. When designing a green roof, it's important to consider the roof's weight limitations, so only a minimum amount of soil can be used. For example, if only four inches of soil is used, then succulent plant material such as sedums are one of the few options.

Q: What do you think is an example of excellent urban landscape design?
A: Chicago has a lot of really cool public spaces, such as Millennium Park. I love to travel around the country and study what other people are doing. That’s what inspires me.

Q: Who is your architectural role model or hero?
A: Frederick Law Olmsted, who is widely considered the father of American landscape architecture. It's amazing how many thousands of projects he did, including park design and public spaces. He had a very simple and natural style that I try to reference in my work.

Q: What does your own backyard look like?
A: I have a 10x12 backyard in South Boston. I have four very nice planters, a grill, and a table squeezed in there -- but I really enjoyed planting those four planters!

By Cindy Atoji Keene

As a ferryboat captain, Sean O'Connor regularly transports passengers and cargo between Martha’s Vineyard and Woods Hole, commanding the vessel Katama, a 220-foot converted freight vessel. His 11-hour voyage back and forth through the Sound can be monotonous, "just two rights and two lefts" but the hours of boredom are sometimes punctuated by moments of sheer terror. "Fog, high winds, and high seas can turn into a boating nightmare, especially during the summer, when there is high traffic density," said O'Connor.

O'Connor begins his 11-hour day at 5:30 a.m., the first of four round trips, powering up and testing the boat's generator, electronics, and steering system, then heading over to the transfer bridge to load the initial cargo, usually hazardous propane and gasoline to power Island homes and vehicles. The Katama also moves recycling trash off the Island, as well as food service and delivery trucks, and serves as the back-up passenger and vehicle ferry. O'Connor, 56, has been with The Steamship Authority for almost four decades, and remembers a simpler time. "It used to be that there were no shore lights at night till you were inside the Vineyard Haven harbor, but now the whole island is lit up like a Christmas tree."

Q: Do you need to navigate any tricky waters during your journeys?
A: Woods Hole is one of the most treacherous harbors on the East Coast because of the current and rock formation. The Steamship Authority, in their infinite wisdom, put a ferry slip right in front of the main pass of Woods Hole, where the current runs from 3.5 to 5 knots, depending on what cycle of the moon you’re in. This affects the steering of the vessel, pushing it one way or another; the ship doesn't just stop where it is.

Q: How did you first get into maritime work?
A: I was an accounting major and quit after two years of college when I realized I couldn't stand accounting. I decided I should get a job, and started washing dishes on one of the old steamers. So now I've spent my whole career on the water, beginning as a mess man in the galley as a teen, and working my way up the ranks to Captain.

Q: What’s the strangest thing you’ve carried on your boat?
A: That first summer when I was washing dishes, the shark from the movie Jaws came on the vessel. It had wires sticking out of it, and I thought, 'There is no way they can make that thing look real.' But the next summer, watching the movie in the theater, when the shark came out of the water, I almost jumped out of my seat.

Q: Do you ever get seasick?
A: Not since I worked in the galley. My first few years, working down below deck, with all those pots and pans swinging back and forth and the dishwater hitting me in my face, I realized it's better to be dead than seasick. First you're afraid you’re going to die from being so sick, then you're afraid you're not going to die.

Q: What are some misconceptions about your job?
A: The captain's job can seem very easy until something goes wrong - and then it’s all on you. It could be a car fire, an injured passenger, or a grounding or collision. Then you have to figure your way out of it.

Q: Do you own your own boat?
A: No. I don't go anywhere near the water on my day off. I have golf clubs. You can't have both a boat and golf clubs and do justice to either one.

By Cindy Atoji Keene
While hunting for waterfront property for his real estate clients, Scott Freerksen quickly discovered that it was difficult to sift through multiple listings to find homes directly situated on a lake. With terminology such as “across the street,” “within walking distance,” “riverfront” and “oceanfront,” it was hard to find actual direct lakefront property– in fact, said Freerksen, one such advertised listing merely had a pool. So nine years ago, the Mansfield broker created Lakefrontliving.com as an agency specializing solely on the purchase and sale of pond and lakefront property in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. “There are 15,000 properties coded as lakefront in the Multiple Listing Service, but of those, just 2,000 can be considered direct lakefront,” said Freerksen. Freerksen, who lives on Bungay Lake in Mansfield and North Attleboro, a 110-acre private lake, said that nothing compares to lake living. “It changes the way you live. Every morning, the lake provides a backdrop to recreation, wildlife, and pure relaxation.”

Buying lakefront property is unlike any other real estate, from conservation and water quality issues to flood insurance and dock maintenance. “You don’t want to find out after the sale that someone else has control over draining the lake, or that your favorite sport isn’t allowed,” said Freerksen, who has created a searchable public database of freshwater information to help with more precise property searches, compiled from MLS (Multiple Listing Service), conservation commissions, lake associations, and fish and game data.

Q: What are the hot lakefront properties at the moment?
A: Webster Lake is really popular. It’s the one with the crazy long name, also called Lake Chaubunagungamaug. This lake was mostly undiscovered for a long time but now is one of the largest fully recreational lakes in Massachusetts, with restaurants and marinas and a plethora of recreational activities. In New Hampshire, Lake Winnipesaukee gets a lot of attention, but there are two to three lakes that are just as spectacular and smaller and more intimate, such as Newfound Lake and Lake Wentworth.

Q. If you buy a lakefront home, do you also own a part of the lake itself?
A: Usually your property would end at the “high water line.” This height is usually determined by the top of the dam spillway. But there are certainly lakes where you have a deeded extension into the lake, sometimes 25 to 50 feet. There are also a couple lakes in Massachusetts where the lakefront residents own the lake in common.

Q: What’s the most unusual lakefront home that you’ve seen?
A: A really cool house on Big Spectacle Pond in Lancaster had a deck design and was really unique. It was very Frank Lloyd Wright-ish with an open design, exposed beams, and extended balconies.

Q: You helped location scouts find an isolated lake setting for the Martin Scorsese film, Shutter Island. How did that come about?
A: They found me from a Google search and asked me to help them look for a particular period piece. They wanted an isolated lake setting with shallow water and no modern houses in the background. I took them around to various lakes, and it was fun to see their selection process. They choose a little stone cottage on Borderland State Park in Sharon.

Q: How has real estate for lakefront property changed in the last few years?
A: Five or six years ago, it was out of reach, since prices were out of the world. Now it’s more affordable, and some buyers are purchasing and hold a lakefront cottage for future retirement. We’re also seeing a strong interest in seasonal lakefront resorts, such as small, but upscale single-family homes (cottages) in cluster developments with a condo format.

Q: How did you discover the lake that you live on?
A: I was born and raised on this lake; my wife also grew up here. You’ll find that once people move onto a body of water, they tend not to move away. It becomes an intergenerational family compound.

Q: What’s the biggest fish that you’ve caught here?
A: A five-pound, large-mouth bass. There are bigger ones out there – I just can’t seem to find them.

By Cindy Atoji Keene
With less than 2 percent of the U.S. population involved in farming today, there is a lot of misinformation about dairy farms, said Doug Stephan, owner of Eastleigh Farms in Framingham, one of the few raw milk dairies in eastern Massachusetts. With a herd of over 200 Jerseys, Guernseys, Holsteins, and Brown Swiss cows that graze on pastures surrounded by suburbia, Stephan said he bought the 114 acres over a decade ago to stop proposed development. “I remember when this area was mostly farmland. Now people love to visit the bucolic setting of a farm but many are clueless about what it takes to run a farm, including the smell of manure as well as the dust, noise, and running of loud equipment that is needed,” said Stephan, who uses the cows to naturally improve the soil and sustain the land.

It is far from easy to run a farm, said Stephan, who on a typical day might fix a tractor with a broken hitch; mow acres of hay before dusk; and move cows from one barn to another. Providing the best care possible for his cows, of course, is an around-the-clock job. “I love looking at the cows and seeing that they’re healthy. Cows are sensitive, kind, loving and smart animals. Most famers look at them as machines that give milk, but I have become very connected with them, which I think leads to quality milk.”

Q: What is the most difficult part of farming?
A: The hard physical labor is no surprise to me but because I am selling raw milk, I am amazed at the amount of government intrusion and the state and federal regulations which make it difficult to survive as a business. We have become so far removed from where food comes from, and the maze of food safety controls makes it difficult for the ‘little guy’ like me – and then consumers wonder why food is so expensive.

Q: Why did you decide to become a farmer?
A: I’ve been around cows all my life. When I was a kid, my first job was sweeping out a local farmer’s school buses for 50 cents a piece. It was a tradition in New England that most farmers took time off chores to drive buses. I spent every waking moment, when I wasn’t in school, at my neighbor’s farm. Most of my values in life came from farmers who were my mentors, so I can’t imagine not living on a farm and having animals.

Q: What ensures the quality of raw milk that you produce?
A: Raw milk from grass-fed animals has a lot more nutritional value if properly produced. It takes constant vigilance over the cleanliness of the animals and the bottling plant. The cow’s milk goes down a pipeline into a holding tank, then into a cooler. In minutes, the milk goes from the temperature of a cow, which is about 101 degrees, to 34 degrees. This is how the milk is preserved and bacteria is prevented.

Q: Who is your favorite cow on the farm?
A: Our cows all have a personality and names based on their lineage.
The grand dame, Peaches is the oldest. She has a wonderful intellect and curiosity. She follows me around and watches everything and if she doesn’t like a pasture, she’ll make a lot of noise and let you know.

Q: You’re also host of a syndicated radio program called Doug Stephen’s Good Day. How does that fit into farming?
A: Everyone who listens to me knows that I’m a farmer in addition to being a broadcaster. The spirit of the show is flavored by my agrarian background.

Q: The farmer look has become vogue – canvas coats, plaid shirts, and work boots – is that your attire?
Q: I’m not campy and don’t want to set any fashion trends. I don’t want to look the part but just be comfortable and warm.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Museum historian Jennifer Pustz calls herself a “history omnivore” because she is keenly interested in and devours anything to do with history. Such a broad knowledge base is important for her job at Historic New England, which preserves 36 historic sites in New England, from Marrett House in Standish Maine to Watson Farm in Jamestown, R.I. Although she needs to interpret 400 years of architecture, reaching back to the 18th century, her “sweet spot” is the history of domestic life from 1965 to 1925. “Most historic house museums tell the stories of well-to-do families. But there are many untold stories at these homes, from tenant farmers to servants. I like to discover what life was really like for the people who made the houses run,” said Pustz.

When did this retaining wall get built? What was this room used for? Who lived in this house? These are the many sorts of contextual questions that Pustz seeks to answer, in conjunction with the curators of the museum, who tend to be more object-orientated, said Pustz. She always starts her research by looking in the archives. “I am a very visual thinker; first I map out a timeline to understand the different events that were going on with family, servants and house, since they all impact each other.” She also studies photo files, correspondence, account books, invoices, and other evidence. Time previously spent in the library is now often spent online with map collections or sites like ancestry.com or Google books, which has digitized many early domestic manuscripts.

Q: What’s an example of a historical question that you recently solved?
A: I studied the history of a hedge at Castle Tucker in Maine. This project was based on a landscaping decision we needed to make and whether the hedge should be restored, replaced or removed. The overgrown hedge had been there for quite a while and clearly was planted later, but once it’s taken out, you can’t go back, so we don’t like to do anything without careful research and understanding. I never found the specific smoking gun for the hedge but there was a lot of evidence about the family through early 20th century letters. In this particular case, after determining some trees and hedges were planted later than our period restoration, we ended up removing many of them.

Q: You’re originally from the Midwest – what did you think about New England’s rich history when you first came here six years ago?
A: I respond strongly to the power of place, so it was incredible to move to New England and be able to stand where they fired the shot at Lexington or near the footprint of Thoreau’s cabin. There’s no substitute for being in these places and see people right where they lived.

Q: If someone says, ‘History is boring,’ how do you respond?
A: History gets a bad rap. Sure, it’s about the details and dates, but at the baseline, it’s about storytelling, and most people like hearing stories. In school you hear a lot of dates when this-and-this happened without engaging in the difficult stories and conflicts. History is complicated and messy; not just black and white but shades of gray. We learn a lot about ourselves today by looking to the past.

Q: What good historical books have you read lately?
A: I’ve read a couple of novels such as The Widow’s War and Bound by Sally Gunning, which take readers into the heart of Revolutionary-War era Boston. I usually have mixed feelings about historical fiction, but these books are incredible stories and I’m unable to tear myself away from them. After I finish I always want to know more. Sometimes I wish historical fiction had footnotes.

Q: Is there a period of history that has particularly defined you?
A: Probably the 1930s, because that was the era that really energized me to move forward in studying history. I did a high school project about the W.P.A., the government funded arts project, and the artists like Jackson Pollock that it inspired. I find it very compelling that here was a time when a lot of people were struggling and yet creating all of this incredible stuff. It was just an amazing period of history and one I find myself going back to all the time.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

A lot of things can go wrong when you’re accelerating to 210 miles per hour in six seconds, said drag racer Ryan Ondrejko. A tiny turn on the steering wheel could mean you’re in the other lane, and if the track surface is slippery and the car isn’t going straight, “there is a point when you’d better abort a run or something bad will happen,” said Ondrejko, 27, a Roslindale resident who competes in the National Hot Rod Association, with his home track in Epping, N.H. The sport has more than 40,000 licensed NHRA drivers who compete at 130 NHRA member tracks around the country and claims to be second only to NASCAR in terms of attendance, fan appeal, and sponsorship commitment. Ondrejko’s “ride” this season is a 2012 Chevy Camaro that sports a 792-cubic inch engine with 1650 horsepower. “This new car, engine and components comes with a learning curve, but the most important thing is that I stay focused, confident and ready as a driver,” said Ondrejko, who has accumulated 25 race wins and six championships since he started racing seven years ago.

Ondrejko, who also works as a mechanical engineer for Barletta Engineering in Boston, is gearing up for his next race Oct. 12-14 in Reading, Pa., the NHRA Pennsylvania Dutch Classic. Racing is second nature for him, so it’s not about training anymore but about making sure his car is in prime condition – after one recent race, the engine blew, with rod bearings destroying the inside of the engine block. “There’s a saying that goes, ‘there are a million ways to lose a drag race and only a few ways to win,” said Ondrejko.

Q: What exactly is a hot rod?
A: It’s a vehicle that has been modified or rebuilt to spruce up its performance. My car is not a normal car at all; it was built by a race car builder in Missouri and is completely customized, from the bigger engine, swoopy carbon fiber body, plexiglass windows instead of glass, and all the safety features. It weighs 2,000 pounds less than a Camaro SS off the factory line.

Q: Racing can be an expensive endeavor. How do you support your racing team?
A: My car has tons of stickers on the sides of it. Each decal is given to me when I use a product, and if I win, I get paid by these contingency sponsors. My tires, for example, are Mickey Thompson Tires, and if I win a race, the company will pay me $300. So if I have 30 decals on my car, that’s $9,000 in earnings.

Q: You’re a mechanical engineer – does that help your racing?
A: If definitely doesn’t hurt. In school they taught us thermal dynamics, aerodynamics and fluid mechanics, all of which help me maintain my race car.

Q: How are the races held?
A: I compete in about 12 races a year and am currently in first place with one more race to go. It’s an accumulation of how you doing during the season. It’s not like NASCAR; everyone doesn’t start at once and then go around a track; it’s more like a NCAA bracket. Only two people race at one time, with points earned based on what rounds you win.

Q: What led you to compete as a professional racer?
A: My father builds race cars for a living, and every day since I was a kid, I’d run out to the back yard and help him. One day when I was 19, my father’s friend said, “Why doesn’t your son race?” and my dad said, “We don’t have enough money to build our own car right now.” He replied, “I have a 1962 Corvette sitting in my garage that you can race.” We restored it and went up to New England Dragway, where I made my first few passes down the track. It was exhilarating.

Q: How do you deal with the fear factor?
A: I’ve been around racing my whole life, so there is no fear factor. It doesn’t scare me anymore. If you understand what you’re doing and how everything works, it makes it easier. My mom, on the other hand, has a huge fear factor for me.

Q: Is racing a good way to meet girls?
A: Sure, but the wrong kind of girl. And my girlfriend doesn’t like that either.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

What does an out-of-work Boston actor do between auditions? For Mariagrazia LaFauci, a recent Brown University theater arts graduate, the trend in film tourism has given her an outlet as a tour guide for day-trippers interested in experiencing Boston as a film set. “TV and movie viewers are fascinated with seeing the city’s hot spots of celluloid magic and visiting destinations that are depicted or appear in the movies,” said LaFauci, who leads visitors through over 30 cinematic Hub locations with On Location Tours, a company that started in New York with Sex and the City tours. “Filmmakers really love that Boston has such a unique flavor or character, from the accent to the attitude,” said LaFauci, 22.
LaFauci takes her tour guide role seriously, prepping for the role by watching over 70 movies that were filmed in Boston, including Mystic River, Fever Pitch, 21, Gone Baby, and Legally Blonde. The bus and walking tours stops at locations such as the L Street Tavern, home of Good Will Hunting; Jack Nicholson's mob hangout in The Departed; and the scene of the car crash in Blown Away. “Movies are a shared experience, and seeing Boston as a film set is really exciting for people,” said LaFauci.
Q: What’s your background as an actor?
A: I was involved in at least 30 productions at Brown and also have experience as a director, producer, dramaturge, and publicity manager for both film and theater. I’ve also acted for numerous local playhouses and companies.

Q: How do you use your acting background and experience to help lead these tours?
A: I think just being comfortable in front of an audience and feeling like you can entertain for hours is key. My best training comes from improv and clowning. I’m a small person who is very short – 5 feet – so knowing how to have a presence is very important.

Q: This is actually not your first time being a tour guide, correct?
A: My very first tours were leading open houses at Mount Saint Joseph Academy in Brighton. I was 14, and became the go-to person because they knew how much I enjoyed it. I have always been comfortable in front of people and like the sound of my own voice. At Brown, I also conducted admissions tours. One of the things I learned early on is that if you just smile a lot, listeners are more receptive to what you say and seem to drift off a little less.

Q: Where does the Boston movie bus tour go?
A: It’s a three-hour tour, so you see tons of the city, including Beacon Hill and the Back Bay. Not many tours go through Southie, so that’s really cool, with a stop for a drink where the characters from Goodwill Hunting hung out, and then through the North End, Charlestown, and all along the waterfront. You end at Cheers. For me, one of my favorite stops is the Moakley Courthouse, which is now one of my top places to go and sit and relax. Scenes from The Departed were filmed there.
Q: How are you ramping up your acting career in the meantime?
A: It’s all about auditioning and trying to get in there and meet people. I had an audition for a community theater production last week, and even though I didn’t get the role, to me, it’s fun – three minutes that you get to act.

Q: What’s your favorite movie or TV show filmed in Boston?
A: It’s a tie between Next Stop Wonderland and The Boondock Saints. Next Stop Wonderland was one of the movies I hadn’t heard of until I started working on the tours. I fell in love with the movie.

Q: What movie are you watching lately to brush up on your screen knowledge?
A: This weekend I plan to see Housesitter with Steve Martin. That was filmed at One Beacon Street.

By Cindy Atoji Keene
Conductor Anthony Trecek-King never intended to study music, let alone become the director of a children’s choir. Born into an Air Force family from the South, he had wanted to be an engineer since he was 10 years old. When he received a scholarship to study music, he considered it a temporary detour. But a few weeks into classes, he was called into the office of the music department chair, who asked him, “Have you ever seen anyone like you on the podium conducting?” Trecek-King, who is African American, said “no,” and after this conversation, an idea was planted, which grew into a passion. “That day set me on the path to becoming a conductor,” said Trecek-King.
Today Trecek-King, 36, is the artistic director of the Boston Children’s Chorus, an innovative arts education organization that uses music as a catalyst for social change as it unites children ages 7-18 across diverse socioeconomic, racial and religious backgrounds. The chorus, which began with a handful of children in a pilot training program, serves nearly 500 singers in 12 choirs in five Boston locations. “I’m sharing my love for music with a new generation of musicians. Music changed my life – why not provide that opportunity for other people?” said Trecek-King, who said that underserved, low-income youth often need help finding their voices, not just on the stage, but also in their lives.

Q: Do children need to audition for the choir?
A: It’s a quick and easy audition; many children have no prior musical training – they just need to come in and make a few noises. With the state of music education in the city, we try not to turn people away if they really want to do this. It’s more about how well the child can focus rather than musical talent. Kids learn at their own pace.

Q: What is a typical rehearsal like?
A: It starts with a warm-up for; we practice sight reading and then go through the paces. What makes our rehearsals different is that they are somewhat democratic. Singers have a lot of input into what needs to be done. Once in a while we’ll also have a discussion about something completely non-musical, such as racism or homelessness. We’re trying to develop not just singers but also better citizens.

Q: How do you communicate your ideas as a conductor?
A: Mostly it’s non-verbal, with gestures, such as the way I move my hands through space. Or perhaps it’s the way I look. All these send a message to the singers. It’s cool when things are clicking. But when the hands break down, which is inevitable, I’ll use an analogy, ‘I want this to be like this.” As a last resort, I’ll demonstrate and sing the way I want them to sing.

Q: What do you hope audiences take away after a concert?
A: I hope they are immersed in the experience. It’s a journey between me, the choir and the audience. The audience has two to three minutes to get the message of the music that we have been working on for weeks. How do you convey that to the audience? Once the note is sung, it’s out there and it’s gone.

Q: What CD would you bring with you to a desert island?
A: I wouldn’t take anything. I don’t relax by listening to music. If my wife and I are traveling in a car and hear a song, I start analyzing how I might tackle that particular piece or how I can get my group to sound that good. It turns into work-related thoughts. So I would just bring myself and make my own music.

Customer service. We hear a lot about it but what does it really mean? Recently I’ve observed a couple of instances of what I call exemplary customer service.

First, consider a physical therapist I watched work with a friend of mine in a residential rehab facility. After settling in, my friend contacted the physical therapy department to find out when the first visit would occur. “The therapist will visit your room tomorrow morning to get started,” he was told. Sure enough the next morning at 10:30AM the physical therapist showed up, reviewed his situation with him, explained how her work with him would progress and said she would return that afternoon after 2:00PM. Shortly after 2:00PM she showed up, and he had his first session.

His opinion and mine couldn’t be higher about the therapist and the physical therapy department. Why? Because of her dedication to customer service. Customer service starts with one simple maxim: tell people what you are going to do and then do it. If you say you are going to arrive at 2:00PM, then be there at 2:00PM. But fail to arrive when you say you will, fail to make a call when you say you will, don’t deliver the information you say you will deliver when you say you will deliver it, then people start questioning both you and your organization’s ability to deliver.

Now, there are times when plans go awry, when situations change. When that happens, it’s time to apply the second maxim of customer service: communicate. Let the person know what has changed and what to expect instead. The physical therapist had even called at 1:30 to assure my friend that she’d be there.

Most people dread dealing with the telephone company. Recently, I witnessed a friend try to move her telephone service to her new home in the next town. True to form, the experience with the person on the phone was vague at best, but she was assured that, yes, the service would be moved and she could keep her old phone number. When the service technician arrived to install the service, she found out the old number wasn’t going to be moved. Now for the customer service part of the story. The service technician was awesome. He spent several hours trouble shooting the situation for her, working the system as best he could. Even though he ultimately was unsuccessful, his effort and his friendly positive demeanor won her over.

The third customer service maxim is: Go the extra mile for the customer and do it in a pleasant, positive friendly manner. More often than not, your customer will listen and understand even when things don’t go their way.

There’s a good reason why companies stress quality customer service. Every positive interaction increases customer loyalty. And, with customers taking to blogs, Facebook, and twitter to share their good and bad experiences, what company today can afford the consequences of bad service?

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Elite college coach Leonardo Radomile has a word of advice for helicopter parents: “Universities are not like designer labels, where Harvard is an Hermes scarf and Princeton is Louis Vuitton luggage.” The most important thing is not squeezing a student into a particular school, said Radomile, director of the Cambridge Learning Center (CLC) in Cambridge, but finding a college that best fits a student’s needs. “Remember that your child going to college, not you.”

As admission to the Ivy League and other schools becomes more and more competitive, candidates are looking to “crack the code” as to what will help kids get over the hump and into elite schools. But Radomile, who runs CLC as a non-profit foundation that provides intensive academic enrichment and counseling for college prep, said that there are no tricks, only fundamentals. “The college admission process should be an opportunity to develop communication skills and self-awareness, and not just a resume-enhancing task,” said Radomile, who started the organization eight years ago as a field education project at Harvard University.

Q: If a parent says, “Please get my son or daughter into Stanford or Yale,” what do you say to them?
A: Parents operate under the misimpression that you need to teach how to take the SAT or how to write an essay. This is putting the cart before the horse. It’s not about test taking techniques but developing the whole student. My attitude is build the person first and find what they love to do, not only intellectually but also physically and emotionally.

Q: What goes into a good admissions essay?
A: There is a real art to it yet no cookie cutter formula exists. A good college essay is one that shows qualities of self-reflection and insight where the student shows he is a well-developed human being who is really thinking about himself and the future. We can help create conditions where these abilities emerge. It’s very Socratic; we ask the questions draws the real story from the student. It’s a process that often takes 8-10 weeks.

Q: How do you motivate students?
A: There has been an enormous amount of research into the neuroscience of achievement and what helps students make accomplishments at the highest level. For example, a student’s ability to read and think is tied to cognitive psychology and language acquisition. Motivation is an internal thing as well; students who unmotivated often don’t see the relevance of what they’re doing. Parents think it’s just about a set of skills, but it’s not about filling a cup as much as lighting a fire.

Q: You were on the admissions committee at Harvard. What was that like?
A: An application comes in, and a list is made. There’s a cut off point, say 3.75 GPA and 2,100 SAT, although we will look at applications above and below that. Each member of the admissions committee will look at maybe 200-300 applications over a six to eight week period. You go through the portfolio and see what the student has done and look for excellence, even if it’s just in collecting baseball cards or maybe it’s sports, music or chess. It’s a very holistic and open process, and not cut and dry. The ecology of the whole student is examined.

Q: Do you have any horror stories about overly ambitious parents?
A: A woman came in, sat her son in front of me, and said, “Harvard undergraduate and John Hopkins Medical School.” I said, “What?” And she repeated these words. I said, ‘What does he want?’ The son said, “I want what my mother wants.” She was so pushy. I see some kids who are so stressed they literally have post-traumatic syndrome and are shaking. I’m very sorry to see this happen.
Q: You have kids of your own. Where did they go to school?
A: My son could have gone to Harvard but he went to McGill University. He would have been miserable at Harvard. Students have to find their own “Harvard.”

Q: You went to Harvard and University of Chicago. Did your parents help you with your applications?
A: No, my father left school in fourth grade to go to work and he was not academically inclined. I had to do my own admissions work. I came to this stuff by trial and error.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Planning a party is more than concocting little drink umbrellas or writing up name tags. Although most people don’t even know that professional meeting planners even exist, it’s a multi-million dollar industry, according to the Convention Industry Council.

From negotiating with vendors to organizing entertainment, figuring out room configuration, coordinating parking, budgeting, site selection, liquor liability, and more, there are dozens of details that go into organizing a successful meeting or event, said Boston event planner Lo (Lauren) McShay. McShay, proprietor of LoLo Event Design, an event consultation and design firm, is a former advertising account executive who has taken on such challenges as transforming a private New England home into a Miami-style gala for a spring party; throwing a blue jeans ball; and organizing numerous weddings. “I apply the principles of large-scale production and dedicated client service to design an event, not just coordinate it,” said McShay, who also has a presence on the Etsy marketplace, peddling hand-crafted décor elements such as cocktail stirrers, table numbers, and wine charms that she creates for her events. One such artsy touch is a lavender satchel that she makes for all her bridal parties to sooth pre-wedding jitters.

Q: The sign in your office is the old British ministry saying, “Keep calm and carry on.” Do you encounter many such moments?
A: For weddings in particular, I’m working with clients on one of their biggest days of their life. They have a huge financial investment, so it’s not even just being a bridezilla but just trying to control so many different details. At the end of the day, though, we’re throwing a party that celebrates two people that fell in love. It’s not brain surgery or curing cancer – it’s just a party.

Q: How hard is it to stick within budget for an event? How can you be sure to balance “wants” with “needs?”
A: It’s much easier to stick to a budget when you start planning with the whole pie in mind. Often clients will approach me after they've booked their venue, which typically accounts for 45 percent of your budget. If you over spend on that slice of the pie it’s much harder to rein it in and get your top “want” list items.

Q: What was your favorite event that you helped plan so far and why?
A: My favorite event to date has to be a wedding at The Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead. I love adding modern elements to classic New England buildings, which this venue lent itself to. It’s one the few venues that has an outdoor dance floor on the ocean and this couple took advantage of it. There was so much love on the dance floor not only between the couple, but their friends and family. It’s what every wedding should be.

Q: Food is such an integral part of a party. What’s the best appetizer to serve?
A: Guests are often running late, but who wants to be seen shoveling bulky food into their mouth? I’m a strong advocate for bite-sized passed appetizers that aren’t messy but simple and delicious to eat.

Q: Planning your own wedding what one of the reasons you were inspired to become an event designer. What did you learn from your own ceremony?
A: Make the first dance short, since it can seem to last forever. Secondly, better safe than sorry. We were one of those horror stories where the cards were collected in an open basket and someone stole the gifts from the reception. Now I recommend a birdcage or interesting lock box.

Q: What’s the oddest request you’ve ever received?
A: Being a dog sitter while the bride walked down the aisle. Here I was nervous about making sure the bride got down the aisle, while the couple was more concerned about the dog.

Q: Have you seen the movie The Wedding Planner? What did you think?
A: I’ve absolutely seen The Wedding Planner and love it, expect for the part where she falls in love with groom. Bad karma for life!

By Cindy Atoji Keene

What kid doesn’t remember a field trip to the museum? But Annette Sawyer grew up an hour west of Bangor, Maine, and such visits were never part of her school year. This is part of the reason she appreciates the exhibit halls and programs at the Museum of Science in Boston, where she is lead educator. The educational role of the Museum of Science is at the core of its service to the public, said Sawyer, who heads up a team of museum educators who offer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in many formats – not just school field trips, but also workshops and courses, overnights, and teacher professional development. And as school budgets tighten and field trips become less feasible, “backwards field trips” or traveling programs take museum lessons beyond its walls into the community. “Staying relevant in science not only encompasses natural history or evolution, but also talking about current events, whether it’s the Mars landing or the Higgs particle because that’s how kids get excited about the next discovery,” said Sawyer, 59.

Today’s museum stresses assessibility – being inclusive and encouraging participation of the widest possible audience – and Sawyer has been working on making the museum more welcoming for children with disabilities such as autism, through universal design, technology and communication aids, and hands-on materials. “Making ourselves more welcoming, whether it’s using larger exhibit labels or captioned multimedia programs, ultimately helps meet the needs of all visitors,” said Sawyer, who has also been working on developing creative revenue streams through corporate partnerships and sponsorship of exhibits.

Q: What’s on your desk right now?
A: A bunch of paperwork, of course, including an old business plan that I recently found. I read through it, and thought, ‘This is awesome, we accomplished most of this.’” There is also a box of Mentos for a workshop on rockets, when we’ll explore the principles of force, motion and gravity by shooting off bottles powered by the geyser-like effusive combination of Diet Coke and Mentos. Finally, there’s a memo about a new fleet of STARLAB portable planetarium vans, and the fun part of my job is deciding what color they should wrapped in.

Q: How do you align exhibits and programs with state learning standards?
A: Anytime we have an exhibit, such as the temporary exhibit A Day in Pompeii, I brainstorm about different angles to support curriculum goals. It’s obvious that there was science in the volcano eruption, but maybe Latin classes and early history classes may not be realizing that the artifacts, language and social studies are also relevant to them.

Q: You started your career as a speech therapist. How did you make your way to the museum?
A: I realized that speech therapy wasn’t a good fit, and thought that engineering might be a better career. I got a degree in chemical engineering then worked for decades at Polaroid. I know way too much about silver-based negatives. When public interest turned from instant film to digital cameras, I moved to the Tufts University technology transfer office to work with researchers to license their inventions. Then, eight years ago, already a loyal museum member, I decided to switch to a career that allowed me combine my science and business skills.

Q: Was it hard to transition to working at a museum?
A: It took a good year and a half to adjust to the museum of culture. Back then, there was no formal training for museum studies; everything was learned on the job. I’m a geeky nerd, and I needed to adapt to my fellow museum types. I have a colleague who leads safaris in Tanzania every year; another college who builds a singing Tesla coil. We have a lot of delight bringing forth the quirky bits of knowledge we all know.

Q: What little known fact did you learn this week at the museum?
A: How to identify various owl pellets as well as the details of the Mars landing.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

While seafood is a staple on Martha’s Vineyard, the island has also become a smorgasbord of ethnic flavors in recent years. But longtime Vineyard resident Melody Cunningham believed the cool island vibe was still missing one thing: the taste of another beloved far-off island, Jamaica. The widow of iconic reggae singer Peter Tosh, Cunningham envisioned a lively Caribbean-style open-air stand and the smell of authentic Jamaican jerk chicken wafting down Main Street.

Last year, the Vineyard welcomed Cunningham’s mobile food truck, Irie Bites, and a new cuisine to Vineyard Haven. “Irie means love, happiness, everything blessed,” said Cunningham, who, with co-owner Peter Simon, maneuvered town regulations and permitting processes to get the truck up and running. The Irie Bites truck is popular not just with tourists but also with the island’s seasonal workforce, said Cunningham, many of whom are Jamaicans craving their authentic home food, such as jerk chicken, rice and beans, and plantains, served up with ginger beer or guava beverages. While the truck had to be buttoned up tight for the unwelcomed visit of Hurricane Irene last summer, this season it has been smooth sailing so far.

Q: How did you get interested in Jamaican food?
A: I’m originally from Boston but lived in Jamaica for eight years and still travel there frequently. Jamaica is my second home – my children were born there and that’s where I learned to cook Jamaican food.

Q: What are the best and worst parts of owning a food truck?
A: Food trucks are all about fun and spontaneity, taking food and bringing it to the streets. But serving meals out of a truck can sometimes be more work, and definitely more preparation and planning.

Q: How did you find your truck?
A: It was very serendipitous; we got a phone call from a friend who had a mobile truck that he used only off-island in the winter to feed homeless people. We initially rented it from him but now purchased it. It’s a workhorse GMC with 29 thousand miles and is outfitted with a full kitchen, including food warmers, hand sink, commercial freezer, water and waste system, and generators. We did have to put in a grill, because if you’re doing authentic jerk chicken, it needs to grilled.

Q: What was your biggest lesson after you started on-the-road vending?
A: Learning to manage production is the biggest learning curve. We do the prep work – cutting the vegetables, marinating the meat, and other tasks – in a restaurant kitchen and then stock the truck. For a food truck festival, such as the one we are doing in a few weeks at The Suffolk Downs Food Truck Festival on Sept. 22, we need to have hundreds of servings of three different dishes, such as jerk chicken, plantains, and dumplings. Then there are the forks, napkins, and food containers; you don’t want to run out of anything.

Q: How do you attract people to your truck?
A: It’s all about branding, and my goal is to make Irie Bite visitors feel like they’re in Jamaica. We’re in a great location, right downtown, which is key for a mobile business. The reggae music is playing; there’s the smell of beef or vegetable patties or sweet brown sugar in the air, and the truck is decked out with colorful photos and images of Jamaican imagery that really sings. Children are running around and people are enjoying the food. It’s ‘Irie.’

Q: What’s your favorite item on the menu?
A: I love the rice and peas. They’re cooked in coconut milk, flavored with scallions, thyme, and seasoning. It gives it an awesome flavor.

Q: Food trucks have been popularized on food networks lately. Do you watch these shows?
A: I do learn from these shows and get lots of ideas. It makes me want to make my truck more snazzy and get new wheels and a bigger grill. But for now, it does the job.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Not long ago, elderly residents in rehab centers were limited to passive activities like coffee klatches, knitting and sing-a-longs. But now, despite walkers and wheelchairs, seniors are finding new expression in yoga and drumming classes, computer courses, art workshops and dancing. “People assume that older adults don’t want to do anything but watch TV, but actually if given the option, they enjoy different activities,” said Julie Wade, 45, a recreational therapist and “community life leader” at Hebrew Rehabilitation’s NewBridge on the Charles campus in Dedham. Research suggests that the arts and other expressive outlets provide emotional and physical benefits for older adults, improving cognition, aiding mobility, and making participants feel valued.

The goal of a senior housing community is to support the health and independence of residents, as well as encourage a sense of community. Wade says that while the long-term care population she works with is often old and frail, they still enjoy having fun, and haven’t lost their competitive spirit. “You don’t see many 90-year-old woman playing field hockey in a chair, but they’ll be laughing and hooting and hollering,” said Wade, who has a degree in physical education. The facility also partners with the Rashi School to encourage an intergenerational campus where young and old learn and socialize together. “No matter how old, there are always life lessons to share,” said Wade.

Q: You’ve worked in elder care for over 17 years. What keeps you going?
A: These folks have such incredible life stories and a wonderful sense of humor. They have taught me never to take anything for granted. A lot of them have vision loss so they can’t even see me but they’ll say, “Oh, Julie, I know you’re there.” It’s like having 300 grandparents.

Q: How do you work with dementia and Alzheimer’s patients?
A: Breaking down a project into step-by-step helps make it less overwhelming. If I’m going to do a current event program, for example, instead of reading the whole article, I’ll read the headline and then focus on some quick sentences. Or, I’ll enlarge a crossword to a poster-size wall graphic and do one word at a time. It’s important to use more body language and visual aids.

Q: How do you encourage residents to get involved?
A: If a resident is a loner, that’s fine, I just try to check in and make sure they’re choosing to be alone and that it’s a healthy isolation. Maybe they’re daydreaming, reading a book or people watching. But sometimes seniors have lost spouse and friends and don’t feel like making friends with strangers. I’ll encourage them to get out and as their confidence and comfort level builds up, they may join the group.

Q: Elderly women are more likely than men to be in senior housing. How do men feel about being in the minority?
A: Sometimes there are one or two man in a unit of 12-14 residents. Some men are treated like kings and sit at the head of the table; other men are like, “I’m going crazy. I have all these women around me.”

Q: What do you think you’ll be doing when you’re 82?
A: I’ll be telling everyone to leave me alone – no, only kidding. I’ll be taking naps, eating all the bad food that they tell me not to eat, and hopefully all the 88-year-old men will be chasing me around.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Military barracks don’t have the reputation of being luxury accommodations, but still, when developer John Picerne first toured Fort Meade before a proposed renovation, he was shocked. Nothing in his decades-long real estate career prepared him for the deplorable conditions that he encountered: holes in the wall; mold on the ceiling; quarters so cramped that tables and bureaus were stacked on top of each other. “It was a sad learning experience as I realized how poorly we were treating our military families,” said Picerne, 50, CEO and president of Corvias Group in East Greenwich, R.I., which has a division called Picerne Military Housing. He was about to embark on his first joint venture with the Department of Defense, as the government continued to privatize the military construction process in an attempt to stretch limited housing funds and create opportunities for commercial contractors like Picerne. This first project, 11 years ago, was a learning curve that Picerne compared to “climbing a huge mountain,” as his property development team built and ran the Maryland base that houses over 3,000 families. From there, he partnered with the Army in the modernization and maintenance of 24,000 other homes around the country, including Fort Bragg, Fort Polk, and others. Corvias Group has also launched a new student housing division, Corvias Campus Living, the company announced Tuesday.

Q: How did Picerne Military Housing get started?
A: It was an offshoot of a national real estate company started by my family. I figured the Department of Defense isn’t going out of business anytime soon, and wanted a more recession resistant venture. The government had privatized housing stock for the military several years ago, and had an enormous backlog of work.

Q: How did 9/11 affect you and your business?

A: In that first year that we won the bid for Fort Meade, 9/11 happened and my worldview changed dramatically. We were now providing service and taking care of military members who were preparing for war. There was such a feeling of pride and patriotism and a greater sense of mission with staff and team members.
What seemed like a good business decision suddenly become less about career and more of a vocation for me.

Q: What’s the main difference between maintaining military versus residential properties?
A: The primary differentiator is the mass and sheer size of each installation. And while the homes are similar, we try to customize them for our customers. When upgrading Fort Bragg, for example, home of the 82nd Airborne Division, we wanted to make sure the paratroopers had enough closet space to hang their gear and parachutes, so there is more dedicated storage space for the troops.

Q: What is the governmental bidding process is like?
A: It’s an eight-hour, full-blown oral and visual production to a panel of judges, encompassing what we plan to do for the next 50 years in a partnership and ground lease. The proposal covers the number of new homes and renovations; what the emergency services and general maintenance will look like, from fixing plumbing and electrical; to how we would help families move in and out – like an apartment complex manager, but on a larger scale.

Q: Have you ever been in the military?
A: No, I have not. When I was little, every time I did something bad, my father threatened to send me to the army. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I’d be as entrenched in the military as much as I am today.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Midwife Julia Dickinson applauds the fact that midwives have become the accessory a la mode for an enlightened, natural birth experience – even for high profile celebrities and well-heeled sophisticates. At 29, she is the youngest midwife at Mount Auburn, and while she is happy that midwifery is becoming more mainstream, she said that so many people still do not understand the work that midwives do. “A lot of people have impression that midwives just do home birth but the majority deliver in hospital,” said Dickinson, who is part of The Midwives at Mount Auburn, which serves women in and around Cambridge. “A large part of my practice is also prenatal visits and well-women gynecology.”

The percentage of births assisted by a midwife has reached an all-time high in the U.S., according to the Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, which analyzed data from the CDC. Dickinson, who delivers between 50-60 babies a year, said although midwives are increasingly catering to the middle and upper class, she often works with low-resource women and those on Medicaid. “Midwives approach birth as a normal life event rather than a disease or a potential medical emergency,” said Dickinson who is a registered nurse with graduate-level training in midwifery and has passed a national certification exam. “We want more of dialogue than lecturing patients about what’s right and wrong.”

Q: What was one of your most memorable births?
A: I remember one woman who had two C-sections before, and she really wanted to have a vaginal birth. She and her husband were really dedicated to doing natural childbirth and experiencing strong, active labor with no pain medication. Her labor moved quickly and she was able to deliver to have a nice, healthy childbirth. It was nice to be a part of that.

Q: What are your busy seasons?
A: Despite all the science around medicine and birth, we don’t really know what causes labor to start; there is a certain amount of folklore around it as well. When the weather forecast predicts a storm, I start checking my pager, since that seems to put more women into labor. Other times we are twiddling our thumbs, waiting for people to come.

Q: How did you become a nurse midwife?
A: My dad is a physician and my mom is an artist, and if you breath in those two, you can get a nurse midwife. I liked to tag along with my dad to the hospital, and memorized all the bones of the body by the time I was 10. I thought I would be a doctor, but when I was 15, a camp counselor told us the story of a birth by a mom who had a midwife, and I thought, “This is what I want to do.” A lot of midwives say they have a calling.

Q: Do you have kids?
A: I do not. It’s a misconception that you have to have babies to be a good midwife – do you have to have cancer to be an oncologist? Although you do gain a different perspective when you’ve been through it yourself, it’s not about myself and my ideal pregnancy or birth, but what the clients want and need. I probably need to get married before I have children, so that’s the first thing on the list.

Q: Do you fit the stereotype of a midwife?
A: I do have a bit of hippy chick in me but many think we all have gray hair or braids and wear long flowing skirts with Birkinstock sandals. I have a totally different style. After hours, I’m the lead singer in a band called Hot Molasses. Midwives have a high rate of 'burn out' so I think it is important to have rewarding hobbies outside of the hospital. For some people it may be knitting or hiking - for me it happens to be singing in a rock band.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Edible Arrangements production manager Iris Matos prefers to call herself a “fruit artist.” She doesn’t actually get to create any designs – those are pre-determined by the company – but she still prides herself on beautifully arranged bouquets and arrangements of sculpted fresh fruit. “Fruit is so delicious and healthy, and making the fruit into lovely creations that people can enjoy is a lot of fun,” said Matos, who works at the Methuen franchise of Edible Arrangements, a Wallingford, Conn.,-based company which has over 1,000 stores worldwide.

Fruit has always been important to Matos, 40, who is of Puerto Rican descent; she grew up visiting the island, grabbing mangos from the trees in the backyard and eating kiwis fresh from produce stands So when her children grew older and she began looking for a job, she loved the idea of taking fresh strawberries, pineapple, grapes, oranges, cantaloupes and honeydews and making them into centerpieces or gifts. Matos creates anywhere from 30 to 200 fruit arrangements a day, including bananas dipped in white and semisweet chocolate, to pineapples shaped like a daisies. “I’m an artist by nature, and I make sure that every piece of fruit is styled to perfection,” said Matos.

Q: What is the process of turning fruit into a decorative piece of food?
A: All of our arrangements have to conform to a certain “look,” but it still takes a careful eye to put together a design. The fruit needs to be cut to a certain size and shape; skewered carefully; and balanced in the final basket or container so that there are no empty spaces. I make sure the fruit isn’t bruised, soft or moldy. It takes practice to get it right.

Q: What’s your favorite design?
A: I personally love the long-stemmed chocolate covered strawberries that are hand-dipped in white and semisweet chocolate. They look just like roses and a very stunning. Strawberries are my favorite fruit to work with because you can do so many things with them, including rolling them in coconut, mini-chocolate chips, or chopped almonds.

Q: How do you ensure that the fruit is fresh?
A: Fresh fruit is delivered daily, and then the boxes are put in a big walk-in cooler. We have seven different sinks, including sinks that are dedicated to cleaning the fruit only. The bananas, strawberries, or apples are washed and dried, then put on trays.

Q: Is it difficult to cut the fruit into uniform pieces?
A: Different knives are used for different fruit, depending on the builder’s preferences. I have five different types of knives, from straight to paring knives but I prefer the straight knives. Our knives were recently sharpened, and I was so excited that I happened to knick myself, but it’s wonderful to have a great tool again. A sharp knife is so essential.

Q: How do you get the different shapes out of the fruit?
A: I have a pineapple cutter that will stamp out the shapes, whether it’s a star, heart, or Mickey Mouse. Other fruit are hand-cut, although kiwis in particular are hard to peel and cut.

Q: Were you affected by last year’s cantaloupe recall, when there was an outbreak of dangerous bacteria on melons?
A: We checked with our fruit vendor and the melons we were using were safe, so we continued to use them. But initially it was a concern, of course.

Q: Is it OK to take a nibble of a piece of fruit while you’re working?
A: Absolutely! I actually try to taste everything daily to make sure it’s fresh. If I can’t eat it, then the customer won’t eat it. So I’m always eating fruit, except when I go home. I can only take so much fruit.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

As a professional matchmaker for eLove dating agency, Brenan McGarrigle claims to have helped facilitate over 600 marriages in her 29 years on the job. She has reportedly hooked up people from all walks of life, from single moms, retirees, teachers, and nurses to policeman, engineers, and plumbers. “No matter who you are or how old you are, so many people have a basic need to share their life with someone special,” said McGarrigle, 52, who said that love and affairs of the heart are rarely logical. “Just like earning a college degree or landing the perfect job, finding a good relationship takes this same level of goal orientation and commitment.”

eLove, located in Norwell, formerly named The Right One and Together Dating, has an online registration process for singles ages 21 to 70, followed up by a detailed questionnaire and one-on-one consulting, where “relationship coaches” like McGarrigle interview singles for their likes, dislikes, hobbies, and values. eLove members, who pay a fee of $3,000 and up to join, are then provided with brief profiles of potential matches, then given the opportunity to contact each other and eventually meet in person. “Unlike a lot of online dating services, candidates are prescreened and then matched according to compatibility,” said McGarrigle. “There is a huge human factor involved and a lot of gray areas which online searches just can’t manage.” eLove, which calls itself a "personal introduction service" has received negative reviews for its business practices but McGarrigle claims that many singles want to blame their bad luck in the dating game on anyone but themselves. “The stakes are high, and we live in a time of instant gratification. This isn’t like ordering fast food where you meet your soul mate after the first or second date,” said McGarrigle.

Q: How did you get into matchmaking as a line of work?
A: I earned my degree in counseling from the University of New Hampshire and interviewed for some social work jobs, but I found this type of position just didn’t interest me. I saw a newspaper ad for this position and discovered I really enjoyed helping people break negative relationship patterns and expectations and setting them up for success instead.

Q: How do you know if a match will be suitable or not?
A: We start with extensive attitude profiling and a battery of tests that ask about self-image, conformity, sexual-attitudes, and religion as well as height and weight, education and income. For example, I wouldn’t introduce someone who is very old-fashioned to someone who is independent and of the now-generation. But I really place more importance on what is underneath, whether it’s a strong work ethic or sense of humor. As members meet each other, I help them fine-tune their preferences.

Q: How have online services changed the dating landscape?
A: If you wanted to, you could go out on three dates a night, starting with a drink with a man or woman, then an appetizer with someone else and wind up with dinner. It’s more about quantity than quality. I don’t want to be sexist, but a lot of newly divorced guys initially like the volume but even they get tired of this, so places like ours start to make more sense. My sister recently met someone online but it took five years and a 100 bad dates and my clients don’t have the stomach for that.

Q: What’s an example of a successfully relationship match?
A: A great woman from South Shore, a widow in early 70, finally met someone a couple of months ago. He was a widower from Rhode Island. I had to call him and see if he would be flexible about the distance, because she was about an hour and a half away. They both had become discouraged, and he had started saying, “I had the love of my life, and she died, and I just can’t replace her. I’ll just hang out with my kids and grandkids.” But they decided to meet, and now they’re in a serious relationship and barely spend a night apart.

Q: How do you tactfully give advice when needed if someone has bad breath or some other big turnoff?
A: When leaving the office, I give them a little sticky note and tell them to put it on their mirror. It’s meant to be a kind but joking nudge in the right direction. I might write, “Get a haircut that makes you look like you live in this century,” or “Stop being so self-depraicting.” I’m coming from a position where I am only trying to help.

Q: How did you meet your husband?
A: It might sound a little contradictory, but we met at a bar during homecoming. I didn’t know he was ‘the one” and didn’t even like him until the third date. I have been happily married for 23 years.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Between take-out, dining out and microwave meals, some lament the demise of simple acts like peeling and chopping. People are not too busy to cook, but too lazy, the argument goes, especially when it comes to the front-end chores like schlepping to the supermarket or scrounging through the cabinet for the right herbs. For foodie and Healthy Habits Kitchen owner Sue Schochet, a happy medium between home cooking and the drive thru is fix-and-freeze, entrees that are made ahead of time, then defrosted and served for quick meal prep. She claims that these pre-planned meal kits – how about Baked Coconut Shrimp with Orange Jalapeno Dipping Sauce? – preserve the traditional family meal time while still expanding culinary horizons. “You’re still using raw ingredients and fresh spices to cook, and some say it’s made it less intimidating to try new dishes,” said Schochet, who started the Wellesley meal assembly kitchen five years ago as the answer to “what’s for dinner.”

While easy meal prep stores haven’t been an easy sell for consumers, with many franchises disappearing during the economic downturn, Schochet has been peddling the meal-assembly concept at local farmer’s markets, adding delivery options, and partnering with corporations and non-profits. Meals, which average about $5 a serving, are packaged in simple brown box with an instruction label on each kit, containing chopped veggies, pre-made sauces and toppings, and other ingredients. A former corporate executive, Schochet started Healthy Habits after being laid off from her finance job, and said that the learning curve was getting recipes to restaurant quality and learning to market and distribute products in a completely different industry.

Q: How is this a time-saving idea?
A: If you were to make marinated steak tips, for example, you’d have to first find a recipe you like, then run to the grocery store, buy the ingredients, marinate and cook or grill, and then clean up afterwards. Steak tips can require lots of spices – red wine, soy sauce, garlic, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce – just to name a few. But we can pre-assemble all this, which requires us to layout 15 bowls in our commercial kitchen in an assembly line process. All you need to do is open the ziplock bags of meat, brown rice, and vegetables, and then thaw, cook, and serve.

Q: How do you develop the recipes?
A: In the beginning, I’d test the recipes with family and friends. I’ll get ideas from my family collection, magazines, and cooking shows, or other places; one customer mentioned a mahi mahi with a granola topping, and I researched and figured out the recipe. There are certain ingredients that won’t freeze well – eggplants will get mushy, as other vegetables that have a lot of water. All meals are under 400 calories per serving and 30% fat or less, so I also have our dietician do a nutritional analysis.

Q: With so many different palates, how do you come up with a menu that pleases everyone?
A: It’s not easy, because sometimes there can be a gap between kid-friendly and gourmet, but with 12 different choices every month, there’s something for everyone. One all-time favorite is lemon curry chicken, which has a little honey, curry, and golden raisins for a sweet and savory taste. Other favorite dishes are nacho turkey burgers with crushed tortilla chips and bloody mary steak tips, which is like a bite of this favorite drink. The kids love the cheese stuffed meatballs and pretzel-crusted chicken.

Q: What are some ways in which meal prep can be more time consuming than people realize?
A: The heavy lifting takes place with not just the shopping for ingredients, but also finding the right recipe, something that is unique as well as healthy. Many cooks also find that buying different herbs and spices also can be pricy.

Q: What cooking show inspires you?
A: Rachel Ray is one of my favorites. She twists up the average meal quite nicely.

Q: When you go home tonight, what will you have for dinner?
A: I might grill some chicken and put in a little tomato sauce. My new pet food is kale chips, made by baking the leaves with olive oil until nice and crispy.

By Cindy Atoji Keene
Long-time building developer Dan Gainsboro wasn’t always an advocate of new urbanism: the movement in the market away from subdivisions and towards smaller, downtown living. But four years ago, Gainsboro flew to Seattle to view a cluster of cottage communities and to talk with architect Ross Chapin, the brainpower behind these pocket neighborhoods. The cozy developments triggered his imagination: walkable streets, close proximity to transit, and smaller, smarter homes that create a sense of neighborhood. “For many, McMansions are losing their appeal,” said Gainsboro of Genesis Planners. “I wanted to create more thoughtful places to live where people have a sense of belonging, not isolation.”

Gainsboro, 53, has spent decades designing and planning buildings, including campus centers, hospitals, and homes, but his first foray into sustainable neighborhoods is the Concord Riverwalk project, a cluster of 13 two and three-bedroom cottages and townhouses with shared gardens, walkways, and parking. “The principles of smart growth allow for compact, eco-homes that encourage meaningful social interactions,” said Gainsboro, who said he wants to build not just places but create a sense of placemaking. “Placemaking happens in a public place or a community that fundamentally responds to what people want and need,” said Gainsboro.

Q: What challenges did you face during the design and permitting process for Concord Riverwalk?
A: Most zoning bylaws are antiquated and don’t contemplate cottage community developments but favor large-acre remote sites. So it’s a matter of educating the planning board and staff and also addressing fire safety, stormwater, sewer, and utility concerns. The houses are 15-20 feet apart so these are tightly knit communities near the town center or train. Such closeness to your neighbors is probably not for everyone but I believe it’s a model for how a lot of development should be happening.

Q: These are net-zero energy homes. What does that mean?
A: The homes are capable of producing, at a minimum, as much renewable energy as they consume over a course of a year. They’re super-insulated, extremely airtight buildings with 3-4 times more insulation in the walls as compared to typical homes. The small footprint homes have highly efficient pumps capable of heating and cooling the air and photovoltaic arrays that convert the sun’s energy into electricity. Of course, getting to net zero is very contingent on occupant behavior, so if there is a huge flat screen TV in every room, and plugs in every outlet, it’s not going to happen.

Q: How did you get interested in design and construction?
A: The creation of communities for me personally dates back to when I was 6 or 7 years old, and I would go back into the backyard and imagine creating different buildings. Now that I’m grown up, the building part is straightforward; this isn’t rocket science. But I’m finding that the social engineering element is challenging: understanding how to design a sense of place and of purpose where people want to live.

Q: How do you balance community and privacy in these homes?
A: The spaces are layered from private to public, so you can choose to interact with neighbors or not. The construction is more thoughtful, so no one is looking at a bathroom from the living room window, for example. There is a high probability for a serendipitous opportunity to bump into neighbors at the mailbox or community gardens, which are also added by design; they’re the new so-called “golf course.”

Q: Is this the beginning of smart development communities throughout the state?
A: My vision is to do a half dozen or more of these in the next 5-10 years. We are in the process of identifying new sites along the commuter rail corridor.

Q: You talked about placemaking – what are some special places for you?
A: One of them is the outdoor courtyard in the Boston Public Library. You feel in your bones that you are in a special place.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Creating efficient battery technology has been an ongoing challenge for developers. There are no real moving parts in a battery, but simply put, it is difficult to build a battery that holds a charge for long periods – and especially hard when materials are potentially volatile and unstable. With today’s announcement of a new type of lithium ion battery capable of operating in extreme heat or cold, Greg Tremelling, electrical engineering manager at A123 Systems Inc, said that although he has not been involved with any R&D with this new technology, he’ll be leveraging it for new customers, especially for use on electrical power grids run by renewable energy sources.

Lithium-ion battery maker A123 Systems is best known for making batteries for electric cars but has seen increased demand for its commercial transportation and grid operations systems. In its Westborough facility, Tremelling, 31, is leading a team focused on “big batteries,” energy storage for applications such as smoothing out the irregular power output for wind farms. “I like the ability to create a design out of passive components that can end up performing a function, and almost think on its own,” said Tremelling. He is helping to create battery configurations that can be used in hybrid buses as well as scaled upwards to operate a controller that uses up to 90,000 individual battery cells to allow operators to pull more energy out of wind and solar plants.

Q: How do lithium batteries work?
A: Most people think of lithium batteries as the type of batteries that power laptops and cell phones, and not a commercial grade workhorse. A123’s lithium batteries are based on nanostructured electrodes, where chemistry of the cells has been configured to allow a lot of electrical charges without wearing out. There are many reasons batteries age, with heat being one of the main reasons. With our latest battery, improved chemistry offers more power even under extremely high temperatures, without sacrificing storage or energy capabilities.

Q: How did you develop the batteries for use in wind farms or solar that help cope with fluctuations in supply of energy?
A: A grid system uses a very high DC voltage to deliver a megawatt power rating, so designing and working with this type of voltage was a new development. We outfitted our facility with a multi-megawatt power system and brainstormed about what sort of containers could hold over 80 thousand cells for the battery. The answer was a 53-foot shipping container that we outfitted with insulation, wiring, electrical panels, and cooling pipes, which became the perfect package to hold the battery. A West Virginia wind farm today has 16 of these trailers, all outfitted as batteries, and they respond autonomously to the output from the wind farm and help make variations in wind production less jarring.

Q: How did you get started in battery technology?
A: After graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, I went to work at American Power Conversion, where I worked on power suppliers and inverters, then someone invited me to check out this tiny startup in Hopkinton, which A123 was at the time. One of my first assignments was a hybrid bus program in upstate New York, and we drove up there and took a look, and as a result, later that spring, the public transportation system started rolling out energy-efficient hybrid buses. I’ve been with the company now since the end of 2006 in various positions from design engineer to grid system integration.

Q: What have been some new battery developments at A123 systems?
A: One of the technologies was done on the Formula One circuit, integrating a hybrid power boost system into a race car. Using batteries at certain points around the track, the driver was able to hit a button and add a large boost to the horsepower of the car. This was an exciting development because the battery was operating at high power levels and high temperatures.

Q: Have you visited the factories where the lithium ion batteries are manufactured?
A: I’ve been to China and gone through factories, seeing the clean room areas, visiting suppliers and trying to improve battery manufacturing process. The technology starts with the basic elements, and of course, at the end of the line, finished batteries come out.

Q: And have you ever driven a Tesla?
A: I’ve never driven a Tesla, but I did sit test an electric drive car made by the Norwegian electric carmaker Think.

Q: Do you tinker in your spare time?
A: I do. I’m always looking for a project or something to build. Most recently, I converted an old snowmobile into what looks like a chopper motorcycle. It has a single ski in front but a snowmobile drive train in the back. It was something silly I played with for a while and it did actually work.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Corporate attorney Shayla Harlev doesn’t want to trivialize the merger and acquisition process that she helps facilitate for private equity players, but she compares it to being a personal shopper. “Companies come in different shapes and sizes, and I help them get the clothes or assets they want,” said Harlev, 37, a partner at Weil, Gotshal and Manges in Boston. Harlev has been at the table for consolidations in communications, healthcare, technology and more. In 2007, for example, she helped four private equity clients buy media company Univision Communications, a lengthy year-long process that she said was complicated by regulatory approvals. “You need to be able to help two opposing parties find the middle ground. I call it enlarging the pie. Often one side says ‘A’ and the other side says ‘B’ but they may not be necessarily arguing about the same thing.”

Boston is among the top private equity cities in the country as companies looking to grow or retool continue to look for capital in challenging economic times. Although private equity has gotten a black eye in the rough political primaries, Harlev believes the ruthless image of turnaround firms is unwarranted. “The people I work with don’t come into the deal thinking they’re going to take a company apart or get rid of jobs, but rather the other way around: how can I grow this company and make it better? But obviously not every risk in life works out, so it’s a calculated risk.”

Q: PE (Private Equity), Venture Capital (VE), Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) – how can we keep all these terms straight?
A: I didn’t know a lot of these terms myself when I started working in this field; you learn as you go. It’s all common sense, and everything has an equivalent in real life. For example, everyone has bought an asset– a car or a house, for example – if you just blow this up to a bigger scale, this is the world I live in at work.

Q: You were born in Turkey and practiced law in Israel – does that affect your approach to your job?
A: In Israel, lawyers are old-school, or at least they were 10 years ago. Their approach is more conciliatory and they are more informal. When I came to the US, I needed to ramp up the level of documentation and professionalism.

Q: How did you happen to specialize in this type of law?
A: In Israel you have to do one year of internship, and I went to a really small firm that had nothing to do with transactions. I was a bit bored, so I interviewed with different law firms and clicked with one of the managing partners. He was doing a deal in Turkey, and before I knew it, I was on an airplane with him, flying to negotiate a deal. So just a week after I started, I was speaking to the owners of a company, helping them and a prospective buyer transfer ownership.

Q: You were made partner at Weil while on maternity leave. Law firms are notorious for long hours and being unfriendly to working mothers – how have you created a work-life balance?
A: I have a lot of flexibility with my scheduling. I spend the early morning with my kids, drop them off at preschool, then go to the office. I’ll leave in the evening, have dinner or bathtime with my kids, and once they go back to bed, do some more work. I did go to bed last night at 12:30 a.m. because I had a conference call with lawyers on the West Coast. But on the drive back home, I had the opportunity to call my parents, since Israel is seven hours ahead. So it all works out in the end. Work and family are two different parts of my life that I love. I put boundaries where I need to. This is my day job, and I moonlight at being a parent.

Q: What do you enjoy about your work?
A: Purchasers of a company have huge anticipation, so it’s like delivering a baby. They want this baby to grow and see it become a successful adolescent and then happily go on its way. The other day, for example, when I got on an airplane, I looked at the seatbelt, which was made by a company that makes safety restraint systems. I clicked on the seatbelt, remembering their business plan and knowing that I helped buy this company.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Dr. Amy Ala remembers going to the dentist as a child all too well. Her dentist was an old-school practitioner surrounded by scary looking steel and chrome dental equipment, and when he started drilling, he wouldn’t stop. “I remember waving my hand during a filling, trying to tell him that it hurt, but he would just continue,” said Ala, 40. “I was terrified.”

Tooth decay is one of the most common health problems among children, with nearly half of all children affected by cavities by age five. With the number of cavities increasing among preschoolers, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, recommends a child’s first dental visit occur by their first birthday. But said Ala, who eventually became a dentist herself, going to the dentist doesn’t have to be a painful experience. “I swore I would never practice dentistry with that ‘the sit-down, open-your-mouth, and let’s get this done” approach.”

As a pediatric dentist at DentaQuest Oral Health Center in Westborough and Generations Dental Center in Beverly, Ala said that decay can progress more rapidly in kids’ teeth because the enamel is thinner; extraction is also different than with adults, because roots are more flared. Most importantly, she keeps an eye on oral health and dental development – Is there decay? Are the teeth coming in properly? – and knows how to manage not just a child’s anxiety, but more importantly, a parent’s. “It isn’t that much more difficult to work on kids; it’s the parents who can pass on a lot of their stress.”

Q: It’s not uncommon for you to see preschoolers with 6 or 10 cavities or more. Why are cavities becoming so common at such a young age?
A: Sugar is pervasive today in food and snacks, including juice and sugary drinks. Cavities are also contagious, with cavity-causing bacteria passed from mom to child, if they share drinks or food. Anyone who has teeth can get cavities, including infants.

Q: How do you ease a child’s fear – and more importantly, their parents?
A: Parents have good intentions, but when they tell a child, “The dentist is going to pull a tooth out,” it doesn’t sound so nice. I am honest with children but try to use language that they can understand and relate to. Instead of words like “drill,” “hurt,” “x-rays” or “shot,” I’ll say, for example, “I’m using sleepy juice to make their lip go to sleep.” For the young ones in particular, I’ll do magic tricks with my instruments, like making water bubbles with the suction device or blowing up my exam gloves into balloon animals.

Q: What’s the most unusual case you’ve seen so far?
A: A 2-year-old girl had odontoma, or tooth-like substances stuck up her jaw. In a situation like this, I might refer a patient to a children’s hospital for oral surgery.

Q: Why did you decide to become a pediatric dentist?
A: I was a middle school teacher, and then started looking for a career that incorporated my interests in arts, medicine, and research. I realized that dentistry had all these components. I really enjoy working with kids. They make me laugh and keep me on toes.

Q: What’s your dental horror story?
A: Once I saw a child who was so uncooperative, he had been seen by 13 different dentists, none of whom were able to work with him. He was quite difficult to treat.

Q: Your husband is also a dentist. Do you talk shop at home?
A: Yes, he’ll ask me for advice, or I’ll bounce an issue off him for a second opinion. There’s someone right here that I trust. It works well for us.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

There’s a big difference between a certified arborist and Joe’s whack-a-tree and lawn mowing service. The amateur outfit is likely to be seen topping trees that grow too large, the horticultural equivalent to doing surgery on the wrong limb. Can’t identify a tree? The non-certified tree worker might be seen consulting a smartphone app, while the trained arborist is able to identify them through their leaves, bark, and other traits.

Arborists do much more than just take down trees, as John Murphy of NatureWorks Landscape Services in Walpole can tell you. Ask him about strategies to deal with carpenter ants, indicators of stem decay in trees, or his opinion on soil amendments, and he’ll tell you about the best treatments and approaches for tree health care. “Whether it’s an ornamental tree or a large shade tree, we try to preserve trees as long as possible. Promoting longevity for trees is very important to me, and yet, not every tree is a keeper, so removal is also part of the workload,” said Murphy, who is a Massachusetts Certified Arborist, a voluntary certification for the tree care industry that is a symbol of professionalism in arboriculture within the state.

When it comes to the general health of trees in eastern Massachusetts, Murphy gives a “poor” grade. With a warm winter and spring, trees have been leafing out several weeks early and facing pests like the invasive Asian longhorned beetle and the winter moth caterpillar. “There are so many diseases in our neck of the woods,” said Murphy, 28, who said that improper pruning alone can weaken or deform a tree.

Q: What are your suggestions for the typical homeowner?
A: Maintain your trees as best as possible if you want your yard looking nice and neat. Don’t let it get to the point where a plant is too big for the area , and don’t allow branches to get too long, as heavy wind, ice and snow can then cause damage. To properly prune, follow the natural growth habit.

Q: Arborists are often required to climb trees with ropes, harnesses and other equipment, or use lifts or cranes. What’s the tallest tree that you’ve climbed?
A: I've scaled some pretty tall trees, like a 100-foot pine tree in Concord that was being choked by a bittersweet vine, which can take over the tree and eventually kill it. We used a rigging system to scale the tree and remove the vine.

Q: What has changed in the landscaping business since you first started?
A: I’ve been doing this since I was 14, when I was mowing boy for a landscape company. I went back every summer while in high school, and when I was 17, got to use heavy equipment like the bucket truck, which was great fun and sparked my interest. Back then, I didn’t know the scientific stuff I know now. As we get more scientific evidence, some things become obsolete. For example, a decade ago, concrete was put in cankers to fill holes in the tree, but now it’s left to scab over.

Q: What’s your favorite kind of tree?
A: I like the beautiful bark on the Japanese stewartia and also enjoy a dogwood, when pruned properly.

Q: Have you ever fallen off a tree?
A: Knock on wood, no, I haven’t. In this job you have to stay focused. You can’t let your guard down and get too cocky when you’re up there.

Q: Do you prune the trees in your own yard?
A: I live in a condo, but my girlfriend and I are looking to buy. I’m looking forward to having my own yard and maintaining it.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Controlling healthcare spending continues to be an ailment with no cure in sight. Massachusetts boasts that almost 98 percent of its residents have health insurance coverage, but that doesn’t reveal the whole picture of rising costs, especially for poor and disenfranchised people throughout the state. Clinical outreach worker Ann Mutharia hears the stories all the time: the man with diabetes who couldn’t afford his co-payment and had stopped taking his insulin; the deaf man who needed medical attention as well as food stamps and fuel assistance but wasn’t able to get through to overwhelmed social service agencies. Mutharia, 36, who is a licensed practical nurse, is part of a non-profit health plan’s pilot program to prevent often-isolated members from developing chronic conditions by connecting them with vital healthcare services. “The idea is to help members get the right care, at the right time, from the right person,” said Mutharia of Medford-based Network Health, who makes phone calls and house visits to make sure they are getting all the services, benefits and support they need.

Mutharia and others on the Network Health clinical outreach team reach out to over 500 patients a month, identifying those who are most likely to develop chronic and high-cost conditions through a predictive modeling process that examines the risk factors of people who are not currently receiving preventative care services. These "high-risk" members can often be difficult to connect with –¬ some of them don't speak English very well; others are transient or don't have even have a working phone.

Q: How do you connect with vulnerable people in the community?
A: I’m the nurse for the Worcester County area, and every month I get a list of Network Health patients who have complicated or severe illnesses, such as asthma or lung disease, heart disease, or some neurological conditions. I talk to 30-40 patients a day, with the goal of trying to educate members on what resources are available for them. I get all sorts of questions, and not just about healthcare: How do I find a lawyer? Where do I go to apply for social security disability? As just one example, the other day I spoke to a woman who confessed that she was having trouble controlling her drinking, but didn’t want any help. I called her again a few weeks later, and she was desperate for assistance. I contacted an emergency rehab, and she was admitted the next morning.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges you face?
A: Often, when talking to recent immigrants, I need to overcome cultural differences and language barriers. It helps that I am multi-lingual – I’m from Kenya and speak English, Swahili, and know bits of some other languages. It’s important to understand the cultural context of some patients. For example, while Americans will look you straight in the eye, for others, this is a sign of disrespect. I need to be open and sensitive to different backgrounds and needs.

Q: How do you empower patients to take control of their health?
A: Patient education is a large part of what I do, and often doctors are too busy to follow-up to make sure treatments regimens are being followed. One patient was given diabetes literature but it turned out he didn’t know how to read, so he was clueless about medication side effects or proper diet and exercise. I try to make sure that patients understand about issues that impact their health, because that gives them a sense of responsibility and independence.

Q: Are you surprised about how many needy patients there are out there?
A: I’m taken aback every day. I can’t believe the hardship and struggles people face. Every day I speak with someone who doesn’t have a job; not enough food, or can’t even afford diapers for their child. There are a lot of problems out there, right in our own backyards.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

For many teen moms in Holyoke, the name Pablo Picasso is meaningless, and they have no clue what two colors mix to make green. Taking care of their child and putting food on the table is a daily struggle – so why would they want to learn about art? But that’s what teenage mothers do once or twice a week at The Care Center in this Western Massachusetts city, as students of an alternative education program that helps them earn their GED. When they ask art teacher Ezra Parzybok, “Why do I have to take art?” he says he responds something like this: “You’re 17 and have a nine-month old kid; you don’t have a lot of money or resources, and you work hard academically, so you need a break. You need to take red paint and splash it around on the canvas and feel good about it.”

When Parzybok started at The Care Center nine years ago, he was an idealistic sculptor who was intent on instilling the love of art and art history in these young girls, most of whom had dropped out of school and were living in poverty. One of his first projects was asking them to open an art book and copy a painting of their choice. After all, how hard could it be to emulate the black and white unstructured splashes of abstract expressionist Franz Jozef Kline, for example? What Parzybok discovered were ingrained psychological obstacles in these adolescents that he never expected: “I can’t draw, so why even try? My drawing is bad. I’m going to throw it away.” Instead, said Parzybok, he has learned to throw away his preconceived notions of art and allow these young mothers to do open-ended assignments that allow for creative problem solving and stress release. “Sometimes I feel like I’m a dad and re-parenting, bringing them to a level where they learn self-expression that will hopefully translate to their children, parenting, and their interaction with the world.”

Q: How do you think can art help these teenage mothers?
A: If you are terrified by a piece of blank paper, it is a great way to get through any anxiety that you might feel in the real world. Life is also a blank piece of paper; maybe you don’t have a job and need to fill out a job application – that fear is the same as not being sure how to draw a picture. Art is therapy but also a great way of integrating hopes and struggles into your work and helping you discover what makes you unique.

Q: What’s an example of an art project that resonated with students?
A: I’ll bring in pictures of huge Victorian mansions from around the city, with their many lines and angles, and they’ll draw them freehand, using a ruler. Houses are very forgiving; it doesn’t matter if every line is slightly off or too short or too long – it will still come out looking like a house. The girls are blown away by that.

Q: How has this job, teaching art to pregnant and parenting teens who have dropped out of high school, inspired your own creative muse?
A: If I, as an artist, make a very esoteric show of contemporary sculpture at a gallery, and a small group comes in to see it, that’s great. But if, as an artist, I can bring art to a whole population of people who have been completely unexposed to art, in terms of actual practice and understanding, then I am really keeping the story of art going.

Q: What is it about their art that is so compelling?
A: These teens are all outsider artists, completely fresh in ideas and technique, with unhindered true expression. I could never produce the kind of art they do –all my education in art actually inhibits me. It’s my job to tap into their raw talent.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

There’s a lot more that goes into an online casino video game than meets the eye. Take “50 Cent’s Blackjack,” just released by GSN (Game Show Network) on Facebook. Players are welcomed into a virtual casino, where they try their luck against the dealer or friends, and customize their avatars by adding bling and swag. But for GSN game director Jason Krupat, 38, one of the many creators behind the rapper’s first foray into social gaming, the new release required a lot of iterations to get it just right – especially making sure that the hip-hopper’s gangsta image or “brand” was consistent with the look and feel of the digitized stylizing of the avatars: Gold chain? Silver dollar ring? Shades? Hat? “This was a really complicated ‘build’ and required a lot of input from the 50 Cent team to make sure that what we developed resonated with the fan base,” said Krupat. “There are a lot of ways you can ‘skin’ something, whether it’s making it more photorealistic or cartoony, so it took a while to stylize and get it just right.” GSN, a multimedia entertainment company with offices in Waltham, is also creator of the online Wheel of Fortune and other game show and arcade games.

While all the rich texture of a video game is generated through the slash, bang, pow of powerful inner intelligence – texture, animation, sounds, and more – these are controlled by the engineering and design groups. But before pre-production even launches, Krupat is the mastermind at GSN, conceptualizing the games, dreaming up the type of gameplay that will take place; how the game will use the technology available on a particular platform, and identifying game features. With the rise of social media, he also has a new goal: figuring out how to motivate users to continue the “conversation” beyond the game itself, and make the experience go viral.

Q: One of your most successful ventures was the creation of Oodles for GSN, a virtual currency system or redeemable rewards. What was your thinking behind Oodles?
A: I had to figure out how to make redeeming Oodles for various prizes more fun, engaging and ‘sticky’ – ways to get people to come back frequently and play more games. I listen to feedback from users, and if needed, can go in and tweak the algorithm to give a more sustainable payout so players can earn more.

Q: What is it that makes playing games, such as GSN Casino, which you also helped create, so fun?
A: An online casino game is fast, fun entertainment that is easy to understand and play; it doesn’t require a lot of skill and delivers a sense of achievement. Games are multi-sensory, so it’s like being in a casino environment – you can hear success and see it, and get a positive and optimistic feeling. I want to deliver the ‘sweaty palm factor,’ where every pull of the slot machine makes you feel hopeful, because you never know what will happen next.

Q: How do you come up with new game ideas?
A: I’m one of those people who keeps a notebook beside their bed, and I have hundreds of pieces of paper with ideas jotted down. I can’t say what will spark a concept – it might be something I saw or heard on the radio or TV, or a dream I had.

Q: Did you ever create a game that flopped?
A: Two to three years ago, we didn’t know how to take advantage of all the social channels, so we needed to ‘sunset’ the first version of Dumbville, because it didn’t catch on with players. In the re-release, we made it more dynamic and built it differently. In Dumbville, you tackle quirky questions and puzzles to rise through the ranks.

Q: Are you trying to create games that are addicting?
A: That’s not our objective with our titles – they are too lightweight to generate any sort of negative behavior. People tend to use our games as escapism, playing them in short three-to-five minute bursts. A lot of our target audience is women and moms who are multitasking, playing games while doing other things.

Q: How old were you when you created your first game?
A: I invented my first game when 5 or 6 years old, drawing it with crayons on a piece of cardboard. I still have it somewhere buried in my attic. It’s a standard roll-the-dice and move around the board, and involved winning lots of dollars every six or seven spaces. “Congratulations! You win a dollar.” My parents gushed over it before they saw that the main goal was to extract money from them.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

That “ahhhh…” moment of awe when you walk into a gallery is what Lisa Tung works hard behind the scenes to create. As curator of the galleries at MassArt, the oldest – and only – public art college in the nation, Tung is tasked with showing work that inspires the public, and most importantly, the students of this college, so this next generation of artists is creating the most informed work. The school’s campus and its Bakalar & Paine Galleries – which are free and open to all – are just down the street from the MFA and Gardner, but one of the best-kept secrets on the Avenue of the Arts.

As university art museums around the country raise their profiles as cultural and education resources, so Tung, 42, has been aggressively exhibiting a wide range of programming. While “blue chip” exhibitions by established artists like William Kentridge and venerated photographer William Christenberry are impressive shows, Tung also curates offbeat presentations, like a tree that “draws” on a pad when branches sway in the breeze to a Japanese artist who dressed up in a stuffed beaver costume. “I don’t want to give the impression that this is a crazy funhouse, but this is thought-provoking art that engages the viewer,” said Tung, who has been MassArt curator for eight years, starting as an exhibit assistant and working her way up to curatorial director.

Q: What does the gallery space look like at MassArt?
A: The Bakalar gallery downstairs is like a white cube box, while the Paine gallery upstairs is a dramatic space with 40-foot ceilings and Palladium windows. You need to figure out how to best show the art – how do you create interesting juxtapositions between art works? How do you create a dialogue among the audience and the work? As a curator, I am involved with everything from procuring funds to making sure the art gets here safely. There is a fair amount of logistical planning involved.

Q: What have you done for the “cause” as a curator?
A: I have had lots of adventures, especially since we invite many artists to come to create new, site-specific work. I have been dumpster diving to find "materials" to fabricate a Cuban shack for Havana artist Carlos Estevez; asked by an artist to only invite pretty, single girls to his opening reception; shuttled every day for two weeks to Western Mass – while stopping at McDonalds for a strawberry shake for the artist – to film a beaver "documentary.” It’s all been surprisingly fun. Some exhibitions have been like long, strange dreams, but so far none has turned into a nightmare.

Q: Putting together a catalog or labeling the exhibits is also part of the logistics. How do you explain a piece of art in writing?
A: Creating a didactic label usually includes the artist name, title of the image, owner of the work, and other basic information, as well as interpretative information. So if you’re walking in the exhibition cold, and don’t know anything about artist Paula Hayes, for example, the label should inspire you to think about the work in a different way, but not be too theoretically driven, so the average person can understand.

Q: You recently curated “Verdant,” a group exhibition of artists who use plant matter as their media. Was it challenging to have live plants in the gallery?
A: “Verdant” explored the intersection between people and the natural environment using living plants in the artistic process. The caregiving of the plants became one of the performative aspects of the show, so while strolling through the gallery, you could see the de-snailing, weeding, and watering, all the tasks you never think about but that were needed to keep plants happy during the five-week show.

Q: One of your more unusual shows was The Beaver Project in 2006. What was the response?
A: Shintaro Miyake was a performance artist who starred in this multimedia exhibition about the life of a beaver. Miyake was here dressed as a beaver and would venture out into the gallery to draw. The galleries were mobbed with viewers waiting for a glimpse of Beaver. At one point there were 200 people in the gallery and Miyake was waiting in our office. I said to him that he'd better go out to draw and he said to me, in total seriousness, “This is like the zoo. You go to see the bears and sometimes the bear is sitting in the sun and sometimes it doesn't come out of its house." He finally
went out."

Q: Some people have trouble understanding or appreciating contemporary art. What advice would you give them?
A: Don't expect to love everything. Contemporary art is not meant to
be reverential. The work is new and fresh and you won't connect with some things, but over time viewers can find some things that open their minds in brand new, thrilling ways. Keep coming back. It gets easier, more fun, and more interesting. I started with a love of Italian Renaissance sculpture and keep finding more things that fascinate me. I don't think I'm that unique.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Toddlers and pre-schoolers can be notoriously picky eaters, often preferring a diet of carbs and sweets over leafy greens or unfamiliar entrees. So imagine trying to prepare meals for over a thousand children a day, infant to age 6, from all different family backgrounds and ethnicities. That is a daily task for Janet Lee Rose, 56, director of nutrition at Associated Early Care and Education, an early education agency dedicated to providing affordable childcare to Boston’s working families. She not only has to take food allergies into consideration, which are becoming very common and often dangerous, but also multi-cultural influences, nutritional balance, and, of course, the fickle toddler palate. Rose tries to include authentic multi-cultural meals that are familiar to children, such arroz con polla (rice with chicken), Caribbean curried chicken, or Haitian chicken and rice, but often needs to tweak the menu. African fish stew, for example, was crossed off the serving rotation as the numbers of children with severe fish allergies increased. “We used to serve a lot of fish dishes but I took it off the menu since even exposure to it could cause a potential problem,” said Rose, who has been coordinating food service for Associated’s 135 childcare centers and family childcare homes for over 20 years.
During a recent spring weekday, over a hundred children from the surrounding neighborhoods of Chinatown, Dorchester, Roxbury, and the South End, sat down for a family-style meal at Associated’s Castle Square location on Tremont Street. Meals are prepared in the on-site kitchen, with staff that shops, prepares and cooks meals as planned by Rose, following the nutritional and safety requirements mandated by state and federal guidelines. But, said Rose, “You can plan the healthiest meals on paper, but if children don’t want to eat it, then they’re not fulfilling their purpose,” said Rose.

Q: How do you make healthy food more appealing to kids?
A: Color is a factor – a plate has to be appealing. If you’re serving mashed potatoes, cauliflower, and milk, that’s a bland looking plate, so it’s a good idea to serve a variety of ingredients. Kids also need to be engaged in fun food activities, such as making smoothies with yogurt, learning about gardening, or singing songs about making imaginary soup. This engages kids and encourages them to eat healthy foods.

Q: What meals get thumbs ups and thumbs down for kids?
A: I thought a fresh fruit platter with cottage cheese would be a nice cool lunch on a hot day, but the texture of the cottage cheese was not a big hit. I tried it instead at snack time, and it was better well received. So some meals are a matter of timing and adjustment. I also find that combining a new food or meal with something that’s familiar helps to persuade children to try it. Some kids have never seen cucumbers at home, for example, but they are used to rice and beans, so we serve them together. I want the introduction of cucumbers – or any other new vegetable or fruit – to be a positive experience for them. Good eating habits are set at a very young age.

Q: How have the eating habits of kids changed throughout the years?
A: When I first started 24 years ago, kids were eating white bread, white pasta, two percent milk and more frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Now we emphasize whole grains, serve 1 percent milk and fresh fruits and vegetables. I see a big shift in people’s awareness to reduce the epidemic of obesity. A decade ago we were headed in the wrong direction, but people are much more aware now.

Q: What do you do with children who have very strict dietary restrictions?
A: I remember one child who was allergic to soy, corn, peanuts, eggs and a long list of other items. We sat down with his healthcare provider and worked out a plan. Often in time, children will grow out of allergies, so we’d challenge him once in a while to see if he could accept a certain kind of food, and little by little, the child was able to add some foods back in.

Q: Part of your directive is to educate families. How do you do this?
A: Not all families understand what healthy choices are. One parent told me, ‘I replaced soda with cranberry juice cocktail.’ But actually there is more sugar in cranberry juice cocktail than soda. This was enlightening for this mom. So I encourage people to cut back on sugary drinks, reduce screen time, and exercise daily.

Q: What do you usually have for lunch?
A: I’m like clockwork: I have low-fat oatmeal bread, lettuce, and Swiss cheese. I eat pita chips and drink water almost every day. I guess I’m boring in that way.

Q: Were you a healthy eating while growing up?
A: Ironically, I was a very fussy eater and very limited in the foods I would eat. My mom passed away when I was young, so my dad was left to prepare meals for my sister and I. At the end of week, he’d be completely out of options, so we’d hop in the car and eat at Friendly’s.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

One of the deadly sins of exterior lighting is the “runway” look: a line of plastic lighting fixtures stuck into the ground, with wires running from one stake to another. “This is the worst way to arrange pathway lighting – it looks like markers for an airport,” said Marblehead lighting designer Nancy Goldstein. Another lighting no-no is depending on the local big box hardware store for lamps and other accessories. “This is a thoughtless lighting decision that makes me shudder,” said Goldstein, 54, principal of Light Positive, a lighting design firm that specializes in landscape and architectural projects. People don’t realize that there is something better out there. It’s a matter of education.”

Goldstein has been in the lighting profession for over 30 years, ever since a college dorm mate knocked on her door and asked her to help out with a theater set-up. These were the days of old-style “piano boards,” mechanically mastered resistance dimmers with the big handles, but from that day on, Goldstein was hooked on not just being able to control lighting, but also the experience of manipulating shadows and spotlights. “Lighting amplifies whatever you are trying to convey whether it’s a dance concert or an interactive exhibit at a museum. It affects how you feel in a place,” said Goldstein, who has her M.F.A. in lighting design from the Boston University School of Theatre Arts.

Q: You recently finished lighting the Boston Flower and Garden Show. How was that?
A: The Seaport World Trade Center has florescent overhead lighting, but we turn them off and hang over 400 theatrical lighting fixtures from the ceiling with truss work. I use filters, also known as gels, to tone the exhibitors’ gardens, so one side of the exhibit looks like it’s in the sunshine and the other is in the moonlight, for example. I look at the plant material, and then adjust, color and aim the lights, so the exhibits are ready for the judges the next day.

Q: What’s hot now in lighting?
A: LED, LED, and LED. I attended the international trade show and conference called Light Fair International and joked that it should have been named LED Fair International, because it was all about LEDs or Light Emitting Diodes.

Q: Isn’t LED lighting quite cool or bluish-white in appearance?
A: LED runs the gamut. I like a lot of LED product that I see – and a lot is terrible. You can’t just walk into a retailer and pull a LED replacement bulb off the shelf and get good lighting. You need to know how to specify what you want, and there are different “color temperatures” that appear warmer, although they are less energy-efficient.

Q: How do you plan lighting for the outdoors?
A: Ideally, interior and exterior spaces are integrated so a client can enjoy the landscape from the inside at nighttime, whether it’s illuminating a treescape or a garden. There should be no “black mirror” effect, when you look out the window, all you see is a glaring reflection. Often when creating yard settings, I do a mock-up with a battery pack, running temporary lighting up trees. After that, we come up with an equipment list and proposal. A subcontractor does the installation, and then I come back and aim and focus so the lights are exactly the way they should be.

Q: Is there a common lighting principle, whether lighting a kitchen countertop or a home office?
A: No matter what you’re doing in lighting, the goal is to put the focus on the most important objects in the field of view and create a composition. What changes are the tools you use to achieve the look you want to achieve.

Q: How have you used your lighting knowledge in your own home?
A: My house is very old, and unfortunately it is currently lit as you might expect that a 1867 farmhouse would be. It’s the syndrome of the cobbler’s children have no shoes. But when the kids were young, I was known for our Halloween displays, which included theatrical light fixtures projecting patterns on the side of the house, and fog rolling down the front steps.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

The hip bands on Jasmine Hagans’ wish list include pop-blues players Viva Viva, grunge rockers Drug Rug, and one-man ensemble Animal Hospital. This isn’t a parade of indie artists bound for a late-night appearance in an Allston bar, but programming notes for possible future concerts at the Museum of Fine Arts. Hagans, 25, is the Gen Y mastermind behind the museum’s concert series, which aims to create a lively blend of different flavors of arts in a unique venue. “From world to classical music, the museum is a living space to showcase a diverse and eclectic series, as reflected in the encyclopedic museum that we are,” said Hagans.

Hagans, an accomplished drummer and graduate of Northeastern’s music industry program, worked her way up from MFA intern to lead concert manager. Since she began her current role almost two years ago, she has reinstituted year-round concerts at the museum and conceptualized and launched the “Sound Bites” program, which brings free live music into the galleries once a month. “I can’t imagine working in any field other than live music,” said Hagans, whose desk at the MFA is surrounded by concert posters and piled high with new CDs as she constantly listens to new songs and bands in preparation for upcoming series. “I have a special love for Boston and aim to feature local talent as often as possible,” said Hagans, who booked locals David Wax Museum, Debo Band, and Kristin Hersh to play at the Museum. She also plans on featuring local student films before upcoming concerts, spotlighting up-and-coming filmmakers along with musicians.

Q: You are the daughter of a three-time Grammy nominated jazz trumpet player Tim Hagans, who is also an arranger and composer. What influence did that have on you?
A: Some people have rose-colored glasses; I have musical glasses that affect the way I view and interact with the world. I grew up going to a lot of concerts and had a firsthand view of what it’s like to be a professional musician. Instead of going the ups and downs of the performance route, I knew I wanted the stability of a full-time job, which is why I chose the business side of music.

Q: Why did you decide to join the MFA? Do you have an interest in art?
A: After I graduated, I went abroad and taught English for a year in South Korea. For the first time, instead of spending a lot of time around the live music, I was exposed to a lot of visual art, which really resonated with me. Suddenly I saw a whole new arena of visual art to explore. There is so much to learn, and it’s fun to approach it as someone who is completely new to the field.

Q: What was one of your favorite performers that you’ve brought to the museum?
A: Last summer we had Debo Band, an Ethiopian funk band, play outside in the courtyard under the summer stars. It was a really cool summer dance party.

Q: How do you go about deciding on bands that you want to feature?
A: I work hard to develop relationships with agents who represent bands about to break into the national scene; the other half is from research or hearing about a band. I also get ideas from going to a lot of shows at the Middle East or T.T. the Bears or from hearing opening bands at larger venues like House of Blues or Berklee Performance Center.

Q: Did your father ever play at the MFA?
A: I was going through old press releases from the concert series, and found one from 1986, the year I was born. My dad played in the courtyard in our summer series that year. Since I work here now, it almost feels like coming full circle.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Nanny Karina McCarthy doesn’t have many horror stories about dysfunctional families but she does have her own tale of angst: once she locked a baby in the car by accident, after throwing her keys onto the seat, shutting the door, and having the car automatically lock. She called 911, as well as the baby’s mother, and was so shook-up by the incident, that when the child’s mother arrived, she rushed up to comfort McCarthy, who was more distraught than the infant. “Needless to say, now I am very careful with my keys, and am always prepared for anything,” said McCarthy, 22, of Providence, R.I., who estimates that she’s changed between 10 to 50 thousand diapers, between her decade long experience as a childcare teacher, nanny, and overnight infant care specialist. She is currently caring for a seven-week old infant in Cambridge, and when the mom goes back to work soon, she’ll be logging in 80 hours a week.

“I have been called Mary Poppins more than once,” said McCarthy, a tribute to her ability to
lull an obstinate child to sleep or get a difficult toddler to share toys. She takes pride in her role as a nanny, which she says is much more than a babysitter because of the long-time commitment to the job as well as her role in social, emotional, and intellectual development, from working with charges on potty training and social manners to homework and language development. “The best part of being a nanny is that you’re not an employee but part of a family’s life. It’s extraordinary to know that a child is a better person because of the care you put in,” said McCarthy.

Q: You went to school for occupational therapy, but then changed course and studied early childhood development. Why?
A: It just seemed so impersonal. Sometimes the best therapy is just knowing about children and working with them one on one every day. For example, I cared for a two-year-old who had a speech and language delay. He was frustrated because he couldn’t communicate. So I taught myself the basics of sign language and then helped him learn words like “eat,” “milk,” and “all done. “Help” was an important sign that he often used.

Q: You are an overnight infant care specialist. What is that?
A: I go into a family’s home from 9 or 10 at night until the early morning to help with the baby so sleep-deprived parents can rest. Newborns need a lot of attention, and I stay in the baby’s room, feed or bring the baby to the mother, burp them, change diapers and settle the baby back down. Usually this means I’ll get only about three hours of sleep during the night, so I’ll go home, go to bed, and then do the same thing all over again.

Q: You’ve watched a lot of families raise children. What’s your own personal take on child rearing?
A: I have a naturalist philosophy; I try not to force children to do things that they aren’t ready for. I also believe in respecting infants and responding immediately to their needs. I’ve seen families who treat babies like objects, and don’t even talk to them. Nevertheless, a parent’s philosophy will always take precedence over mine.

Q: How do you discipline kids?
A: I’m not a huge fan of “time out” unless a child needs to calm down. If a child is whacking another kid with a block, you can’t reason with them, but instead set clear limits and expectations – “I won’t allow you to do that.” Of course, discipline depends on the child and the situation.

Q: You’re a listed provider on Care.com. Why did you put your profile on this provider website?
A: I knew I was going to be leaving my last job, caring for a little boy for two years. I heard through nanny friends that they got good results so I signed up and ended up finding a position that’s perfect for what I needed. Parents like it because the profiles are prescreened and there is access to background checks and references.

Q: Do you keep in touch with other nannies?
A: I just had a nanny dinner last night – seven of us got together. Nannies don’t have coworkers to grumble about their day to, so these connections help. I also have playdates with my nanny friends.

Q: Do you plan to have your own kids some day?
A: Honestly, I don’t know. I think it’s a struggle to raise children the way I want in this modern day society. It’s ironic, but I also am not sure if I could leave my child with another nanny to do a nanny job myself. It all seems complex. I need to figure it out.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Rick Chin’s bio on Twitter reads, “Trying to make products that matter. Would-be software inventor and long-time SolidWorks CAD guy.”

As director of product innovation at SolidWorks, Chin is a 3D design expert who is tasked with creating new technologies related to computer-aided design (CAD), a software tool that has replaced tedious pencil-and-paper drafting with powerful digital renderings. “It’s been used to design the ergonomic keyboard you may be using, prototypes for breast tissue reconstruction, skyscraper buildings and much more,” said Chin.

A product called “edrawings” was one of Chin’s first spinoffs, created after he heard frequent complaints about how difficult it was to send or receive drawings across different CAD systems – incompatible data files and slow Internet connections often made viewing difficult. He and his team devised a viewer that combined traditional 2D drawings and 3D models in a new way that not only solved the problem but allowing a traditional engineering drawing to be animated by hitting a “play” button. This was followed by other innovations, including a sustainability dashboard that allows users to design in a more environmentally responsible way by comparing the possible carbon footprint of producing a product. “I enjoy conceptualizing, prototyping, and launching new products,” said Chin, 46, who was trained as a mechanical engineer and has five patents from the product work he’s done over the years. “As a longtime CAD guy, making CAD easier and more powerful is near and dear to my own heart.”

Q: You’ve been working with CAD for almost 20 years. How has it changed?
A: Back in the 1990’s, solid modeling programs cost thousands of dollars per seat, and were only available on expensive Unix workstations. SolidWorks took very powerful drawing tools, made them easier to use, moved to the Windows desktop, and created 3D for the masses. Today SolidWorks has capabilities that include various simulations that can test motion capabilities, fluid-flow and thermal analyses as well as 3-D printing, and much more.

Q: How do you generate ideas and better understand customers?
A: When people think of innovation, they imagine some great new technology, and then do market research to gauge the reaction. Instead, my focus is to start surveying in a general way and create solutions for current problems. You need to have your radar up. I’ve trained myself to listen for a high level of emotional engagement, whether in a restaurant or walking down the street. Successful products are ones that transform someone’s feelings of helplessness and anger into feelings of empowerment. If you solve an inconvenience for people, they appreciate it, but if you solve a frustration for them, you’ll be their hero.

Q: What projects are you currently working on?
A: I’m very interested right now on how users interface with computers, including augmented reality, where images from the real world are augmented by computer-generated input. There are also new ways for people to interface with CAD systems rather than just a keyboard, mouse and computer screen, whether it be gestures, waving your arms, or jumping up and down.

Q: Have you always wanted to be an inventor?
A: I like to build and create; it’s the way I’m wired. I took drafting and programming classes and did well in them. My first computer was a Radio Shack TRS-80 that had 64 kilobytes of memory – today your basic digital watch has 10 times more computing power. I went to college for mechanical engineering because it was the closest thing to being an inventor, and I’ve been in the CAD industry ever since.

Q: Have you used SolidWorks for family projects at home?
A: I used it to design the sun room in my house. It was great because I could test out the space and see how the couches, chairs, and table would fit around the fireplace. There were challenges on the window placement for the room, because the addition had a non-standard roof angle. The contractors were stunned when they framed the sun room and everything laid out exactly where it should be, with the angles I told them to use.

Q: Where do you brainstorm?
A: Anywhere I can get myself to a relaxed state, which is the best way to let ideas flow. It can happen in the shower or while I’m strolling around. It’s tough to brainstorm at my desk. To think something through, I need to get rid of stress and strain.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Behind every high-intensity LED is a precious gem – a sapphire that comes not from the jeweler but from the laboratory, grown as a synthetic gem that has almost the exact chemical and physical properties as the natural specimen. As the applications for LEDs (light emitting diodes) have expanded, used in cell phones, liquid-crystal TV displays, laptops, remote controls, and of course, lighting, manufacturers are honing in on more efficient ways to create this durable, optical-friendly crystal. “The challenge comes in consistently creating sapphires that are pure and free of defects,” said Bob McGlone, who is charged with the task of overseeing crystal growth at GT Advanced Technologies, a supplier and servicer for the solar and LED industries.

At the GTAT plant in Salem, in a city more known for crystal witchcraft than state-of-the-art crystalline technology, giant sapphires weighing 100 kilogram (220 pounds) are pulled glowing hot from furnaces, sometimes up to 80 at a time. The sapphires start from a “seed” of aluminum oxide that has a certain lattice structure and orientation that will slowly grow, layer by layer, as it is heated and then cooled.

Q: How long does it take to create a sapphire?
A: You have to grow crystals slowly. We use extreme temperatures and pressure to take powered aluminum oxide, which is sapphire in its raw form, heat it to a molten state then cool it to solidify in a crystal form. The sapphire expands over three weeks in a huge 6x6 foot furnace until the temperature reaches 2,100 degrees Celsius, then the cooling process makes or breaks the crystal. The finished sapphire is perfect enough to Mother Nature jealous and lowers the price of crystal for industrial uses. One two-inch diameter wafer can provide about 20,000 LEDs or more.

Q: What is your role in sapphire production?
A: Sapphire production requires very controlled conditions because the boules, or single-crystal ingots, can crack. The “recipe” has to be correct, and the furnaces need to be tight, including the gas, computer and electrical systems. If you were to walk into our facility, you would see high vacuum chambers with monitors; high tech helium pumps, computers, and alarm systems that all work together to create the perfect growing conditions.

Q: What sort of safety hazards do you have to be aware of?
A: Sapphire is razor sharp and very dense and heavy. When removing it from the furnace, it has to be handled with care because of the heat. Overhead cranes extract the ingot out of the furnace but there is still a fair share of handling it.

Q: How do you check the sapphires for impurities?
A: A block of sapphire will go to quality control, where it is put under high-intensity, polarized lighting to check for defects in the crystal structure, which can affect the electrical and thermal qualities. A synthetic crystal isn’t blue but clear, because it has no impurities.

Q: How does it feel to pull a perfect crystal out?
A: I’m in awe. It’s a good feeling when I pull out a perfect crystal. It is round, 15 inches in diameter, 11 inches tall, so it looks like a big piece of glass.

Q: Do you have any crystals of your own?
A: Employees were given a gift of cut gemstones from manufacturing byproducts, so my wife has a four-carat piece that I was awarded. It’s still sitting in her jewelry box since she isn’t sure how she wants to mount it.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Heather Wang, 32, is part of the latest wave of indie crafters settling into the Boston area; artists who believe in the design ethos of sustainability, shun the throw-away mentality, and believe in their work so fervently that they live and work as part of creative community. A jewelry-maker and metalsmith, Wang is inspired by the organic forms of nature, and can be often found gathering sticks while she walks her dog near the Western Avenue Studios, a historic mill building in Lowell where she shares space with over 180 working artists. “I love to see a beautiful branch or flower and imagine how to recreate it in silver or gold,” said Wang, who creates whimsical, delicately enameled cherry blossom earrings; modernistic bronze branch necklaces cast from real twigs; and textured silver lace earrings. “People are beginning to appreciate items made by hand skilled crafts people again, especially when compared to more cheaply made, mass produced items that won't last as long.”

Wang holds degrees from Rhode Island School of Design and the Royal College of Art and worked as a costume jewelry designer then briefly as a high end flute maker, an experience she said honed her skills for making accurate mechanisms and neat solder seams. Along the way, she found her current studio space, saved every dime to start her own business, and then, as she says, “Took a breath and jumped.”

Q: Why jewelry making – why not pottery, painting, sculpting, or photography?
A: I was lucky enough to attend a high school that had an arts metal class, and found I have the patience and skills to work with metal. My first major project was a necklace – a crazy hinged piece – that I wore to senior prom. I spent most of the year working on it. It’s fun to look back and see the beginnings of my artistic endeavors.

Q: What are the various tools of your trade?
A: My most important tools are my torch for soldering, kiln for firing the enameled pieces, and flexible shaft motor, which is similar to a Dremel tool. I use it for everything from drilling and grinding to sanding and polishing. I couldn't live without my many hand tools though – the pliers, hammers, and saws used most often in creating jewelry.

Q: What’s the secret to becoming a skilled craftsman?
A: Get a good foundation with skills; you want your teaching to be old-school. Jewelry making, for example, is a very established art form and hasn’t changed that much except for computer aided design and 3-D printers. You need to know the fundamental techniques and materials.

Q: What jewelry are you wearing today?
A: If I’m out and about, I wear my own stuff since it’s the best advertisement; any jewelry looks better on a person than in a case. Right now I’m wearing a cast lace necklace made out of silver. It retains the beautiful fabric texture after casting.

Q: What do your parents think of your career?
A: My husband is a musician, and I’m a jewelry maker, so at first my parents were like, ‘Oh geez, two artists – how will they survive?’ But you have to hang on by your fingertips, and if you want it badly enough, you can make it work.

Q: How do the other artists at Western Avenue Studios inspire you?
A: After I graduated from art school, I really missed being surrounded by creative people. Making art in your spare bedroom at home is not nearly the same. Now I find it very inspiring to be near others of various disciplines, styles and media.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Sashimi chef Chris Gould admits that he never even ate a piece of raw fish until he was 21 years old. As a self-described “white boy from Maine,” Gould, 28, has now been making up for lost time by training under top sushi chefs, applying his expertise in French and Spanish cuisine to create inventive Japanese fusion cuisine. “I was pretty open to whatever the classicist sushi pros had to tell me,” said Gould, who said it takes years to fully master not just the ways to butcher the fish but also proper handling and knowledge of Hamachi (yellowtail) to Hirame (fluke).

At the helm of the newly redesigned Uni Sashimi Bar in Boston, Gould pushes the envelope, crafting the freshest seafood from as far as Japan, Australia, or New Zealand, as well as local New England fishermen, into avant-garde interpretations. “We don’t pretend to be a traditional sashimi bar,” said Gould, whose culinary creations include combing salmon from Scotland with fermented black beans and ginger, or sea urchin from Maine with quail egg yolk, caviar and chives.

Whether breaking down a 150-pound tuna pulled from local waters or a petite red snapper from the famed Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Gould admits that slicing a rare catch that can cost as much as $60 a pound or more doesn't leave a lot of room for error. “It’s not like cutting up a cucumber, which you can mess up and just throw away. You need every single piece of fish and you don’t want to waste any of it,” said Gould.

Q: What are the steps for preparing good sashimi?
A: First and foremost, the quality of the fish has to be absolutely fresh and treated very nicely from start to finish, not just thrown around in a box. Butchering the fish is also very important; if you have a dull knife, it breaks down the flesh, making it soft, and then you don’t get a nice firm piece of fish. Depending on the fat content, the fish should be sliced thick or thin. Every fish is different in the ways that it needs to be prepared.

Q: People either love sushi or hate it. What would you suggest for a beginner?
A: I suggest they try the Hamachi, which is a soft fatty white fish that has a nice texture to it. One of the biggest reasons people shy away from sushi and sashimi is the texture issue; they get a little sketched out by soft stuff, but tuna is firm.

Q: I think one of the concerns when eating raw fish is the freshness.
A: We take pride if we are serving Saba from Japan, for example, it’s shipped overnight and we have it the day after it came out of the water. It’s a beautiful piece of fatty mackerel, rather than something that was frozen and spent two years in a warehouse in New Jersey.

Q: How do you experiment to come up with new dishes?
A: Usually I start with a product I want to showcase, then play around with 20 or so different ingredients that would pair well with it. I try to incorporate unique flavors that compliment the fish, whether rose apple puree with pomegranate or fermented Chinese black beans. You often see pickled ginger with the fish since the acidity and a little bit of spiciness cleanses the palate.

Q: What’s the proper way to eat sashimi?
A: Traditional sashimi should be eaten simply with a dab of soy from a chopstick, not dunked into soy like a swimming pool. Sashimi should be eaten with chopsticks, not your hands, while nigiri and maki (two types of sushi with rice) can be eaten with your hands. That's why the rice is there. Maki and Nigiri were the first forms of fast food in Japan.

Q: What is your best knife?
A: I have a couple of favorite Masamoto knives. They are very well made and nicely balanced. A knife like that will cost you $500-$600 but last forever. I sharpen our knives daily to keep them nice and razor sharp. Everything takes longer if a knife is dull.

Q: What do you think of conveyer belt sushi, which is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S.?
A: Conveyer belt sushi is about the worst form of sushi. Sushi is only good when it is fresh -- warm rice and cold fish.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home, especially for many senior citizens, who would rather “age in place” than live in a community setting. But from steep stairs to inadequate lighting, studies show that most homes are not designed to accommodate the needs of people over 65.

The harsh realities of staying put in your own home can be grim, starting with social isolation, and complicated by healthcare problems like falling and injuries, and sometimes clutter that turns into hoarding.

“When I approach many seniors about modifying their home by adding grab bars or replacing doorknobs with pull handles, they often say, ‘I’ve been in this house for 40 years, I never needed it before and I don’t need it now,” said Roy Carreiro of HouseWorks, a Boston-based private home-care company dedicated to helping seniors live independently. Carreiro is part of a team that installs home modifications for living spaces so those with physical limitations can continue to live safely. Research by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that such adaptations may prevent almost half of all home accidents among seniors, especially since many elderly live in homes that are over 20 years old.

Q: What’s on your list of recent changes made to improve accessibility?
A: This morning I went to two different houses; I installed a handheld shower in the first and put in a tub seat for the second job. Later, I’ll go back and put railings on the stairs. For another, more unusual job, I had a client who couldn’t feel anything from the waist up and had frequent dizzy spells. After listening to her dilemma, I ended up installing four bars on the kitchen wall like a ladder so she could pull herself up after falling and sit back down at the kitchen table. Because of this, she was able to still enjoy her morning routine that she had kept for years.

Q: One of your frequent tasks is cleaning out clutter from a senior’s home. How do you convince them that they need to start sorting and organizing?
A: It’s all about speaking to them and pushing in right direction. They might have a newspaper that is 20 years old. I’ll ask, “Can I throw this out? ”They’ll say, ‘No, I haven’t read it yet.” I’ll reply, “You’re right, but it is kind of old and out-of-date.” We can spend 10 minutes on negotiating about one trivial item. There’s a lot of give and take; maybe I’ll end up throwing out the paper but keeping an old sock.

Q: What’s the worst case of hoarding that you’ve seen?
A: It was the home of a 93-year-old man in Norwood. I actually opened the door and vomited immediately from the smell of rotting food. He would go into restaurant dumpsters and then bring the garbage into the house. We got the place cleaned up, but sadly, he was just going to start all over again the minute we left.

Q: You’re only 34 years old. Has your job changed the way you view aging?
A: Absolutely. It has made me realize that everything you do today adds up later. I see people who never did anything but sit around, and they have huge health problems, from obesity to diabetes. I now to take better care of myself and always try to be aware of my surroundings and the environment I live in.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

There’s a James Bond-style aura around the types of exploratory remote machines that software engineer Sandy Takacs helps develop. Whether it’s military satellite systems or smart mine hunters towed through the water by a helicopter, Takacs has been in the forefront of designing and developing smart software for next-generation vehicles. Takacs’ latest endeavor is testing undersea robots made by Hydroid, Inc., a Pocasset-based manufacturer of unmanned underwater vehicles. “These vessels are less mystical once you understand their nuts and bolts and know how they work, but just imagine encountering one of these bright yellow vehicles with a fin and strobe light emerging from the deep,” said Takacs, 50. “It’s fascinating how far we have come with this technology.”

Underwater robots, also called autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) because they will swim by themselves, helped locate the wreckage of an Air France plane that crashed three years ago. AUVs, equipped with sensors, sonars, and navigation systems, are also used for ocean mapping, pipeline inspection, homeland security, and fishery operations, among other tasks. Takacs’ role is to ensure that the “mission” assigned to the systems can actually be accomplished.

Q: When you joined Hydroid last summer, what was one of your first challenges?
A: Once we add code modifications to either the vehicle or its user console, we need to verify that those modifications work as expected and that there are no adverse issues with the new software. To do that, we frequently go out onto Buzzard’s Bay, Cape Cod Bay or the Atlantic Ocean off of Chatham to test the new software. One of my first projects required testing the ability of a vehicle to berth to a moving underwater dock. This required that the AUV hone in on the location, then successfully latch. It was the first time in history this was done autonomously, so it was a pretty fun project.

Q: And did it work?
A: With the current, waves, and turbulence from the outboard motors of the surface vessels, it was tough to try to hit the small target. These were all fluctuations that needed to be taken into account within the software algorithms. The algorithms needed to be refined within the vehicle software and reloaded with the new updates. But we were finally able to hone in and make a successful attempt that worked 80-90 percent of the time.

Q: What exactly is an algorithm?
A: Simply a set of instructions that directs the vehicle to perform certain functions; the software controls the propulsion system, including propeller, as well as sensors, sonar and strobe lights. The majority of my coding experience is in C+ and C++ because these languages can handle real-time data as it flows in. I code maybe six hours a day; the rest is testing, documentation and meeting. We’re a small company, so all software engineers have to be nose to the grindstone to get our stuff done on schedule.

Q: Were you always fascinated with technology?
A: I built models as a kid and tinkered with radio-controlled airplanes, boats and cars, and turned lawnmowers into go-carts. Math was one of my strengths in school, and once I took a computer class, I found it fascinating.

Q: You’re a sailor – how does this help with your work?
A: As a sailor since age 8, I am very experienced out on the water, familiar with the vagaries of the wind and ocean current as well as navigation and water safety. We employ professional boat captains to run the company’s vessels but it’s always an advantage when the engineers and the technicians are comfortable with being out on the water.

Q: Do you sail in your free time?
A: I have a catamaran, a windsurfer and a powerboat that I use frequently. Sailing has been my passion almost since I can remember. Raising my three girls now takes precedence, but you can still occasionally find me blasting across Narragansett Bay, trapping out, with a huge grin on my face as I steal a few moments to myself.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

For the increasingly mobile workforce untethered to a desk, there’s nothing wrong with a workstation at your local coffee shop, said entrepreneur Charlie Weisman. He himself logged countless hours using cafes as free office space. With a latte refill just steps away and free Wi-fi connection, Weisman was able to park his laptop for hours, avoiding the distractions of working from home while not having to make the commitment of leasing a Dilbert-like cubicle. But “I always felt I had a little sign above me that said, ‘I work here because I can’t afford my own office,’ said Weisman, 36, a former civil engineer who later turned to arts advocacy. The little things – like making a phone call while a blender whirred in the background – reminded him constantly that he was definitely not in an office environment.

When Weisman started planning Oficio four years ago as a communal shared workspace, he said that co-working was still a new concept on the east coast. But a start-up community of developers, designers and indie professionals have since latched onto the rent-a-desk concept. Opened this winter, Oficio offers a swanky address to put on business cards (Newbury Street) as well as a collaborative boutique retreat to meet with clients or just hook into the fax machine or printer. While some shared work spaces have even evolved to offer studio and video editing bays, massage/body amenities, showers, and 24/7 access, Oficio focuses on the standard accouterments of office life as “your home office away from home” with a day pass for $25; rent-a-conference room for $60; or full-time membership $299, which gives unlimited access to the space.

Q: Why are more workers doing their work outside the usual office setting?
A: Most freelancers today can run a business with a laptop, cell phone, and a Wi-fi connection. This translates to being able to work practically anywhere and gives freelancers and entrepreneurs the freedom to choose where they work. Renting a traditional private office is just not feasible for businesses just starting out, especially in the Back Bay.

Q: There are several shared office spaces in Boston and Cambridge. How is yours different?
A: Oficio was designed to be a boutique space. The goal was to create a modern and minimalist design that would take advantage of the great natural light and open space. We really wanted to stand out in terms of the space’s design, from the leather lounge chairs, laptop counters and private phone booths to rotating work from local artists on our walls, which adds to the décor. I was really looking for a space I’d want to work out of myself.

Q: What went into the planning of Oficio that people may not think of?
A: Just like most startups, there was a never-ending to-do list in the planning stages. I founded Oficio with my longtime friend, Nima Yadollahpour, an architect here in Boston (ONY Architecture). I think people may not realize the daily battles that are involved. Everything that seems insignificant now, like the coffee machines or logo design, were major battles. But as long as the battles aren’t physical, going back and forth on items in the planning stages is definitely a healthy process.

Q: An alternative workspace environment is only beneficial if it’s managed the right way. How do you track how the program is working?
A: Choosing membership software was one of our most difficult tasks since there really isn’t much out there yet exclusively for managing shared office spaces. We ended up going with gym membership software, which is well-established and gives us all the necessary tools to schedule our private meeting rooms, evaluate the numbers, and manage the memberships.

Q: What sort of requests have you received?
A: We’ve had a lot of different requests for the private rooms, from psychics to plastic surgeons, but most of it is typical company operations.

Q: What was the motivation behind offering events, such as networking, happy hours and after-work excursions?
A: When so many people work alone, the social aspect is important for a co-working space. We have so many interesting and diverse member businesses that it's great to see a community develop when relationships are formed and members start helping each other.

Q. How do you deal with gum under the desks?
A: We have little trash bins at each desk to avoid this, and so far it's worked. I just looked under all the tables and there wasn't a single piece of chewed gum.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Not every vet could x-ray a gorilla one day, and check a flamingo for West Nile virus the next. And how do you treat a stick insect? You don’t, at least not individually. “With dozens of stick insects, they would be handled as a colony,” said Dr. Eric Baitchman, director of Veterinary Services for Zoo New England, which includes the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and Stone Zoo in Stoneham.

With animals ranging from A (anaconda) to Z (zebra), Baitchman is faced with an endless range of anatomies and a variety of wild animals who don’t always want their eyes examined or blood checked. Often there is no vet playbook to consult; zoo vets push the limits of veterinary science by researching cases that have never been examined before. “A lot of what we face, we are seeing for the first time,” said Baitchman, who gave the example of a young sloth that appeared to have leukemia. “We quickly realized we had no other sloths with leukemia to compare it to. I had to consult with human specialists and vets, then figure out how to take this information about dogs, cats or people and figure out how to apply it to a sloth.”

In the last few weeks at Franklin Park Zoo, Baitchman, 37, has overseen the annual health check for African straw-colored fruit bats in the Tropical Forest; made sure that all the western lowland gorillas received their flu shots, and administered the last of the vaccine series for red panda cubs. Baitchman oversees a staff of eight, including four vets, several vet technicians and a hospital keeper. “Our most important link to the animals, though, are the zookeepers, who can perceive when an animal is sick or in need of attention,” said Baitchman.

Q: Can animals “catch “ a cold?
A: It’s rare. So much of zoo medicine is preventative. And wild animals with wild instincts try to hide weaknesses or illness; they are not going to show symptoms in the same way as a dog or cat, because weakness in the wild is a considerable disadvantage. We perform routine check-ups on as many animals as we can, but that doesn’t mean all of them are examined every year.

Q: What type of animal is your favorite?
A: My passion is amphibians. I’ve always been drawn to amphibians because they’re so diverse and have such unique life histories in the way they have evolved. A lot of the work I do with amphibians revolves around a conservation project to rescue amphibians that are in extreme danger of extinction throughout Panama because of a deadly fungus.

Q: What’s the biggest misconception about zoo vets?
A: People assume that working with zoo animals is similar to working with pets, and that you can just do an exam on a table. But it’s much more difficult than that. Our animals have wild instincts, and to do an exam on a potentially dangerous animal like a tiger requires first anesthetizing and then performing the exam. The hardest decision is: When do you intervene if, say, a tiger looks a little lethargic today? Is the animal just having an off day, or is there something really wrong? It is a serious decision to anesthetize an animal.

Q: How did you become a vet?
A: As a young kid, I was very lucky to have a family friend who worked at the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, N.Y. At first it’s amazing and exciting to see those animals up close and have access behind the scenes, but as I got older, I became passionate about zoo medicine and the ability to have an impact on exotic species.

Q: You and your wife, Brandi, both work at Franklin Park Zoo; she’s a zookeeper who works with the gorillas. Do you talk shop at home?
A: No, we try to avoid talking too much about work. What we do is exciting but we don’t want to have only that in our lives.

Q: Do you consider yourself a modern-day Doctor Dolittle?
A: No, Doctor Dolittle had the ability to talk to his patients, and unfortunately I can’t speak any animal languages.

By Cindy Atoji Keene
In an era of instant celebrity reality shows and pop star culture, it's easy to think of an acting career as a frivolous ambition or a hobby that requires a day job to pay the bills. But armed with a MFA from Yale School of Drama, actress Jennie Israel, 42, of Lexington, has plied her craft not just on stage, but as a professor, arts administrator, and director, defying the starving artist depiction of her profession. "Acting is serious, exhausting, sometimes excruciating work," said Israel, who will be playing Medea in the upcoming production of Actors' Shakespeare Project. "It can look like fun and it can look easy, if we're doing it right. But so many people have no idea how deeply challenging it can be. Even with the best training and years of experience, it is just not natural and certainly not comfortable to put oneself on the line as we do."

Israel, a veteran of the Boston theater scene who has been acting for over two decades, has also appeared in Rudy for TriStar Pictures, the soap opera Guiding Light, and Coming to Litchfield, an independent film. Israel came from a family of gifted storytellers and started doing theatre in fifth grade at her elementary school in Roslindale, where her first role was as Santa's elf. She said she wanted become an actor because "my greatest passion is realizing the depth and breadth of human experience through a written text."

For the last year, Israel has been preparing for her latest role as Medea, reading the myths of Medea and doing extensive physical and vocal preparation. "I get myself in as strong and fit a shape as I can so I have the endless energy I will need for such a challenging role," said Israel, who has read and re-read the play hundreds of times, memorizing the lines in a variety of ways, including on the elliptical machine at her gym, "breathing very deeply so the language can really get in."

Q: You have performed in Boston Marriage, Tartuffe, and Dollhouse at New Repertory Theater; Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the Huntington Theatre; Table Manners at Gloucester Stage and many others. What is involved with auditioning?
A: Auditions take a great deal of preparation. I can be asked to come in with a monologue of my own choosing, or, at this stage in my work, more often I am asked to come in and read a scene. That way the auditors can get a sense immediately of whether I might be the person they are looking for. I spend hours with the text I will be reading as I begin to imagine myself as that person. I am often very excited to be auditioning and I have to wrestle my excitement into a laser focus to create clear work in the audition room.

Q: What was your most embarrassing moment or biggest faux pas?
A: About eight years ago, during a production of Richard III, I looked out into the audience? something that does not normally throw me ? and saw someone who made me feel really distracted. I stopped breathing and lost my lines. There I was, surrounded by almost everyone in the play, facing off as Queen Elizabeth against Richard III and all I could think of to say was, "You...will...learn!"

Q: What is your most favorite part of being in a production? Your least favorite?
A: My favorite part of being in a production is probably rehearsal, where all the discoveries take place. There is nothing quite like the deep work that happens with a group of like-minded artists on a piece of magical text in a dungeon of a rehearsal studio at all hours of the night. My least favorite part is probably when the show closes, at least most of the time.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring actors?
A: Get good training, learn the skills of auditioning, and be in excellent fitness all the time since your body is your only instrument. Yoga is essential. And most of all, know yourself.

Q: How much can an actor earn for stage work?
A: Professional actor salaries for union theater work in Boston range from around $200 per week to around $750 per week, from the smallest theaters in the area, to the ART and Huntington. The salary also depends on the size of the audience, which dictates the contract under which an actor is hired.

Q: Have you ever gotten any fan letters?
A: Over the years I have had a few. Some lovely, some creepy.

Q: Have you have been stopped on the street or asked for your autograph?
A: I have been recognized in the street many times and its fine ? people are very kind. Autographs are usually requested after performances and it's pretty rare; mostly children ask for it.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

When a new regulatory act came down the pipeline for non-profits, accounting consultant Kevin Derrivan found himself explaining UPMIFA – the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act – to a lot of board directors. Despite the acronym, it is anything but “uniform,” said Derrivan of the endowment guidelines.

Acting as an information resource is just one of the many pinch-hitting roles that Derrivan has performed as an outsourced financial management expert, employed by Accounting Management Solutions, Inc. (AMS) based in Waltham. “The terms “accounting” and “financial analysis” tend to put business owners to sleep or send them screaming from the room – they are so involved in other functions of a company that they are left with little time to devote to finance,” said Derrivan, who has been called in for everything from audit reviews and budget preparation to acting as interim CFO during a staff shortage. “I don’t want to sound like the Maytag repairman, but I do find myself on the road all the time, with my laptop, files, and a clean dress shirt in the back of my Buick.”

Derrivan has been to New Jersey, New Hampshire, and “all points in between” seeing as many as a half-dozen clients on some days. His calendar one week included putting together a presentation for a client preparing for a bank refinancing; doing some bookkeeping, and helping a small company get ready for their first board meeting. He gets up to speed by poring over a company’s financial statements and other documents. “Accountants are not just boring bean counters with visors, crunching numbers. I do that in some cases, but often I am a strategic partner, interpreting what the numbers are telling us and what they mean to a company.”

Q: Why would a company want to outsource a service like accounting?
A: In a time of economic uncertainty, escalating employment (especially rising benefits premiums), and companies’ increasing aversion to the commitment related to full-time hires makes outsourcing an ideal solution.

Q: Accounting can sound like a foreign language with so many acronyms. What's a sampling of some "must know" terms?
A: It may sound like a foreign language but I think all professions have their buzzwords. Much of accounting is aimed at governing complex technical issues and striving for consistency in recording and reporting, so it’s a highly technical field. Some of the “must know” terms include basics like P&L (Profit and Loss), EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization, and GAAP (Generally accepted Accounting Principles).

Q: Does it feel nerve wracking to work in a profession where a single decimal point can make a difference?
A: When you’ve been trained and worked with figures for so long, precision becomes second nature, so it’s not something that keeps me up at night. It sounds simple, but in recording and summarizing transactions, it’s critical to ensure the credibility of the financials. Accounting requires a high level of diligence. But good old fashioned checking and re-checking helps a great deal as well.

Q: Do you do your own taxes?
A: No! The one year I did it myself I owed big money. Today I receive refunds, because I leave that to the tax professional, people who specialize in taxation. People don’t realize that there are dozens of specialties within the finance and accounting profession. This is one reason organizations like working with AMS – we have access to a large group of finance people, many of whom have very specific specialties. Doing my own taxes would be like replacing a basketball player with a jockey – he might know how to dribble and pass but he might have some trouble getting the ball in the basket.

Q: What motivated you to establish a career in accountancy?
A: As long as my mother won’t read this, I’ll tell you that I really started out as a psychology major and ended up switching to accounting because I always thought that someday I’d be in business for myself. Today I have still have that kind entrepreneurial outlook.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Bordeaux finish with sable glaze on cherry. Natural finish with caramel glaze on maple. These might sound like gourmet dishes, but for Volker Braun, director of manufacturing at Metropolitan Cabinets and Countertops, these keywords specify custom kitchen cabinet styles and finishes. While the average homeowner might buy pre-fabricated stock cabinets from a big box store, those wanting a totally unique kitchen built to their exact tastes can find themselves faced with a lengthy menu: Wine racks, roll-out trays or open shelving? Full extension slides, ball bearing slides, self-closing? Carvings, moldings or cutouts? Distressed, glazed or stained?

As Braun manages production at Metropolitan Cabinets, it’s all about square corners and right angles, as he takes the art of cabinet making and elevates it to a highly automated process that creates ornate details without the cost and time of expensive shop craftsmanship. After orders are placed by contractors, architects, or designers, the cabinets are created with a computerized system linked to wood-making machinery and software that produces floor plans, material reports, scheduling, and more. "It’s not like picking out parts from a catalog,” said Braun, who oversees the design and building of 25,000 cabinets a year at the Norwood manufacturing center. “When custom cabinets are engineered to order, every one is completely different, which makes it challenging,” said Braun.

Braun got his start at Mercedes Benz in Germany, making prototypes of new car designs out of wood, plastic, and other materials, allowing the company to thoroughly test new auto lines before launching into production. He says that his experience with the high-end auto manufacturer was productive training ground for his work at Metropolitan, where he focuses on increasing production without losing quality.

Q: What’s more difficult – building a Mercedes or a high-end custom
kitchen?
A: A lot of upfront work and prototyping goes into making a car but we don’t have the luxury of casting for cabinets; everything is individually made. So making a cabinet can be quite a complicated process.

Q: What are steps in the manufacturing process?
A: We will be soon implementing 3-D designs from which we can conceptualize the kitchen, then automatically program the routers, panel saws and other machinery to create parts. When the wood comes in, some of it needs to be cut to size or veneered while other product is already finished. An edge bander covers the raw side of materials. There are various other steps: Holes for dowels are drilled, hardware is sorted, boxes are assembled, parts are wrapped.

Q: What are the signs of a well-made cabinet?
A: The box construction should be made out of plywood; all the “reveals” or exposed frames on doors and panels need to be consistent; the sides, tops and bottoms should be flush; the finish superior, and of course, the dimensions need to be precise.

Q: What is an example of a recent kitchen design?
A: We recently completed a kitchen with stacked cabinets and finished interiors, beaded frames, and white paint glaze on maple. Some of the features included a custom hood for the stove, glass doors with grids, and island with a cooling drawer.

Q: How have you tweaked operations?
A: If a cabinet installer requests that the reveals need to be a tiny bit wider so it’s easier to adjust the doors, we might make them an eighth of an inch wider. As for the manufacturing process, we completely rearranged the work stations so tools, screws and hardware were all centralized and the assemblers don’t have to go searching for items. In addition, it’s crucial to be sure the upfront work of designing and engineering is correct. If it is, everything else goes smoothly.

Q: Are you a hobbyist in your spare time?

A: I am. About five years ago, I bought a fixer-up in Holden. A recent project was fixing my mudroom, where all the walls have beadboard and crown molding.

Q: What sort of kitchens do you prefer?
A: I like the typical New England painted kitchen with simple shaker panel doors. It’s important to have nice cabinets that are also functional, since families spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

As an “eco-citizen,” Molly Bales once dove across a kitchen counter to rescue an aluminum can from the trash barrel. “I have done some pretty silly things to get people to recycle and be sustainable,” said Bales, who said that her job at Harvest Power, a Waltham-based cleantech startup, also brings out her passion for environmental progress.

Harvest Power is working on the new frontier of using organic waste – anything biodegradable from animals and plants – for renewable energy. Although anaerobic technology is well developed in Europe, the use of airtight reactors to decompose organic waste and change it into biogas for energy is still taking root in the U.S. “From pizza crust, bagels, to leftover spaghetti, food waste can end up being put to good use,” said Bales, who oversees management for facilities such as municipalities, colleges, military bases, grocery stores and even theme parks. With food scraps accounting for more than 900 thousand tons of waste each year in Massachusetts, commercial composting plants can conserve scarce landfill space and turn waste into fertilizers for use on lawns, athletic fields and farms. “We are basically creating a facility where bacteria happily feeds on waste and produces lots of useful bioproducts. This closes that carbon cycle loop instead of throwing something away,” said Bales.

Q: Is it a smelly, dirty process to compost waste?
A: Worries about a bad odor is one of the biggest concerns people have around organic waste management. This is a logical train of thought: if you keep food waste in a trash can, it starts to smell after a while. But in reality, the beauty of an anaerobic facility is that the process is completely controlled, because we want to harness the gas.

Q: San Francisco’s urban composting program is a leader in organic waste recycling. Can this happen in Boston?
A: I visited the Bay area and was delighted when I was handed a pail for food scraps, which were put into a bin and got picked up, just like recycling and trash. I would love for Boston to also have a green bin for organics. Massachusetts is doing a great job trying to get up to speed, but this requires educating regulators and government officials. One of disadvantages of being an innovator is that many people haven’t heard about what you do.

Q: Before coming to Harvest Power, you worked at a solar industry company. What did you learn about organic waste when you came here?
A: Everyone talks about solar and wind but the case for biogas is very economically compelling. Learning that it exists as a form of renewable energy offers great potential.

Q: You are official caretaker of your office’s composter. Is this a lot of work?
A: I basically take our food scraps, put them in the composter (which is nicknamed Herbie) then add baking soda and some horse bedding, and turn the arm to mix the pile.

Q: Obviously organic management has its drawbacks or difficulties. What are some of these?
A: The biggest challenges are related to developing these projects, which can be complex with so many moving parts. Another is just finding sites where you can place facilities; they need to be close to urban centers, where there is the highest concentration of food waste, but it’s hard to find space in these areas.

Q: You graduated from Harvard with a degree in history and science and subfield in earth and planetary science. How did you go from that to clean tech?
A: Knowing how planetary systems work makes you realize how out of whack we are with the current systems. The carbon cycle is not working the way it was before humans arrived. That’s a big problem we want to help address.

Q: Do you drive a Prius?
A: I did own a Prius, but I sold it. Now I don’t have a car at all, which of course is even greener.

By Cindy Atoji Keene
With more than half a million iPhone apps, 140,000-plus iPad apps, and the Android market quickly escalating, the market for mobile development appears to be flooded. The co-founder of KidsandBeyond, Lexington-based Kannankote Sriram, has joined the ranks of literally hundreds of thousands of hopeful app developers. A successful start-up entrepreneur, Sriram is aiming at the e-learning niche, believing that an opportunity exists in diaspora networks, such as Indian and Chinese migrants who are raising a new digital generation of multicultural kids. Since the company’s founding 10 months ago, Sriram has worked with a development team to create 10 different apps, releasing one app about every 1-3 months.

With an already inexhaustible list of apps on the market – from the practical (bar code scanning, restaurant finder, travel information) to the weird (voodoo spell maker, virtual fart machine) – iPhone projects start with a salable idea, with developers hoping for a winning title. KidsandBeyond’s latest release, “Viewpoints: The Blue Jackal and the Lion,” is based on a classic Indian folktale, featuring a Jackal who fools the forest animals into crowning him king. “An app has to have some uniqueness in terms of what it brings to the table, whether functionality or features. This app allows users to explore multiple perspectives of the same story in a fun and interactive manner,” said Sriram, who said that after an app is built and tested, it can be submitted to Apple for approval. “At the end of the day, anyone can build an app. There is no secret or magic to what we are doing. The trick is to make something usable to bring to market.”

Q: What makes an app stand out?
A: It’s very difficult, I tell you. If you have a brand like Bernstein Bears or Curious George, it makes it easier. If not, it’s a great challenge to differentiate yourself. Social networking, tweeting, Facebook, blogs, app reviews– all of these things you have to try, and unfortunately, there is no one way to do it. You try everything and hope for the best.

Q: What is the app development process?
A: It takes anywhere from 6-10 weeks to get a good app out. For our e-book Marcel, a fanciful story about a bookworm who travels through the changing seasons, the idea, script and illustrations originated with the author. The drawings were scanned and converted into digital items. The development team worked to build the storyboard, and to envision how many pages the app would be; the number of illustrations on each page, and sound effects. The animators got involved and built a wire frame and created the elements, and the programming team put together the interactivity.

Q: How is an app tested?
A: Typically our apps go through eight or nine iterations to make sure elements are aligned, words are synched with the illustration, and the application is stable and doesn’t crash. If you want a character in the story to be talking, the text and character’s lips have to synch. Even if you merely say a word in a different way, animation changes and it has to be redone. When all feel it’s ready to be released, it’s submitted to the iTunes marketplace after paying the initial $99 fee to join the iPhone Developer Program. It takes 5-10 days to approve the app.

Q: What are the tricky parts of developing an app?
A: The heavier the size of your application, the more likely it’s going to have difficulty in terms of stability. With a lot of animation, sound and interactivity, you need to figure out how to optimize these and use the memory efficiently. The second issue is the amount of interactivity: how do you guide the child to what is interactive and what is not. If everything is flashing, then there’s no opportunity for the child to discovery any clues by himself.

Q: How did you create Clever Cloud and other interactive characters?
A: Since there are a lot of copyright issues, objects need to have a unique look as you bring characters alive and animate them. We have a style, a colorful umph, that objects need to conform to, whether it’s an elephant or crow, although at the end of the day, all moneys or oranges probably look alike.

Q: Do you have kids test your app?
A: We have many testers, but on a more intimate level, I babysit my niece’s daughters quite a bit; one is 16 months old, and the other is three. I like to see what their reaction is – do they get bored, and walk away? Kids don’t look at error messages but they do view icons and smiley faces. We are constantly looking at how to make improvements in terms of usability.

Q: Personally, what is your favorite app?
A: Whenever I travel and there is a network connection, I play Words with Friends.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Candy canes or chocolate gelt? Hanukkah menorah or Christmas tree? Dreidel or ornaments? With more than 50 percent of Jews in interfaith relationships, December can get a little sticky for families as they struggle with questions of identity and tradition. “Couples want to know: do we lose or water down our identity if we both have a Christmas tree and light a menorah?” said Rabbi Lev Baesh, who has specialized in interfaith counseling and ceremonies for almost two decades. He thinks the December dilemma can be approached with sensitivity and openness. “Nothing is set in stone; if you try setting up a Christmas tree one year and it doesn’t work, don’t do it again. My suggestion is to take a breath, step back, and test things. Don’t come into the holidays with fear and a pre-given bias.”

In his new role as the first “interfaith ambassador” for Combined Jewish Philanthropies, a Boston-based federation, Baesh is focused on inclusiveness and a new model of the Jewish community that is not linked to a synagogue or community center. “We are offering resources to unaffiliated people in the outside world, helping engage them with choices and opportunities, both inside and outside of the institutional Jewish world," said Baesh, who for many years served interfaith couples as a “renegade freelance rabbi.”

Baesh teaches interfaith parenting workshops and last year alone served as celebrant at 45 interfaith weddings, including Jewish-Hindu, Jewish-Buddhist, and Jewish-Humanist, and of course, Jewish-Christian. “There is a multiplicity of spiritualities that people are adopting,” said Baesh. “Interfaith couples bring so much creativity and a drive to find ways to engage with their faith. They are bringing life to the Jewish world that has become flat in so many ways.”

Q: What in your background lead you to become an interfaith rabbi?
Α: As a fifth-generation U.S. rabbi, I grew up embedded in the Reform movement. I love Judaism and what it has to offer – its values, rituals, and text study. Anyone who wants to be linked to it should be able to be connect. In my extended family, I saw many interfaith marriages, where these issues were never a problem and some of the non-Jewish partners converted. And because I’m gay, I also had to struggle as a Jewish insider to find my place in this world. So I use my experiences to welcome anyone who wants to come through the door.

Q: What was the first interfaith wedding that you presided at?
A: The wife was Christian, and the groom was Jewish and a lawyer for Native American rights. I co-officiated with a tribal chief. Because of the Native American rituals he performed, it opened my eyes to interfaith ceremonies as a viable, beautiful expression of families today – and that was 21 years ago.

What goes into being a rabbi that most people wouldn’t think of?
Q: I always have a pressed suit ready to go. Jewish funerals tend to happen in 24 hours and you can get called on a dime. Also, I’m a rabbi every moment of the day. When you walk into a room and people find out you’re a rabbi, it’s like being a doctor and being asked about that spot on the neck. I get rabbinic questions ranging from spiritual dilemmas to dream interpretation. Finally, people don’t understand this is the way we earn our living; they assume that rabbis get manna from heaven.

Q: Know any good rabbi jokes?
A: Not off the top of my head.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

When high-end importer Mohr & McPherson shuttered its Cambridge warehouse this summer, showroom manager Mika Nakafuji found herself out of a job. But seeing the now vacant retail space, she also envisioned an opportunity: negotiating to pick up the remaining nine months on the lease, she opened a pop-up store, Pouf! With Pouf! Nakafuji is hoping to test the Boston market for a handmade ethnic home accessories store while fulfilling a lifelong dream of being her own boss. In her native Japan, “life as a woman is very difficult and you are expected to play a supporting role and never express yourself,” said Nakafuji, who came to the U.S. in 1997.

With lots of available unused commercial space, low start-up costs, and built-in marketing, seasonal pop-up stores have become a standard fixture. In Boston, corporate players like Pottery Barn, Toys R Us, Sikara jewelry, and Method have all opened flash-in-the-pan outlets, but Nakafuji’s mom-and-pop incarnation emphasizes artisan imports discovered on her Asian oversea scouting trips. Pouf!, which opened this fall, is an incubator for Nakafuji’s creative ideas as a specialty clothing designer and visual merchandiser.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for Pouf!?
A: The initial idea of this store was born from a casual conversation.
I commented how versatile and practical a pouf is. It is easy to change the feel of a room by throwing a pouf in the space, and they are inexpensive functional furniture. Other than poufs as a piece of a furniture, the word Pouf also implies "suddenly disappearing.” It was just perfect for a pop up store. I plan to be here till June 2012.

Q: How did you get started as a pop-up store?
A: The most important criteria was finding an empty retail storefront with high traffic where the landlord somehow preferred flexible short-term lease. I studied pop up stores throughout U.S. to get inspiration and visited nearby accessories store to become familiar with what competitors do. I borrowed a computer, bought a sign and designed business cards with the cooperative effort of a graphic designer friend. Most of what I needed for fixtures were already there because it had already been a retail store. I opened after about 6 months of planning. I had only a rough business plan in my head; nothing formal.

Q: You carry a lot of imported furnishing and accessories. How did you acquire your inventory?
A: I traveled to India and China, including Mumbai, New Delhi and Beijing and met all sorts of vendors, including antique and vintage furniture wholesalers, rug dealers, and a vendor who specializes in architectural elements. Goods were shipped by air and in one 40-foot sea container from India.

Q: You’re originally from Japan. How did these roots influence you? A: Japanese are trend makers. I have an ingrained appreciation for skilled craftsmanship; an eye for beautiful objects and an understanding of color relationships. In my shop, I am trying to create a lush look that recreates the feel of a bazaar in the East.

Q: What is your favorite item in the store?
A: Anything with kantha stitched textiles, which is a type of folk art and embroidered quilt. I have scarves, bedspreads, throws, chairs, and bags made out of kantha stitched textiles. Patchworks of silk sari are already beautiful, but when a few layers of them are stitched together with colorful threads, it adds a new dimension to the textile surface.

Q: What can U.S. retailers learn from Japan?
A: The Japanese sale staff's manner is beyond excellent. They treat customers literally like a king or queen. A lot of retailers in this country have not made much of an effort to train staff to have good manners.

Thank you for your column in the Boston Globe about saying "Thank you.” I find that an honest rendition of those two words merits much in return.

Could you please address the regrettable habit that has sprung up, that of a reply of "No problem" as opposed to "You're welcome?" I am routinely getting this answer, particularly from the younger set, particularly from people whom I have just thanked for doing their job, the one they get paid for! "No problem" sounds insincere and insouciant. Of course I am 72 years old, so perhaps this is a change I should learn to accept. I hope not!

S. C., Oak Bluffs, MA

You’re welcome, Sara.

Unfortunately, that phrase seems to have disappeared from our language. How often do you hear it as opposed to how often you hear someone replying to a “thank you,” by saying, “Oh, no, thank you.” Whenever I hear that return “Thank you,” all I can think is, “Why are you trumping my ‘Thank you’ with your ‘Thank you?’”

When you respond to a “Thank you” with “You’re welcome,” you are acknowledging the thanks and letting the person know you appreciate it. To say nothing when someone says “Thank you” to you is the equivalent of ignoring the person, and nobody likes to be ignored.

If you really do want to thank someone in return, saying “You’re welcome; and thank you, too” is the best solution. Saying “You’re welcome” first removes any implication that you are simply dismissing the person’s “Thank you” by not acknowledging it.

“No problem” has wormed its way into the normal dialogue we experience with each other. I hear it from all ages of people, not just young people, and I’m inclined to accept it as part of our language today. That said, the same advice holds true for a “No problem” or “It’s nothing” response to a “Thank you.” Precede it with a “You’re welcome,” and now it works perfectly well as a response.

So, today, tomorrow, the next day, take a moment to think about how you’ll respond the next time someone says “Thank you” to you. Try bringing back “You’re welcome” as the first thing you’ll say in acknowledging the “Thank you.” You’ll put a smile on the other person’s face, and that is the real point.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

The “real” shipping at Harbor Sweets chocolates started last month, and the action in the Salem warehouse is “not for the faint of heart,” said Chrissie Santos, a shipping manager at the New England chocolate maker that has been hand-making chocolates in its original factory using copper kettles since its founding in 1973. It’s the high season for gift giving at Harbor Sweets with over half its sales made in corporate gifts, many of them packed with the company’s iconic Sweet Sloop, a chocolate covered almond butter crunch shaped sailboat.

With one to two thousand packages a day going out around the holidays, Santos and a team of seasonal helpers stand at packing tables, surrounded by their arsenal: bags, cello bags, packing peanuts, tissue wrap, bubble wrap, newsprint, and 20 different sizes of boxes. It takes just seconds to pop a single gift box into a mailer, while custom orders can get exponentially complicated: one type of chocolate can be ordered in 25 different ways (in a gift set, box assortment, etc); a customer might be sending 200 items to 200 different addresses, and select accounts often need bulk confectionaries packaged for a single conference. “There are so many exceptions to every rule,” said Santos. “The only way to learn is to put your hands on the packages and get them out the door.”

As an order fulfillment supervisor, Santos prepares shipping documents and mailing labels, tracks inventory, records shipping costs, and packs the goods, then works with shipping partners like UPS to make sure the orders are delivered on time. “One of the most important aspects of the job is how to style a package,” said Santos. “A poorly packaged gift, which may include melted chocolate or broken pieces, can ruin the entire customer experience of receiving a present.”

Q: How do you manage to send chocolate to warmer climates, like Florida or Texas?

A: I do a manual check on the weather in every zip code, checking temperatures online. Seventy five degrees is the tipping point when chocolate begins to change consistency and starts to melt, so I’ll ice chocolate when needed, placing them in a plastic bag or foam container with frozen gel as a cooling agent. Our chocolate has no preservatives so melts faster than typical chocolate bar.

Q: What are the tools of your trade?
A: I couldn’t live without my tape gun. It’s a mundane but necessary fact of life and somewhat tricky to learn to use. I’ve definitely taped up some ugly boxes. There’s an art to knowing how hard to pull on the tape gun; how to rip the serrated edge, and the angle of the tape dispense. In my first attempts, I had tape all around my fingers. It can be a mess. And my yardstick was missing the other day. I can get overprotective with my office supplies.

Q: Where’s the farthest location that you have shipped to?
A: I sent one to Slovakia and Japan today; last week to Shanghai, Hong Kong, and South Korea. I also ship to Switzerland, Hawaii and Australia. I wish I was sending myself as well to these places. On a crosscountry sort of day, I ship to about ten different states, from Connecticut to Illinois to California.

Q: What was a challenging shipping assignment that you’ve received?
A: Last year, a company was hosting a convention and ordered 700 custom chocolate bars that were very hefty in weight. I had to come up some way to protect the chocolate, since they would be too heavy to put into one box. You constantly need to be thinking, “What if these fall during transit?” I did a lot of cushioning and wrapping and shipped them in seven separate boxes of 100 each.

Q: Do gas prices affect shipping?
A: Definitely, usually over the summer when the price of jet fuel typically goes up. The company is charged a surcharge for every package going out the door, although it’s not reflected on the customer end.

Q: What’s your favorite candy at Harbor Sweets?
A: My favorite chocolate is the Sand Dollar, a dark chocolate with caramel and pecan. I sample every now. It’s hard to work here and not enjoy it.

Q: Who is cuter, the postman, UPS man or Fed Ex guy?
A: I have to plead the fifth on that one. I will hear from all of them if I pick just one.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

How does therapeutic horseback riding work? Adaptive riding instructor Terry Snow of The BiNA Farm describes it like this: “Imagine you are in a wheelchair. You come into a barn and are able to get on a horse. Suddenly you’re eye-level instead of looking up, experiencing three-dimensional movement that mimics the human gait. You have the freedom to go where you want. The result is transformational.” Snow, who is co-founder of the non-profit, Natick-based organization, has witnessed incredible changes due to the instant connection that children have with the horses. “Horses don’t judge; they don’t care what you look like and if you’re in a chair or not.”

Research has shown that students who participate in therapeutic riding can strengthen muscles and improve flexibility and balance, as well as learn companionship, confidence, and responsibility. At BiNA’s Sherborn location, six horses, including Shasta, an Arab Welsh chestnut pony, await students with a range of medical disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, Downs Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries and ADD. “An autistic child who craves stimulation and movement might need a bigger walk gait while another one who is physically challenged will be matched with a horse who moves very slowly,” said Snow, a nationally-certified instructor. “Shasta is my go-to horse; he is so sensitive, he knows when a teenager might want him to be a pistol, or he gently sniffs to welcome a four-year-old who is new and just discovering horses. It’s hard to believe it’s the same horse.”

Q: What’s an example of a transformation that you’ve seen in a child?
A: One little girl, with a neurological delay, had a sensory disorder. She couldn’t bear the feeling of clothes rubbing against her skin, and it took an hour and a half just to get her socks and shoes on in the morning. We gave her a bareback lesson, and rubbed her bare feet on the horse’s mane. The warmth and movement of the horse helped her relax. For the next week, her parents said, she wasn’t bothered by sensory overload anymore. Gradually she also made eye contact, and developed beautiful posture. It was miraculous for her.

Q: How can therapeutic riding help a child who has behavioral issues?
A: Horses are very sensitive animals that can pick up on emotions, feelings and attitudes. If a child is misbehaving, a thousand-pound horse won’t respond to directions, unless asked or led in the correct way, which is a lesson in itself. Horses are herd animals, so you can’t bully a horse to get what you want.

Q: How do you train the horses?
A: When we bring a new horse into the program, we throw balls, put rings on its ears, and all the other games that it will experience during lessons. Some horses get it right away; other horses are claustrophobic, and they’re not the horse for us. There is always an inherent risk with any activity with a live animal, but we also have a leader and two sidewalkers in the ring. The horses are trained and know their job; they know not to move when they’re being groomed by someone next to them who is in a wheelchair.

Q: How is a typical lesson structured?
A: We might start by grooming the horses or going over safety rules, then warm up with exercises, games and riding skills including horsemanship practice and obstacle courses. The obstacle courses might include stretching out and putting a ring on a cone. These are all activities that encourage hand-eye coordination for kids, as well as spatial concepts.

Q: How did you get involved with therapeutic horseback riding?
A: It started when my daughter, now 22, was 5 years old. She was one of those children who didn’t play with dolls but was interested in horses. I helped out with lessons when the barn was shorthanded, and saw the magic when special needs children came in.

Q: What does your family think about horses?
A: My husband happens to be allergic to dogs and horses, but he’s very patient and has been cleaning my horse-smelling car for 29 years.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

For Internet entrepreneur Drew Sharma, building online companies is like “an intense game of chess.” He owns hundreds of domain names, pared down from a thousand or more, and successfully founded two conglomerates that own and operate sites such as CarInsuranceQuotes.com, CDRate.com, HealthInsuranceQuotes.com, PrinterInk.com and PartySupplies.com. “I am a raging serial entrepreneur. I really enjoy e-commerce ventures – it’s like a sport for me,” said Sharma, 33, of Newton.

Sharma got hooked on building web-based businesses when he sold multiple businesses, including InkCartridges.com in 2009 to a large e-commerce company, beginning a winning streak of numerous other acquisitions. “This validated the model of building businesses by acquiring and developing strategic domain names, then gaining traction and reach with search engine optimization and other means,” said Sharma, whose latest venture is Cookies.com.

Sharma says the biggest challenge to developing an e-commerce site is “the waiting game.” “Even before you have revenue, you need to build and grow your website. You can go a year and a half just shoving coal into the fire without getting anything in return,” said Sharma, who said often the tipping point comes about 18 months, when the fruits of labor finally start paying off.

Q: What goes into acquiring domain, or website, names?
A: The most valuable domain names encompass an entire industry, such as PartySupplies.com or Cookies.com, because of the level of traffic they can achieve. For example, a huge amount of visitors type in “Cookies.com” into a browser without us even needing to advertise.

Q: Was it difficult to get Cookies.com as a domain name?
A: This type of domain name sells for astronomical prices, up to six to seven figures. Acquiring a domain name is a complicated process; you can contact the seller directly or go through a broker. We were pursuing Cookies.com for a long time but didn’t get to the negotiating table until the day after the Lehman Brothers collapse. Everyone felt panicked in the economic world, but we were able to get the name at a more reasonable price because of the economic demise. We picked up a few other gems at that time as well.
Q: How did you fund your first few businesses?
A: My partner and I funded our first company, Mindfire Interactive. We both put in $6,000, and it turned into a multimillion dollar business. We used the cash flow and proceeds as well as the sale of the business to acquire properties on the side and it all evolved from there.

Q: Are entrepreneurs like you made or born?
A: When I was five years old, I told my mom I wanted to be an entreprenuer when I grew up. I got my MBA and did the Wall Street route for a while but remained fascinated with all the entrepreneurs out there who fly under the radar and build great companies out of their basements and garages. Then a few friends and I started a dotcom venture. It took me out of mindset of living a 9-5 job and wanting to chart my own course, something that is very scary at first.

Q: Not every entrepreneurial idea works out quite as planned, right?
A: That dotcom venture ultimately failed but it was the best thing that happened to my career. When things don’t work out on your first try, you have to fall down on your face, then dust yourself off and try again harder.

Q: Who have been your role models for you?
A: Zappos founder Tony Hsieh is my inspiration. I’ve read his book, “Delivering Happiness,” cover-to-cover multiple times. E-commerce is so competitive. You have to create a loyal fan base of customers and instill passion in your customers and company.

Q: You have an undergraduate degree in philosophy. Does that help you at all?
A: Absolutely. It broadens my mind so I don’t focus so much on structure and I’m always questioning how things can be done differently.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Lilia Karapetyan’s first experience with medical interpretation came after the massive earthquake in Armenia in 1988, when devastation ripped through the country. As foreign aid workers arrived to help grapple with the quake’s aftermath, Karapetyan volunteered her services to translate for American doctors and other international English-speaking teams. “Thousands were dying and many more injured; it was hell. Interpreters were needed everywhere. I hope I helped save lives; I just did whatever I could do.”

It was a harrowing experience but one that showed Karapetyan, 54, how her English language skills could be applied in a medical setting. So when she came to America nine years ago and settled in the Watertown-Belmont area, where a large Armenian-American population resides, she said she “was inspired to be a liaison between the community and the American medical system.” Today Karapetyan is an integral part of Mount Auburn Hospital’s Interpreter Services department, translating for Armenian and Russian patients.

Becoming trained as a medical interpreter wasn’t easy for Karapetyan. “It was kind of a shock for me, learning the Greek and Latin terminology,” said Karapetyan, who said that just knowing medical terminology is not enough; the ethics and cultural intricacies of interpretation restrict multicultural conversations inside the hospital. “The interpreter is only the voice of the patient and doctor; you can’t add your own personal emotions, feelings or thoughts, otherwise the doctor doesn’t know if it’s the interpreter speaking or the patient.”

Q: How did you initially learn to speak English?
A: My mother was an English teacher in Armenia, and my first English teacher as well. My two sisters and I started to speak English, and then when I was 5 years old, it became our secret language, a way to communicate privately among ourselves.

A: What sort of patients do you typically interpret for at Mt. Auburn?
Q: Many of the Armenians moved to this country in their late 60s or 70s to be with their children and grandchildren. Some are uneducated small villagers; others are highly educated architects, dentists and scientists. Some can read English but have difficulty speaking it or understanding doctors when they talk. I have interpreted for Armenians from Syria, Turkey, and Armenia, of course, as well as Russians from Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Uzbekistan.

Q: Do you keep a log of expressions and terminology, since new terms arise all the time?
A: I have notebooks in my home and office, and as I learn new procedures and notes, I add them to my vocabulary. For example, a doctor recently told a patient he had an exudate, and I didn’t know what that meant. It’s fluid that filters from the circulatory system into lesions or inflammation areas. I am never embarrassed to ask questions; it’s better to get the right explanation than pretend you know and make a mistake; then the patient doesn’t get the care he needs.

Q: What’s an example of phrase that’s challenging to interpret?
A: When I first started I didn’t understand "Can't keep anything down." You just have to know what it means. The exact translation doesn't make too much sense.

Q: How can cultural misunderstandings lead to complications or problems in treatment?
A: Sometimes a patient will refuse a cup of water with ice cubes after having surgery. The doctors and nurses think they’re being difficult or are confused, but in my culture, if you’re sick, you drink only room temperature water or tea. Another example is when patients are told they will be seen by a nurse practitioner, they get upset, thinking that a 'practicing ' nurse, not a real one with a license, is going to experiment with their treatment. My job is not only to interpret, but to be patients' guide to the American medical culture.

Q: Have you managed to get rid of your accent?
A: I have an accent; so many people do at the hospital. We have Indian, Chinese, Polish, Russian doctors – everyone has the freedom of their own language but still speaks English with each other. That is the beauty of this country.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

M. Peter Thomson has been in the packaged consumer goods industry for decades now, first with private-label gravies, sauces, and salsas, and now with homemade style soups. But although once an iconic American pantry staple, with several winters of declining sales, the ready-to-serve soup market has become an open pot for smaller independent players like Thomson’s New England Country Soup. But it’s not just noodles and broth anymore, and even the iconic red-and-white soup label immortalized by Andy Warhol has now been retired, with the shelves laden with lines of premium, chunky, kettle, microwavable, healthy, and more. “I’ve been doing this for 39 years, and I’m still trying to write the theorem,” said Thomson, whose latest offering is all-natural, low-sodium soups in such down-home flavors as Lentil, Chicken Corn Chowder, and Yankee White Bean.

Packaged in a flexible and environmentally friendly ready-to-heat pouch, New England Country Soup is positioning itself as yet another New England Company that is an innovator in social leadership and eco-product marketing, along the lines of Stonyfield Farm and Ben & Jerry’s. But although New England Country Soup uses family recipes and seeks out ingredients from family-owned producers, it’s doubtful Nana would recognize the state-of-the-art technology behind the soups. “You would be absolutely amazed how much science goes into the packaging, manufacturing, and even recipes,” said Thomson, who said that once spices are tweaked, then “we get serious and translate the formula into mass production. I have a good sense of what will happen to Cayenne pepper after it’s cooked or thermally processed, as the FDA says.”

Q: Why soup, instead of say, soap?
A: I draw the line all the way back to my grandmother, who is from a little village near Naples. In Italy, food is love, and I distinctly remember growing up learning how to make bread and fresh pasta, although at the time being male and learning to cook was a bit of a conundrum.

Q: How did you know it was time to start New England Country Soups?
A: Soup is a very emotional product for most consumers; a bowl of soup conveys warmth and love. I looked around and was none too impressed with the quality of offerings, they were so tasteless, high in sodium and low in fiber. With two dominant players on the store shelves, god protects the naïve entrepreneur, because I believe we can make a better product. We even include an “Ingredient Tracker” code on every package, where consumers can enter the code online to learn what farm, field or ocean our ingredients are sourced from.

Q: When it comes to the clam chowder, how many times did you need to play with the recipe before you got it right?
A: What is in the marketplace is the 55th version of it. It took that many iterations to get it where I wanted it.

Q: What raw material is the hardest to get suppliers for?
A: The single most difficult ingredient to source is natural frozen white cooked chicken meat with no additives. It’s amazing to me how few suppliers we can find in that specific area.

Q: Take us behind the scenes at the factory where the soup is made. What would I see?
A: The location of the plant is proprietary information, but you’d see a lot of specialized equipment working in sync to make these soups. When we are in production, we fill one 15-ounce pouch every second, or 60 pounces a minute. I take cuttings, or samples of the soup to make sure it’s on target.

Q: Why did you decide to kick the can in favor of a pouch?
A: During my travels, I’ve tried soup on every continent except South America. The American consumer’s preference for ready-to-serve soup is different from everywhere else in the world, where soup is predominately dehydrated. The pouch concept is from Asia and Europe, where packaging is technologically more advanced. Our pouch is difficult to make because of the temperature and pressure that we expose the product to make it shelf stable.

Q: What is it like to compete in such a crowded marketplace?
A: In the retail grocery business, there’s a very painful thing known as slotting, a fee manufacturers pay to go on the shelf. We don’t have a slotting budget comparable to Campbells or Progressive, so we have to work smarter and make a better product to justify our shelf space. This is not a business for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. Our marketing support is directed at in-store promotions, coupons, and floor stands. We are soon launching a one-cup trial size, which has not been done in the business before.

Q: What would nana think of your chicken soup, which you’ve named after her?
A: Unfortunately she died when I was 17, so she’s not around to try my soup, but in my office, I still have her original post-World War II aluminum pot in which she made a many of batch of soup.

Q: What’s for lunch today? Soup?
A: No, salad. Honestly, we are sampling it so often during the course of the day, that I’ll eat anything but soup please.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

For families of children with special needs, it’s easy to get lost in the maze of endless acronyms, including IHCP, LRE, CST, IDEIA, PWN, to mention just a few. There is also a befuddling maze of terms, such 504 Plan, inclusion, modification, evaluation, and referral. “It’s like a foreign language,” said Beth Ross, a special needs attorney who helps parents navigate the special education process, which she says can be complicated and time-consuming. “There is also so much paperwork involved which can also be overwhelming,” said Ross, who has her own Boston-area law practice.

Whether it’s a school suspension; disagreement over a diagnosis; child who refuses to go to class, or a family who want to make a switch from private back to public school, “many parents want me to become their voice as they have felt so misunderstood,” said Ross. Parents and children have specific rights under state and federal laws, but knowing how they apply to an individual case can be confusing. “I am often a last resort as parents have tried everything else and no longer feel equipped to continue or need another perspective,” said Ross.

Ross is often juggling up to 15 or more cases at a time, writing letters on parent’s behalf, attending team meetings or litigating issues before the Bureau of Special Education Appeals, the education court in Massachusetts. “The child is struggling; parents are upset, worried and angry – this is a recipe for communication difficulty. Sometimes there is a breakdown in trust. My primary goal is to empower parents so they feel more involved, and have a ‘voice,’” said Ross.

Q: Special education law is constantly changing, and there are
several overriding principles that govern. What are these, in your opinion?
A: The key legal concepts that I typically advocate for include: the least restrictive environment (or inclusion); free appropriate public education, and individual needs of child.

Q: What’s an example of a recent case you represented?
A: I worked with a family whose child was incredibly bright but very vulnerable. He was a quirky guy and harassed by kids in the school. His parents were concerned about providing a safe environment for him while still being academically challenged. We went back and forth with the school district, and ultimately he ended up attending a private school, and all parties were comfortable with the outcome. But during the bullying, which started in middle school and continued through high school, it was excruciating to see what this child had to endure.

Q: Why is it so complicated to navigate the special needs process?
A: Many families are uncertain of their legal rights or may be unsure what their child needs. Often they don’t know who to trust from the school district, and may feel outnumbered. Adding to these feelings of instability, they have a child who may be struggling academically and emotionally. It is as if they don’t know what to do first, and often no one from the school is clearly guiding them.

Q: You’re the mother of three children. Have you ever needed to advocate for your own family?
A: My preschooler had an incident that I had an issue with. But as a lawyer, I’ve discovered I can quickly put people on the defensive. My best advice to myself was to wait 24 hours before sending an email. Anything in writing can be wonderful but also held against you.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

During the boom era not so long ago, housing developer Bill Wennerberg of Plymouth was one of the many builders who rushed to construct supersized homes, often known as McMansions. He expanded his own South Shore home eight years ago into a 5,000 square foot goliath with 122 windows. Building it was no big deal, said Wennerberg, but living in it was the learning process. “When it was done, I laid in my bedroom and said to my wife, ‘holy cow, who needs a house this big?’”

As the average size of new single-family homes continues to fall – by 2015, the average home size is expected to shrink to 2,152 square feet, a downsizing that ends an expansion that spanned nearly three decades – Wennerberg felt the market was actually “right-sizing,” with homeowners giving up unused space and looking for homes that better fit their needs. His newest project at The Pinehills in Plymouth consists of 16 Nantucket-style cottages, ranging in size from 1,100 - 1,600 square feet and up, in a “real borrow-an-egg neighborhood.”

Q: What exactly is Nantucket style, which has become a trendy housing style, even in developments in Missouri and Washington?
A: I consider it a clean, casual, simple, down-to-earth approach. I came up with my plans by touring Nantucket and taking tons of pictures, then working with two architects on a series of sketches, literally doodling concepts of houses on some napkins. We came up with four different interchangeable floor plans of houses that look like little Nantucket cottages. They have charm and detail, like beat-up old floors, white picket fences, and neighborly quaint yards so closely nestled together, I had to work with the building inspector’s office to figure out how to separate the homes based on local codes.

Q: What’s your favorite part of building a house?
A: It starts with a hole in the ground, digging the foundation, then putting up the framing. It’s fun when the frame goes up and you can see the actual shape of the house. This is followed by installing the mechanical stuff, the wiring, plumbing and heating systems. But once the plaster is in, you can see the kitchen, dining room and bedroom walls. That’s when the finish work begins, the part I like, putting in the moulding, tiles, appliances, paint, which reflect house’s character and tell the story of how it will live and feel.

Q: What’s your secret to working with all the sub-contractors?
A: Through the years, I’ve developed a good stable crew of subcontractors who know and understand each other. Some general contractors are yellers or screamers; others are motivators. I’m the one with the vision, and my guys know how to get it done. If not, I have no choice but to get someone else.

Q: You’ve been dabbling with this trade, as well as landscaping, for over a decade. How has it changed throughout the years?
A: Construction is a cost-driven business, so crews have gotten more specialized and multi-skilled so they can take on a bigger pool of work. The framer might also do the roofing these days, or the finish carpenter might also be a kitchen installer.

Q: Say I’m going to buy a house. What’s the first thing I should think of?
A: First is budget and what you hope to spend. That number can grow very quickly. Secondly, think of your quality of life. You don’t just build a box, but something you can live in, so consider the design, the style, the value, and think that through pretty good.

Q: How do you cope with bad weather?
A: Last winter was a tough one. It snowed every two days while we were framing. We’d start every day by shoveling, then end the day by putting a tarp over everything. One time snow leaked into a house, everything froze up, and we weren’t able to work for a couple of weeks. There were some days that we spent more time shoveling than building, but that’s life as a New England builder.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Jokes abound about hospital food, which ranks as low as airline fare in culinary appeal: overcooked, bland, and processed. It’s ironic that the average American hospital has traditionally served up high-fat, low-nutrient institutional menus that make “healthy hospital food” an oxymoron. But although Jello, fruit cups, toast, and chicken bouillon are still perennial offerings, chefs such as James Boyd at Children’s Hospital Boston are delivering just what the doctor ordered: nutritious, locally-sourced gourmet dishes infused with spices and flavor. “I believe that quality, healthful entrees can play an important role in providing patients with life-sustaining nutrients that get them healthy and out the door,” said Boyd, the hospital’s executive chef. “They don’t want to be in a hospital any longer than they have to be.

Agave glazed pork tenderloin with warm roasted beet and autumn lentil salad, served on top of a fresh local butternut squash coulis, hardly sounds like a typical hospital dish. But this gluten-free dish was prepared by Boyd for a “Hospital Chef Challenge” aimed at to transforming the negative perception of hospital food. Boyd is in the midst of prepping for the next hospital chef cook-off, to be held Oct. 27 at the Seaport Hotel, sponsored by the Massachusetts Health Council. “It surprises many people to learn that hospital chefs are trained at some of the legendary cooking schools around the world,” said Boyd, who was trained at the Culinary Institute of America.

Boyd oversees the dining operation at the 375-bed hospital that provides not just patient dining, but also onsite cafeteria service and catering. Patients can call down their requests, which are all prepared to order, room-serve style, while 2,000-3,000 visitors and employees flow through the grilled and grab-and-go selection that includes a salad bar, deli, and pizza station. Despite trendy menu options such as creamy smoked pepper soup or chicken tandoori on flatbread served with tangy jack cheese and sweet mangoes, an overwhelming favorite with the kids is still mac and cheese. “I try to cook healthy, but I understand if children are sick, they want comfort food that they’re accustomed to eating,” said Boyd.

Q: You’re in the process of revamping the menu. What new direction will it take?
A: I’m trying to make it more kid-friendly. We already have all-time favorites like chicken fingers and pizza, but we want more sophisticated offerings for teens and young adults, like meatball subs, steak tips, or baked cod with topping.

Q: How did you get started as a hospital chef?
A: I started as a dishwasher, scrubbing pots part-time in high school. One night the kitchen was short-staffed and I was asked me to help out on the grill. I got bit by the food bug and kept working my way up the ladder. I’m 45 now, and have a lot of respect for even the dishwashers, who are the backbone of the industry. I’ve been there and I know what the job entails. It’s not fun when you walk in the door after a function of 150 people just wrapped up the night before.

Q: Is it necessary to have a culinary education, or can today’s chef learn on the job?
A: Education is key and gives you a great foundation, but you can’t learn how to sauté from just a book. You can learn something over and over in school but only someone who really knows the tricks can teach you, for example, what a reduction is or the right thickness of cream soup.

Q: You’ll cook at the bedside if a patient requests it. What have you made for kids?
A: Fresh pasta, cupcake decorating, individual pizza pies, the list goes on and on. Sick kids can’t forget they’re in the hospital but I can put a smile on their face for an hour. I made fresh ravioli for one little girl, and shrimp scampi for another. I’ll bring up my cart and a little Bunsen burner and make sure I don’t set off the fire alarms.

Q: In your experience, what is the most common mistake that new chefs are prone to make?
A: It’s really simple, but it seems when a novice chef gets into the rush of things and nerves take over, something always gets burnt.

Q. I was hired at a company for a certain job, with specific responsibilities, at a certain rate of pay. Over the course of the last year, the company has added more work but not added additional pay. Recently the company has added additional work that has impacted our ability to earn our commission. Management says this is our job, and they will not compensate us for any changes. Is it okay for the company to do this?

A. When is a deal not a deal? Every day at work is a study in negotiation, and your situation is no different. Situations at work change, the economy changes, and most employment situations change on a regular basis. This doesn't mean that employees should be treated unfairly. Communication between management and employees as changes occur becomes more important than ever.

Employers look for ways to maximize the value each employee contributes to the organization, and often that means changing roles, changing how work is done, and adding the work of employees whose roles have been eliminated to remaining employees. I find that employees are willing to support their employer by coping with changes in their roles, and adding additional duties which they may not be trained or compensated for -- to a point.

Companies can change duties of current employees, and they can change compensation plans. Employees under contract, or union positions, may be protected from these changes. Employers have very little tolerance for employees who see every change or added responsibility as a need for more compensation. However if your compensation has been negatively impacted, raising your concerns is appropriate.

Most often employers are concerned about ensuring employees can make the same compensation under changing circumstances. If they have not had a meeting with you, individually, or in a group, to show you how the new work can be handled allowing enough time for you to earn commission, I would ask for that type of meeting to be held. You, or a supervisor or manager, could speak to Human Resources -- "I know the company is trying to do more with less, and I am committed to trying to make us as successful as possible. The initial changes to our job added plenty of work, which we work hard to keep up with. The new changes have added so much additional work that we can't complete the work that allows us to earn our commission. I'm not sure you are aware of that, or if we are missing something with these changes. Can you review the changes and the working assumptions with us?".

The way your concern is expressed lets management know this issue is more than just one person thinking there has been unfair treatment. Asking for communication also shows that you expect the communication to be two-way -- giving you the opportunity to understand managements’ view of the situation, and for them to understand yours. An important point organizations now understand is that based on the current economy and difficulty changing jobs, disgruntled employees often don't leave an organization, they impact it.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Hotel managers have to pay their dues, and veteran hospitality honcho Rick Colangelo has done just that. Not only has he cleaned rooms, worked the front desk, and served tables, Colangelo has done the multi-city career shuffle, living in 11 cities during his three decades in the hospitality business. “If you want to advance in this field, you need to be willing to move around, especially for young growing companies,” said Colangelo, whose three children were born in different states as he relocated around the country for several major hotel chains.

Colangelo, now a regional director for the Kimpton Hotels, also acts as general manager for one of the chain’s flagship properties, Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge, a boutique property that caters to the high-tech community. From the hotel’s trademark animal print robes to the “discovery” time capsule in the lobby, Colangelo still easily recites every detail that went into the opening of Hotel Marlowe eight years ago. “A hotel is a living and breathing building,” said Colangelo. “You need to work through all the kinks, whether it’s the hot water not working or helping to coordinate furnishings and equipment.”

Q: You are tasked with overseeing daily operations as well as administrative, financial and aesthetic decisions. How does your day usually begin?
A: Right now I’m in Miami. The sun is out, and I’m doing budget reviews for a Florida property, but back at my home base in Boston, I usually start the morning with a housekeeping morning line-up. Cleanliness is the heart and soul of any hotel, so I review any duties for the staffers who each need to scour, dust and straighten over 15 guest rooms a day.

Q: How many employees have you hired throughout the years?
A: Literally hundreds of people, more than I can count. From day one, I’ve had a philosophy of hiring for personality, not necessarily experience. Hospitality is not a scientific or technical industry; the things we do everyday are common-sense tasks, so I look for positive people and then train them in the culture of the company.

Q: What’s your hotel horror story?
A: A valve blew off a main pipe that feeds water into the building. It was connected to the electrical system as well, so we had a double whammy, I had to close the hotel and evacuate the guests. It was something you never forget. We’re in the people-pleasing business, and when things go wrong like this, you’re not pleasing anyone.

Q: Where do you like to stay when you’re on the road?
A: I like to stay at the newest, hottest, boutique lifestyle hotel that I can find. I’m not a luxury hotel guy, but instead like a place that’s unique, cool, and on the cutting-edge. My kids like it too; they get to travel and experience more amenities because I’m in this business.

Q: What was the first hotel that you worked in?
A: In high school and college, I worked at a family-run inn in Hyannis. I did it all there, and got bit by the hospitality bug. Once you change linens or clear a table, then you understand what it’s like to do any position and can teach others how to do it.

Q: Ever had any celebrity guests in any of your hotels?
A: The one I remember most is Michael Jackson in the late 80's when he was extremely popular. He and his entourage rented an entire floor at a hotel I worked at, with his own chef, security, dancers, and others. Michael himself was in the presidential suite and we had to clear the adjoining room to set up a dance floor so he could practice his moves. I have also had presidents United States, but that is not as exciting as the celebrities, and is much more "official" with secret service checking in weeks before and loading the hotel up with security measures, and high tech devices.

Q: When Hotel Marlowe opened, a time capsule was put into the lobby, to play off of the “discovery” theme of the hotel. What did you put into the capsule?
A: We put in objects from yesteryear. I grew up in Everett, so I put in a Charleston Chew bar of my own.

By Cindy Atoji Keene
If Charlie Sheen had his meltdown last autumn instead of publically beginning to crash and burn later in the spring, the actor’s haggard face might have been Halloween 2010’s hottest mask, said iParty’s Dorice Dionne. Instead, trick-or-treaters last year had to settle for Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, and characters from the hit TV show, Jersey Shore.

And this year’s big costume? Although Angry Birds, zombies, and pirates are expected to be hot, the real frontrunner hasn’t hit yet, said Dionne, head of marketing and merchandising for the Dedham-based party retail chain. “Popular culture can take over, latch on, and push a costume to the forefront,” said Dionne, who says that the “in” mask is usually very celebrity-driven. “When Sarah Palin caught on a few years back, we weren’t expecting that, and needed to quickly find her eyeglasses and the right kind of wig to copy her trademark hairdo.”

Staying on top of customer demand is nothing new to Dionne, who remembers her first year of business, when the founding West Roxbury store ran out of almost every Halloween costume in the last two days before Oct. 31. “I ran over to a local fabric store, bought every Halloween item they had and resold it all,” said Dionne, who also turned the pipe cleaners and plain headbands into devils and cats headpieces. “We never run out of Halloween these days but we still try to do whatever we have to do to make shoppers happy.”

Dionne has been in the business for over 20 years, long enough to remember when party supplies – today everything from flying toys, grass hula skirts, whoopie cushions, and candy-filled squirt guns – were merely commodities such as cups, plates, and table covers, sold mainly by janitorial supply companies. “I wanted to make it fun to shop for a party,” said Dionne, who tackled several business ventures with business partner/husband Sal Perisano, before circling back a decade ago to their current retailing operation, which today has roughly 52 stores, each stocked with over 20,000 items.

Q: Running a retail business takes a lot of trial and error. What's an example of a learning experience that you've had throughout the years?
A: At three o’clock in the morning, one of our managers got a call from the police. A 12-foot inflatable pumpkin, a decoration on the roof of our Saugus store, had managed to free itself and make its way across Route 1. Sounds like a B monster movie. We got a big fine for that one. That's just one of the many unforgettable stories I can tell.

Q: How do you get the store ready for Halloween, one of your biggest seasons?
A: Halloween preparations start as early as August. The stores have a very detailed layout of product display. All the shelving fixtures, which are normally 4-5 feet, go up to 8 feet, and we compress and move the baby, wedding, and gift wrap sections to the back of the store. Halloween will take over the first 1/3 of the store, so when the customer walks into the store, they know we’re in the business of Halloween.

Q: You’re charged with making sure stores and website have the costumes that people want. When does costume-planning start?
A: I’ve already started going to New York showrooms and previewing the first line of 2012 costume samples. This is just the beginning. For four days in December, the major Halloween costume companies show their products in a major trade show located between Fifth Avenue and Broadway. I’ll be leaping over snowdrifts to run to meetings, navigating packed hallways and elevators, talking with vendors and looking at masks and accessories. The whole industry is there, trying to decide what the big sellers will be, with final orders put in by February.

Q: What’s the latest party that you personally have had?
A: I spend so much of my time immersed in everybody else's parties that I'm embarrassed to say that my big bang-up galas happened over ten years ago – you know, those parties where you move the furniture out of a two-bedroom apartment and move in the bistro tables with umbrellas and hope for the best.

Q: What do you plan to be this Halloween?
A: The last costume I made was called “flotsam and jetsam.” I took a fishnet and attached beer cans, flip flops, and other assorted items you might find at the bottom of the ocean. I tend to dress up in very unflattering attire, although I’m not sure why.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Fix our nation’s schools, said President Obama earlier this month, calling for federal funds to repair 35,000 aging schools nationwide through the jobs bill. This call to action is nothing new for architect Greg Smolley who has been on the frontline of modernization for tomorrow’s schools for over a decade, pleading the cause for much-needed K-12 upgrades in front of building committees, officials, and taxpayers. Leaky roofs, dimly lit classrooms, poor ventilation systems, overcrowded cafeterias: the list of disrepair can go on and on, said Smolley, a principal with JCJ Architecture in Boston. “An important precondition for learning includes a good facility,” said Smolley, who said just the simple steps of adding more sunlight and improving air quality have been proven to boost student achievement.

Today’s students are more technology-driven, self-expressive, and connected than any prior generation, so 21st century schools need to be designed to complement these evolving learning styles, said Smolley, who has spearheaded such projects as the Glover Elementary School (Marblehead), Norton High School (Norton) and Elmer S. Bagnall Elementary School (Groveland), among others. A former municipal director in several towns, Smolley isn’t fazed by the many players – parents, administrators, town agencies, and committees – who need to come to a consensus on cost estimate and design plans before groundbreaking even begins. And of course, the students, who will request everything from a library located at the top of a tree to hallways shaped like a strand of DNA, doubling as a teaching tool.

Q: You’re often involved with the planning and design of a school, from feasibility studies, down to final paint colors. What does it take to go from conception to completion?
A: Generally it takes about a year to complete the programming and design of a building, and another year or two for construction. A school has to reflect the feelings that a community has about itself and its approach to educating students. There is the reality of physical space, the budget to build it, and the ability to manage and operate it afterwards. We take all the ideas and pare them down to what will actually work. The ideal school should endure for the next 40-50 years while being flexible enough to adapt to education as it evolves in the next few decades.

Q: What’s the most rewarding and frustrating part of your job?

A: It’s great to see kids faces when they go into a new building for the first time after being in a space that’s desperately lacking so many features. But it’s most frustrating when people come to a public forum and hold an opinion without wanting to be informed. The quintessential example is a homeowner who just renovated their house and wants to know, “Why does a school have to cost so much – I just fixed my house for X number of dollars?” It’s not a fair cost comparison.

Q: We’ve come a long way since the one-room schoolhouse. What are the latest changes?
A: Today’s school has a non-institutional feeling, with multi-purpose rooms that foster a sense of community and allow technology upgrades; plenty of views outside and in; comfortable acoustics; and of course, energy-efficiency, using energy, water and other resources efficiency. One of the best advances is in school furniture, which used to be screwed to the floor. But kids don’t sit still, and now furniture can rock back or forth, or bounce around with them. There’s even a desk that you can stand up at.

Q: How is it different from what you remember in school?
A: I remember my school days very well. I went through the baby boomer era, and my junior high school was an antiquated as it could get, and remains that way to this day.

Q: You’ve worked on a lot of education projects. What’s your favorite?
A: That’s kind of like asking someone to pick their favorite child. It’s not possible to choose.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

The zen part of Adam Osgood’s job as an arts handler is staying centered and calm while caring for a gilded 18th century tea bowl instead of being filled with anxiety that the priceless object might accidently tumble to the floor. Or being able to intuitively discover a better way to store and ship a rare manuscript that is so brittle that it could easily disintegrate or crumble. “It may sound strange, but I find the more delicate and fragile an object is, the more calm I become while handling it. I’ve had to train myself for a long period of time to get to this point,” said Osgood, a collections technician for Historic New England, where he helps care for the organization’s artifact collection, maintained and preserved in 36 historic house museums, including the Quincy House and the Gropius House.

As a former gallery attendant at an art museum, Osgood spent hours watching museum-goers peer into the cases of the Asian art collection, never dreaming that one day he would be actually be tasked with the responsibility of overseeing such centuries-old antiquities. “As a preparator or collection care specialist, I am the primary human contact with the collection and get to touch things a lot, which is a very cool part of the job,” said Osgood, who works with conservators to mount and dismantle exhibits or figures out the logistics of moving displays, whether to the conservation lab or photography studio. “In a period room, you can’t go willy-nilly and just put a nail anywhere in historic wall paper, since the entire building is an historic object to be cared for. You need to be cognizant that you’re hanging a piece of art in an environment where the very rug you stand on is part of the exhibit.”

Q: How did you go from gallery attendant to the frontline of museum collections?
A: I’m a visual artist and a musician, and 12 years ago, while working as a museum attendant, I learned a lot about the collections by reading and talking with curators. My Cinderella moment came when I was offered a position as a curatorial assistant. I never thought a BFA would get me a 9-5 job, which is where I’m at today, after working in various museums.

Q: How does your background as a sculptor help you care for the exhibits?
A: It’s a plus in this line of work if you know how things are made and understand how to take care of them. As an artist, it’s my natural compulsion to protect an object from any inherent weakness in it. For example, I never hold a teacup by its handle, as it’s the weakest part of the cup.

Q: How many objects do you deal with as a collections technician?
A: We have over 70 to 80 thousand pieces of furniture, paintings, ceramics, metal, glass, textiles and works on paper. Many of these items are preserved in our Haverhill storage facility where we control the temperature and humidity as well as ultra-violet light levels. One floor is largely dedicated to furniture; another section has rows and rows of paintings and prints, and yet another categorizes textiles, costumes and clothing. I am continually protecting our collections from pest infestations. If someone donates an upholstered chair, for example, there is a risk of carpet beetle infestation, especially if it’s stuffed with horsehair. As a precaution, I will place the chair into a carbon dioxide gas fumigation chamber to get rid of any pests.

Q: You’re constantly handling valuable artifacts. Do you have any horror stories about near-catastrophes?
A: We all have them. In the trade, you’re considered a better art handler for having experienced a potential disaster. My near miss happened while I was putting a box of textiles on top of a tall cabinet. I blindly pushed the box on top of the cabinet and still remember vividly the sound of an unseen metal object crashing down on the other side. Unbeknownst to me, on the opposite side of the cabinet was a pushcart full of 300-500 year old ceramics. To this day, before I put anything anywhere, the entire space has to be surveyed to be sure it is completely clear. Nothing was broken but I learned my lesson. Once you’ve experienced something like this, you become a smarter professional.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

In his role as a hospice worker, supporting dying patients and their families, Joe Ackerman has been in the room when a person takes their last breath more times than he can count. For Ackerman, an administrator at The Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill, these final moments are often filled with dignity and grace. “It is an honor for me to be allowed in these rooms,” said Ackerman. “You see the best in people at that time, and I leave with a sense of love and spirit that reaffirms life.”

Ackerman, 40, said patients come to hospice when a cure is no longer possible for their terminal illness, whether HIV, congestive heart failure, neurological diseases, or respiratory distress. For cancer patients, hospice can be a peaceful end to depleting rounds of chemotherapy appointments and exhausting pain and nausea. “There is still so much focus on cure, cure, cure, and the medical community often has a hard time acknowledging that treatments are no longer working, and can even take away from a patient’s quality of life in the last few months,” said Ackerman.

Hospice care typically is a team of workers – nurses, chaplains, home health aides, social workers, and others who help make end-of-life more comfortable. “Often it is the smallest interventions that make the biggest difference, whether the holding of hand, dealing with insurance companies, or a phone call to a family member,” said Ackerman.

Q: How did you become interested in hospice care?
A: I was a competitive ski racer when I was younger, and worked with a lot of sports psychologists. It intrigued me that our minds are a machine that we have control over, and I saw a strong mind-body connection. I became a medical social worker and eventually worked in oncology. The intimacy that I developed with patients and family during such a critical time of life really resonated me. Hospice allows me to walk with patients and family during part of life’s journey.

Q: What sort of patients do you see?
A: When I started five years ago, we served mostly elderly with a scattering of young patients, but now it’s changing. Just recently I visited a 32-year-old mother with two young kids who is dying of brain cancer. Sadly now we also have kids in our pediatric palliative program who have diseases so complex that I can’t even tell you half of their diagnosis.

Q: What have you learned by working in a hospice?
A: Every day I learn how to appreciate life. Patients will say to me, “Live this day to the fullest. Don’t wait to do the things you want to do.” This grounds me and teaches me never to take anything for granted. Every day after work, I walk into the house and give my wife and kids a big hug, grateful that I have this time with them.

Q: What sort of questions do families and patients ask you?
A: I get asked a lot, “How much time do they have left?” but I don’t have a crystal ball. Families also ask me about how the patient is handling their last days and are hesitant to talk about death – it’s a taboo topic. The patient may be at peace, but the caregivers may not be on the same page. I try to help them all be ready to move on during a terribly emotional time.

Q: Do you believe in life after death?
A: I do now. There was a period when I didn’t, but I’ve seen too often where someone dying will have visions of loved ones from the past and say, “My mother or daughter is with me now.” It makes me believe that there has to something there.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Are food stamps a solution– or a symptom of a problem, reflecting too much government dependence and a sign of rampant unemployment? Outreach worker Amy DeLaCruz, also known as “the food stamp lady” by her clients, believes they are a safety net against hunger. “Sometimes you need a little extra help,” said DeLaCruz, a Project Bread envoy who works with immigrants, elderly, unemployed and others in Chelsea and Boston to help increase their participation in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. “It’s heartbreaking. A lot of people find it hard to hold back tears. They’re stuck in something so horrific they can’t see the light. I’ve heard and seen it all.” DeLaCruz said that research shows that the key to preventing hunger is not just providing relief through food pantries and soup kitchens, but also using all existing resources, such as federal nutrition programs such as SNAP.

Unlike the paper vouchers of the past, today’s SNAP program uses a debit card that is swiped to purchase everything from deli items to ethnic foods. This has removed some of the stigma of food stamps, but Spanish-speaking DeLaCruz, 26, said that Latinos in particular are reluctant to apply and use SNAP. “They have pride in providing for themselves and are reluctant to receive what they perceive as a handout,” said DeLaCruz, who regularly visits health and social service centers, where she encourages patients and visitors to apply for SNAP by distributing informational brochures, providing application assistance, and answering questions.

1. Q: Do you have an experience with a family or individual that makes you say, “this is why I do what I do?”
A: Today I spoke with a 35-year-old single mom from Haiti who had no income and was finding it hard to find a job because she was pregnant. She is paying for rent and utilities with her savings, but her money is dwindling down. I ran through the pre-screening process to see if she qualified for SNAP, and her sense of relief was huge. It was music to her ears to hear that she would be able to receive help getting food for her two young children.

Q: What drew you to this kind of outreach program?
A: After college, I was a volunteer in Honduras, helping to alleviate malnutrition among villagers, providing them with a few bags of rice or beans, and helping locals become self-sustaining. I came back to the U.S. to find that hunger is also very real here in my own country, where many people are also struggling for food. I was grateful to be able to similar work in hunger outreach here in Boston.

2. Q: How many applications do you fill out on behalf of your clients on a monthly basis?
A: Project Bread processes about 218 applications a month. One of the biggest issues is getting the correct documents to SNAP caseworkers. As with many government-run programs, the qualification requirements can be complex. But there are a lot of myths out there about SNAP. Some immigrants say things like, “I don’t want the government to take my children if they find out I am undocumented.” In reality, non-citizens can qualify for the program, and it’s separate from the immigration process.

Q: What’s the hardest part of your job?
A: Not always being able to provide as much as I would like to. People tell me their life stories, and they don’t just have issues with food insecurity; it’s abuse, money, childcare dilemmas and a whole list of problems. Some just need someone to talk with and help them figure out the next step and solutions.

Q: Do you hate throwing away food yourself?
A: I do. I yell at my niece and sister and scold them, “Take only what you are going to eat.” So many people in this country would love to have that food.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

For the uninitiated, today’s lingerie styles can sound like race-car design elements: racer backs, convertibles, steam punk corsets, gussets, rib bands, mesh fabrication, maxi models. And in fact, a good bra is based heavily on product engineering, said Rachel Wentworth, proprietor of Forty Winks in Harvard Square. “Technology helps provide both support and comfort,” said Wentworth, who is co-owner with Meredith Donaldson of the boutique store, opened over a year ago by these two independent businesswomen.

A decidedly unromantic business plan, including 12 pages of cash flow analysis, went into the making of Forty Winks, and Wentworth said despite skepticism about their endeavor into intimate wear – “many people didn’t take us seriously” – she decided to delve into the world of underwear, which is typically dominated by European lines but now competing with smaller independent designers. “American women are starting to understand the importance of wearing good lingerie as an important part of their appearance and a part of a complete outfit,” said Wentworth.

With no two bodies created exactly the same, Wentworth said that Forty Winks, the name derived from an old idiomatic saying meaning “cat nap,” carries a range of sizes and styles, starting at 30A specialty bras and ending at an “H” cup size. “Sizes can go as high as M, but that’s not our customer,” said Wentworth. “Many people don’t even think about undergarments while others find it absolutely necessary to make investments in good pieces that make you feel beautiful while wearing them.”

Q: There is a trend toward “green” lingerie. What exactly does that mean?
A: Sustainability fashion has been the force behind intimate wear made of organic cotton, recycled polyester and nylon, hemp, bamboo, and other fabrics. We also try to carry products that have stories behind them, such as those that were started by single moms or made in cooperatives in India.

Q: What goes into this business that you didn’t expect?
A: The huge wide range of sizes and shapes that we encounter. You need to be able to figure out what styles work best for different anatomies, and this can get very technical. We’ve also been surprised by the amount of therapy some women want. We end up consoling and encouraging women about their body image and giving emotional support. The fitting room can be a very personal place.

Q: What’s new for the fall?
A: A lot of navy as well as silk and lace mix. Garments have a little more structure yet are still very delicate. Look for pieces that are very feminine but have the infusion of a harder edge.

Q: What are the lingerie trade shows like?
A: Twice a year, we attend the Curve Lingerie show in New York City. We do all our major buying during these three days, while also networking with fellow boutique owning friends. It’s a bit mind-numbing writing out all the orders, but we enjoy seeing all the new lines.

Q: Has Lady Gaga’s attire influenced the offerings in your store?
A: I don’t think our customers are necessarily buying more lingerie because of Lady Gaga but there’s definitely a trend toward wearing lingerie as outwear. Of course, they don’t shot sparks though.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Although a master carpenter, Mark Philben rarely wields a hammer these days. As a project development manager for a Cambridge restoration firm, instead he spends most of his time “building a project on paper.” Before a nail even is driven into a wall, he meticulously constructs the planning of house renovations from concept to reality, making sure the work gets completed on time and within budget. Cost overruns, construction delays, tardy contractors, all make renovation “a different kind of animal,” said Philben of Charlie Allen Restorations, Inc., which specializes in period homes. "It's important to understand the original construction of your home and have a professional restoration plan."

The restoration of older homes has been called “remuddling” rather than “remodeling” as homeowners often fumble their way through building projects. “These homes are not level, square or plumb,” said Philben. “It is usually impossible to put a new kitchen or bath into one of these rooms without first gutting and upgrading utilities.”
He tries to avoid potential problems ahead of time by putting together a project notebook that outlines special order of materials, scheduling of contractors, and design concepts. “The job can actually grind to a halt if everyone is not on the same page,” said Philben.

Q: You’ve been in the construction business for over 20 years, starting as a carpenter to help work your way through college. How has the industry changed?
A: I have a lot of professional certifications now – certified remodeler, lead carpenter, aging-in-place specialist, green remodeler – because the industry is getting more professional and setting standards as people are demanding more of their contractors and subcontractors.

Q: What’s the typical process for a home renovation?
A: Rather than the old-fashioned way of working with an architect and then getting bids for x number of dollars, the latest trend is called ‘design build,’ which brings the contractor, architect and owner together at the same time to produce, budget, plan and design a concept, which can then be implemented.

Q: It’s notoriously tough to coordinate all the different trades – plumbers, electricians, HVAC, but why is this important?
A: Most people live in the house during a remodel, and you don’t want to be working through difficulties when the walls are coming down. Thinking ahead on getting the trades from point A to point B, and knowing when contractors need to work within walls, ceilings and floors has to be laid out carefully, since it can actually alter the design of a house.

Q: What’s on your punch list right now?
A: I’m doing a final walk-through on a South Boston kitchen, making sure that doors don’t stick, appliances are working, inspections will pass, and other ‘must-dos’ that we whittle down.

Q: What do you think of home improvement reality shows?
A: My biggest pet peeve are that they set unrealistic expectations. They essentially sugar coat the whole process and make it all look quite a bit easier than it actually is.

Q: Do you have time to work on your own house?
A: I’ve picked away at my house over the years. It’s a three-bedroom in Millis, and I’ve done my kitchen over, remodeled the family room, and done a lot of work on the back deck. But I never have enough time to do what I want done. It’s like the old saying: the cobbler’s kids have no shoes.

By Cindy Atoji Keene
How to bring a fresh spin to a plain white canvas sneaker? This was one of footwear designer Julie Rando’s biggest challenges a decade ago when trying to help revitalize a classic American shoe made by Keds. “The most difficult shoes to design are actually the simplest ones,” said Rando of Lexington, an independent consultant for companies such as Clarks, Ryka and New Balance. “I kept going back to the drawing board, playing with the nuances of the product and pushing enough so it was different but not enough to scare away the loyal canvas oxford customers.” The result was stretch sneakers or a relaxed fit that would give for a wide foot or comfortably cradle a narrow instep. “At the time, it was such a different way of looking at the sneaker,” said Rando, who has been designing shoes for over 15 years.

Rando, a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, started her career as a lamp designer but was lured to footwear when she saw an ad for a shoe designer. Despite doing a series of technical drawings and showing her talents, she didn’t get the job, but she did decide to leave the world of lighting for a different contract position creating performance athletic footwear such as running shoes, inline skates, ski boots, and basketball sneakers. Her career has turned more towards lifestyle, casual, and dress shoes, but no matter what the style, “There are many elements that go in to good shoe design,” said Rando. “It's easy to design a $500 shoe where you can use the nicest leathers, constructions and ornaments. It's a greater challenge to designing a $49.99 shoe while your labor and leather prices are going up.”

Q: What do you do as a shoe designer that most people wouldn’t think would be involved with the job?
A: You really need to have technical ability, including understanding how to work with factories in China. When I was designing lamps, one of best lessons I ever learned was that if you send a cracked lamp overseas, they will copy it exactly, down to the crack, even if you didn’t want it there. You need to cross every “t” and dot every “i” when working with China.

Q: What is the process of making a shoe?
A: After settling on a design, I send a technical drawing to the factory which makes a mock prototype, then creates a first mold to make a sales sample for a small production run, maybe 90 pairs to bring to trade shows. If response is good, the shoe will make the line.

Q: Do you wear the shoes you design?
A: Yes I do, but the sample size is usually size 6, and I’m size 9, so the trial shoes are usually don’t fit. It’s a good thing, or my shoe collection would be triple the size that it currently is. Manufacturers always test the shoe with a small size, because smaller shoes are cuter.

Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own?
A: Only about 50 pairs, because I don’t have a lot of closet space. It’s kind of ironic, as much as I love shoes, I’m actually more of a handbag addict.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Patients at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center can choose to have a chaplain visit for spiritual guidance or comfort. As one of the on-call interfaith chaplains who are available, Tsering Ngodup said he finds patients are surprised when they hear he is also a Tibetian Buddhist teacher or lama. “They think I should be wearing a yellow robe and have a shaved head,” said Ngodup, who is also known as Chiring, another interpretation of his name. But Ngodup said because lamas are not required to renounce worldly life as Tiebetian monks are, he is free to wear t-shirts and jeans, his usual attire. Although he has many followers who come to him to listen to Buddhist teachings and practice meditation, Ngodup said, “I am not a guru but a spiritual friend.”

Ngodup, 57, also the spiritual director of the Bodhi Path Institute in Cambridge, was born in Tibet in 1954, and like many Tibetans, escaped across the Himalayan mountains into exile. He was educated in Nepal and India, where he learned English and other foreign languages, and found himself in demand as an interpreter for Tibetan lamas traveling through Europe giving teachings. In 1983, Ngodup was authorized by an eminent Tibetian leader to start his own spiritual practice, beginning years of study and mentorship at religious centers. But he laughs when asked when he will reach enlightenment. “I have no idea, but I wish it would be soon,” said Ngodup. “How do you know when pride, jealously, greed, and desire is replaced by wisdom that has a very wholesome and positive impact on others?”

Q: Tibetian Buddhism is a very complex religion. Where should Americans start if they want to understand it?
A: For those with no connection with Buddhism, they think it is an obscure Asian religion with different rituals and ceremony, but those are mostly the ethical and cultural components. True Buddhism is a way of life, understanding how to change your mind from fear, anxiety and doubt to reach a state of freedom and peace.

Q: Your mentor or teacher is named HH ShaMar Rinpoche and comes from a long lineage holder of Tibetian Buddhism. You would not be able to be a lama without the blessing of such a person. Why is it so important to be “authorized” by someone else?
A: Lamas like myself have to go through years of studying Buddhist philosophy then receive the endorsement of a spiritual master, which means you can then be viewed as a teacher or guru. But no matter how informed or learned you are, we need someone there to constantly guide and correct your path.

Q: Does being a lama mean that you can’t have a cell phone and other material possessions?
A: Of course I have a cell phone. You cannot reject what comes along the way because you will miss many things. Of course technology is not necessary but the point is not to covet and desire because of greed. Otherwise it’s like sitting in a cave meditating while your car is parked outside.

Q: Have you ever fallen asleep while meditating?
A: I meditate often during the day, and of course, if I have had a heavy meal, I might catch myself dozing off. It’s only human.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

They’re known as “office creepers” – thieves who sneak into workplaces, posing as employees or service personnel, looking for unattended cubicles where they can steal laptops, purses, and even data stored on hard drives or USB flashes. It’s just one security threat that Cristina Machado has to watch out for in the 38-floor Boston high-rise where she works as a security manager of an enforcement force of 40 officers. “With the economy tanking, we are definitely seeing more activity,” said Machado, 30, of G4S Secure Solutions. Machado said that the safety concerns that exist today are quite different than when she first started as a mall security officer over a decade ago. There has been a rise in workplace violence, property vandalism, vehicle break-ins, and parking lot muggings and other crimes. The security realm in the U.S. is a $100 billion industry, deploying protection in healthcare facilities, industrial plants, residential communities, universities, and other facilities, according to the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), which is pushing for consistent minimum standards for the training of security guard. “People tend to look down on security officers, but we take our job very seriously,” said Machado, of Fall River.
Machado initially planned on using the security industry as a stepping stone to enter the criminal justice field but found herself wrapped up in the day-to-day demands of being on the ground level of mall security. “It was a great place to start because you deal with everything there, from customer disputes to leaky roofs,” said Machado, who said that a stabbing a center court taught her that although her job might seem routine at times, constant vigilance was crucial. Although the amount of training that security guards receive varies according to employer, Machado said that she has been instructed on crisis deterrence, first aid, report writing, emergency response procedures, as well as firearms training.

Q: Have you ever had to use your gun in a crisis situation?
A: No, it is meant more as a deterrent. We work hand-in-hand with police departments for law enforcement. But you would be surprised as how just the presence of a security officer can be a deterrent for criminals. For example, a security guard standing outside a banking center can represent enough of a challenge to turn a potential robber away.

Q: How is much of your job centered around merely observing and reporting?
A: I need to see things that might look normal to the average bystander. One of the first things I look for is body language or situations that send up a warning flag, such as a car parked too close to a building or an abandoned package. The ability to process a lot of information at once is essential. One man, for example, didn’t have an access card and kept insisting he wanted to go upstairs to see his girlfriend and give her flowers. It sounded like a good story, but when we called her, she said, “Oh my god, please don’t let him up.”

Q: You’re supervising 40 different security guards. How do you keep everyone focused?
A: One of my favorite methods is to rotate assignments – familiarity can make it harder to remain alert, so I’ll send someone to do an exterior patrol, then interior, then the loading dock. Keeping the situation fresh really helps.

Q: As a female security officer, are you in the minority?
A: When I first started here, it was a little difficult in the beginning, especially with older men, who tested me to see how much they could get away with. I had to gain respect.

Q: Do you have to wear one of those cowboy hats?
A: Some companies have security guards wear those hats; as a supervisor, I just wear a suit to work, but previously I wore either a military dress type uniform or tactical-style
garb. It’s all about the image companies want their officers to portray.

(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)

Acupuncturist Robert Surabian of Boston Harbor Acupuncture performs a series of holistic treatments to a patient suffering from migraines aches, and pains.

Even acupuncturists can be queasy about the ultra fine needles that are the basis of this ancient Chinese art. Robert Surabian, practitioner with Boston Harbor Acupuncture, said even after years of training and practice, inserting the needles into his own body is a challenge.

"It's tough because you know what's coming," said Surabian, who also remembers his first few weeks of acupuncture school when he and the other students needled themselves in preparation for later working with real clients. "There is an energetic quality to the medicine that doesn't work with self-acupuncture," said Surabian. "Even acupuncturists need to go to other acupuncturists to be treated."

Acupuncturists like Surabian take a holistic approach to healing, believing that channels of energy flow through the body — inserting needles into specific access points, or meridians, help restore balance and stimulate vitality. He is the first to admit that there may be a placebo effect occurring.

"There is a placebo in every kind of medicine, and the placebo effect says to me that the body can heal itself, which I find interesting in itself," said Surabian. He said that a growing body of research confirms the benefits of acupuncture for everything from chronic pain to drug dependence, as well as infertility, allergies, and nausea.

"With Western medicine, you attack one problem head on, with guns blazing; Chinese medicine looks at the whole person and not just one disease in isolation," said Surabian, who practices Chinese and Japanese acupuncture as well as herbal medicine.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

With over 10 million frequent flyer miles, a passport stamped by over 70 countries, and fluency in five languages (English, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese), international business consultant Philip Guarino is avid intrepid traveler who sometimes isn’t sure what country he’s waking up in. But no matter what the time zone, he’s inevitably ready to launch into a discussion of how the weak domestic market is all the more reason that cities like Boston should put on their international thinking cap. “When it comes to connecting with world markets, Boston lacks economic punch, especially when compared to European or Asian counterparts,” said Guarino, founder of Elementi Consulting in Boston. This tepid level of internationalization could drag down the competitiveness of Massachusetts industry. Much of this global nearsightedness, Guarino believes, is due to a lack of strategic thinking. “Too many companies think of the international market as an afterthought,” said Guarino, who said that often high-tech companies, Internet-based services, and social media purveyors think that technology will somehow naturally get adopted everywhere without a master plan. “But this couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Guarino’s international business consultancy is an outgrowth of both professional and personal ties overseas, beginning when he helped a large Bay State technology company start up a distribution network in Brazil. “I came with a translator to visit a factory and my supervisor said, ‘Guess what, you need to learn to speak Portuguese really fast.’ ” He later worked as an importer of Italian kitchen designs to the Boston market, a flashback to his past as the son of an Argentine-Italian father. Guarino spent time as a child in Argentine and Italy, and later studying international and business relations in both countries. “It was valuable background in helping to understand the cultural traditions and signals that might otherwise derail an international business deal,” said Guarino.

Q: What are you currently working on?
A: One project is helping a digital media company open their European office in Paris. This includes looking at financial and taxation issues, and developing partnerships with local businesses.

Q: What are some hot emerging markets?
A: I would be totally amiss not to mention China, India and Brazil. But there are also other markets for first-time exporters that a lot of companies don’t think about, such as Canada, where there is not a lot of debt and banks are in good condition. Mexico has also been remarkably stable throughout the whole financial crisis.

Q: Why is it important to understand cultural nuances?
A: Mexico is an interesting example. Our way of doing business is by phone and email, but business is very relationship-based in this country, so time needs to be spent building personal connections. Another challenge with Mexico is logistical; NAFTA has lowered regulatory barriers but it’s still complex in many respects, but doing business there is a lot easier than 15 years ago.

Q: How does a Boston-based business even begin thinking about expanding internationally?
A: I think it comes down to thinking about where opportunities lie. One misconception is that companies think they need an actual product that they can physically ship abroad, but that’s not the case. Universities, for example, are highly internationalized now, and even a dentist or a doctor can market their services overseas. Some companies are even launching their products first in foreign markets then coming back, such as mobile companies who choose London as a test market, building a solid client base then going to investors. It’s almost becoming a necessity for even a small business to look abroad.

Q: What’s your biggest travel horror story?
A: Getting stuck in a dirt storm in Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, which has to be the ugliest city in the world. It’s a pretty wretched place. I got out of a taxi and in a matter of 10 seconds, was completely covered in soot. It was quite an adventure.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

These are turbulent times for banks: branch closings, debit card swipe fees capped, record low savings rates, and increased bankruptcies and mortgage delinquencies make for troubled financial waters. So gaining customer trust and generating positive coverage ranks high for banks, big and small, which are finding that one way to generate good will is by championing financial literacy programs. Evan Diamond, a financial education manager, spearheads the financial literacy efforts at Cambridge Savings Bank, reaching out in particular to youth and minority groups, for whom basic knowledge about checking accounts, mortgages, taxes and credit cards and smart shopping, is amazingly lacking. “When I asked a group of students how much a new home is worth, one responded “$2,000?” This answer highlights the vital need for financial education,” said Diamond, who said there are many financial urban myths, even among adults, who often struggle with sound budgeting. “People can avoid the “ignorance is bliss” attitude that too often leads to disaster. Just hoping (and praying) that everything will somehow work out well is no way to manage your finances.”

Diamond, who began as a bank teller almost 21 years ago, said that financial education is so important because “financial knowledge is power.” With studies showing that minority groups are disproportionately affected by the financial crisis, holding the largest percentage of sub-prime loan and having a greater incidence of foreclosures, Diamond has held programs for homeless and low-income families on money basics.

Q: Is money a mirror into the soul?
A: Money can bring out the best or worst in any person. How we handle money is definitely a reflection of our character.

Q: Recent surveys have shown that more and more young people, in particular, are engaging in "risky" financial behavior, such as maxing out credit card limits or not paying bills on time. How can we encourage more fiscal responsibility among youth?
A: Parental involvement and formal financial education in school are positive influences. We as society also need to stress the huge advantages people gain by becoming regular savers. Kids need to learn how to save and work toward affording what they need in life without amassing unmanageable debt. Too many people do not think of debt as the opposite of savings. It’s hard for people to develop the discipline to ask themselves, “Do I need it or do I just want it?” before making a purchase.

Q: What creative means do you use to teach financial concepts?
A: I give examples of money-management strategies from my own life. For example, I discuss how important it is to compare prices at different supermarkets. I am proud to say that I save money by shopping at discount grocery stores. We also do role-playing such as acting out “Lunchtime Loan.” Students act out a borrowing and repaying scene to demonstrate the concept of “creditworthiness” in an emotionally memorable way.

Q: We all have soft spots, when it comes to money. What's your weakness and how do you deal with it?
A: My soft spot is sweets. Please don’t tell my dentist. I buy sweets of all kinds, too frequently, and probably over-indulge my children with candy as well. As Benjamin Franklin said in “The Way to Wealth,” which introduces his famous “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” “Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.”

By Cindy Atoji Keene

One of the most popular collections of papers at the Cambridge Historical Society are papers documenting rent control in the city, including compilations from the Small Property Owners Association and the Eviction Free Zone advocacy group. “Rent control was the third rail of politics in Cambridge for a really long time,” said Gavin Kleespies, executive director of the Cambridge Historical Society for the past three years. As a microcosm of an attempt at market regulation, the rent control archives are often requested by academics interested in urban and economic development, as well as those studying social cohesion and organization. “Even today, 16 years later, there are many people are passionate about this issue from both sides,” said Kleespies, 36.

But this collection is just one of the many documents preserved in at the Historical Society, which is based in Cambridge's second-oldest house, the Hooper-Lee-Nichols House on Brattle Street, built in 1685. Besides the city directories, book of vital stats, genealogical register, and commerce records, the Historical Society has a history of Rounder Records, photos showing the area’s once booming confectionery manufacturing industry, and copies of The Old Mole, a radical left newspaper published in the late 1960s. Kleespies is never sure what might be donated next. “To be able to open a box and look at a set of papers written in 1700’s is pretty remarkable,” said Kleespies.

Q: What are some misconceptions about historical societies?
A: A lot of people think of historical societies as populated entirely by little old blue-haired ladies who are reminiscing and not being very forward-looking, but we reach out to different populations in the community and we are in the process of digitizing much of our collection. The staff at the Historical Society are all under age 40.

Q: What’s your favorite item at the Historical Society?
A: Some photos are amazing, such as a collection of photos related to major factories in Cambridge that show industrial scenes that would be hard to picture here. The New England Brick Company, for example, had brick drying yards and clay pits on the west side of Sherman Street. It was a landscape nothing like today.

Q: You were born and raised in Cambridge. How did you get into this line of work?

A: At age 13, I was too young to get a job, and someone I knew was working for the now defunct Cambridge Discovery, a city tourism service. I was hired to lead two-hour walking tours of Harvard Square, and kept doing that through high school. It gave me a deeper understanding of the history of Cambridge. If people asked me questions I didn’t know, it was a good idea to look it up. After five years, I amassed a good amount of information, although I’m sure I said things that were wildly incorrect a number of times.

Q: What’s the most valuable or unusual item at the Historical Society
A: It’s hard to access value sometimes, but we have a sewing machine made by Elias Howe who patented the first American made machine; a chair that belonged to Ben Franklin; a number of interesting paintings, and a punch bowl that is not very attractive but worth a lot of money.

Q: Is the Hooper-Lee-Nichols House haunted?
A: When I worked in the archives of the Historical Society in 1990s, I would have sworn this place was haunted. It felt creepy all the time.

Q: Do you have any collections at home?
A: I have random collections of railroad spikes, historical postcards and fedoras.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

When you make 3-D paper sculptures as bridal cake toppers, expect the fire department to possibly get involved. So for Charlestown designer Aimee Empey, it came as no surprise when two elaborate paper wedding centerpieces had to be sprayed with fire retardant chemicals before they were approved for use in a reception hall. It’s only one of the hazards of the trade when working with an impermanent media like paper; the other being that one ill-aimed snip with the scissors can easily ruin a paper tabletop centerpiece or chandelier. And what about the time Empey turned around too quickly with a paintbrush in hand and accidently nipped a paper arrangement with a blob of red paint? “There’s no fixing that,” said Empey, who always lets the natural texture and beauty of recycled, imported, and locally sourced papers shine through. Any paper will do for crafting, including a paper drop cloth from a hardware store; the brown masking paper is often repurposed by Empey as a design element for flowers or wedding favors.

A piece of cake can be one of the most overpriced items at a wedding, up to $20 or more a slice, so a topper made out of paper might seem as cheesy as a plastic bride and groom from the local party store. But with her background in sculpture, Empey prides herself on creating anatomically-correct paper drama that imitates not just the dress shape and design, whether J. Crew or Vera Wang, but also the facial silhouette, body proportions, hairstyle, and lace or pleating. “I study the paper’s integrity and engineer the skeleton so it’s sturdy and acts as a base,” said Empey.

Q: You’ve done paper sculptures for places like the Children’s Hospital. How did you decide to start Paper, Gowns, & Glory for weddings?
A: My cousin knew I was a mixed media artist and asked if I could do something special for a cake topper. I asked, “Do you mind if it’s made in paper?” since it’s a readily available material and fairly easy for me to work with. She sent me a picture of her dress, and I created an over-the-top intricate miniature replica 3-D paper bride and groom, sort of a dreamlike portrayal.

Q: What’s the most unique request you’ve gotten from a couple?
A: One bride wanted a life-size replica of her dress in paper, a strapless ball gown that will stand almost five feet tall.

Q: Your own wedding is coming up – will you be using your paper designs for your decorations?
A: Oh yes, the whole kit and kabboodle is done, including 700 single paper floral stems. I made chandeliers out of paper for the dance floor. It will be a down-and-dirty Cape Cod wedding. We’ll try to keep it down to a dull roar. But I am not making a replica of my own dress. It’s the “chef who won’t eat his own food syndrome.”

Q: Is it true what they say about the starving artist?
A: Oh yes, I have had every odd job on the side, including waitress, bartender, babysitter, and making aprons for restaurants. But someone once told me that female artists don’t start making a living until age 30 or 40. That statement is holding true for me.

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Boston’s South End has become an epicenter for all things canine. With a seemingly higher dog density than any other quarter of the city, there’s the quintessential dog park, of course, as well as a doggie bakery, numerous pet sitting and dog walking services, and doggie daycares. “There’s such a great dog population here, that it was an ideal place for a dog spa,” said Kathi Molloy, proprietor of Bark Place, a DIY dog wash and pet boutique.

Molloy’s personal experience revolves around showing and breeding Norwegian Elkhounds, a hardy breed with a hard and coarse coat that requires regular brushing, and when displaying them at dog shows, frequent bathing. “It’s harder for the water to penetrate this very furry dog, which has a double coat, so washing them was a killer for my back,” said Molloy. “My bathroom was a complete mess.” So when Molloy heard about the DIY dog wash concept, an increasing trend in the $3.51 billion dollar grooming and boarding pet services market, her entrepreneurial vision was honed, and Bark Place was opened two years ago on Washington Street.

Q: Aren’t pink toenails for dogs a little over the top?
A: Doing the nails is part of the grooming process, and we’ll include that as an optional service. It’s hard to do dog’s nails, and because we live in the South End, pet owners have to worry about the clicking of nails on wooden floors in condos. As far as nail colors, it’s just for fun. When the royal wedding came along, some owners wanted white, red, and black nails to match the colors of Kate and William.

Q: Take us behind the scenes. What goes into the planning of a place like Bark Place?
A: We built from scratch, so we tried to be as green as possible. The flooring in the playroom is made from recycled rubber and is gentle on dog’s feet; we built the blow dryers into the wall so they are quieter, and the tubs are accessible without having to lift the dogs into them.

Q: Do you have to do frequent de-skunkings?
A: We don’t get a lot of “skunkings” in the city, but there are plenty of other grooming necessities, ranging from mud season mishaps; the pungent combination of salt water, sand, and wet dog after beach days; and dogs rolling in waste at the dog park.

Q: You also offer puppy classes and private training. What motivates owners to enroll?
A: As just one example, the owners of Josie were thrown into a panic when the dog was on a roof deck, and ran away, jumping from one rooftop to another, several stories above ground. Five buildings later, Josie was finally reined in, and later enrolled in class so that the dog would learn to “come when called.”