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STORIES. ART. WIT. LEISURE.

ISSUE 74, MAY 1, 2026.

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Owl, photo courtesy of CENTER for BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

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NEWEST STORIES (MEMBERS ONLY)

every now and then

May 1, 2026 · EMILY SLEPSKY · ATLANTA, GA.
Artwork: "LOVE 48.60.2" by J. King Artworks.
A year after leaving the tiny blue house off Artisan Place, one writer reflects on the housemates, the noise, and the beautiful impermanence of a life that felt like home.

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PEAK(S)

Jun 20, 2025 · EMILY SLEPSKY · ATLANTA, GA.
Artwork: “a little while” by Kirk Stansbury.
A postgrad reflection on what it means to “peak” in life, the nostalgia of college, and learning to hold the moment as it happens.

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ONE HUNDRED WORDS | 65

May 1, 2026 · COOL HAND FRANK
Artwork: “breaking glass” by Obscure Nonspecifics, all rights reserved.

A serialized thriller told in precise 100-word installments, this tale follows a successful attorney accustomed to control navigating increasingly dangerous threats to his professional and personal worlds.

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SOME QUESTIONS FOR HAN CHI PAINTER MAXINE XU

Apr 17, 2026 · COOL HAND FRANK
Artwork: “The Secret Eternal Love – Destined Beyond Time” by Han Chi Art Gallery, all rights reserved.
Chinese painter Maxine Xu explains the hidden messages in her Han Chi art, the spiritual power of jade, and how ancient Chinese jade carvings inspire her contemporary paintings and abstract works.

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THE "ART" OF NONCHALANCE

Apr 17, 2026 · MARIANNA GAVURMADZHYAN · BOSTON, MASS.
Artwork: "THE SHELL SEEKER" by Ray Brilli Fine Art, all rights reserved.
This accompanying artwork is the original, protected, and sole property of artist Ray Brilli Fine Art and held under copyright. Ray Brilli Fine Art’s images, artwork, and content on this website and his website may not be copied, collected, or used for personal or professional gain without prior written authorization from him.
Why do people find nonchalance attractive? Explore how social media destroyed mystery and why emotional withholding has become the new currency of cool—and what it costs genuine connection.

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“OPIUM” HIP-HOP IS THIRD WAVE PSYCHEDELIC MUSIC (PART 3)

Apr 17, 2026 · MATTHEW H. NEWELL · BLOOMINGTON, ILL.
Artwork: “Freedom” by Marilyn Binder Silverman, all rights reserved.
This accompanying artwork is the original, protected, and sole property of artist Marilyn Binder Silverman and held under copyright. Marilyn Binder Silverman’s images, artwork, and content on this website and her website may not be copied, collected, or used for personal or professional gain without prior written authorization from her.

The third psychedelic wave didn't happen in fields or warehouses — it happened in bedrooms. Explore how codeine, Xanax, and sedative culture shaped a generation's sound, from DJ Screw's Houston tapes to Playboi Carti's Opium aesthetic and the rise of sad rap.

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