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by James A. Brown
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- Yesterday1 min
Grocery shopping is a sport
I went to Wegmans. It's one of the grocery stores in my neck of the woods. I found myself stopping and staring at the checkout lines and the aisles. I always find them curious. But this time, I had a moment of clarity about it all, or about us. I realized that we don't just shop, we compete. The Daily Note with James A. Brown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.We scan the aisles for slow walkers, estimating the number of items in the carts ahead of us, watching the cashier's hands while we decide which lane to pick, or at least I do.Shopping isn't just an activity. It's a weird, common, stressful sport. I wish there were trophies. What do you think? Am I wrong here? And what's your shopping strategy?Recent editions:Recent editions:Yogurt‘No Elon’ Sticker at Costco and What It Says About How We Buy Things NowMichael B. Jordan and a sea of phonesOne Canceled Dinner at a TimeWhat Happens When America’s Small-Business Owners Retire?Americans Are Buying Half the Movie Tickets They Used ToAre We Surrounded by Bad People?The Politicians Never PayThe best conversations are two-way streets. I want to hear from you.* Email: james@thedailynote.net* Call or Text: (585) 371-8865* Leave a Voice Memo: thedailynote.net/contactP.S. I tell stories on radio stations and online five days a week. You can find them on Substack, Apple, Spotify, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, and wherever podcasts are available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesbrowntv.substack.com/subscribe
- 3 days ago1 min
My apologies and an announcement
Hi everybody,First of all, my apologies, I haven’t sent as many emails as normal. I’ve been very busy working on the next iterations of this program and on a brand-new project that will premiere on this site on Monday. It’s called a short, daily history program called American Rewind. I could write it all down, but I think this one you oughta listen to if you can. In just a little over a week, we’ve been cleared on 17 stations with about five or six others who say they’re considering adding us in the coming weeks. That’s a strong sign. That audio trailer is above and below.The Daily Note in the morning, American Rewind in the afternoon. I’ve also been working on a video version of the Daily Note: I’m rolling out video soon! I’m hoping to be back on a regular schedule on Monday. Thanks for your patience!JamesThe Daily Note with James A. Brown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesbrowntv.substack.com/subscribe
- 1 weeks ago0 min
Why Families Are Moving to Red States
There's a chart making the rounds that just feels like common sense.It's census data saying that red states grew their child population by 7% since the year 2000.The obvious read here is tribal, and yes, we're extremely polarized.But that's only part of the picture.Even the conservative think tank that made the chart agrees with that.The Institute for Family Studies says this is more about affordability and housing than politics.And of course, they're right.When a starter home costs half as much in Nashville as it does in San Francisco, a young family starts googling and eventually loads a U-Haul, no matter what their politics are.And if blue states don't fix housing and affordability, they won't fix their population drain anytime soon.Recent editions:Advice I’d Give My Kids SomedayYogurtThe Wrong Four Things‘No Elon’ Sticker at Costco and What It Says About How We Buy Things NowMichael B. Jordan and a sea of phonesHow often do you eat alone?One Canceled Dinner at a TimeWhat Happens When America’s Small-Business Owners Retire?Americans Are Buying Half the Movie Tickets They Used ToAre We Surrounded by Bad People?The Politicians Never PayThe best conversations are two-way streets. I want to hear from you.* Email: james@thedailynote.net* Call or Text: (585) 371-8865* Leave a Voice Memo: thedailynote.net/contactP.S. I tell stories on radio stations and online five days a week. You can find them on Substack, Apple, Spotify, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, and wherever podcasts are available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesbrowntv.substack.com/subscribe
- 1 weeks ago0 min
Goblins
So apparently, ChatGPT picked up a verbal tic after an update. Mentions of goblins jumped 175%.The company traced it back to a personality option called "nerdy" that rewarded the bot for being playful.They eventually retired the nerdy setting, but the goblins kept coming.So they had to write code telling the bot to never bring up creatures unless somebody asked for them—which I find pretty funny.Here's the smartest people on the planet—or so they think—telling a machine to stop talking about made-up creatures unless we ask for them. Which we won't.Recent editions:Advice I’d Give My Kids SomedayYogurtThe Wrong Four Things‘No Elon’ Sticker at Costco and What It Says About How We Buy Things NowMichael B. Jordan and a sea of phonesHow often do you eat alone?One Canceled Dinner at a TimeWhat Happens When America’s Small-Business Owners Retire?Americans Are Buying Half the Movie Tickets They Used ToAre We Surrounded by Bad People?The Politicians Never PayThe best conversations are two-way streets. I want to hear from you.* Email: james@thedailynote.net* Call or Text: (585) 371-8865* Leave a Voice Memo: thedailynote.net/contactP.S. I tell stories on radio stations and online five days a week. You can find them on Substack, Apple, Spotify, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, and wherever podcasts are available.Source: Where the goblins came from This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesbrowntv.substack.com/subscribe
- 2 weeks ago1 min
When no one cares about your street
Walk down any street where potholes are patched, graffiti gets painted over, and streetlights work.Then walk down a street where none of that happens.You feel the difference immediately because a maintained street says someone cares about this place, and a rough street says no one's looking here.Order signals competence, and disorder signals abandonment.The message you send with neglect is louder than any single policy.It says we gave up on this place, and anyone who comes through there feels it, whether they want to or not.Recent editions:Advice I’d Give My Kids SomedayYogurtThe Wrong Four Things‘No Elon’ Sticker at Costco and What It Says About How We Buy Things NowMichael B. Jordan and a sea of phonesHow often do you eat alone?One Canceled Dinner at a TimeWhat Happens When America’s Small-Business Owners Retire?Americans Are Buying Half the Movie Tickets They Used ToAre We Surrounded by Bad People?The Politicians Never PayThe best conversations are two-way streets. I want to hear from you.* Email: james@thedailynote.net* Call or Text: (585) 371-8865* Leave a Voice Memo: thedailynote.net/contactP.S. I tell stories on radio stations and online five days a week. You can find them on Substack, Apple, Spotify, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, and wherever podcasts are available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesbrowntv.substack.com/subscribe
- 2 weeks ago1 min
The Power of Consistency
Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most successful comedians in history, and I once heard a story about him that I rely on to keep doing this show every day.A young comedian approached him and asked him his secret to his success.Seinfeld said, " Get a big wall calendar and a red marker.Write material each day,” he said, “And then put a big X on that day.And after a few days, you’ve got a chain.And then your only job is to not break that chain.That’s it. No inspiration required. No waiting on the right mood.Just put another X on the wall next to the other X’s.It’s the most boring advice in the world. It’s also the most useful.What’s the most boring piece of advice you’ve received?Recent editions:Advice I’d Give My Kids SomedayYogurtThe Wrong Four Things‘No Elon’ Sticker at Costco and What It Says About How We Buy Things NowMichael B. Jordan and a sea of phonesHow often do you eat alone?One Canceled Dinner at a TimeWhat Happens When America’s Small-Business Owners Retire?Americans Are Buying Half the Movie Tickets They Used ToAre We Surrounded by Bad People?The Politicians Never PayThe best conversations are two-way streets. I want to hear from you.* Email: james@thedailynote.net* Call or Text: (585) 371-8865* Leave a Voice Memo: thedailynote.net/contactP.S. I tell stories on radio stations and online five days a week. You can find them on Substack, Apple, Spotify, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, and wherever podcasts are available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesbrowntv.substack.com/subscribe
- 3 weeks ago1 min
How often do you eat alone?
Nobody decides to eat alone forever. It just sort of happens. You’re busy, so you eat at your desk.You’re tired, so you eat on your couch. And after enough days like that, eating with other people starts to feel like something that takes planning.A quarter of all Americans between 18 and 24 ate every single meal alone yesterday. And that number has doubled in the last 20 years.We didn’t choose this.It just sorta happened to us. One skipped dinner at a time until alone became our default.And the part that gets me is how many of us stopped noticing this situation. We just accept it these days.What about you?How often do you eat alone?Source:25% of young Americans aged 18 to 24 eat every meal alone—‘a virtual doubling of what it was two decades ago,’ expert sayshttps://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/14/25percent-of-young-americans-aged-18-to-24-eat-every-meal-alone.htmlRecent editions:Yogurt‘No Elon’ Sticker at Costco and What It Says About How We Buy Things NowMichael B. Jordan and a sea of phonesOne Canceled Dinner at a TimeWhat Happens When America’s Small-Business Owners Retire?Americans Are Buying Half the Movie Tickets They Used ToAre We Surrounded by Bad People?The Politicians Never PayThe best conversations are two-way streets. I want to hear from you.* Email: james@thedailynote.net* Call or Text: (585) 371-8865* Leave a Voice Memo: thedailynote.net/contactP.S. I tell stories on radio stations and online five days a week. You can find them on Substack, Apple, Spotify, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, and wherever podcasts are available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesbrowntv.substack.com/subscribe
- 3 weeks ago1 min
Americans Spend $219 a Month on Subscriptions — And Have No Idea
$219 a month. That’s what the average American spends on subscriptions, according to C+R research. But when we were asked to guess how much we spend, we said $86. We’re off by more than half.And that makes sense, I guess. We signed up for each subscription once. And we said yes once. And then we were charged forever. And then the price kept going up and up and up. While our bank accounts went down, down, down. It’s a quiet autopilot. Ingenious and insidious. The average person has 12 of these subscriptions, and we only use like half of them. It’s a great business if you can get into it.What do you think? How many of these subscriptions do you have? And if you had to start over, how many would you keep?Recent editions:Yogurt‘No Elon’ Sticker at Costco and What It Says About How We Buy Things NowMichael B. Jordan and a sea of phonesOne Canceled Dinner at a TimeWhat Happens When America’s Small-Business Owners Retire?Americans Are Buying Half the Movie Tickets They Used ToAre We Surrounded by Bad People?The Politicians Never PayThe best conversations are two-way streets. I want to hear from you.* Email: james@thedailynote.net* Call or Text: (585) 371-8865* Leave a Voice Memo: thedailynote.net/contactP.S. I tell stories on radio stations and online five days a week. You can find them on Substack, Apple, Spotify, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, and wherever podcasts are available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesbrowntv.substack.com/subscribe
About The James Brown Commentary
The Daily Note is a daily commentary podcast that finds deeper meaning in everyday moments. Host James A. Brown explores how our world really works through thoughtful observation and authentic storytelling.Each short-form episode starts with something specific James noticed while walking downtown, a conversation overheard in a coffee shop, or a small detail that revealed something larger about modern life. These aren't political hot takes or partisan commentary. The Daily Note offers genuine reflection and systems thinking for busy professionals.This daily podcast serves listeners who want intelligent analysis without the noise. Perfect for commuters, coffee breaks, and anyone seeking thoughtful perspective on current events, workplace dynamics, and American culture.The Daily Note delivers smart commentary, personal storytelling, and practical insights in bite-sized episodes that respect your time and intelligence. New episodes Monday through Friday.Commentary for people who want t
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