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Appreciation

An Indian man in his late sixties sits on a sofa in jeans and a dress shirt, cuddled up next to a white-and-gray cat.

Rice and khadi

My father Ashvin had this comforting soup-type thing for lunch at least once a week when I was growing up. It came up in a course I’m taking about partswork and ancestry, and one of my fellow students asked for the recipe. Here is how I make it, based on my recollection.

Ashvin Chudgar’s Tomato Soup Recipe

Ashvin Chudgar’s Tomato Soup Recipe

This recipe, never before written down, is one of my father’s “third culture” recipes. It is easy to do, cheap and warming, and nice for children and grown-ups alike.

One man visiting another in a hospital bed. He holds a book and touches the other gently on the knee.

“Systems fight death”: A conversation about culture, faith, and endings with deathcare worker Kelly Butler

A few weeks ago, I heard a Canadian stranger mention that she was in the business of “deathcare.” I’d never heard the word before, but I instantly knew what it meant, and it fascinated me. That’s why I tracked down Ottawa deathcare worker Kelly Butler for this conversation about careful ending.

Golden statues of Amitabha Buddha (center) with his attendants Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva

Compassion from Self and Buddha

Today I learned about a Buddhist way of thinking about Self from Satya Robyn, a Buddhist teacher, author, and IFS therapist.

Book review: The 3 things only leaders can do

Book review: The 3 things only leaders can do

Although its stated ambitions are more modest, Real Flow amounts to a quiet manifesto for a new model of work — one that begins by putting human wellbeing first, not only as an ethical principle but as a simple fact about how organizations operate.

A graphic showing a stylized bunch of writing implements in a cup; in the middle is a vermillion highlighter.

An elegy for Highly

When I found out that my favorite web-annotation app was being shut down by its corporate acquirer, I found the news surprisingly heartbreaking. In between meetings, I wrote this little appreciation for it. It’s about attention, metaphors, and memory.

Why systems change takes patience

Why systems change takes patience

“Systems change is like planting a forest,” says veteran Minnesota policy leader Antonia Apolinario-Wilcoxon. “Someday, children will be able to play in the shelter of the trees. Today, your job is to dig holes and plant seeds.”