Good Good Things – Issue 23
Hi friends, give your pets extra treats and extra love for me, and let’s start this very good issue with some much-needed laughs.
Aaron Chen Says Never Fill Out Customs Forms for Strangers
Sometimes, in between the endless servings of cute wombat and bossy cat videos, Instagram will show me funny stuff, like Aaron Chen. Thank you, algorithm.
25 Facts about “Wet Hot American Summer” to Celebrate Its 25th Anniversary
Fun Fact (from me): I was at the NYC premiere of “Wet Hot American Summer” in 2001. It was very fun, I got to meet Janeane Garofalo and Craig Wedren at the after-party.
Fun Fact (from me): “Wet Hot American Summer” starred Bradley Cooper and Michael Ian Black. The typeface used for the movie was called Cooper Black. Coincidence? Absolutely.
Fun fact (from the video): Bradley Cooper missed his acting school graduation to film “Wet Hot American Summer.”
And there are 24 more where that came from. Director and co-writer David Wain and actor Ken Marino shared tidbits from the making of the film, which also features Elizabeth Banks, Paul Rudd, and Christopher Meloni, in honor of the summer camp cult classic’s 25th anniversary.
Philly’s Tiniest Used Bookshop Opens!
Congrats to Ariel and Simon Censor! Good people selling good books in a cozy little nook in South Philly. Support them and all local businesses.
Situated, speakeasy-style, in a postage-stamp-sized loft above the Painted Lady children’s boutique, the 150-square-foot shop is near to bursting with over 1,500 titles, including literary fiction, science fiction, poetry, history, graphic novels, plays, and first-edition classics.
Follow and visit: @littleyentabooks
Welcome to Books, For Men™
Books, For Men™ have thick, sturdy pages. Built for a man’s eyeballs.
Books, For Men™ involve a subtitle, and that subtitle involves the phrase “Suicide Mission.”
Read more about Books, For Men™ by Tom Ellison >
Vince Guaraldi – Earliest Television Recording of “Linus and Lucy”
Ever wondered what this legend looked like? Wonder no more!
Vince Guaraldi’s early (rare) playing of “Linus and Lucy” from 1964, as part of “The Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant Music Fillers Programs” courtesy of WNET Group under license to LMFP.
Dan McQuade Shout Out on The Simpsons
Our guy Dan McQuade made it on The Simpsons’ 800th episode, confirmed by Philly native and Simpsons writer Christine Nangle. Lovely tribute.
That’s Dan❤️🩹🦅
— Christine Nangle (@nanglish.bsky.social) February 15, 2026 at 8:55 PM
The Secret to Perfect Veggie Nachos is No Oven
Huge nachos guy here, and if I keep eating them at this rate, I’ll be a very HUGE nachos guy. LOL. Anyway, Chef Montiel shows us how to make this perfect dish sans oven! That’s right, the paradigm has shifted!
Professional chef Saúl Montiel teaches you how to make the best loaded nachos at home. What’s the secret to this meatless nacho recipe? Two layers of chips to avoid dry spots and no oven, so every bite is cheesy, crunchy, and perfectly balanced.
In ‘Altai,’ Photographer Claire Thomas Chronicles a Time-Honored Way of Life in Mongolia
Welsh photojournalist Claire Thomas documents the people and culture of the Bayan-Ölgii province of western Mongolia in her new book of photography. Read more on Colossal >
Altai: Hunters and Herders of Mongolia is a trove of intimate photographs chronicling Thomas’ immersion in this part of the world. She captures indelible features of the Kazakhs’ nomadic lifeway, experiencing everyday life in yurt-like homes called gers and participating in pastoral practices amid a vast grassland steppe, framed by rugged peaks.
Get a Load of This Guy
Love a good band photo where one member stands out a bit.
Let’s Go, Philly!
“Brace Yourself” by Gladie
“Nevermind” by Remember Sports
Tiny Desk Concert: Jill Scott
Love Songs
Robert Plant: “I just wrote a song about a girl”
Robert Page (relieved): “Cool! A love song?”
Robert: “Yes, about finding my true love”
Robert: “Great, a classic love song”
Robert: “Well it does take place in the darkest depths of Mordor. And there’s a weird little guy…”
Robert (under breath): “fuck, this again”
Very Good Music Facts – Vol. 5
A lot of people have stopped me in the street recently and said, “Jeff, you are gonna run out of cool music facts soon.” “Not yet, buddy!” I respond defiantly. In fact, my desire to bring you this nonsense has only grown stronger. Also, I don’t have a lot going on.
Enjoy a bunch of fun music facts you can wow your friends with >
Jon Wurster’s Rock n’ Roll Weirdness
Sure, my brain is filled with a lot of music minutiae, but it does not hold a candle to the terabytes of rock memory that live in the head of beloved drummer and funnyman, Jon Wurster.
Follow on Instagram: @jonwurster and #rocknrollweirdness
Documentary: What Ravens Do
I love ravens, crows, magpies, and pretty much any bird that belongs to the Corvidae family of oscine passerine birds. They are all very smart with a lot of personality. This documentary focuses on ravens and is a lovely peek into the lives of these fascinating creatures.
In this immersive nature documentary, an intimate look into the lives of ravens reveals their intelligence, emotions, and social bonds through play, communication, and connection.
Quick Hits
- 2026 Winter Olympics features record-breaking number of LGBTQ+ competitors
- The Adorable Patients of This Special Bat Hospital Will Warm Your Heart
- James Van Der Beek was so much more than just Dawson
- The Story Behind the “NBA Jam” Video Game
- 80s Headshots of Famous Artists (via Kottke)
- The Best Reviewed Books of the Week
- If You Wanted to Use the Sidewalk, You Should Have Had Two Babies Like Me
- Bob Nanna’s Cats and Vinyl
- Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band announce “NO KINGS” Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour
- Jesse Jackson shifted Black politics from the margins of the Democratic party to its center
The 2026 Black Canyon 100k Recap
The North American Trail Running Season officially kicked off with the stacked Black Canyon 100K and 50K races. Records went down in both races with some thrilling finishes and some epic spills. Filmmaker and runner, Derrick Lytle, one of the best in the biz at capturing the action and giving insight, just dropped an excellent, boots-on-the-ground recap of the thrilling 100K.
He also just dropped “Sounds of Ultra Running at the Black Canyon 100k 2026.” (Derrick doesn’t sleep). No music, no commentary, just amazing footage of the race leaders battling it out through 62 toasty miles in the desert. As one person commented, it’s “ultra running ASMR.”
Josh Hart Busting on Jalen Brunson
I am usually not a fan of anything related to Villanova University, but I do enjoy these two.
View this post on Instagram.
Possible Names for My Competitive Jigsaw Puzzle Team
- Piece Train
- War and Pieces
- Piece of Sass
- What’s So Funny ‘Bout Piece, Love, and Understanding
- Box of Reign
- Poppin’ & Interlockin’
- The Edgelords
- 500 Easy Pieces
Michelin-Star Pastry Chef Rates 19 Desserts From Movies and TV
Chef and restaurateur Camari Mick breaks down dessert scenes from movies and TV based on realism.
Mick discusses the accuracy of fine-dining dessert ingredients in FX’s “The Bear,” the baking techniques in “Chef” (2014), and the pitfalls of processed foods from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” She also gives recipe suggestions for the cookies from “Friends,” dishes on the current and past culinary trends from “Bridesmaids,” and breaks down the emulsions from “The Menu.” She analyzes the accuracy of bread from “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” marmalade from “Paddington 2,” and beignets from “The Princess and the Frog.”
Bluesky
Think about all the cool shit we’d have if we weren’t ruled by joyless control freaks
— donni The (@donni.bsky.social) February 17, 2026 at 12:35 AM.
Allow me to introduce my pet flounder, Flatboy Swim
— House of 1000 Fionas (@cogentanalysis.bsky.social) February 9, 2026 at 11:42 AM
Now that I’m older, I no longer have a red race-car bed. Now I have a beige, sensible sedan bed.
Just passed a Baskin Robbin’s that had a sign in the window that said “NO CASH KEPT IN STORE OVERNIGHT.” Please! Like I’d be breaking in for cash!
— Andy Richter (@andyrichter.co) February 10, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Not even two quarters in and there have already been six ads for Corbin Bernsen’s new mice-killing service. How does he have the money for this?
— Dan Clyne (@danclyne.bsky.social) February 8, 2026 at 7:27 PM
— Mr. Joshua (@pantspants.bsky.social) February 16, 2026 at 9:58 AM
forgot to close the bread. kitchen crawling with geese
— official nikk account (@nikk.ca) February 16, 2026 at 6:55 PM
[talking loudly on phone near group of teens] yeah doc says i’m too rizzed up. wants me to stop beansmaxxing but i won’t do it
— Ygrene (@ygrene.bsky.social) February 14, 2026 at 9:47 AM
My dad’s second-favorite band
— PJ Harvey Dent (@bsakat.bsky.social) February 17, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Take care of each other
See you soon with more goodness…
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