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
It was Thanksgiving on Thursday. Apparently. But as the audience for this newsletter is majority American (as it is for virtually everything online of course) it is only fitting to acknowledge this occasion in this weeks introductory letter. Plus I think it is a good thing to do- to give thanks- and it is something that it is very easy to neglect while you are (overly) focused on your own life and work.
So I want to give thanks to everyone who contributes to this STSC round-up every week- every single essayist, storyteller, artist, podcaster, poet and photographer who makes these collections so worthwhile.
I want to thank everyone for consistently creating good work (because don’t forget I read everything that is posted every single week, imagine how much of an ordeal that would be if this stuff were mediocre.)
I want to thank everyone who is active in our community and who have contributed to it being the best place on the internet. I want to thank everyone who has supported this project whether it be through financial contribution, time, energy, encouragement and feedback.
And of course I want to thank every single reader, every single person who shares these newsletters and encourages people to sign up and become a part of this thing we are building. We couldn’t do it without you.
Have a great weekend,
Until next time,
Live well,
Tom.
Essays
Reviewing ourselves by Oleg
What we say when we review something often says more about ourselves than the work we are ostensibly discussing. Snobbery and signalling run deep. Great piece by Oleg here.
Poetic Paradox by Yardena Schwersky
We’re all constantly changing. As we grow, we hold certain things close and leave others by the wayside. Sometimes we return to lost loves. Every day we shape ourselves, trying out new designs. Some additions are sturdy, while others crack and fall away under the pressure.
There’s a lot packed into a small number of lines with this one. Deceptively so. A lovely short meditation.
Clarion Call by Paul Publisher
Paul just goes from strength to strength with these astrological discussions. Consistently, genuinely thought provoking work.
Requiem for Sean in D Minor by Charlie Becker
Charlie’s greatest work to date. Hands down. Extremely intense, emotional, powerful, honest. Takes courage to write like this, as well as skill.
Who Started The Fire? by Yuelian Hong
I know this is a true life account but from a storytelling perspective it is excellent. Leads you one way and then the other, and reminds you that the chaos internet is nothing compared to the potential chaos of reality.
the spectrum of belief: part two, the drop of blood in a bowl of milk by Kimia
Kimia continues her testimony. Great voice, honesty, unflinching. A chance to walk in someone else’s shoes which is the essence of prose for me.
Creator Spotlight - Vanya Bagaev by Mark Dykeman
The irrepressible Mark interview the hyper-talented Vanya. STSC x STSC. Mark is doing us all a great service with this one, a fantastic initiative brilliantly executed.
The Art of Creative Cycling by James Maynard
An insiders view into the life of a poet by the immensely gifted James.
Happy Early National Sardines Day!!! by Alex Dobrenko
Sardines, Cashews, being an agony uncle and weird Wikihow illustrations. Alex has excelled himself again. Hilarious and unique.
Creating Art, Creating Resilience by AK O’Brien
On painting during a pandemic. Using the process to process. A very insightful short piece here.
On Spirit by Frank Theodat
I won’t go into the all the reboots and remakes of mainstream film, or comic books, or the music scene, or the state of publishing. You don’t have to look far for those discussions. But I understand that feeling of being stagnant or being in a cultural hamster wheel. Have faith, dear reader, for it is not all dark and gloomy thanks to the growing market of independent artists and creators.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. This quote captures exactly why the STSC exists. Be the change.
The Decision Dilemma - Chapter 2 by Victor Casler
Victor continues to serialise his book chapter by chapter. And by the strength of what he has posted so far the finished book will be a must own. I know I’ll be getting a copy, anyway.
Curious Realizer - Coffee-less and Fountain-Penned by Mark Dykeman
A second feature for the workhorse Mark. So as well as the Vanya interview we have this clever, innovative piece which shows Mark’s chops at tying things together.
The Wit's Guide to Feminism by Get Wit Quick
You can’t imagine my delight when one of my favourite writers on all of Substack became an STSC member. So welcome aboard Benjamin! I highly recommend everyone sub to Get Wit Quick and then dig into the extensive archive. Because as well as being excellent GWQ is also very underrated.
Putting out the fires by Simon Nazer
The Bear, never-ending problems, Freud, travel anxiety. Simon is a real original. Love his voice, love his insight. A real pleasure to read his essays.
Life Itself by gkgaius
Embrace life itself.
Wise words. Ones to keep and use as a mantra.
To Fight Inflation, Build Starter Homes by Stephanie Losi
Stephanie has a real gift for taking seemingly ‘boring’ topics- in this case building shortfall and mortgage rates and making you see just how important and interesting they truly are. That’s a real skill.
Bookmark #591 by Deepansh
when you return to a place after a long time, you feel this sense of belonged alienation.
True poetry from the ridiculously prolific and consistent Deepansh.
What is Education For? by Timothy
But I think the heart. Education should be about people. About the good life. And you can only know the good life if you know yourself. Facts won’t ever help you be happy. Unless that fact is I know who I am.
Timothy’s writing is vital. A man on a mission, truly. Genuinely inspiring stuff from someone with plenty of skin in the game.
The Life With A Hole In It by Charles Schifano
Yet the recent publication of le Carré’s selected letters might compel some readers to ask themselves a few tricky questions, especially those readers who complain about the quality of contemporary language, or about the informality and illiteracy in texts and emails. How exactly, these readers might ask, would their private correspondence fare on the printed page?
As I say every single week Charles is an incredible writer and thinker and I am always proud to showcase his work here. Another gem from him.
Travel Diaries #38 - Cổ Loa by Gavin Brennan
The major requirement of a good travel writer is to be able to take you there. To make you see it, hear it, feel it. Gavin has that gift in spades. Always a pleasure to travel with him via these accounts.
Superstitious Kissing Wards Off Satan
This might crack the top 3 of all-time great Trilety essay titles, and regular readers will know that that is an extremely high bar to clear. Another banger.
It's the least I can do by Lyle McKeany
And the least I can do is to acknowledge how much of an excellent writer, and more importantly, how much of an excellent human being Lyle is. Plus I now have some more great writers to get to know better.
Fiction/Poetry
The Debut Project: Chapter the last by Vanya Bagaev
Bravo! That’s all I have to say. What a work of art this is. I loved it.
Raftman entered his house (Super Short Story) by Kieran Majury
Just grabs you and doesn’t let go. And of course the dialogue is outstanding which is Kieran’s trademark with these super short stories. Great dialogue can convey so much with so little. Excellent work.
November poems by Oleg
‘The Lithuanian Diminutive’ especially is phenomenal. Truly fantastic.
Quench by Andrew Bryant
A photograph, a Haiku, a great success. Well played, Andrew.
Art
Bounty- A Still Life Exploration; Series Complete by Monette Satterfield
The still life project is complete which means that you know have the opportunity to buy some of these lovely works of art. The link takes you to the catalogue which I highly recommend everyone peruse. Beautiful art should always be supported
Podcasts
Giving Thanks by Pr0ph3t
Not sure I’d quite call this a ‘podcast’ but I always enjoy a bit of Pr0ph3t audio when it crops up.
A Small Talk about Small Talk Talk (Tragedies of Modernity #25) by Thomas J Bevan and Craig Burgess
Although I apologies for the bowel moment talk I refuse to apologise for the guru advertising reads slander. Someone has to say something.
The Power (Half) Hour #1 (The Wednesday Audio #80) by Craig Burgess
I cannot categorically confirm that DJ Craig is available to play weddings, but I suspect that he’ll put a shift in if the price is right…
TJB Film Recommendation
Cléo From 5 to 7 (1962)
D. Agnès Varda
W. Agnès Varda
S. Corinne Marchand, Antoine Bourseiller, Dominique Davray
Being a French New Wave film, this of course had a few inexplicable minutes of corny Franco wackiness in the middle that made me cringe. I have to point this out at the outset. Now, the French are many things and have many attributes but humour is not one of them. So why all of these films always have to include a mortifying song or a dance routine or a mime show or whatever is beyond me. But anyway.
That quibble aside Cleo From 5 to 7 is truly a gem, a fantastic film wherein our titular heroine passes two hours of her life awaiting the results of a medical test that might confirm her suspicions she has cancer. That’s the good stuff, the documentary like scenes of Cleo on the streets of sixties Paris, hailing taxis, ordering coffees, singing, fretting, smoking, thinking. That’s what we want from French cinema.
I loved this film overall, the structural conceit of ‘real time’, the cinematography, the energy of the street with it’s students and proto David Blaine frog-swallowing street performers and so on. The ending was also excellently done and showed how when all is said and done, meaningful connection is all you need to get you through.
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 the streak will (hopefully) continue as 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!
I'm always amazed at the amount and quality of the work here. Thank you for the effort you put in to collect and curate it all. Also, thank you for the lovely compliments on my recent art series and catalog, so much appreciated!
Seeing my stuff alongside essays, poems, stories and visual stuff produced by way stronger creators is such an amazing feeling. STSC is serendipity and awe in a bottle.