Archive - James’s Substack

Quality not Quantity

As a university professor, I have written hundreds of letters of reference.

Nov 9 •

October 2025

Hard Conversations

Consider this as a public service announcement.

Oct 26 •

Priest or Prophet?

Who plays the role of “priest” in your life?

Oct 19 •

School Pictures

He unrolled a long section of white paper with heights marked off on it with a black felt pen.

Oct 12 •

Trump and Heaven

My parents subscribed to Reader’s Digest when I was growing up.

Oct 5 •

September 2025

She sensed that her elementary-aged child was reluctant to go to school one morning.

Sep 28 •

Pianists, Plumbers, and Passwords

As an early teenager, it was a short trip either walking or bicycling.

Sep 21 •

E-Bikes, The President, and AI

Something flew out a window of the White House and landed on the ground.

Sep 14 •

There are two sections to this article, with tension in both parts.

Sep 7 •

August 2025

I can remember the specific place on the street where the encounter occurred.

Aug 31 •

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

The first character we meet in the musical play Mary Poppins is Winifred Banks as she returns to her London home in 1910; she has been attending a…

Aug 10 •

From Unthinkable to Policy

Consider with me the following list of categories:

Aug 3 •

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