The Digital Hangout of James Hill: Author, Marketer, Entrepreneur
I must have been about 14 when my father sent me to meet with our minister for some "counseling." By that point, I had already gone through a couple of phases in my spiritual development. When I was 10, I had a inexplicable surge of religious devotion; but when puberty gripped me, I moved away … Continue reading The Over-Examined Life
Among my many strange interests is a fascination with ancient Roman coins. In particular I like the silver and gold coinage of the Roman “imperatorial” period and early empire, starting in 49 BC and extending through the mid-second century. It’s a fascinating time in history when epic figures like Julius Caesar, Pompey, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, … Continue reading Facebook, Ancient Coins, and Defying Age
Note: From time to time, I hope to include posts from guest writers whose preoccupations align with All of That. The following piece is by my wife, Barbara Black, who teaches nineteenth-century British literature at Skidmore College. Pascal famously claimed that we live by situating something between us and the abyss so that we can … Continue reading A Better View of the Abyss
Maybe it’s just me whining about my late fifties, but I think we need a better name for this stage of life. “Middle-aged” doesn’t cut it. Calling myself "middle-aged" feels vaguely mendacious. It’s like referring to yourself as a “seasoned veteran” on LinkedIn to skirt the fact that you graduated from college 15 years before … Continue reading Middle Age by Any Other Name
It’s kind of spooky how consistent the weather can be from year to year. Even with the effects of global warming, which are unmistakable in upstate New York, a day in December one year is eerily like the previous year. It’s almost enough to make you believe there really is a cosmic clockmaker whose spheres … Continue reading A Year Between Two December Days
A few years ago, I went back to my college for a class reunion. I met up with some friends at our hotel, did a couple of tequila shots at the hotel bar, and headed to the cocktail mixer for the class of 1983. All the alumni mixers were held in separate rooms at a … Continue reading Kickin’ It With the Class of ‘98
Damnit. It was going so well, too. You work hard to make all the right choices and everything is looking pretty good. Then something happens that puts the whole enterprise in doubt. It’s enough to make you scream. There was the impressive attention to details: The dark blue camo workout shorts from Lululemon. Stylish. Good … Continue reading Fighting the Good Fight, Sort Of