Good Good Things – Issue 16
Happy Halloween, peeps! Please enjoy this hefty bagful of fun-sized treats. No rocks.
Lawrence Welk’s Dancing Skeletons
The Found Footage fellas have blessed us with this hypnotic and bone-rattling dance performance. Take some time to enjoy the background characters, too. I’m a big fan of Frankenstein with the very budget headpiece.
We dug up a VHS recording of the 1979 Lawrence Welk Show Halloween special, and it did not disappoint.
Elijah Wood Crashes a Wedding at Hobbiton
Did you know you can visit the “Lord of the Rings” movie set where the Hobbits lived? It’s called Hobbiton. You can even dress up as one of those filthy little creatures and get married there.
Welcome to The Shire™, home of the Hobbiton Movie Set, where The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies were filmed. When location scouts found the Alexanders’ spectacular 1250-acre sheep and beef farm just outside of Matamata, it was clear this would be the perfect setting for Sir Peter Jackson’s adaptation of these classic works by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Not a Shire person? Here are some alternatives: 18 Famous Filming Locations You Can Book for a Destination Wedding
Teenagers in Their Bedrooms in the 1990s
I absolutely love these photos of teens who are both so vulnerable and yet so proud of who they are and what they like. My brother and I shared a room with two giant 4-by-6-foot tall Yes and Led Zeppelin posters looming above our beds. “Our bedrooms tell stories about us. They become the repository for memories, desire, and self-image” – American photographer Adrienne Salinger.
Upon its release in 1995, Adrienne Salinger’s book In My Room sold nearly 24,000 copies in its first few years. She hears from current teenagers often; many send her pictures of their bedrooms today.
Last Minute Halloween Treat Ideas
Today is Halloween! What do you do when you run out of candy on Halloween? Chip and Jeff have the answers! They also tell you what costumes they’d pay to see on Halloween night.
The Ska Tune Network: Pick It Up!
Jeremy Hunter is pure joy. A mad-skills musician manning multiple instruments, JER conjures up high-energy ska-enfused covers. I’m a big fan. “Iris” (above) is an all-timer, and his latest is “Ghostbusters,” a perfect soundtrack to skank around your neighborhood and get some candy and scare some kids.
Visit the Ska Tune Network for more!
Musician JER (Jeremy Hunter) of Ska Tune Network is an American YouTuber, musician, composer, and music educator who hosts the YouTube channel Skatune Network, where they post ska covers of popular songs. They have also released original music under the name JER, played trombone for ska punk band We Are the Union since 2015, and performed on albums by The Bruce Lee Band, Jeff Rosenstock, and Illuminati Hotties. Prominent on social media, Hunter has been outspoken about the history and current state of ska music, earning the fan nickname “The CEO of Ska”.
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The 30 Greatest Albums of 1985
A tribute to one of the richest years in music history.
The writers at Paste have good taste in music, and this is a very solid list (even with the glaring omissions of Squirrel Bait and I Don’t Want to Grow Up).
Find Your Local Food Bank
Now more than ever (sadly), we need to help each other because that’s who we are and that’s what we do.
Find your Local Food Bank and Donate >
Pizza Friday Song
“Jeff, I love eating pizza on Pizza Friday. What’s a tasty song to play to get me in the pizza-eating mood?
Me (eating some practice pizza on Thursday): “That’s easy. Here ya go…”
The Drums on “Tom Sawyer” Breakdown
Get behind your kit and try to keep up with Drumeo’s Brandon Toews as he breaks down this Rush masterpiece.
“Tom Sawyer” is a drummer’s dream, showcasing Neil Peart’s unmatched skill and creativity. From the instantly recognizable intro hi-hat groove to the intricate 7/8 groove during the keyboard solo, and the explosive drum solo that follows, Peart’s performance on this track is a masterclass in drumming. It’s a perfect example of why he earned the nickname “The Professor”.
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! (1966): 10 Wild Facts You Didn’t Know!
Volunteer at The Philly Marathon
Want a fun way to spend an autumn Saturday or Sunday, cheering on tired, sweaty, and inspiring people? Volunteer at the Philly Marathon or Half Marathon. It’s a good time, and the vibes are top-notch. I’ll be at the Manayunk Water Stop on Sunday, handing out beverages and telling the runners, “You’re almost there!” (a lie).
Join me. Here are some of the positions they are looking to fill:
- Packet Pickup-Health & Fitness Expo – (Friday)
- Start & Finish Line – Corrals (Saturday )
- Gear Check – (Saturday and Sunday)
- Course Marshalls – (Saturday)
- Water Stops on the Course (Saturday)
Happy Big-Ass Leaf Season
Exclusive Big-Ass Leaf video >
The Beths Wearing Pants
Strange to see these casual Kiwis not wearing shorts on stage, but so happy to see them hit the big time. They performed the song “Straight Line Was A Lie” on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and they crushed it. It’s a strong frontrunner for my favorite song of the year. I know very little about musicals, but this banger reminds me of an Act I finale that will be revisited later with the entire cast joining in. Love these kids.
The new record rules.
Delaware Trail Fest Race Recap
I wrote about running 50 miles, dealing with some pain and grief, scaring some hikers with a tumble, and having a good day. Read here >
Rest in Peace, Pierre Robert
Philly lost a real one. True legend. Here are some kind words from his friend Jon Bon Jovi and fellow Philly DJ Bruce Warren.
Quick Hits
- The sci-fi films that physicists love to watch — from Interstellar to Spider-Man
- Sea Otters May Be Small Marine Mammals, But Their Effect on an Ecosystem Can Be Huge
- How an Oregon writer finds fulfillment in picking up litter
- PJ Harvey – EPK: Stories From The City, Stories From Sea
- Hi, It’s Me, Wikipedia, and I Am Ready for Your Apology
- Relax with Some Japanese Coffee Videos
- Why Kristen Wiig Was Certain This Raunchy Box Office Hit Was A Total Dud
- Portland coffee shop raises over $86,000 to feed people losing SNAP benefits
- Beware: Gruesome Halloween Horror!
- Watch Ink & Dagger play their first show in nearly 15 years, with Geoff Rickly on vocals
Follow The Bird Bat Wherever It May Fly
Bird Bat Industries CEO, Jeff T. Owens, does not make art for everyone. He makes it just for you. Bold and bizarre shirts, caps, pins, and art prints all waiting for you at Bird Bat Industries. Get some!
Very Good Music
See more music recommendations >
Bluesky
“too many people have main character syndrome” not me. i love being an npc. just idly standing around, watching the birds. oh you going on a quest? can you bring me back something
— Ali Garfinkel (@aligarchy.bsky.social) July 18, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Me on my way to return clothes: “Hold on, I gotta come up with a backstory.”
— Erin Whitehead (@girlwithatail.bsky.social) October 27, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Halloween is in just ONE WEEK!?! [practices even more furiously playing a skeleton’s ribs like a xylophone]
— RedruM (@dorsalstream.bsky.social) October 24, 2025 at 10:03 AM
At the park & I was walking toward a lady with a Peter Pan collar & a I-assumed-ironic argyle sweater & aviator sunglasses with a totally forgettable pal & then she said hi & asked if she could talk to me about the scriptures* & I was like, “gay & late…but I fully support your look.”
— Michael Jay McClure (@mjmimages.bsky.social) October 25, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Helping my 79-yrar-old Dad with some non-emergency medical stuff and now I know what it’s like to be a congressional aide.
— Brian McFadden (@mcfadden.bsky.social) October 28, 2025 at 1:09 PM
God looks out for hamburgers who help themselves
— Matt the Starting Over Guy (@theinfinitedadness.bsky.social) October 28, 2025 at 11:06 AM
[poet experiencing their first ever sunset] is this… is this about me?
— Steven (with a PH) (@sjksalisbury.bsky.social) October 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Feel like if a kindly neighbor informed me of a cemetery that reanimates dead pets, I’d swiftly change the subject to sports.
— Kip Conlon (@kipconlon.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 9:54 PM
I love how Rep. Joe Neguse reframed this question.
— KNinja (@khrisnin.bsky.social) October 31, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Take care of each other
FDT forever. See you soon with more goodness…
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