Good Good Things – June 12, 2025
Happy almost summer. Hoping this little roundup of things that I deem “good” and “of interest” will help bring some positive vibes.
18 Days Bikepacking Iceland’s Ring Road
Ever think about exploring a beautiful yet formidable place on a bike all by yourself? Watch Jenna Alexis tackle Iceland first. She is fearless, funny, and full of good advice when taking on both big and small adventures in the great outdoors.
JAWS Turns 50!
Celebrate 50 years of being afraid to go into the water with some awesome art.
“We are thrilled to debut the very first limited edition screen print for our upcoming 50th Anniversary JAWS art show! Artists Grzegorz “Gabz” Domaradzki and Krzysztof Domaradzki have joined forces on this new design that seamlessly blends their illustrative and typographic styles. Available first to attendees at our officially licensed JAWS art exhibition, opening to the public on Saturday, June 28th. Check out all the details at collider.com.” – via codacurates
More:
- Watch the “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story” Trailer
- Learn a lot of fun facts on this Jaws podcast
- If you are in the New England area, go meet the Kintner Boy!
15 Fascinating Facts About ‘Pet Sounds’
It was inspired by the Beatles’ Rubber Soul. “Rubber Soul blew my mind,” Brian Wilson once said. “When I heard Rubber Soul, I said, ‘That’s it. That’s all. That’s all folks.’ I said, ‘I’m going to make an album that’s really good, I mean really challenge me.’ … I cherish that album.”
Read 14 More ‘Pet Sounds’ Fun Facts >
The Drunkest Moments in Drunk History
Yes, most drunk people are annoying, but there is something so fun about watching professional actors on elaborate sets mouthing the inebriated words spilling out of your favorite funny people who have tipped back a few (okay, a lot). With six seasons and 70 episodes (and several “Best Of” compilations), there is much to drink in on their YouTube channel. Host Derek Waters is the secret star of the series, gently guiding his giddy guests through their stories as they recount some important and not-so-important events in our nation’s history.
A View From the Easel
Looking for some inspiration to make art? Or do you need ideas to spruce up your current studio or workplace? Check out the View From the Easel series, where artists show you where the magic and hard work happen. There are currently 288 installments on the Hyperallergic website. That should be a good start.
Who is the shortest and tallest player in the NBA right now?
The shortest player in the NBA right now is Yuki Kawamura, who is listed at 5’8″ (173 cm). He plays for the Memphis Grizzlies and is a Japanese guard.
At 7’4″, Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey is the tallest player in the league. The two-time John Wooden Award winner as the nation’s top men’s college basketball player starred at Purdue and was drafted ninth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2024 NBA draft.
Featured Jam: The Ophelias “Cumulonimbus”
“Cumulonimbus” by The Ophelias from ‘Spring Grove’, out now on Get Better Records.
The Best Beans Ever!
Watch chef Jonathan Zaragoza make “easy frijoles de la olla recipe, creamy Mexican pot beans that taste like home.”
Be warned, he’s “not here to have a competition with your Grandma.” LOL.
Playing “Ticket Worthy” with Chip and Jeff
On their spanking new podcast episode, Chip and Jeff (that’s me) play a fun new game called “Ticket Worthy!” The instructions are simple:
– Make a list of bands (various genres)
– Ask your friend(s), “Would you see this band live?”
– If yes, “What’s the most you’d pay?”
– If no, “How much would you need to be paid to see this band live?”
Featured Pet: Max
This is Max. He snuck out in the middle of the night and walked 5 miles to get a breakfast burrito from a store that gave him one once. They hadn’t opened yet when he got there, but Max was found the next morning thanks to his GPS collar patiently waiting outside for his well-earned snack. 14/10
— WeRateDogs (@weratedogs.com) June 9, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Happy Birthday, Winston!
Look at this good boy who works at my hometown’s public library, celebrating with some buddies. Go Belmar!
“It’s All Gonna Break” – Official Trailer
I love this band, all 32 of them. Excited for this Broken Social Scene documentary.
“Join us as we explore the incredible journey of Broken Social Scene, from their humble beginnings to becoming a beloved force in the indie music scene. Discover the stories, struggles, and triumphs that shaped their sound and their identity.”
If you are unfamiliar with them, watch these stellar performances:
There Will Never Be Another ‘WTF With Marc Maron’
Diana Moskovitz wrote a nice piece about the podcast pioneer Marc Maron ending his wildly popular one-on-one chat show.
Delco Becomes First Philly Suburb to be ‘Safe Haven’ for LGBTQ+ Healthcare
Alex “Horror” Honnold Climbs Aboard New Thriller
I’m a big fan of climber Alex Honnold and enjoy cheesy thrillers with not-great dialogue, so of course I will see this.
“In the terrifying horror thriller THE SOUND, a world-class group of climbers is granted access to the Forbidden Wall, a mysterious rock wall previously closed for decades. Among the climbers is Sean (Marc Hills), whose grandfather made an ill-fated attempt 63 years earlier. During the group’s ascent, they come face to face with a malevolent force that quickly turns their expedition into a harrowing battle for survival hundreds of feet above the ground.”
Must Watch: Alex Honnold Breaks Down Iconic Rock Climbing Scenes
Driving a Sweep Boat
“Few river guides ever get the chance to drive Idaho’s Iconic sweep boat. “Driving Sweep” follows Katie Veteto as she learns how to “drive sweep” down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. She’s learned the rapids and the river. Now she learns to drive a 4,000 lbs sweep down steep rocky rapids.”
BTS Members Finish Military Service!
I’ve been to the movie theater about five times in the past few years, and three of those times were to see films about BTS members. We are big fans of the BTS boys in my household. Nice, talented, funny fellas who can sign and dance. What’s not to like? All seven members are set to finish their military service by the end of this month. The Army (their fans) are gonna go nuts.
“Hundreds of fans gathered Wednesday to catch a glimpse of K-pop superstars Jimin and Jung Kook, the latest members of BTS to be discharged from South Korea’s mandatory military service. A day earlier, RM and V each saluted upon their release in Chuncheon City as about 200 fans, some of whom traveled from Mexico, Turkey, and Brazil, cheered.” Read more >
From the Vault: “Accident Waiting To Happen” by Billy Bragg
“One of these nights you’re gonna get caught
It’ll give you a pregnant pause for thought
You’re a dedicated swallower of Fascism
Time up and time out for all the liberties you’ve taken
Time up and time out for all the friends that you’ve forsaken
And if you choose to waste away like death is back in fashion
You’re an accident waiting to happen”
Saturday Fun Run
This past Saturday morning, I woke up at 4 a.m., quickly took care of the dogs, and drove 2 hours to Central PA to run around this insanely complex 3.65-mile loop multiple times.
This was a trail race where runners try to complete the “loop” as many times as possible within 12 hours. The course was challenging. As you can see from the map, there were various turns, some would say “way too many turns,” and on the first couple of laps, everyone got a little lost and misdirected. It was hot and humid with two big rainstorms and then some pounding sunshine thrown in to keep things interesting. Once I figured out the course and settled in, it was fun. I met and ran with a lot of nice people, which is usually the case on these ultra runs.
I had to stop just under 10 hours to pack up and drive home in time to drive my daughter to a birthday party. I completed 11 laps and ran 40 very sweaty miles.
When it is hot and humid, it’s important to drink consistently with lots of electrolytes and salt (fights off cramping). It is hard to eat a lot as the day goes on, but you need fuel in the tank to keep moving. Things I digested during the day:
- 3 bananas
- 1 core power protein drink
- 5 GU gels (no caffeine)
- 2 Maurten gels
- Salted potatoes (a lot)
- 11 orange slices
- 8 salt capsules
- half a Tofurky on wheat
- 1 Koffee Kake Jr
- some Pringles
- 3 bottles of Vitamin Water
- 6 bottles of Body Armor
- 3 12-oz Cokes
- a lot of water
Good Buzz
Click below to play and enjoy a hungry little guy having at it.
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Featured Playlist: Power Pop Explosion
Enjoy some very good power pop songs from not necessarily power pop bands.
Bluesky
RIP to Brian Wilson, who gave us many perfect albums but also the perfect interview
— That’s Are Dings™ (@itsdings.bsky.social) June 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
first on-set pic from the new father guido sarducci movie just dropped
— ben schwartz (@benschwartz.bsky.social) June 4, 2025 at 3:56 PM
curds & whey hit different on a tuffet
— david tveite (@tveite.bsky.social) June 4, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Years ago my sister got her cats this fancy chicken wet food and had it in a bowl in her fridge. i made the worst the chicken salad sandwich ive ever eaten with it and once a year my family still gets together to roast me about it. They can never find out i actually made 2 sandwiches and ate both
— Truckstop Vigilante (@brenthor.bsky.social) June 4, 2025 at 10:36 AM
HELP they’re doxxing me over the hospital intercom just because i parked in the emergency lane
— Once, there was this kid who (@geoffreykeel.bsky.social) June 4, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Nothing is more over the top than a commercial for carpet cleaning. If your living room is invaded by muddy wolverines who knock over a trough of generously sauced rotini, you don’t need a steamer. You need to move
I’m starting to think the CEO of HumanMeat Technologies doesn’t have my best interests in mind.
— Stefan (@stefanthinks.bsky.social) June 10, 2025 at 1:52 PM
please stop whatever you’re doing and look at this coyote that the wildlife rehab center of MN posted. little grumpy baby.
— C a r m e n (@carmbern.bsky.social) June 4, 2025 at 9:56 AM
i simply do not understand why anyone is expected to care if someone else isn't having a good time on this platform
— lauren (@lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com) June 12, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Take care of each other. See you soon with more…
I enjoy being outside and running on trails and sometimes I enjoy being online. More >
