Author: Peter

What could you do more of? Sometimes the easier way to answer the questionis to flip it. What could I do less of?Less rushing from one meeting to the next.Less eating lunch at my desk,fork in one hand, typing emails with the other.Less pretending that rest is optional,something to earn at the end of the…

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? I work with people.Their words spill into my days—rants, confessions,small mercies offered like gifts,distortions dressed as truth. A friend once told me,learn to use your good earand your deaf ear.The wisdom is knowingwhich ear belongs to the moment. Sometimes the good ear listens close,catching what trembles…

What things give you energy? By the end of the day, my cup is empty.Operations and planning drain it.Workplace conflicts drain it.And even the conversations with students—so often good and worthwhile—can drain it too. Because alongside the laughter and energy,there are stories of mental health struggles.There are hurts no one should have to carry.There are…

If I could be more informed about any single topic, it would be critical thinking. In a world overflowing with information, opinions, and competing narratives, the ability to question assumptions, weigh evidence, and arrive at well-reasoned conclusions has never been more important. Critical thinking is not just an academic skill—it’s a way of navigating life…

For me, holidays have always been about people more than anything else. I grew up in a large family—five children, 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren. My parents were the node, the centre, and everything radiated outward from them. At Christmas or for big birthdays, 25, 30, sometimes 35 of us would gather under one roof. But…

There are nights you imagine one way, and nights that play out another. In one version, I read the recipe carefully. One teaspoon of chilli, not one tablespoon. The curry turns out fragrant, warming, balanced. My wife tastes it and smiles. Maybe she even says, “You should make this again.” A quiet victory. A new…

When I was younger, I thought I had solved one of the great equations of life: Theorem: Harder work = Better results. So I set out to prove it. At first glance, it seemed airtight. More time should mean more output. But there was a flaw in the logic. The more hours I worked, the…

Curry is my fiery friend.Especially Sri Lankan curry — bold, generous with spice, never apologetic. But really, any curry will do. They arrive like storytellers, each with a different accent, a different rhythm, always leaving the air fragrant long after the plate is cleared. Vietnamese food is the unassuming poet.Even in the simplest banh mi…

I don’t know exactly what this evening will hold. Life has been fragile this week. My mother moved into a dementia ward yesterday, and the reality of that environment was confronting—residents calling out, staff doing their best under pressure, and a sense of stepping into the unknown. My father, at 95, is still in the…

Act I: The Quick HelloThey’re the first to say hello. Their friendliness feels flattering at first—warm, energetic, almost too good to be true. They want to be friends quickly, and usually on their terms. Before long, the pattern shows: there’s always a payoff. A favour asked. An introduction needed. Something for them, or for their…