Welcome to another installment of “10 Words or Less,” in which I ask interesting people for brief answers to brief questions. Today’s participant is a clinical psychologist and author who holds the nation’s first endowed professorship in eating disorders, at the University of North Carolina. Remember, please: No counting! “10 words” is about attitude, not addition, and besides, let’s see you do it. 

Name Cynthia Bulik
Born when, where 1960, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Residence Chapel Hill, NC
Family situation Married, three kids
A transformative event from your childhood “The death of my brother, Mark. I was 9. He was a premature baby who lived one day.”
When did you know you wanted to research ED? “My sophomore year in college. I was invited to do rounds with George Hsu, the attending physician for an eating disorders program in Pittsburgh.”
A surprising fact about you “I’m a [national-level] gold medalist ice dancer.”

Welcome to another episode of “10 Words or Less,” in which I ask short questions of interesting people and request short answers in return. Today’s participant is a therapist who is the author of nine books, one of which ("Boundaries") is approaching a quarter million in sales. Remember, please: No counting. “10 words” is an attitude, not a rule, and besides, let’s see you do it.

Name: Anne Katherine
Born when, where “In Indiana. I’m in my mid-60s.” [Befitting someone keen on boundaries, Katherine is careful about what specific personal information she allows online.]
A transformative event in your childhood “Girl Scout Camp. It taught me that women could be strong, gave me survival skills that I still rely on and lifelong friends who are a treasure.”
Where do you live now, and how long have you been there? “Washington State, surrounded by water. I’ve lived here since 1985.”
What did you want to be when you grew up “In my 20s, I wanted to go around the country singing songs that would inspire people to be more spiritual.”
Claim to fame “I think other people would say my books, but I'd say it's that I pay daily attention to developing my inner self.”
Can you say a little more about that? “I value a person developing their ability to observe themselves, so they’re catching on to their subtle patterns, especially those that affect the people they love.”
Are you an addict? "Yes."
What’s your drug of no choice? “Sugar.”

Welcome to another installment of “10 Words or Less,” in which I ask for short answers to short questions. Today’s participant just opened The Madrona Tree, a self-described "local eatery" in Arlington, Mass., that carries its commitment to local/whole even to its organic condiments. Please remember: No counting! 10 words is a goal, not a rule, and besides, let’s see you do it.

Name Tanya Abraham
Born when, where June 1, 1971, Weymouth, Mass.
Residence now North Reading, Mass.
Family situation Married, with a wife, Christie, and son, Frederick, 2
What did you want to be when you grew up "A coach and a restaurant owner."
A transformative event in your life "Working in hospice."
When did you do that? "For 10 years, until last year. I was director of business operations for Group Health Cooperative, Home Health & Hospice in Seattle."
Outside your family, someone whom you consider influential "Ruth Gregersen. She was a coworker of mine in hospice."

Welcome to another installment of “10 Words or Less,” in which I ask questions, and for answers, of that length. Today’s participant just won the Blue Ribbon Award from the Massachusetts Farm to School Project for her work in the Boston Public Schools. Please remember: No counting! 10 words is a goal, not a rule, and besides, let’s see you do it.

Name Kim Szeto
Born Waltham, Mass., Oct. 27, 1984
Residence Boston
Title "Farm to School coordinator, Boston Public Schools"
What you wanted to be when you grew up “It changed a couple of times, but there was a period when I wanted to be a mailman.”
The best part of your job “Seeing kids getting excited about eating a new vegetable.”
Something you’re passionate about “Creating a better food system that nourishes all people, replenishes the land, and pays its workers fairly.”
Do you grow any of your own food? "Yes. My sister and I share a plot in a community garden."
What kind? "Lots of stuff.  We had tons of Red Russian kale this year. But my favorite is Dinosaur kale and we only had one this year.”

Welcome to the latest round of “10 words or less,” in which I ask brief questions and request brief answers. Today’s subject is a NEDA Navigator, in which NEDA is the National Eating Disorder Association and navigators are laymen who’ve come through an eating disorder, either personally or familially, and now help others. Remember, please: No counting! 10 words is a goal, not a rule, and besides, let’s see you do it.

Name Vic Avon
Age 29
Residence Brick Township, N.J. 
Author “My Monster Within: My Story,” published in May 2010.
What your disorder was like “Very extreme, very deadly, a classic case of anorexia.”
When you were last active “I stepped into a hospital [University Medical Center, Princeton, N.J.] March 11, 2008.”
Can you recall a low point? “It was so bad that I prayed every night that I wouldn’t wake up in the morning.”

Welcome to another installment of “10 Words or Less,” a title that applies both to the questions I ask and the answers I hope to receive. Today’s participant is at the edge of my usual topics, but she does her business at farmers’ markets, and she’s interesting. Please remember: No counting! It’s a goal, not a rule.

Name Patti Small
Age 57
Town Bolton, Mass. 
Business “On The Edge Knife Sharpening.”
How long have you been doing it? “Three years.”
Where is your shop? “I don’t have one.”
Huh? “I go from market to market to market.”
Why? “I live out in Bolton. Who’s going to drive out here to get their knives sharpened?”

Welcome to another round of “10 Words or Less.” Today’s contestant is the original thinker behind Rad Urban Farmers, about whom I wrote for The Boston Globe a couple of years ago. His gig is to farm on underutilized suburban yards and disperse the produce he grows to the landowners and to CSA and farmers’ market customers. His goal, after each garden is established, is to service them via only a bike and trailer. As you may recall, the idea here is to ask short questions, request short answers, and do a minimum of editing, but the “10WOL” thing is a goal, not a rule, so please, no counting.

Name Charlie Radoslovich (ra-DOS-lo-vich)
Age 40
Residence Arlington, Mass.
Passions “The environment and good food.”
A guilty pleasure “Eating vegetables before they’re fully mature.”
What did you want to be when you grew up? “A lawyer, believe it or not.”
What happened? “That was 3d grade.”

Welcome to the latest round of “10 words or less,” in which I ask brief questions and ask for brief answers. This installment is part of a group of interviews in advance of the Boston Museum of Science’s “Let’s Talk About Food” festival this weekend. Today’s subject is one of New England’s foremost farmers, who’ll join chefs Frank McClelland of L’Espalier, Franco Carubia of Sel de la Terre, and others in a discussion and demonstration about farm-fresh ingredients. Remember, please: No counting. 10 words is a goal, not a rule, and it’s not that easy!

Name Jim Wilson (above left, during a tour of his farm)
Age 56
Residence Lexington
Business Wilson Farm, which grows and sells produce — and lots of other goods — in Lexington, Mass., and Litchfield, N.H.

Welcome to the latest round of “10 Words or Less,” in which I ask brief questions and ask for brief answers. This installment is part of a group of interviews in advance of the Boston Museum of Science’s “Let’s Talk About Food” festival this weekend. Today’s subject is a nutritional epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health who will participate in the “Let’s Talk About Nutrition” panel, a part of the festival’s Endless Table of discussions. Remember, please: No counting. 10 words is a goal, not a rule, and it’s not that easy!

Name Stephanie Chiuve (“cue-vee”)
Age 33
Residence West Roxbury
What’s your passion? “My work, identifying healthy diets to promote good health and prevent disease.”
Why did you choose this field? “I’ve always been interested in nutrition and how what we eat makes us what we are.”
What choice is more important: What to eat, or how much? “I would say how much. You can eat healthy food, but if it’s too much, it’s still too many calories.”
Do you think food addiction exists? "Yes."

Welcome to the latest round of “10 Words or Less,” in which I ask brief questions and ask my respondents for brief answers. This installment is part of a group of interviews in advance of the Boston Museum of Science’s “Let’s Talk About Food” festival this weekend. Today’s subject is an oyster farmer who will collaborate with Legal Sea Foods executive chef Richard Vellante in a cooking demonstration and discussion. Remember, please: No counting. 10 words is a goal, not a rule, and it’s not that easy!

Name John Lowell (pictured with his wife and business partner, Stephanie)
Age 52
Residence Dennis, Mass.
Business East Dennis Oyster Farm
Motto “More is not better, better is better.”
A guilty pleasure “I like a glass of wine out on the oyster farm with my wife, and there’s no alcohol allowed out there.”
What did you want to be when you grew up? “I still don’t know the answer.”
The best job you ever had “This is it.”
Something you learned from oysters “People love oysters, and people like oyster farmers.”
Your favorite farm implement “I like the hook. They’re stainless steel, about 3 feet long. They’re used to move the gear around.”