Good Good Things – Issue 17
Hello friends, happy November. Looking to brighten these darker days with some fun content and quality workday distractions? Take my hand…
Schoolhouse Rock! (1973): 15 Fun Facts
This beloved series was the idea of an advertising executive (see, they’re not all bad people), who noticed his young son was struggling with learning multiplication tables, despite being able to memorize the lyrics of many Rolling Stones songs. The first video of the series, “Three Is a Magic Number,” premiered during the debut episode of “Curiosity Shop” on September 2, 1971.
Watch the video for more mega-melodic facts and nostalgia!
During its original 1973 to 1985 run, Schoolhouse Rock! featured more than 40 videos that were spread out over five seasons, with each season focusing on facts from a specific theme (multiplication, grammar, America, science, and computers).
Horsegirl Record Recs at HMV Shibuya
If you are a fan of Amoeba Records’ “What in My Bag?” and enjoy discovering new music from your favorite artists (or artists you’ve never heard of), check out this Japanese equivalent filmed in the HMV record shop in Shibuya (a special ward in Tokyo, Japan).
Horsegirl rules, follow them, and follow Turn TV for lots of great alternative music performances and interviews.
Sitcoms That Primetime Forgot
A mixtape of intros to failed and forgotten sitcoms from the past 50 years.
This is easily the best two hours of mindless viewing I’ve done lately, and that says a lot. It’s a fast-paced and expertly edited trip down a somewhat fuzzy memory lane, jam-packed with loads of awful premises and many future stars looking young and hopeful in the opening credits. There are also a bunch of shows with entire casts of actors you’ve never heard of.
Yes, it’s cringe heavy, and that’s what we’re here for. The majority of the show intros are interminably long, and there is lots of forced-fun dancing (poor Ed Asner) and “Can you believe this guy?” poses. Halfway through, it feels like it might dissolve into “Too Many Cooks” territory, but please keep watching.
This bit of nostalgia bait does make me miss a good old-fashioned sitcom theme song, and there are a few toe-tappers in this collection. Case in point: “Everything’s Relative” (1987, 10 episodes), an awful American sitcom starring Jason Alexander, John Bolger, and Gina Hecht. I’m pretty sure that’s Jason belting out the theme song, and it is reminiscent of his best song ever. Okay, enough hype…
Philadelphia in Color: 1950-1990
Proud Philadelphians, do you have old family color photos that capture the look and feel of living in the city between 1950 and 1990? If so, get in on this.
We’re Hidden City Philadelphia, the small non-profit team behind PHILADELPHIA IN COLOR, 1950-1990. We’re asking for your help creating the first-ever color photographic history of Philadelphia. Hidden City aims to understand how Philadelphians experienced the stunning societal shifts of those decades, and ultimately reinterpreted and redefined the city in response to them. We are driven to discover the city as it was, how it looked, felt, and represented itself, and how Philadelphians saw themselves experiencing it.
A Retrospective of Trailblazing Artist Faith Ringgold Centers Narratives of Black Americans
Colassal has a great write-up of a new show featuring trailblazing American artist, author, educator, and activist, Faith Ringgold.
Across a wide range of media, from painting to textiles to works on paper, Faith Ringgold (1930-2024) developed a practice that merged history, activism, formal inquiry, and global influences. Born and raised in Harlem, New York, her work evolved from her awareness of politics and social issues in the 1960s and 1970s, which she channeled into “an incisive narrative about the historical sacrifices and achievements of Black Americans,” says Jack Shainman Gallery.
Houstonians are Painting the Town Rainbow to Protest Crosswalk Removal
Hell yeah, Houston. We’ll prevail. Keep fighting, keep making important and beautiful art. Today’s empires, tomorrow’s ashes. Read the story here >
After the city of Houston removed an LGBTQ+ Pride crosswalk in Montrose, Houstonians are busting out their chalk and paint rollers and painting the town rainbow.
Quick Hits
- A voice that still carries: Aimee Mann’s greatest songs – ranked!
- Rescued Parrot Loves Getting a Massage From Her Human’s Electric Toothbrush
- Diane Lane on the cautionary Anniversary, the slept-on Rumble Fish, and panicking on live TV
- How “Korea Pistons Fan” found a second home in Detroit (via Semi-Rad)
- 20 Best Movies Like Interstellar
- Welcome to the vegan cheesesteak capital of the world
- 11 Everyday Words That Were Coined in Sci-Fi Stories
- For The Love of God, Make Your Own Website
- The Story of ‘Too Much Too Young’: How The Specials got Their First Number One Single
- An Enslaved Man Made Thousands of Ceramic Pots. Now, a Boston Museum Has Returned Two of Them to His Descendants
Look at These Awesome Shirts!
It’s gift-giving season! Buy some fun shirts for friends and family, and yourself! Much appreciated.
The Impossible Build: How They Made the Alien Suit
“Alien” and sci-fi super fans should dig this finely detailed documentary on the creation of the creature that was painstakingly built for this classic horror movie.
Not-So Fun Fact: The biomechanical master H.R. Giger used part of a real human skull when building the creature’s head. Yikes!
We explore the massive effort behind the creation of the full-size Alien suit (known as the Phase III or “Big Chap”) from Alien (1979). From the initial fear of a “man in a rubber suit” to Giger’s surreal biomechanical designs, we follow the production’s struggles with mechanical failures, last-minute redesigns, conflicting egos, and budget pressures.
Happy 80th Birthday to Neil Young
Absolute legend. Did you know…
- Neil Young is married to Daryl Hannah.
- Neil’s middle name is Percival.
- In 1966, Neil shared a Toronto apartment with Rick James.
- Neil has written over 30 songs about or mentioning the moon. He once said, “Before there was organized religion, there was the moon. The Indians knew about the moon. Pagans followed the moon. I’ve followed it for as long as I can remember, and that’s just my religion.”
Read many more Neil fun facts >
Meet the 2025 National Book Award Finalists
Literary Hub asked the National Book Award finalists some very good questions, like these:
- What was the first book you fell in love with (and why)?
- Which book(s) do you reread?
- What book has elicited the most intense emotional reaction from you (made you laugh, cry, or be angry)?
- What do you always want to talk about in interviews but never get to?
Read all the questions and answers here.
The winners of the 76th National Book Awards—given every year in Young People’s Literature, Translation, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Fiction—will be announced next week in a ceremony hosted by Jeff Hiller at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Ahead of the festivities, Literary Hub caught up with the finalists to ask them a bit about their books, their reading habits, and their writing lives.
Follow: Sergio Alberini, Italian Cobbler
These videos should soothe your sole.
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“Altered Line” Rim to River 100 Ultra: Logan Kerby’s Record Setting Debut
Many media-savvy ultra and trail athletes are creating video content on YouTube — The Boulder Boys, The Hemmings, and Jen Lichter, to name a few — giving a peek into their training and documenting and recapping their races. Most do so with humor, highlighting the highs and lows that go along with competing in this grueling yet rewarding sport.
The Bargain Boys, out of Huntington, West Virginia, have been crushing it not only with impressive race results and training videos but with their casual “chatting at a picnic table after a run” podcast sessions. They’re chill, funny, and humble, and above everything, they are very supportive of each other, as seen in this video. Follow Dan, Ryan, Jack, Logan, and Caleb do their thing on YouTube and watch the video. If you have ever crewed or supported a runner at a race, this will hit home. Such good vibes. Congrats to Logan.
Logan Kerby lined up for his 100 mile debut at the 2025 Rim to River 100 in Fayetteville, WV. His goals were built around taking down Dan Green’s Course Record set in 2022 of 15:34. Everything was on track until a land slide closed a major road forcing the National Park Service to eliminate any foot traffic and causing the race to be rerouted at mile 80. In Ultrarunning you have to be ready for any and all scenarios.
On This Day…
On this day in 1993, I made a half-court shot (all net) at the halftime of a
Philadelphia 76ers game. I won a trip to Disney World. It was one of my first dates with my wife. I’m not good at basketball, but the promotions guy told me to aim for the shot clock above the backboard. It worked. 🏀👍
No photos from that night, but here’s what we looked like in 1993.
We Made a Song Using ONLY Lines From Shrek
The Wolves of Glendale are three silly fellas with some serious musical chops. A very fun “like and subscribe” recommendation from your boy, Jeff.
“Different ways Livin’ on a Prayer could have gone (if Bon Jovi were smart)” had me laughing at loud.
5 from 1995
Revisiting a fine year for alt-rock and punk.
World Wide Web History
“Jeff, what did this website look like back in the day, before building websites was easy peasy?”
Great question. I got the domain back in 1998. Here’s what it looked like in 2001. Thank you, BBEdit Ver. 12 and Photoshop Ver. 5. Click the image for a larger view.
Very Good Music
Bluesky
[hot ones] me: *finishes off gallon of milk*
sean evans: ok are you ready for your first wing— dan mentos (@danmentos.com) November 7, 2025 at 10:29 PM
this is literally never not accurate
— Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules.su) November 10, 2025 at 1:32 PM
TREBEK: something my date asked even after i leaned over to helpfully point out who this title character is
ME: what’s chappie?
TREBEK: you’re on the board
— Jesse Raub (@jesseraub.bsky.social) November 11, 2025 at 12:01 AM
It’s so cool that I might be able to get a 50-year mortgage sometime! My parents paid for their first house with the change they found in the seats of their VW Bus.
— Chip Chantry (@chipchantry.bsky.social) November 11, 2025 at 4:41 PM
How are we going to explain to future generations that rich people got so mad at being made fun of on social media that they decided to bring in fascism for everyone.
— Nikita Gill (@nikitagill.bsky.social) November 6, 2025 at 5:10 AM
Telling my dad about a cybertruck I saw the other day extremely rurally by my parents place and instead of replying to me he yelled to my mom: ‘he saw it too.’ and my mom saying ‘i said i believed you’
— Truckstop Vigilante (@brenthor.bsky.social) November 8, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Guillermo del Toro’s new “Frankenstein” movie has some weird product placement.
— Brian Stack (@brianstack153.bsky.social) November 7, 2025 at 9:05 AM
I spend an inordinate amount of time getting yelled at by a cat.
— Maggie Serota (@maggieserota.bsky.social) November 5, 2025 at 8:14 PM
How you react when tripping in front of people is the real you.
— Michael Jay McClure (@mjmimages.bsky.social) November 5, 2025 at 12:04 PM
I do think yesterday’s results reinforced the dynamic that while much of the American leadership class is chickenshit, most of the electorate is not
— Adam Serwer (@adamserwer.bsky.social) November 5, 2025 at 8:36 AM
The mailman brought a copy of an incredible Hüsker Dü release, “1985: The Miracle Year,” for which I wrote liner notes. This 4LP/2CD set from Numero Group comes out Friday. You can hit the Numero site or your local record retailer to get yours: numerogroup.com/products/198…
— Bob Mehr (@bobmehr.bsky.social) November 4, 2025 at 3:47 PM
I’m pleased to announce that today is the 10th anniversary of Mr. G getting absolutely BODIED by a PIX11 sports reporter over the number of days until Christmas. Are there 48 days until Christmas? We may never know.
— vineyille (@vineyille.bsky.social) November 6, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Take care of each other
FDT forever. See you soon with more goodness…
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