In Famous

This past week we saw Indy's birthday party on the 16th, Father's Day on the 17th, the 2nd anniversary of the Final Mile in Boston on the 19th, the Toyota competition on the 20th, and today one year since Murphy was given rest.  

What an exhausting roller coaster of emotions week it's been.  

But will it be remembered as infamous or in famous? Reminds me of a scene from the Three Amigos.  

I started to write a serious blog tonite but I don't think he really wanted me to.  Murphy never took things too seriously (xcpt for food and pyr paw and snuggle snuggles). 

Like the DH Lawrence poem, Murphy was a wild thing, never sorry for himself.  

That we didn't win the Toyota competition was disappointing but we've crossed this bridge before countless of times on our travels.  Having faith is momentary.  Keeping it isn't.  

The Summer of Murphy Tour starts in September and as it stands will include the following states: Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

In the spirit of Murphy, it'll be a celebratory tour thanking all of our supporters, making new friends, and showing the world that cancer will never keep us down.  There's much much more in store and we'll post exact dates and cities in the coming weeks.

Maybe we should call it Murphy's In Famous Tour?

We Got Beat

Team Fuzzybutt lost the 100 Cars for Good competition and I'd like to share a few thoughts about the experience.  

1. Thank you to all of our friends and supporters who took extraordinary efforts to take us over the top and that we didn't reach it is by no means a loss.  All of us who have been touched by cancer have been beat down but we learn to get up again and fight so long as god may grant us the strength to do so.  

2. I want to thank Toyota for their tremendous and generous philanthropic program.  They are a thought leader for other corporations around the world to emulate and to show how to step up to help small non-profits who are trying to make a difference.  

3. Our warmest congratulations go out to the Central Aroostook Humane Society on winning the competition.  Since I have volunteered at dozens of animal shelters on our travels I have witnessed first hand the rampant problem of pet overpopulation and abuse. However...

4.  As well planned and orchestrated the competition was, it's unfortunate that Toyota pitted our two organizations against each other.  They say that a couple of million dogs are euthanized every year due to owner neglect but at least twice that are diagnosed with cancer.  But statistics don't matter.  We share a common enemy. 

2 Million Dogs recently funded a $50,000 study that took mammary tumors from shelter dogs at the University of Pennsylvania to analyze their DNA and try and understand how breast cancer metastasizes in women.  

It's a model that speaks to the fact that our mission and that of humane societies across the country are not mutually exclusive and I hope we can all do a better job of collaborating against the worst epidemic facing companion animals and people.  

5. Although I'm licking my wounds - and the fuzzybutts are just licking themselves - in the interest of good sportsmanship, I'll be sending Aroostook a picture of Murphy, after whom the Toyota was to be named. Use it well.  

6.  Now, I've gotta go.  I have a Dachshund to kill, make Indy eat a rat, and plan for Murphy's 1 year tomorrow. 

Cancer Can't Keep a Good Dog Down 

Keep the Faith & Puppy Up!

Still, Murphy Smiles

http://vimeo.com/44286670

A Father's Fathers Day Wish

Late December 2010 when it became evident that Murphy's initial course of radiation had not only failed but a new tumor, a sarcoma, had developed I knew his time was running out.  And even though I made the hard decision for a radical second round of radiation, my mind was already planning one final farewell tour:  To the cities we had not walked through and for those who hadn't met Murphy and witnessed his indomitable spirit.  

The handful of my confidants, who were in on the early discussions about the tour, were resoundingly against it for they feared the stress would compromise his already battered body.  Although I fought fiercely for it, within a few weeks his health deteriorated and I knew they were right and the tour was canceled.  

Almost equally painful than resigning yourself to the inevitability of losing your child and the absolute sense of helplessness was the sad realization that Murphy would never directly touch lives like the thousands he had on our walk.  

I saved this blog for Father's Day because as a father you do everything you can to save the life of your child and when that fails you do everything you can to carry their memory and beauty forward.  

On the eve of the first anniversary of his passing, we have the possibility of fulfilling that dream.  We are planning a 20 city Summer of Murphy tour and the Toyota 100 Cars for Good has given us the chance to realize it.  

The Murphy Mobile, as it will be christened, will be a beacon of hope and belief at every stop it makes for everyone and anyone who has been touched by cancer.  It'll be both a place of celebration and remembrance and a reminder that our work is not done.  

I wish I could have saved my boy.  I wish I could bring him back.  But I hope and pray I can keep his legacy alive. This is my Father's Day wish.

And to do so, I need your help.  Please vote for 2 Million Dogs to win a Murphy Mobile. Even though voting doesn't begin until 10AM EST on the 20th, right now you can go to www.100carsforgood.com, type 2 Million Dogs in the search box and click on 'Remind Me' and an email reminder will be sent to you.

Keep the Faith, Puppy Up, & Happy Father's day.  

Indiana's First B-Day Party

When: Saturday 16th 3ish - 5ish

Where: Blue Hills Reservation -  Nahanton Hill Scenic Overlook.  The hike is about 1/2 mile up onto a plateau of rocks that have an awesome sweeping vista of Boston.

I plan on arriving early to grill up some tapas for the picnic.

What to Bring:  I have it on the highest authority that what lil' Indy really needs for his bday is a Sea Ray 350 Sundancer Sports Cruiser with a T-MerCruiser 8.2 MAG ECT Bravo III 375 hp Sterndrive.   

Or 20 bags of Nature's Variety Raw Boost Bite treats, two dozen of their split beef knuckles (for the knucklehead), and a can of worms (just in case).

Or just bring yourself and your puppers for a ton of fun at one of Boston's most stunningly beautiful parks.  If you haven't already RSVP'd - send me an email at 2dogs2000miles@gmail.com.  

Weather Contingency:  Looks like it'll be a gorgeous day but in the event of rain, we'll still meet at the Scenic Overlook then take our party to one of the nearby pavilions.  

Jumping Off Cliffs

I was a big fan of Ray Bradbury growing up and his books The Illustrated Man and Fahrenheit 451 influenced me as a precocious and scientifically curious young lad.  I recently learned of his death while listening to NPR and the segment reminded me of how much he believed in the human spirit and our propensity to achieve greatness and goodness.  

It reminded me of one of his most inspirational quotes, "Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down."  It was one of several that would shape my life and instill in me the conviction that an ordinary person could pull off the seemingly impossible.  

What saddens me most, perhaps, about Bradbury's passing is that I fear there's a paucity of successors who will carry his hopes, dreams, and preternatural prescience forward.  

I highly recommend listening to the NPR segment on Bradbury.  And if you don't, I sure as hell hope it's because you're jumping off a cliff...

Reflections of a Colonoscopy

As some of you know I had my first colonoscopy yesterday and although I am only 41, I have a familial history of colon cancer and early screening can often determine the difference between life and death.  Colorectal cancer ranks second or third in total annual cancer related deaths in the U.S depending on the source and it's very serious.

This blog isn't.

But it's a blow-by-blow (please pardon all puns herein - intended or otherwise) account of my experience.

May 31 2012. 7 PM.  Magnesium Citrate first dose.  The protocol for the procedure at the Endoscopy center where it was conducted called for two - 15 ounce doses one the day prior and one the morning of.  The label of the 'MagC' as it's commonly known as, says it's a 'Pasteurized Sparkling Saline Laxative'.

I want to personally meet the marketing knucklehead who came up with that tag line.  It's as though they wanted me to envision myself enjoying a glass of Pouilly Fuisse on the Champs Elysees.  The bottle actually has a pic of a lemon on it.

I wouldn't criticize said marketing knucklehead for irresponsible labeling or anything of that sort.  Rather they've missed a unique opportunity to cross-brand or strategerize a marketing synergy or whatever.  Think of a vodka based cocktail:

Magnesium Citratini.  Nip and Purge.  No doubt any one of the other desperate real housewives who like to get drunk and lose weight at the same time will pounce on this opportunity.

JELLO. The only 'solid' food I could have the day prior and I kept hearing Bill Cosby saying "If you have a colon, the first thing you need to do is eat JELLO".  Oh Jeez, it's going to be a long night.

June 1 2012. 1 AM - 2 AM.  Sleep.  "When I woke up this morning my girlfriend asked me, 'Did you sleep good?' I said 'No, I made a few mistakes'." - Steven Wright.  

An hour's sleep is all I got prior to the procedure and it wasn't restful.  It was like I was caught in a collaborative short film by Woody Allen and Tim Burton.  I dreamt I was running through a cheap looking rubbery synthetic colon lined with attacking polyps.

June 1 2012.  7 AM - 8 AM.  Traffic.  The morning drive from Winthrop to Wellesley was hellacious  and during it I added a new phrase to my medical diction.  "Angry Bowels".

June 1 2012. 9 AM.  The procedure.  Hmm... I won't go there.  

Postscripts 1.  The physician removed a 'suspicious' polyp.  The image I got in my head was a camo-fatigue clad polyp with a Beret sporting a goatee smoking Clove cigarettes.  Course I was hopped up on Fentanyl and Versed at the time.

Postscripts 2.  Casting for a spin off of Jersey Shores has begun now that we have Toomey and Paulie.

Postscripts 3. 'Paulie' is being biopsied but the likelihood of him being malignant (unlike the other Pauly) is minimal since we caught it early.  

Postscripts 4.  Two words - Sympathy sushi.

Upcoming Events

Meet the NoToRIouZ Fuzzybutts at the following Upcoming Events

June 3rd 2012 Potter League Animal Shelter's Heart and Sole Walk.  The walk starts at noon and we'll arrive shortly before that.  The folks at Potter League were very helpful to us when we walked through Rhode Island and if you'd like to donate to the shelter on behalf of 2 Dogs 2000 Miles click here for the fundraiser page.

June 10th 2012 Canine Wellness Fair with the Dogs Scouts of America Troop 188 at the Agri-Science wing of Ledyard High School in Ledyard Connecticut.  We'll be there from 10AM til 2PM at the 2 Million Dogs booth.

June 16th 2012 Indiana's Birthday Party.  Come join us at Blue Hills Reservation for an afternoon of hiking, eating, and celebrating Moose's first.  If the weather permits we'll hike up Nahantan Hill to the scenic overlook of Boston otherwise we'll find a pavilion there.  I'll post more details as they materialize.

Memphis

I wish I had a really cool expression for Memphis like in the opening scene of Apocalypse Now... "Saigon.  Shit."  

It's a strange place for me; it's a city much defined in our story by defiance, redemption, and salvation and yet it will always be the capital of my absolute sadness.   

It's where everyone said there was no possible way Hudson, Murphy and I could cross the mighty Mississippi River but we did.  

It's where Murphy was given final rest.  It's where I fasted for 18 days in almost unendurable conditions then lost another mate to cancer, the incomparable Bud Man.  

It's a city that could have broken me many times over. 

But to use an expression from a John Donne poem, Memphis will always be a fixed foot for us and that's because of Mommy G.

Returning to Memphis for the first time was filled with mixed emotions but I did so because it was Ginger's inaugural Puppy Up Walk and there was no way the fuzzybutts and I were not going to be there to support her.  

And as soon as we arrived much to her surprise, she put us to work.  Scripting and shooting the Toyota video was one our top priorities there but her Pete's Pink Garden which I started last year was way up on the list, too.  

I built a raised bed for her and moved two yards of dirt, stripped her side yard of scrub brush and a Holly tree.  Mostly.  I hacked and hacked away at it with machete and chainsaw but like all of the Hollys I've dated in my lifetime, it was just too damn stubborn and got the better of me.

But it wasn't all work while we were there.  We went to Trolley Night - a curious celebration of Memphis Mass transit even though the Riverfront car we wanted to take on trolley night never actually arrived.  

I don't remember why knucklehead is sporting a jesters hat or where that fits into the story here - just like this red penguin. Who took that pic?  Must be a metaphor. 

We also had us some fine Memphis style ribs at Central BBQ with several of the out-of-towners who traveled many, many miles to participate in Memphis' first Puppy Up walk.  

Let's see.  On the left that's Pamela (w/Shaughnessy) and Jesse (camera guy), Hope, Dawn and husband, John (right), Sheila, Ginger, and Jeri.  

That's only some of the people from 11 states who showed up for the inaugural event.  Ginger draws the finest crowd.  

It was a good day and amidst the miasma of emotions from all of us who have lost and suffered and still grieve, it was impossible not to feel the undercurrent of hope and belief. 

Nicely done, kiddo.  You make us proud

Recipe: Tex-Mex Bangers and Mash

I bought a pound of some very exceptional chourico (chorizo if you're from the Gulf) sausage from a Portuguese butchery in Orient Heights for a different take on the Irish version of 'meat and potatoes'.  

1. Fry the sausage in hot chili oil (or olive oil with whatever heat you have on hand) with roasted garlic and cilantro.  

2. Boil and mash the potatoes.

3. The Sauce.  Mayo + Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + lime + onion powder + garlic salt.  Adjust proportions to your palate but the tanginess from the mayo and smokiness from the chipotle sauce should balance.  Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.  

4. Serve.  I made this for lunch when I had about 30 minutes and rolled the bangers and mash up in a tortilla but I'll probably come up with a more elegant delivery system at some point in our travels. 

2 Million Dogs Finalist in 100 Cars for Good

Over the past month we've had a stricket (as Hudsy says) project going on and boy was it tough to keep it that way.  We had hoped to make the announcement next week but the competition went live Monday and people are finding out.  

While we were in Memphis it was a tremendous honor and privilege to script, storyboard, produce and edit this beautiful video. Thanks to Jesse Muniz, our cameraman, for his discerning eye and taking two weeks of his time to help the cause.

Erich will post here about the details of the competition but I wanted to be the first to share the video.  Thank you to Toyota for selecting 2 Million Dogs as a finalist in 100 Cars for Good and thanks also to everyone who participated and contributed.  Puppy Up!

For some reason the youtube video is clipping so here's the direct link.  Please share and vote on June 20th  - YouTube Video

Bobbye Robinson

Coming off from a couple of weeks with Ginger, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to write, in the spirit of Mother's Day, about her as the original 'Mommy' to the Notorious Fuzzybutts; or her inaugural Puppy Up! walk in Memphis; or what it was like to return to that place for the first time since I said goodbye to Murphy.  

Then I realized I've only spoken of my own mother in brevity here and she deserves a lot more than that since she, in large part, made me the man I am. 

Bobbye Robinson was born to Robert Kraft and Doris Allen, a smallish woman who was given the sobriquet 'Big Momma' which I can only assume so from tales about her fierce ability to wield a skillet, take a broom to an ornery bull, and wring a chicken's neck without flinching.  

Mom grew up in their modest farm in Winnfield LA, a town whose sole distinction is the birthplace of Huey P Long, a fascinating man who was the American dictator who never was.  According to T Harry Williams's account, Huey was the only man FDR was afraid of.  If you're into history - read his book.  

I only mention this because my mother was a woman who lived by, and given the opportunity, probably would have died by her political convictions as Huey Long did.  

But family and her faith trumped politics and it was from my mother I learned about God's grace.  My mother gave far more than she ever got but that never stopped her from giving.  And not just to our family. 

To the best of my knowledge she is still the only woman named 'Man of the Year' by the Belton Chamber of Commerce because of her contributions towards economic development in central Texas. 

I've privately written that I got the brains for the walk from my father, the heart from my mother, and the balls - well that's all me. 

But in truth, my mom had them all.  

Happy Mother's Day.

Monkey Wrench No. 1

2 Dogs 2000 Miles Asia is off to an inauspicious start. My feasibility team and I have hit the proverbial bump in the road. Or swell in the ocean. The problem is transport. 

How do the fuzzybutts and I cross the 5,800 mile expanse of the Pacific Ocean to Japan? By plane it's a 14 hour flight from LAX to Narita which would be easy but there is absolutely no way my boys will be stowed like luggage in some cargo hold all alone. 

How about a boat then? I love to be on the open seas but as we have recently learned, none of the cruise ships permit pets on board which to me seems particularly odd since travel and leisure with a companion seem to go hand in hand. Even if said companion is of the fuzzybutt kind. 

On to Plan C. Freighters. Believe it or not, you can actually catch a ride on one of those big container ships to pretty much anywhere around the world and the accommodations are better than the luxury liners. Just not with your dog. 

I haven't figured out yet whether it's a legal issue or silly superstition why there doesn't seem to be any poop on the poop deck but the term sea dog has a whole new irony to me. 

But I am a man unperturbed by such roadblocks. A Marine I met on the Great Allegheny Passage who was training for the AT put it perfectly, "Impossible only describes a degree of difficulty". 

We will find a way.

Of Glory In the Flower

"What though the radiance which was once so bright.  Be now for ever taken from my sight, Though nothing can bring back the hour.  Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower" 

Over the past few weeks some dear, dear dogs that I have met during our travels have either been diagnosed with cancer or passed from its singular determination. Wordsworth's poem somehow seems particularly poignant tonite.

Recipe: New England Naughty Hog

I'm well known for my breakfast tacos but the other morning I didn't have tortillas, cream cheese or even refried beans so I was stuck with a six pack of Portuguese sweet bread buns I had purchased at a Somerville bodega, a pound of pork, and a pint of French onion dip. 

And thus the New England Naughty Hog was born.  Here's how you make one.

Fry up 2 strips (or four for the more adventurous and cardiac unclogged) and in the bacon grease, cook a cup of diced potatoes.  I seasoned them with Thyme to add a hint of sweetness.  In the opened bun, my base layer is a couple of slices of maple syrup ham, topped with the home fries, then the bacon and a handful of cheese.  Try pepper jack for a little kick to it.  Broil it til brown and the cheese has melted then slather the other face with the French onion dip.  Don't be stingy - the sauce really makes the sammich.  

If you want the breakfast version, which I've made a few times, throw some scramby eggs in the mix - which I make with sour cream.  

As one of the first to try my latest concoction said, "It just feels good to eat it".  

And ironically and unintentionally, I happened to publish it today.

April Fools

We've played some pretty great pranks on our travels but last nite we punk'd the ultimate: Mommy G.

It's Ginger's first Puppy Up Walk in Memphis on the 29th and with all of the projects I'm managing it was impossible for me travel from Boston for it. But unbeknownst to her, the fuzzybutts and I have been secretly planning otherwise and Sunday we loaded up in a mini van, er man van I mean, and drove 1,300 miles to Tennessee.

I didn't think we'd pull it off. As some of you know, it's exceedingly difficult to get anything by her. But when we showed up at her door at 10pm Monday nite and scared the hell outta her - ah, sweet success! Mommy G got punk'd!

For the next two weeks, we'll be here helping her out as she did for us the moment we met her walking through Memphis in August 2008 and every day since. Puppy Up Memphis!

Cancer.Touches.Everyone

I Am 2 Dogs 2000 Miles

Since the conclusion of the walk I've been bouncing around all over the place starting blogs, fan clubs, and websites, too.  Two reasons for this; first I'm a lightening rod for novel thoughts and innovative ideas.  I was born this way and rarely a week goes by when I'm not climbing the conceptual walls.  Ginger has a placard in her house specifically for me that reads, 'Go Fascinate Someone Else' since she has historically almost always been on the business end of my ideations.  

Second, its seems apparent to me now that some of them were designed by my subconscious mind as a distraction from accepting, internalizing, and processing Murphy's loss.  I joked that after I returned from my fast last year I sat down in front of a spreadsheet to list all of the projects and ideas I had.  Three sheets later, I still wasn't finished probably making me the busiest homeless guy ever.

I have been working tirelessly since then on multiple fronts all, in their own right in furtherance of my life's mission and as extension of the walk.   The Homeless Chef was spawned from the many meals I made for host families to thank them for their kindness and generosity.  Finding Fuzzybutt Four was conceived by me to help find homes for other rescued Pyrenees once little Indy came into our life.   

For a long while now I intended to phase out 2 Dogs 2000 Miles because that journey was over.  Evolve it into the Fuzzybutt Fight Club or one of the other sites I launched to become the central console for my efforts to eradicate cancer. 

But managing so many projects mostly on my own has exacted a tremendous toll on me and it's time to focus.  

Although I loved every second of life on the road I never considered myself a hardcore hiker or adventure junkie.  That's reserved for guys like Jonathan Stalls whom nature custom designed specifically for that. 

Yes, yes... I knew we would have future adventures like 2 Dogs 2000 Beers or 2 Dogs 200 Golf Courses I hadn't figured out what came next yet.

But I realize now after all of this reflection and introspection and the tragic circumstances in between, this story shall continue as it began.     

I am 2 Dogs 2000 Miles and walking across Japan is Chapter Two.  

Some of you were curious why I've chosen the Rising Sun next and I'll address that in a future blog.  But for now to simplify and focus, some changes must be made.  

1. My personal Facebook page, 2 Dogs 2000 Miles will continue.  However I have about a thousand people waiting to be my friend as it is my personal account.

2. The 2 Dogs 2000 Miles Group on Facebook will also continue . This will be the only authentic FB for now.  We may have to convert to a fan page rather than a group but  we'll deal with that when we get to it.  Thank you for everyone who has been keeping the group alive and I will have a stronger presence there going forward.

3. Fuzzybutt Fight Club and the 2 Dogs 2000 Miles fan pages I'll be phasing out and posting for everyone there to move over to the aforementioned group.

4. This blog will be my own personal and professional public blog.  I'll post things about cancer, the foundation I started - 2 Million Dogs events; but expect recipes, adventures, and social commentaries here as well.  If you only care to learn about developments in canine cancer and comparative oncology, please visit the foundation's website 

5. The only other blog which will carry forward is Raising Indiana though there  will be changes there, too and to learn about those please read about them here

Finding Fuzzybutt Four and the Homeless Chef won't be, however, as I am winding those down. Although I'm tremendously appreciative of everyone's involvement, I just don't have time for them.

6. The Rock, The Ripple, and the River.  The book has been the greatest consternation and lack of clarity for me since the walk ended.  It plagues me still.  Part one, the first of the trilogy, is complete but I'm thinking now that the documentary should take priority as Jesse, my partner and DP and I have been working tirelessly to get it to a film festival for next year.  This may change.  Hell, it may change, then change back, then change again.  All I can say with absolute certainty is this story, its past, present, and future will be told. 

Midnight Me

In all truthfulness, I haven't written here much or often since Murphy died or really had any desire to do so.

It wasn't until a recent conversation with a friend that I began to understand why. She said that she loved talking to me late at night - the 'Midnight Me' - because I was stripped of everything except innocence and passion. Well she said some of that anyway, the rest I'm sure I extrapolated.

But she's right.

You've been there for me and my boys throughout all of this but I haven't been there for you. It was out of fear and uncertainty (I'll get to that later) that I stopped sharing our lives with you in any substantial way.  I only shared that with a few people.

But that ends now.

I Never Liked Fortune Cookies

The pseudoprognostications, trite sayings, and the randomly generated lottery numbers just never incentivized me to waste my appetite on them.  Especially when Crab Rangoon is on the menu.  

And yet for some curious reason, while noshing at a unremarkable Chinese restaurant in New England close to the finish line of our walk, I cracked one open and ironically this was what was inside.

I didn't share it with anyone then, I just taped it to the inside of a steel business card holder that my sister-in-law gave me years ago in which I housed my ID and other important emergency info throughout the duration of our walk.

But tonight is the 4 year anniversary of when we launched 2 Dogs 2000 Miles and this fortune cookie is what I reflect on most.

I am thankful for everyone who helped us along the way.  More so for those who have stuck with us throughout it all and this announcement is for you.

I have begun the planning phase for our second 2 Dogs 2000 Miles walk. This time it's across Japan from the Southern most main island, Kyushu to the Northernmost, Hokkaido: Cape Sata to Cape Soya with the fuzzybutts, of course.  

We will walk the ends of the world until and when it's cancer free.  

Amor Vincit Omnia

St. Valentine's Day is rounding the corner and rather than flowers or confectionery, why not give your loved one a custom designed bracelet made by Yer Big Dog himself? 

And for the first time, each bracelet comes with a matching pair of  earrings.

I've made bracelets in pink crystals, blue crystals, Lapis, malachite, gold and silver, amethyst, Turquoise and nearby are just a few examples modeled by the lovely Caitlin.  Click on photos for larger image.

Some of them I've included heart and cross charms as well, pretty much anything your heart desires for your Valentine's 

   

We're building out an e-commerce store but it won't be ready in time for the 14th so I think the best way to go about this and ensure delivery in time is send me an email at 2dogs2000miles@gmail.com with a basic idea of what you want with your contact info and I will call within a few hours of receiving your email.  

The price for the bracelet and earrings is $125 and once we agree on the design, I'll send you a PayPal link.  

To ensure delivery date by the 14th, I'll need to have all orders in no later than Sunday the 5th. 

Thanks to Dana for the beautiful photography. 

EMC Square

The intersection of Stockton Street and Bayard Lane

On a cold day December 2009, Hudson and Murphy and I trudged into Princeton NJ.  We stopped for repast and repose at an unknown, unmarked park like hundreds of times before on our travels.

But at the far corner of this one stood the bust of Albert Einstein.  The statue is de-refined to the point of raw, unmitigated emotion:  to portray a mathematically imprecise-world weariness none of us will ever know, was the artist's intent I suppose.

Murphy was always known as the smart one with a shock of white hair similar to Einstein so we had a fun time taking photos at the square back then. Some of you remember this.

Returning to Princeton this past week was bittersweet.  Although it was without Murphy,  we met with the scientists so passionate about this research that we funded and full of hope about its potential.  It was a good day.

Still, I had to stop by the EMC Square and say a silent prayer for my boy who gave his life for this cause.  

Savage Mountain

Six years ago to this day I lost my boy Malcolm to metastatic cancer and on this anniversary, it is with tremendous honor I announce the funding of The 2 Million Dogs Foundation's first research initiative: A breast cancer study benefiting both humans and canines.

The 2 Million Dogs Foundation presented a check for $50,000 to Princeton University today to help fund the school’s Molecular Study of Canine Mammary Tumor Development and Progression: from Genome To Clinical Outcome.

Mammary tumors are the most common tumors in intact female dogs, and in humans, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women - approximately one in eight women develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Mammary tumors in dogs and breast cancer in women have many similarities, both in terms of risk factors and biology.

The 2 Million Dogs Foundation chose this study for the following reasons. First and foremost it's translational in that people stand to significantly benefit as well as our canine companions.

Second, it's collaborative. The Canine Mammary Tumor program began at The University of Pennsylvania with Dr. Karin Sorenmo whom we met while walking through Philadelphia. Collaboration, we feel, is key if we plan to make significant strides in cancer research.

Third, the tissue samples were collected from shelter dogs diagnosed with breast cancer and they were all treated at no expense by UPenn as part of their program.

And finally, we feel that the approach of this study is novel not incremental and could potentially yield critical insights into metastatic breast cancer. 

While we have donated $50,000, 2 Million Dogs has pledged to raise an additional $30,000 this year to study more tissue samples.   Click here to help us raise the additional funds needed or contact ginger@2milliondogs.org for other ways you can help.

I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the many, many people who made this day possible. My family back in Texas, our supporters, fans, and friends both new and old, the hundreds of strangers that helped Hudson, Murphy and me get from Austin to Boston safely, the folks at 2 Million Dogs, and to Ginger Morgan, the Executive Director who has believed in my vision since the day we walked through Memphis. 

And finally to those who had the courage to always believe. God bless you.  Keep the faith and puppy up!

Postcripts

I remember standing atop Savage Mountain, the highest peak on the Rails-Trails from Pittsburgh to DC in August of 2009.  It was a glorious afternoon - a crystalline sky colored in an indescribable blue like the Frio River that cuts through the Texas hill country.  I wrote a poem about Malcolm entitled Savage Heart and I thought it incredibly ironic that this mountain was our highest hurdle.  

As I sat perched upon a rock, reflecting on our journey I could see for hundreds of miles. 

Three Days Til Dawn

I turned 41 today.  Out of the hundreds of FB posts and emails I got, the most asked question was 'what do you wish for on your birthday'?  

A few of my instinctive answers were that the Kardashian family go away for good  in a reality show called KTHNXBYE;  Season 2 of Game of Thrones gets here earlier than April; and Ricky Gervais and Louis CK win the election next year in some strange power sharing constitutional thing I don't even know about and Anthony Bourdain becomes the First Lady.  

Those are all noble and global wishes but the truth is I just want to feel something, anything on my birthday. The 18 day fast I took after losing Murphy was one of the hardest things I've ever done physically but I didn't have the emotional reconciliation and release I had hoped for in the solitude of Tennessee's sweltering forests. And I really tried to give up the pain.  

Then Buddy died from Congestive Heart Failure secondary to lung cancer metastisis shortly after I returned from the fast.  Since then I have felt nothing and that's a very sad lonely place for a person of great vision and passion to be.  

So my 41st birthday wish was to feel something again until I realized the world wasn't built on wishes.  It was built by dreamers who defied the absolute odds against them. 

I haven't finished Book 1 of our story yet because the sadness of our tale consumed me and I just lost sight of it.  

But I made a promise to you to have it out in December 2011.  That leaves me with three days...

Dear Santa

I want Murphy back

2012 Cancer Can't Keep a Good Dog Down Calendars

I want to thank everyone again who voted for Murphy to be the 2012 cover boy and Ginger for being a big part of that as I was unable to.  I still can't look at his picture without my heart breaking and spiralling down into absolute sadness. 

This year is slighty different in that you can choose from two different covers.  The first is of Murphy's last trip to Bowling Green - a pic in which I called him 'C'oeur de Lion'.  The second is the controversial photo of me carrying Murphy the last few steps of our journey together. 

It's a strange feeling that the calendar I started in 2009 to honor the great undaunted spirits of our companions with cancer that my own would one day adorn it's cover.  Murphy gave his life for this cause and this calendar is a lovely tribute to him and all the other canine kids in it.  To purchase a 2012 calendar and help continue our fight, please follow this LINK or you can learn more about the calendars at 2 Million Dogs website. 

Keep the Faith & Puppy UP!

Hudson, Indiana & Luke

Holiday Event with The Fuzzybutts

As we're holed up in Winthrop MA for the winter, the three wize guys have been invited to Plymouth Saturday December 3rd for Santa photos(pic nearby from last year).  Afterwards, we'll spend the evening singing Christmas carols, a tradition that began in 2009 in Bryant Park when Hudson, Murphy and I walked through Manhattan. 

We hope you can come out and join us for a very special holiday event with the me and the fuzzybutts.  The information is nearby. 

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On December 3rd Pawz Doggie Daycare and An Unconditional Love with our Special guest the Founder of 2 Million Dogs, Luke Robinson will be hosting Pet Photos with Santa.

Saturday December 3rd 12:30pm- 4:30pm

At PAWZ Doggie Daycare - 50 Independence Road Kingston MA.

Photos are a $10 donation, ALL proceeds will be donated on Christmas Eve to 2 Million Dogs.  We will be collecting pet supplies that Mr. Robinson will personally deliver to the Kingston Animal Shelter in his sleigh. 

Followed by an evening of Christmas Caroling at Plymouth's Colony Place 174 Colony Place Road  Plymouth, MA.  Come join us for a day of  holiday cheer for an important cause and meet the man that started this incredible journey!.

RSVP at the Facebook Event page

The Rock The Ripple and The River

It hasn't been the year we all thought it would be. I had big, big plans after we reached Boston last June and immediately afterwards drove out to Colorado to work with my editor on the book about our mission.  I was only there for a few weeks before Murphy was diagnosed with nasal cancer. 

When I learned of his diagnosis I told her, "I don't know how to tell this story anymore".

One year later, it came to me how.

Our story can't be told in one book, but three. 

"The Rock, The Ripple, and The River"

It's Malcolm's birthday today and he's where the trilogy begins.  As a dogless, self centered Texas boy in his late twenties who wasn't raised with any sense of respect for companion animals, Malcolm became the rock that broke me.  Of my upbringings and my preconceptions.  He fundamentally changed me as a human being and my love and devotion to him set off a sequence of events that has touched thousands and thousands of lives. Book two is about that Ripple Effect that has sent shockwaves through time.  

In the third book of the trilogy I'll talk about the spiritual aspects of our journey.  Of a man who lacked the faith to take even the first step... of the grace and glory given to a once godless man who, though his travels, has learned the cost of eternal love and price of being so blessed. 

The whole story will begin being told December 2011...

The book poster was designed and expertly crafted after hours and hours of collaboration with Jamie Dennis. 

Raising Indiana

Being a pet parent again for the first time in 5 years I realize I have a lot to learn. So I started a series of podcasts to tap into the expertise of the network of people we’ve built along our travels.

From training to nutrition, veterinarian care and psychology, ‘Raising Indiana’ will explore all aspects of puppyhood. The good, the bad, the puppy…

And since the story of Indy started in Bowling Green, KY, the first episode is a conversation with the Executive Director of the Humane Society there, Lorri Hare, a dear friend and long time supporter. But you have to go to the Finding Fuzzybutt Four blog to download the audiocast. Every Thursday at 7pm EST a new episode will be posted there.