This is the Something Good Index, a continuously updated list of everything mentioned in this newsletter, newly revised for 2026.

50 Years of Text Games: Tremendous newsletter-turned book about the history of interactive fiction, by Aaron A. Reed. SG25, SG62, SG86

1912Universal: Mysterious YouTube commenter. Identity still unknown. SG88

2001: A Space Odyssey: Food-themed Stanley Kubrick film. SG19

14846 Lampedusa: Six-kilometer-wide asteroid named after Sicilian nobleman and novelist. SG17

After Jesus Before Christianity: Early Christian exploration. SG118

Aiken, Joan: Author of beloved Wolves series of children’s books. SG106, SG116

Aleksandra: Pseudonymous theological computer programmer and old friend of the author. SG21, SG38

Allergies: Seasonal, bad, ever-shifting. SG25

Amadeus: Salieri biopic. SG50

Amis, Martin: Late British novelist and journalist, the voice of whom has lived in the author’s head for decades. SG84

Amygdalar Earworms: Catchy memories. SG56, SG57

Anbernic RG353XXSP: Cute little game machine. SG105

Antonov, Viktor: Late friend of the author, art director of great renown and eternal inspiration. RIP. SG110

Aquariums: Pandemic hobbies, microbiomes, sites of occasional great drama. SG32, SG81

Ask a Manager: World’s greatest advice column. SG30, SG54

At Close Range: Luridly beautiful ‘80s neon noir directed by James Foley. SG103

Austerlitz: 2001 W.G. Sebald novel with memorable opening. SG82

Author Clock, The: Marclay-esque timepiece forged out of defunct e-reader. SG111

Axolotl: Neotenic amphibian, subject of Julio Cortázar story. SG112

Aztecs (Mexica): Mesoamerican civilization, frequently mythologized and misunderstood. SG111, SG112

Bal des Quat’z’Arts: Annual Parisian art student rager, 1892-1966. SG67

Baldwin, Alec: Actor, podcast host, one-time sayer of the author’s name. SG71, SG75

Bar EXXXotica: Defunct neighbourhood strip club, remembered via its paper debris. SG14, SG43

Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi: Unexpected Barcelona sanctuary. SG90

Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família: Unfinished wonder. SG65, SG90

“Being Boring” (music video): 1990 Pet Shop Boys single with memorable opening. SG82

Black Hearts in Battersea: Magnificent Joan Aiken kid’s novel. SG116

Black Ox Orkestar: Recently reunited diasporic Jewish music outfit, old friends, one of whom in front of the author memorably vomited. SG75, SG77

Bois de Balincourt No.04: Maison Louis Marie candle recommended by Eve Thomas. Evoked uncertain but happy feeling. SG4

Book of Dust, The: Fascinating but confounding sequel-series to Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials. SG116

Braithwaite, James: Brilliant illustrator and animator, creator of SG and SG: BABC logos and so much more. SG83

Brets: Le chipsier français. SG10, SG20

Brown, Margaret Wise: Author of Goodnight Moon; literary genius; bohemian; died tragically. SG5

Cadence Weapon: Talented musician, inspirational letterist. SG16

Call sheet: A day’s shooting schedule. SG44

Cantacuzène, Balaşa: Romanian princess, ex-girlfriend of Patrick Leigh Fermor and keeper of his lost diary. BABC10

Casa Azul: Former home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, now a very blue museum. SG111

Casio Lineage LCW-M100TSE-1A2JF: A very good all-around watch, neither smart nor stupid. SG105

Century-Scale Storage: Alarmingly unlikely archival goal. SG108

Český Krumlov: Small town in South Bohemia, Czechia; once a refuge for author of this newsletter. SG117

Chants of Sennaar: Brilliant language-themed video game. SG98, SG107

Chat: Promising, under-used Substack platform feature; no longer relevant to this newsletter. SG72

Chemnitz: Town in Saxony known for its large copper Karl Marx head. SG89

Compress ‘da Audio: First online music piracy ring, c. 1996. SG55

Current 93: Hallucinatory U.K. act. SG100

dalla Ragione, Isabella: Protector of lost fruit. SG109

Dance, contemporary: Sometimes practice of this newsletter’s author. SG99, SG107

Dangerously Prancy: Ongoing delightful art project by James Braithwaite. SG83

Dark Is Rising, The: 1973 Susan Cooper fantasy novel with a masterful 2022 BBC World Service adaptation. SG92, SG106, SG117

Davies, Terence: Late British master filmmaker. SG90

Dawn: 1987 Octavia Butler publication, one of the best sci-fi novels ever written, selon moi. SG86

Deep Wheel Orcadia: Sci-fi novel written in Orkney verse, by Harry Josephine Giles. SG75

Dickinson, Emily: Singular poet. SG95

Dick, Philip K.: Visionary science-fiction author and sideways mystic. SG118

DJ Tommyboy: Elusive Texas DJ and video artist. SG85

Doctors Without Borders: Worthy charity. SG91, SG92, SG93

Dr. Ruth: Sex guru, Holocaust survivor, author, humiliator of this newsletter’s author. SG102

“Dreams Never End”: 1981 New Order song with memorable opening, well-placed in Carlos. SG82

Durant: Missing meatball maker. SG65

Dust jackets: Unnecessary adornments; to be discarded without guilt. SG11, SG42, SG75

Ebert, Roger: Lamented thumbsman. SG117

“Elegy V: His Picture”: John Donne poem, dirtbag selfie anthem. SG50

Emisar D4V2: Hand-assembled flashlight of great beauty and charm. SG86

Empusium, The: Sanatorium-set novel by Olga Tokarczuk. SG116

Ende, Michael: Sadly un-prolific author. SG117

Evidence, The: Wildly intriguing Christopher Priest novel. SG97

Ex Libris: Bookplates meant to signify ownership. Fundraising instrument for a cause dear to this newsletter’s heart. SG91, SG92, SG93, SG94, SG104, SG105

“Expert Judgment on Markers to Deter Inadvertent Human Intrusion into the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant”: Warning to the future. SG31

Feitlowitz, Margeurite: Scholar, Angélica Gorodischer interlocutor. BABC8

Field of the Cloth of Gold, The: Site of a legendary 1520 rager in which swans and at least one dolphin were consumed. SG67

Fierce Bad Rabbits: Excellent study of children’s picture books by Clare Pollard. SG96, SG107

Fifth Sun, The: Study of “Aztec” history based on original Aztec-written sources by Camilla Townsend. SG111

Fogo Island: Mist-strewn home of SG contributor Roxane Hudon. SG115

Frame of Mind: Important, elusive DJ Tommyboy mix. SG85

Freezies: Cold summer treats. SG25

Fruit Hunters, The: Book written by Adam Leith Gollner, film written by Mark Slutsky and Yung Chang and director by the latter. SG109

Galactus Trilogy, The: Issues 48-50 of Fantastic Four, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, introducing the planet-eating cosmic menace and his herald, the Silver Surfer. SG8

Garak, Elim: Tailor, Cardassian spy, SG patron saint. SG77

Garner, Alan: Cheshire author and folklorist. SG106, SG115, SG117

Gellman, Yani: Heartthrob, friend of the newsletter. SG58

Gigamesh: Barcelona bookstore, site of missed opportunity. BABC9

Gil, Gilberto: Brazilian musician, politician, all-around hero. SG55

Gnosticism: Misunderstood heresy. SG118

Good-handedness: Reassuring feeling on first encountering a work of art. SG82, SG84

Gotham Bookmart: Defunct New York diamond district bookstore with rich past and mystical aura. SG27, SG41

Gorey, Edward: Picture-book author, frequentee of above-named bookmart. SG96, SG116

Gouda: Mispronounced cheese. SG82

Gramazio, Holly: Author of the delightful novel The Husbands. SG116

Glow: “A newsletter for candle lovers,” by friend-of-SG Eve Thomas. SG4

Guangzhou: Southern Chinese city, site of structural awakening for the author. SG90

Half-Life 2: Revolutionary computer game, art directed by Viktor Antonov. SG110

Hav: Exploration of a fictional world, foundational text for this newsletter, written by Jan Morris. Also first selection for SG: BABC. SG80, BABC1, BABC3, BABC10

Heti, Sheila: Novelist, friend of the newsletter and part inspiration for its creation, Trampoline Hall co-creator and programmer. SG35, SG71, SG102

High-Rise: 1975 J.G. Ballard novel with memorable opening. SG82

Historias Extraordinarias: Life-changing, 4.5-hour 2008 Argentine film, dir. Mariano Llinás. Another SG foundation text. SG82

Hoffmann, Heinrich: Author of ghastly 1845 picture book Struwwelpeter. SG96

Holiday Mix for You, A: Perennial playlist. SG48, SG93

Hotel Thermal: Communist-era resort, longtime obsession, excellent elevator lobbies, author once saw a solo dog exit an elevator on the 14th floor. SG9, SG78

Houdini: Magician, ill-fated Montreal visitor. SG26

Hudon, Roxane: Wonderful writer and reader and sometimes contributor to this newsletter. Fogo Island resident. SG107, SG115

Husbands, The: Very charming, very funny novel. SG116

“I’ll Be There for You”: Rembrandts hit, Friends theme, Czech anthem. SG78

In Patagonia: Bruce Chatwin travelogue, second SG: BABC selection. BABC4

I Like Movies: Movie by and for movie lovers by friend-of-the-newsletter Chandler Levack. SG105

Island City for Something Good: Graham van Pelt guest playlist. SG18

Istituto Morosini per lo Studio delle 15:32, 10 apr 1954, L’: Venetian museum dedicated to the exhaustive study a specific moment on a day in 1954. SG12, SG36

Italian hand gestures: Superior form of communication. SG109

Jakob von Gunten: 1909 Robert Walser novel with memorable opening lines. SG82

Jansson, Tove: Legend-tier Finnish writer and artist. SG115

John Paul II: Pope (former) SG119

Kabul Party Hostel: Unexpectedly long-lived Barcelona youth hangout, site of a mysterious ailment for the author. SG90

Kahlo, Frida: Much-merchandised artist, but don’t hold that against her. SG111

Kalpa Imperial: The Greatest Empire That Never Was: Angélica Gorodischer novel, third Barely a Book Club selection. BABC7, BABC8, BABC9

Kar Lo Pyar: Rock and Reggae: Ambitious, ill-fated Musarrat Nazir album. SG40

Karlovy Vary: Czech spa town, Hotel Thermal location, place of endless mystery and wonder. Author was once thrown out of a party there. SG9, SG78

Kasugai gummies: Japanese candies, bags of which are adorned with poetic text. SG24

Kid Detective, The: Heartbreaking comedy by newsletter friend Evan Morgan. SG25

KLF, The: English dance duo who burned a million pounds. SG101

KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band Who Burned a Million Pounds, The: Mind-bending book by John Higgs about the band in question. SG101, SG105

Kon, Satoshi: Japanese filmmaker of infinite talent and creativity, gone too soon. SG28

Kundera, Milan: Czech author everybody seemed to be reading when the author of this newsletter was a teenager. SG117

de Lampedusa, Giuseppe: Depressive Sicilian nobleman and novelist. SG17

Last Night at the Lake: Atmospheric short by the author of this newsletter. SG29

La chimera: Top, top film by director Alice Rohrwacher. Extremely Something Good in spirit. SG109

Landekic, Lola: Friend of this newsletter, talented title designer, editor of acclaimed Art of the Title website. SG107

Laurel Hell: Great Mitski album. SG54

Law, Matt: SG reader, contributor, poet. SG55

Leckie, Ann: Favoured SFF author. SG86, SG89

Le Guin, Ursula: Author, SG patron saint, translator of Kalpa Imperial. BABC9, SG105

Leigh Fermor, Patrick: Travel writer, author of Barely a Book Club selection A Time of Gifts and monastery exploration A Time to Keep Silence. SG116, BABC10, BABC11, BABC12

Let England Shake: Infinitely haunting PJ Harvey album. SG15, SG90

“Letting My Balls Drop”: Poorly-titled lecture. SG71

“Letter Ghost”: Juvenilia. SG70

Limerence: Romantic fixation to the point of obsession. SG36

Lizzie McGuire Movie, The: 2003 teen Rome-com, set of which was accidentally intruded on by author, who would later befriend one of its stars. SG58

Lolita Podcast: Tour-de-force of literary criticism and history by Jamie Loftus. SG7

Long Man of Wilmington: Chalk-slope figure, c. 16th-17th century. SG100

Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York: Legendary study by Lucy Sante. SG110

Luz: German demonic possession film. SG37

Lynch, David: David Lynch. SG99

MacFarlane, Robert: Walker, nature author, alpine enthusiast. SG106

Madrid: Spanish capital, host to the author for 49 hours, home to works by Goya, Bosch, something called the “Brutal Bacon.” SG73

Magic Flute, The: 1975 Ingmar Bergman adaptation of Mozart opera with memorable overture sequence. SG51

“Marcia Baila”: Les Rita Mitsouko song; pinnacle of music video art; heartfelt defense of life and love and all that is good. SG84

Melatonin: Chemical supplement, responsible for strange dreams. SG25

Messer, Karen: How to Work With Space author. SG99, SG109

Mexico City: High-altitude capital city, archeological wonder. SG111, SG112

Millennium Mambo: Ravishing, melancholy 2001 Hsiao-Hsien Hou romance. SG86

Mirror, The (Montreal): Erstwhile employer, one of the last of the great alt-weeklies. SG108

Mixed Feelings: Inconstant playlist. SG69

Montaug, Haoui: Legendary downtown nightclub doorman, poet, AIDS victim. SG5

Morris, Jan: Travel writer, Hav explorer, inspiration. SG75, SG80

Mulholland Drive: Movie that scared and beguiled the author. SG99

Munari, Bruno: Designer and Speak Italian author. SG109

Munroe, Jim: Longtime friend of the author, zine pioneer, novelist, early email-address-haver. SG74

My Canon: Playlist as crypto-autobiography. SG52

Naya Beat Volume 1: South Asian Dance and Electronic Music 1983-1992: Enthralling dance music compilation featuring cover of “State of Independence” by Musarrat Nazir. SG25

Nazir, Musarrat: Pakistani movie star, singer, and mother of SG contributor Omar Majeed. SG40

Never Happened: Short film. SG53

New Year’s Day Movie, The: Missing artifact of Canadian cinema, incompletely re-constructed by the author. SG77

Ninefox Gambit: Interesting sci-fi novel by Yoon Ha Lee. SG25

Nitrogen cycle: Method of preparing aquariums for fish life. SG32

“Nobody Reads Anything”: Unofficial slogan. SG102

Notes on a once-glimpsed, now largely forgotten children’s story set in a snowstorm in the Imperial capital in its waning years: Something Good printed zine. Some still available. SG45, SG46, SG74

Notting Hill Editions: A cool press founded by the popularizer of the Rubik’s Cube. SG105

Number Go Up: Good, angry book about crypto by Zeke Faux. SG89

Odyssey, Emily Wilson translation of, The: 2018 English-language version of Homeric epic with memorable opening. SG82

Of Time and the City: Elegiac 2008 “city symphony” film by Terence Davies. SG90

On Some Faraway Beach: Never-completed sound art project. SG29, SG79

Pain: Universal constant, underdiscussed. SG95

Partying: Misunderstood, necessary, historic activity. SG67, SG77

People’s Almanac, The: Book of interesting facts and stories, misremembered. SG13

Paprika: Final film of Satoshi Kon. SG28

Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1: Useful fanny pack. SG44

Phantom Thread: 2017 Paul Thomas Anderson movie in which a very good New Year’s Eve party occurs. SG67

Pikes Hotel: Ibiza site of 1987 Freddie Mercury birthday party in which 350 bottles of Moët & Chandon were consumed. SG67

Pink Gin: Cocktail selected by contributor Ariel Esteban Cayer. SG37

Paradise Garage: Ur-disco. SG67

Peake, Mervyn: Brilliant, heartbreakingly doomed artist and writer; author of Gormenghast series. SG103

Piranesi: Labyrinthine but compact Susanna Clarke novel, master class in world-building and narrative voice. SG2

Place of Greater Safety, A: Magnificent French Revolution novel by Hilary Mantel. SG105

Pleet, Rachael: Friend of the newsletter, illustrator, occasional contributor. SG3, SG10, SG13, SG22

Professor Chip: Instagram potato chip critic. SG10, SG20, SG100

Reed, Aaron A.: Games historian, designer, researcher. SG25, SG62, SG86

Rosemont metro: Inconveniently-located subway station. SG63

Sad YouTube: Predecessor project to Something Good. SG22, SG88

Saeculum: Span denoting the time between when something significant began until the death of the last living person to have been present at that moment. SG68

Salamerta Generation, The: Short story, first appeared in The Awl. SG47

Salbutamol inhaler: Assists in breathing. SG44

Samsung Maxima Zoom 105GL: An unremarkable point-and-shoot camera that nonetheless produces remarkable results. SG104, SG105

Saucer Cinema: Xenomorph-obsessed podcast. SG29

Schmidt sting pain index: Remarkable act of masochistic aesthetics. SG95

Scorpia: Feared 1980s computer game critic. SG17

Seltzer, Le: Montreal-made bubbly water. SG18

Sides: Script pages, resized by half and handed out on set at the beginning of a day’s shoot. SG44

Sleep paralysis: Unspeakable affliction. SG61

Smoky Something Good, The: Mezcal-powered update on this newsletter’s signature cocktail (see below). SG66

“Something Good”: Kate-Bush-sampling 1992 Utah Saints dance hit, inspiration for title of newsletter.

Something Good #75: The missing issue. SG75

Something Good, The: Eponymous summer cocktail, invented by Michelle Marek. SG24

Barely a Book Club: Literary offshoot newsletter. SG80

Sorcerer: 1977 William Friedkin thriller, cinéma de scumbag at its absolute sweatiest. SG86

Sebastian Stockman: Dust-jacket admirer. SG42

Spaghetti eis: Ice cream in spaghetti form, or spaghetti in ice cream form. SG89

Styrene, Poly: Brace-mouthed, curly-haired punk visionary, X-Ray Spex singer. SG17

Sullam, Sarra Coppia: Venetian-Jewish salonnière, romantic correspondent. SG17

Super Sexe: Downtown Montreal strip club, lost in flames. SG43

Suspect Video: Sadly defunct Toronto video store. SG13

ThruNite Archer 1A V3: Flashlight that failed. SG44

Time of Gifts, A: Patrick Leigh Fermor travelogue recounting journey by foot across inter-war Europe, written four decades post facto. BABC10

Time travel: Attractive activity. SG6, SG79

Tinnitus: Regrettable affliction. SG25

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: BBC mini-series, rare masterpiece adaptation of a masterpiece book, invented mumblecore. SG1

Untitled Viennese story: Long-forgotten children’s book set in Vienna. SG27, SG41

Titus Groan: Marvellous, enigmatic, extremely funny first volume in Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast series. SG103

Tombs of Atuan, The: Luminous Le Guin Earthsea entry. BABC9

Toshiba Libretto 50 CT: Compact 1990s portable computer, site of certain juvenilia. SG70

Trampoline Hall: Long-running Toronto lecture series, home to first performance of “Letting My Balls Drop.” SG71

Tropical Truth: Autobiography of Something Good patron saint Caetano Veloso. SG23

Tropicália: 1960s Brazilian musical and artistic movement. SG23, SG55

Translation State: Recent, excellent sci-fi novel set in Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch universe. SG86

True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee: Marvelous biography of a complicated man by Josie Riesman. SG8

USB battery pack: Useful. SG44

van Pelt, Graham: Musician, radio host, playlist-maker extraordinaire. SG18

We Are Raccoons: Jim Munroe novel. Sci-fi, A.I., indie games. SG74

What Is My Face?: Short documentary by the author of this newsletter and neuroscientist Sofía Landi. SG33

Whitehead, Jocelyn Gordon: McGill student, amateur boxer, Houdini assailant. SG26

Wilensky’s: Decades-old lunch counter, seller of pressed-baloney sandwiches. SG60

Wrench, Chris: Late friend of the author. RIP. SG52

WPIX Yule Log: Original televised fireplace. SG3

Wu, Irene: YouTube commentee. SG88

You Can Live Forever: Widely-pirated feature film directed by the author of this newsletter and Sarah Watts. SG34, SG59, SG60, SG76, SG80

Younger Lady, The: Mother of Tutankhamun, died mysteriously, mummy discovered in the Valley of the Kings. SG5

Zamor: Enslaved child turned French revolutionary. SG5

Zines: Newsletter progenitors, friendship initiators, physical objects that may outlive all of this. SG45, SG46, SG74

If you read this far and you don’t subscribe to Something Good, you probably should.