Good Good Things – Issue 13
Friends, we are smack dab in the midst of Spooky Season, a two-month-long celebration of gruesome decorations, 12-foot lawn skeletons, haunted hayrides, intense costume prep, and giddy anticipation of America’s favorite holy day, Halloween. I’m not a horror guy, but I’ve grown to love the holiday because my kids were and still are very into getting dressed up, trick-or-treating, and just taking a fun and well-earned break from life for a couple of days. Good for them and good for everyone who celebrates. Also, I do appreciate (eat bags of) mini Kit-Kats and Nestle Crunch bars, so bring it on! Speaking of good candy…
“John Candy: I Like Me” – Official Trailer
There are way too many hilarious and touching John Candy moments in film to mention but I’ll offer up this gem: my dad loved the scene in “Summer Rental” where John is sitting at the cramped rental kitchen table, which is uncomfortably close to the walkway outside, and a nosy kid stops to stare in the window a few inches away and a perturbed John simply grabs a fly swatter and bats him away. Absolutely perfect scene.
When a loved one passes away, I always fear people will forget about them. That’s why I try to talk about my parents often. I’m glad this film was made to keep this good guy in our thoughts.
John Candy: I Like Me, an exploration of the life of the Canadian comedic icon. This John Candy film documents his on- and off-camera existence, featuring never-before-seen home videos, intimate access to his family, and candid recollections from collaborators to paint a bigger picture of one of the brightest stars of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. It’s the story of a son, husband, father, friend, and professional driven to bring joy to audiences and loved ones while battling personal ghosts and Hollywood pressures.
The 25 Best Picture Books of the Past 25 Years
So many lovely reads here. Check out all of Slate’s coverage of this century’s revolution in children’s literature.
The industry, encouraged by activist organizations like We Need Diverse Books, has belatedly come to understand the value of making books that, in the words of the influential academic Rudine Sims Bishop, offer young readers not only “mirrors” of their own experience but “windows” into the lives of others. Stories by and about nonwhite, nonstraight people are now much more likely to appear in libraries and bookstores, become bestsellers, and win awards.
Love a Good Punk Show Poster
This line-up is insane, and this poster art by @lukaskroldesign perfectly captures the intensity, energy, fun, and sly humor you can expect at the show. There was a fantastic blog back in the 2010s that featured punk and alternative show poster art. I think it was on Tumblr and featured artists like Daniel Danger, Jay Ryan, Dan Stiles, strawberryluna, Dan Grzeca, Dan McCarthy, Tim Gough, Lil Tuffy, and more, and I CANNOT remember the name of the now-defunct site, and it is driving me nuts. If you remember, please let me know posthaste.
Fun fact about the mighty Samiam: Back in the mid-90s, they had the web domain “GoSamGo.com” and I thought that was rad, so I bought GoJeffGo.com.
You: “Jeff, I was hoping for a cooler fun fact, but I guess that will do.”
‘Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery – The Untold Story’
I don’t have Hulu, so I will probably never see this, but, damn, this looks so good and is 100% in my wheelhouse of watching any and every music documentary. This groundbreaking festival featured top-tier female musicians, including Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Tracy Chapman, Jewel, Paula Cole, Suzanne Vega, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Fiona Apple, Joan Osborne, The Cardigans, Emmylou Harris, Lisa Loeb, Indigo Girls, Shawn Colvin, Meredith Brooks, Tracy Bonham, India Arie, Natalie Merchant, and more.
Read this excellent Vogue article for more info: Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery Introduces the Iconic Festival to a New Generation
Soup Season!
Ah, fall, when a young man’s fancy turns to soup.
— RM (@dorsalstream.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 11:30 AM
soup season (2021)
— shafer brown (@shaferbrown.com) September 22, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Five Veggie Soups!
Where are my Soup Heads at??
Celebrity Soup Brands
– David Lee Broth
– Gazpacho Man Randy Savage
– Pitbouillon
– Bisque Bisqueofferson
– Bryce Dallas Chowder
– Borscht Becker
– Bouillabaisse Frehley
– Matthew McConsommé
– Soups On! Sarandon
Soup Fact
Most ads for soup use stock photography.
Quick Hits
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- The 30 best Halloween TV episodes, from Friends to Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- No Greater Wonder: Kate Bush’s Hounds Of Love, 40 Years On
- ‘The idea we should be in the kitchen serving our men is enraging’: singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan on her long fight for women’s voices
- 13 Celebrity Duos Who Co-Starred in 10 or More Movies Together
- Harry Styles Runs Under 3 Hours at the Berlin Marathon
- German spectator saves runner’s day at Berlin Marathon
- The Curious Case of ‘Old Thom,’ an Orca Traveling Alone in the North Atlantic
- Why God Gave You Your Mom
- What cis people can do in this moment
Old Time IKEA Catalogs
Did you know the 2021 IKEA catalogue was the very last one printed on paper? Check out 70 years of catalog images here.
For over 70 years, the IKEA catalogue was produced in Älmhult, constantly growing in number, scope, and distribution. From the 1950,s when Ingvar Kamprad wrote most of the texts himself, via the poppy, somewhat radical 1970s, and all the way into the scaled-down 2000s, the IKEA catalogue always captured the spirit of the time.
I found out about this via the latest issue of Laura Olin’s newsletter, which is great! Hat tip to Kottke.com (another treasure trove of interesting things) for the link.
Live Cam – River Watch – Katmai National Park, Alaska
Stressed? Who isn’t? Take a break and watch some beautiful bears chilling in the water with other wildlife on this oh so soothing Alaskan live cam.
Every summer, brown bears descend on a one-mile stretch of this river in Katmai National Park to fish for salmon. Find out the best time to watch and learn more on Explore.org
Three Favorites at One Time!
For an old fella who loved (and still loves) 90s alt rock, this is (chef’s kiss gesture): Texas Is The Reason featuring Ted Leo playing Sugar’s “Changes.”
“What Remains” – What Do You Do When a 100-Mile Race Goes Sideways?
Adam Peterman is a very chill and humble dude. He is also an absolute beast running mountain and trail ultras and winning many of the top races in the sport. For elite professionals like Adam, if a race starts to go south due to myriad reasons (stomach, cramps, quads, injury), you can just stop and take the DNF (Did Not Finish). You live to race another day, and you don’t have a bad finishing time on your resume. This short film documents Adam’s recent “bad day” at Western States (the most prestigious trail race in the U.S.) and the surprising choice he made when all went to hell about halfway through his race.
This short film also features Alice Held, an amateur trail runner, and her attempt to finish the Leadville 100. The contrasts and similarities between the two tales make for a captivating film.
How Agates Form and Why Minnesota Lakes Have So Many
My daughter is studying geology in college and I am turning into a “rock guy.”
Ten Very Good Songs
Donate to World Central Kitchen
Help José Andrés and his team serve 1 million hot meals daily in Gaza.
The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told
Remember the first time seeing The Cars and thinking, “I dig these cool new wave British blokes,” and then learning they were from Ohio and Boston? Or was that just me, a dumb kid? Anyway, back then (late 70s/early 80s), this “new wave” band was in heavy rotation on both classic rock radio and the fledgling MTV because their music was cool — brooding yet poppy — and hard to classify, and mostly because their first two records were pretty much flawless.
I have like ten favorite Cars songs, but the one that will always make it on every “favorite songs ever” playlist is this beauty:
It’s a perfect song that lives in a timeless place, and I still get a dopamine hit every time the pre-chorus kicks in
“It’s an orangy sky
Always it’s some other guy
It’s just a broken lullaby”
Anyway… bestselling author and Buffalo Tom frontman Bill Janovitz wrote a book about them, and I am very eager to crack it open. Congrats to Bill.
Bluesky
*playing a California Raisins record for a friend* Pretty good right? These are raisins playing all the instruments
You know where you won’t see a series of increasingly worrisome headlines? Inside my hollow tree ever since the wifi went out because I chewed through a wire
If they cancel Gwar I’ll honestly be impressed- like aim for the stars you weirdos
— Molly Shah (@mommunism.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Trying to get any footage this trip is proving to be very stressful
— 🏳️🌈Nikki!! 🌌🏳️🌈 (@elkers.bsky.social) September 23, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Harry Belafonte taking a spin with his daughter Shari in 1957
📷Cornell Capa
#BicycleBirthday Shari Belafonte
Born September 22, 1954— Cool Bike Art (@coolbikeart1.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Just learned they’re selling a French dip in the west village for thirty five dollars and people line up for it for hours. we need crime to go back up
— Kath Barbadoro (@kathbarbadoro.bsky.social) September 20, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I love writing in coffee shops because I have trouble concentrating if I’m not overhearing the stupidest person in the world talk to the second stupidest person in the world.
— Daniel Kibblesmith (@kibblesmith.com) September 19, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I’ve asked the Coast Guard if I can be buried at sea but they’re insisting I need to be dead first
— Lostcatdog (@lostcatdog.bsky.social) September 18, 2025 at 1:09 PM
“You’ve got sadness in you, I’ve got sadness in me – and my works of art are places where the two sadnesses can meet, and therefore both of us need to feel less sad.”
HBD, Mark Rothko …
— Megan Abbott (@meganabbott.bsky.social) September 25, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Take care of each other
FDT forever. See you soon with more goodness…
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