Letter From The Founder
Leisure- possibly the most STSC of all topics. Because although we are pretty prolific as a collective what truly unites us here, I think, is that elusive quest for the good life. Creativity and the arts draw in the idlers, or maybe it is working on such pursuits that make a person slow down, reassess, and discover a more relaxed (or at least intentional) pace of living. The old chicken and the egg.
So we know a thing or two about leisure and are doggedly cultivating leisure, as much as the modern world will allow us too anyway.
In a much earlier Symposium we covered the topic of Work and it was clear from that collection that we weren’t really big fans of the whole work-for-a-living routine. Sure, there’s nobility in self-sufficiency and there is (potentially) real camaraderie to be had in the workplace- if not meaning, even- but given the choice we’d rather kick back and work on our extracurricular creative projects. We’d rather live a life of leisure. I’m sure that’s a pretty universal sentiment, especially once you get people to drop the grimace-smile LinkedIn facade that so many are compelled to project.
But leisure is a serious business. It’s not the same thing as inertia, as loafing around (although that has its place too), as mere inactivity. It’s something that can and should be mastered, the same as any other worthwhile skill or craft. Ancient civilisations knew this. Centuries of nobility knew this. Now it’s time for us to (re)learn this vital skill.
Hopefully this Symposium will prove to be a good starting point.
Enjoy.
Essays
The Purple-Tinted Spectacle by Clint
Anyone who owns a cat knows that they are the 9th Dan grandmasters of leisure. We can learn from them. We would do good to emulate them more. Apart from the self-cleaning method and hairball depositing part, of course. But I’m sure you’ll see what Clintavo is getting at here.
Home Cooking is the Thing by Dane
I know it’s become a cliched little phrase of the overly online youth, but I can’t help but observe that in every sense of the word Dane Benko is cooking with this one. Happy that he’s using the STSC to muse out loud. That’s what it’s there for.
The true and tragic tale of Guillaume du Vintrais by Konstantin
Konstantin Asimonov seems to be in possession of this great archive of excellent, previously unpublished bangers. Not to put pressure on him but I can see him stealing the show during the next Symposium on ‘Spring Cleaning.’ But back in the present, I can’t overstate just how good this piece is. He calls this tale… ‘maybe one of the most personally important—and hearbreaking—stories in literature that I know.’
He’s not wrong.
P.L.A.Y. O.U.T.S.I.D.E.* by Jeanne
Possibly the most important acronym since Wu Tang’s C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me). Jeanne S is talking pure sense here, you all need to listen to her, I’m telling you. If nothing else there might be some government cheese in it for you…
The Myth of Leisure in 2030 by Michael K
I said in the intro that leisure is serious business. Michael K gets that and he breaks it all down here. This is genuinely an important read and truly thought provoking. Read it.
Fiction
Of Love, Leisure, and Reality Checks by Vanya
‘Oh look, I’m Vanya Bagaev I can just publish great stories whenever I want. I can pluck them out of the air at will. It’s no big deal.’
No I’m not seething with envy at Vanya’s incredible talent and work ethic. Whatever gave you that idea?
Skull Card Flush by Greg
Greg Lemon slips under the radar, but he’s on a real run with his fiction. Ideas and execution both. A lot of writers are one or the other, but Greg here seems to have both attributes going for him. He’s gonna go from strength to strength I wager.
Sniffy & Piggy by Minna
Minna blesses us with an excerpt from an unpublished book. Will it remain unpublished? Who knows, but I’m glad that at least this extract has seen the light of day because I really think it deserves to be read.
A Day Off by Adam K
Some people listen to music on the train to work. Some read the newspaper. Some guzzle coffee to stop themselves from falling to sleep. Me, I read Adam Kozak stories. Try it. You can’t go wrong with an Adam K tale to start you day off right.
Fish by Terry
Terry Freedman Excels at flash fiction. I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. But he really does though, all silly puns aside.
Requiescence by Tony
Don’t call it a comeback. Just enjoy the fact that the prodigal, mercurial Tony has casually decided to realise some fiction. As if it’s not a big deal at all. Many internet dorks can learn from the way that Tony plays the game.
Pertinent Repost
An Aspiring Man of Leisure by Clint
This was first feature in the sister Symposium to this one on Work. But it’s very good and has leisure in the title so I thought I’d let Clintavo have two bites of the cherry seeing as he usually does that anyway!
So that was the STSC symposium on the topic of Leisure. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
The Symposium is our flagship product (so to speak) and we are going to continue to put out quality editions every month. But the rest of this Soaring Twenties Social Club venture is going through an exciting time of flux right now. There is lots of talk in our Discord community about how we can improve upon our current tri-weekly structure to make what we do even better. More news on this will be forthcoming as it develops and we would really love to hear any feedback, suggestions and ideas that you have in the comments.
We are always grateful for all of the support this project receives, and appreciate the time that people take to read our work, share it and comment on it.
And of course we are immensely thankful for all of the contributors and for those who help keep the STSC going via their kind support.
Cheers.
TJB.
Thanks, Tom! I actually have a few things stashed away for Spring Cleaning...
LOL Thanks, Tom . Chortle