This Omnibus is brought to you by The Soaring Twenties Social Club. Everything you want to know about our community and why you should join is contained within this post ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Letter From The Founder
After my latest essay on tea became a surprise viral hit and after the success of Thursdays Symposium on home we have seen an uptick in Social Club members which is a wonderful thing.
I am delighted to say that we are now up to 246 members, meaning that there are only 54 spots remaining. (Act now! While stocks last! etc)
But more importantly I am thrilled that this success has come solely as a result of our members putting out quality work and (re)discovering their love for their chosen medium. I created the STSC and these weekly Omnibuses because they were what I myself was looking for. A private online space where people have fun and act like real human beings and become real friends and create authentic and meaningful work.
The STSC has become this place, and as to the quality of the work, I have to simply point to this issue and all of the pieces in it to prove that the gang here walk the walk like few others I have encountered in my years online.
I hope you enjoy this latest collection, especially those of you who are brand new readers. Feel free to comment below or send me an email if you have any feedback or questions.
Until next week,
Live well,
Essays
Four Lessons On Child-like Creativity by Frank
Now normally the cynic in me would roll his eyes at a list based article on the creative process. But fortunately Frank gets it and is an actual practitioner meaning that his advice here is real and has the ring of truth rather than being second hand truisms. Recommended.
weekly digest: in which I finally get to ‘Nope’ by Maryann
Maryann’s work ethic is unbelievable. Plus I appreciated the Delia Derbyshire reference. Derbyshire is one of those people who is both hugely influential and massively underrated at the same time.
Remastered: Do What You Can by Pr0ph3t
Deckard and the battle between ‘pop kitsch cyberpunk’ and solarpunk. Genuinely thought provoking stuff ad always from one of the most consistent and intriguing thinkers in the STSC squad.
The trauma plot is a problem play, and the problem is it's boring by Thomas Kealy
There’s a new kid on the writing block, a technique that has come from seemingly nowhere to dominate plotting. You see it everywhere: almost all contemporary Young Adult fiction will use it, movies love it, and it’s all over TV. I’m talking of the ‘trauma plot.
A fantastic read this, I learned a lot from it. All writers need to check this out.
The Sh*t Content Self Referrential Magical Roundabout by Craig
Craig adds another chapter to his ‘confessions of a content creator’ material. This is genuinely important stuff that very few people within the online world are willing to tackle as bravely and head on as this. Essential reading.
ON/OFF by Olli
He’s back! And it has certainly been worth the wait. Out man from Finland drops another gem with this one.
bookmark #504 by Deepansh
504 and not a single dud yet. Incredible body of work and this piece is no different. It just keeps going from strength to strength.
Reflection #11 by Clint
How much can you squeeze into a single paragraph? A lot more than you would think, as Clint’s latest reflection amply demonstrates.
Meditation on Inevitable Death by ?!
This one caused a real stir over at the STSC hang out. Lots of people lavishing praise on this piece and saying how much it touched them and made them think. And it’s easy to see why. A remarkable piece of work from ?! here, perhaps his finest to date.
Reflections And Subversion by Trilety
Not only is she a great writer but she takes tons of cool photos in reflective surfaces too as this collection shows. Another string to the bow.
How About These Links #13 - Sept. 2/22 by Mark
Mark is a very busy man, as this weekly round up shows. And he also has a deep passion for graphic design as the heading for each section here demonstrates (click the link and you’ll see what I mean).
The Maldives: A Week of Wonder By Sam Childress
Say hello to new member Sam. In her Omnibus debut she treats us to a photo filled piece on the Maldives. I am trying to keep my envy contained as I type out this intro here. But I’ll push that to one side and say that you should all subscribe to Sam’s sub and say hello to her in the comments.
Punctuation by Charles Schifano
Charles can make a discourse on something as seemingly as dull as punctuation genuinely fascinating. One of the best essayists in the game on any platform and in any format. He’s that good.
A day in the life of a writer who is also a dad and husband etc by Alex
New member Alex gets of to a flying start in his Omnibus debut. Read it and then subscribe to his newsletter. Highly recommended.
The Clever, the Intelligent and the Importance of Vocabulary by Thomas J Bevan
Cleverness, intelligence and wisdom. No they are not the same thing, they are in fact quite difference. I’m pretty pleased with how this one turned out I must say.
Imitatio Machina by Luke Burgis
Psalms, tech, Girard, porn-addiction and more. This is vintage Luke material here. Well worth a read.
Summer in the swamp by Yardena
A third Omnibus debut this week! And other gem of a piece. Make sure to read this, sub to Yardena’a Substack and say hello over at the comments section. The depth and breadth of the STSC talent pool has noticeably increased a notch this week. You love to see it.
Can you believe this weather? by Lyle
The older I get the more I have learned to stop worrying and love the small talk that punctuates our days. Lyle’s latest explains this in his usual eloquent and straight-down-the-line style. A lovely, lovely piece.
Fiction
Pulling no punch cards by Oleg
Oleg treats us to another one from the archive. You know someone is good when the only criticism you can draw is that you want to read more stories in the same setting.
(Audio) Reviews by Vanya
A new audio recording of one of Vanya’s ‘bed time tales for adults’. It’s great to see someone using audio for something more than a dull, rambling podcast.
Poetry
Whom You Love, You Chastise by G.K. Gaius
I won’t spoil the surprise by reprinting this here, but I will say that you must click the link and read our mans latest verse. Wonderful stuff.
Sonnet 3 by Adam Kozak
She came to me in restful sleep, a dark
Crowned maiden, softly treading star-lit trails
All clothed in silver samite without mark,
And umber eyes did flash in form so pale.
My voice was choked, an arid-bedded flow.
Uncertain mind perplexed by scene inverse,
To see th’ impossible but not to know
That dreamer’s blessing is the dreamer’s curse.
Said I, “Who are you, maiden fair, and whence
Came you? Your name? For I know you, though I
remember not.” “Why ask what you can sense?”
She laughed, “Come see, for this is not good-bye.”
At her command I woke at last to see.
I found that which I sought and it was she.
Translation
A Conversation Between A Drunken Man And A Sober Chort by Chekhov (Translated by Vanya)
I’ve said it before as much as I love Vanya the storyteller (see above) and Vanya the essayist, I am also very, very fond of Vanya the translator as he unearths these Chekhov classics for those of us who cannot read the original Russian. We appreciate it, friend!
Podcasts
The intro is coming (Wednesday Audio #68) by Craig Burgess
He’s mixing it up for us dirty listeners. But the Donkey List funk music remains as some things cannot and should not be changed.
If you’re a convert you’ll enjoy this, if you’re unfamiliar it will make even less sense than the previous borderline incomprehensible episodes.
TJB Film Recommendation
Angels With Dirty Faces (1938)
D. Howard Hawks
W. Ben Hecht, Warren Duff, John Wexley, Rowland Brown
S. James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, Humphrey Bogart,
One of the greatest crime films of the classic era. Directed by Michael Curtis of Casablanca fame and starring an electrifying Cagney in one of his most magnificent performances. You’ve got Pat O’Brien as the priest and moral centrepiece of the film and you’ve got an up and coming Bogart as the villain the piece. The Dead End Kids provide some laughs and are a good foil for Cagney to showcase his tough guy with (something of) a heart charm. Maybe it’s a bit heavy-handed in its moralising but I don’t really care. It may be a product of its time, but what a product it is.
Enjoy.
Thanks as always for reading/listening and thanks in advance for pressing all of those various buttons at the bottom which help the Omnibus spread further.
Also I can again confirm that Craig and I will be recording a new episode of the Tragedies of Modernity podcast tonight at 8pm GMT. We’ll host it and record it live from the STSC community and then post it via this Substack tomorrow.
If you want to join us live and listen in and post questions/comments/heckles in the podcast channel chat you are more than welcome. You simply have to sign up to the community first.
I look forward to seeing you over at the Social Club.
Cheers!
A great, eclectic, collection. Thank you.