I'm a big proponent of doing it yourself. So is our wonderful (brilliant, hilarious, tolerant, patient, forgiving, the list goes on) Good Stuff editor Andrew Torgan, who wrote a great column this week about how everyone should try to DIY something difficult. You may find it's easier than you thought! (Andrew's essay also includes the immortal line, "All that changed the day the TV exploded.") If you don't know where to start, YouTube is your best friend! If it breaks, someone on YouTube knows how to fix it. Or, at the very least, they can give you a good sense of when it's time to call a pro. My husband calls it "getting YouTube certified," and I can proudly say most appliances and fixtures in our house have been improved by his YouTube-certified hands. As Andrew points out, it's so incredibly satisfying learning how to fix something, and then actually fixing it! It's like a puzzle — if a puzzle is the weird part on your dishwasher that keeps it from closing all the way.
If there's something you'd like to see here, drop us a line. Know someone who could use a little Good Stuff? Send them a copy! We hope you love it as much as we do. |
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| Our favorites this week Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week
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Band of barf bag brothers
One of the best parts about being a journalist is getting to talk to weird people. I say weird with every atom of affection — we're all weirdos in some way or another and that's what makes us great. This week I wrote a story about people who collect barf bags, and the four gentlemen I talked to weren't just weird. Some have thousands of barf bags in their collection, or display them in frames in their bathrooms. One man even has "BARF BAG" as his vanity license plate! So no, they weren't just weird. They were fascinating and intelligent and some of my favorite interviews in a long time. I also now know more about barf bag history and culture than I could have ever imagined. Did you know there are specific bags that are famous among barf bag collectors? Humanity, I love you. Read the whole story here. |
Building a life
An all-migrant soccer team in the Italian town of Carmiano is giving young men from different countries a place to chase their dreams on and off the field. The Rinascita Refugees (rinascita means "rebirth" in Italian) is funded by social programs through the Italian Ministry of the Interior, and serves as a launching pad for migrants who dream of playing professionally. According to Giuseppe Carotenuto, an Italian photographer who has been documenting the team since 2022, West African children often come to Europe to try to become pro soccer players. They are sometimes promised soccer tryouts, but then abandoned upon arrival and exploited as labor in Spain and Portugal. However, the Rinascita Refugees team gives them a way to play and, through the social programs, the practical and emotional support they need to thrive in their new home. Read the whole story here. |
The right to love
Happy Pride indeed! Thailand will become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage after the kingdom's Senate overwhelmingly approved a marriage equality bill this week. Supporters are calling it a "monumental step forward" for LGBTQ+ rights. "Beyond the legal implications, the passage of this bill would send a powerful message of acceptance and inclusion," said Panyaphon Phiphatkhunarnon, founder of Love Foundation — an NGO campaigning for LGBTQ+ equality in Thailand. Bangkok resident Pokpong Jitjaiyai says he and his partner Watit Benjamonkolchai plan to get married as soon as the law is passed. "When I was young, people said people like us couldn't have a family, can't have children, so marriage was impossible," Pokpong told CNN. "Over 10 years ago, we could not live together the way we are now. We could never be our true selves ... I want the people around the world see how love is. Love is love." Read the whole story here. |
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Diesel the donkey, who decided he was born a rambling man. Diesel was living a nice life on a ranch with Sacramento couple Terry and Dave Drewry and a few other animals. One day in 2019, he bolted during a hike and was never seen by the Drewrys again. After months of searching, they assumed the worst. But Diesel, you see, he's a survivor. Earlier this year a bow hunter caught sight of a herd of wild elk in California and was shocked to see a donkey in their midst. Not only did the donkey look at home, he seemed to hold some respect among the herd (donkeys are natural protectors). After seeing the video, Terry Drewry said she's certain that's Diesel, living his best life. Though the Drewry's miss him, they're not going to disrupt Diesel and his new family. As they say, if you love something, let it go live with a herd of wild elk. Read the whole story here. |
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| This week on the 5 Good Things podcast, a 5-year-old superhero fan born without a left hand now has an Iron Man-inspired bionic arm. "Grandmother of Juneteenth" Opal Lee moved into a new house on the lot of her childhood home she had to flee over 80 years ago. Plus, a wildlife photographer snapped the first photo of a newborn white bison calf that fulfills a hopeful Lakota prophecy. Listen to the latest episode here! |
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First, we had barf bags, and now we have sushi busts. The world is full of wonders! British food artist Michelle Wibowo creates celebrity likenesses out of sushi and displayed a range of her creations in a one-day exhibition in London. Among Wibowo's sushi busts were "Eelton John" and "Edamame Sheeran." (And of course, the place on the museum plaque that lists the medium of the piece says things like "unagi eel on rice.") "I'm used to creating sculptures from unconventional materials, but working with sushi ingredients was a whole other kettle of fish!" Wibowo said in a press release. "It was really fascinating to see how many ingredients there are for making sushi and how these can be used to create intricate details for the face and hair." Other celebrities who got the sushi treatment: English soccer player "Herring Kane" and actor "Benedict Cucumberbatch." Read the whole story here. |
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New dinosaur alert! A newly discovered species of dinosaur unearthed in Montana and on display in Denmark finally has a name: the Lokiceratops. The dino's crowning glory is the intricate set of horns on its head, which immediately signaled to scientists that it was one they hadn't seen before. "Its headgear looks like something a heavy metal rocker would wear onstage. It is a member of the same group as Triceratops but has its own style, as do the dozens of other horned dinosaurs that have been found recently," said paleontologist Steve Brusatte. "The horns and frills of these dinosaurs were their badges of identity, their billboards for attracting mates and intimidating rivals. And each new discovery seems stranger and weirder than the last." Read the whole story here. |
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Rec of the week Brought to you by CNN Underscored |
Heat making you miserable? Fend it off with these cooling products There are many great things about summer, but the hot, sticky and sweaty climate that comes with it leaves much to be desired. We've gathered up products sure to help you beat the heat from dusk till dawn, including our favorite neck fans, cooling towels and AC units. |
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Shameless animal video There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now. |
This friendly seal was caught surfboard hopping last year in San Diego. You can see the internal struggle of the surfers: "Adorable animal! But also, wild! Mustn't disturb!" (Click here to view) |
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