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 December 30, 2023

Psst ... it's Scottie Andrew here, filling in for our sweet AJ this week. She'll be back for the Good Stuff's first edition of 2024!

We're nearly there, folks — 2024 is knocking on our doors and I'm excited to welcome it. Before we leave 2023 behind, though, consider paying a visit to CNN's Good News Generator, which spits out random sweet stories from this year that may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Among my favorites is an excellent story from our own AJ Willingham about a church that's canceling medical debt for area residents, freeing them from decades of paying back their lifesaving care. Then there's the time Bret Michaels, late of Poison and VH1's "Rock of Love," adopted a rescue dog also named Bret Michaels. And let's not forget the 14-year-old animator whose talent so impressed the team behind "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse" that he worked on a key scene in the film — or the study that found rats are ticklish! 

As with every year, 2023 was challenging. It's easy to forget in the torrent of heartbreaking news that there are people — like teenage animators and generous churchgoers and even Bret Michaels — doing good deeds, big and small. But there's always good news if you know where to look. That's why we're here, and we're grateful that you're here, too. Cheers to 2024, friends!

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.

The best of the year that was

Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week

Before Taylor Swift extended her world takeover to the NFL and its TV coverage, other positive stories dominated the world of sports: We excitedly watched the rise of Mike McDaniel, a former NFL intern who worked his way up to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins — and actually give them a fighting chance! Deion Sanders lit up the college football scene as one of the few Black head coaches of a major team — and a coach whose charisma and embrace of his background have made him the season's most exciting personality. And maybe you haven't heard of the man who became one of 17 people to complete the Barkley Marathons, a Tennessee footrace considered one of the hardest in the world, but he credits the feat to exclusively eating cheeseburgers on the trail. (If that's all it takes, then sign me up for the next race.)

And on the cultural side, who could forget the dissonant-yet-perfect "Barbenheimer" double feature, which paired the existential dread of "Oppenheimer" and the life-affirming charm of "Barbie"? I loved watching the hordes of moviegoers, all dressed in pink, leave one theater and walk straight into another to catch both films on the same day. (I did it, too, and loved it!) 

Artificial intelligence did a lot of weird things this year — like write papers, make digital art straight out of the uncanny valley, and bring M3GAN to life — but it made good on its potential when it decoded a word on a scroll recovered from a village reduced to ash in the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius over 2,000 years ago. The word was "πορφυρας" or "porphyras," which is the Greek word for purple! Now if AI can decipher the rest of the scroll, we'll find out what was so fascinating about purple in 79 AD. 

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How to kick off 2024 on a high

Write a poem

Earlier in 2023, poet and CNN Opinion contributor Tess Taylor suggested writing a haiku a day — three lines; five syllables in the first, seven in the second and five again in the third — as a way to "notice your world." Now, Taylor is inviting readers to share their haikus as well as the ways poetry has moved them for an upcoming story. Taylor encourages "rough" versions of the Japanese poetic form — there's no such thing as perfection in art, after all. So write and syllabize on, dear readers, and submit your haikus if you feel comfortable. Here's one I just came up with about my beloved gecko, Pippy: 

Scaly companion

Quiet except for hiccups

My dear little friend

And just like my second-grade teacher Mrs. McNew taught me, I counted the syllables out with my fingers. 

Find a good read

Care to kick off the new year with a new book? CNN Style asked a bunch of cool, creative folks like director Ari Aster, musician Mitski and fashion personality Alexa Chung about the best books they read this year, and there are suggestions for every literary taste. Aster, ever the iconoclast, chose Daniel Clowes' "Monica," which he called the "densest, most elegiac and most discomfiting of the great cartoonist's books." Mitski opted for horror fiction "The September House," the debut novel by Carissa Orlando. And Chung sang the praises of the acclaimed novel "Yellowface" by R.F. Kuang, which the New York Times described as a "satirical literary thriller."

Make a new year's "dissolution"

Resolutions are ambitious — more power to those who achieve them! — but not always realistic. The writer Allison Hope instead recommends making a "dissolution" come 2024 — letting go of the things that add unnecessary stress. If you have committed to reading 100 books in the new year but find yourself struggling to get through a boring one, allow yourself to put it down for good, Hope says. With that extra time, maybe you'll find a book you adore or find the resolve to write one yourself! Give yourself grace this and every year — you don't need to live up to an impossible ideal. By shedding the stuff that doesn't move you, maybe you'll find elements of life that make you truly happy.

Wishing you luck!

Does food have the ability to change your fortune? It's hard to disagree when your mouth is full of something delicious. It's a tradition across the world to eat a "lucky" meal on the first day of the new year. 

If you, like me, hail from the South, then you've probably eaten a variation of black-eyed peas, collards and rice on the first day of the New Year. Different regions and cultures have their spin on the meal: South Carolina's Lowcountry is known for Hoppin' John, a delicious combination of cowpeas and rice that originated among enslaved people with roots in West Africa and the West Indies. The meal is said to bring good fortune to those who eat it. The peas symbolize coins, and when collards are added, they can look like folded paper money. 

In Spain, it's customary to eat twelve grapes at the stroke of midnight, one for each time the bell tolls. Japanese revelers may slurp some buckwheat soba noodles to kick off the new year, a tradition dating back to the 17th century, with the lengthy noodles representing longevity. And in Scandinavia and Poland, pickled herring makes a regular appearance on New Year's Day menus as it's supposed to bring prosperity and bounty to those who chow down. 

No one knows exactly where the lemon pig came from or why it's purported to bring good luck, but darn if it isn't one of the cutest things you can do with a lemon on New Year's Day. The lemon pig is a portly little creature easily crafted out of citrus fruit. You stab four toothpicks into the lemon for legs and slice two little ears out of its rind. Its eyes are made of cloves, and its slit mouth is meant to hold a penny. Pigs are considered bringers of good luck in many cultures, including German and Chinese, so while the origins of this tabletop pig are murky, it's a sweet tradition for those who might need a little extra luck.

Rec of the week

Brought to you by CNN Underscored

Shameless animal video

There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now.

These two doggies fell in love during the pandemic lockdown. Now they carry on a long-distance romance in the cutest way. Quick, someone reunite them in person and film it for us!! We need a good happy cry in 2024.
(Click here to view)

Made with love by CNN's 5 Things team. 

A newsletter for the good in life

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Friday 12.29.23

As 2024 approaches, you may find yourself in ample reflection and perhaps developing a mantra for the New Year. Scientists have discovered a host of techniques that can help you nail your resolutions if you enjoy setting goals each January 1. Speaking of which, thank you for striving to stay informed with the news this past year! We appreciate your loyal readership to 5 Things and look forward to returning to your inbox on January 2. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.
 

By Alexandra Banner

Trump

Maine's top election official has removed former President Donald Trump from the state's 2024 primary ballot based on the 14th Amendment's "insurrectionist ban." The decision makes Maine the second state to disqualify Trump from office, after the Colorado Supreme Court handed down its own stunning ruling that removed him from the ballot earlier this month. Trump's team said they intend to file an appeal. The development is a victory for Trump's critics, who believe his role in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, violated the 14th Amendment. Ratified after the Civil War, the 14th Amendment says American officials who "engage in" insurrection can't hold future office. Most legal experts believe the US Supreme Court will weigh in on the issue for the entire country in the coming months.

Gaza

The United Nations said that around 150,000 people in central Gaza have "nowhere to go" after Israeli forces warned residents that they must urgently leave. This comes as Israel's military is expanding its operations in southern Gaza and is battling Hamas with snipers and tank fire in the Khan Younis area. Meanwhile, in a rare acknowledgment of fault, Israel's military said it regretted causing "unintended harm" to civilians as a result of air strikes in central Gaza on December 24. About 70 people were killed in the strikes, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry. The number of people killed in Gaza since October 7 has surpassed 21,300, with nearly 60,000 people injured, the Health Ministry said.

Ukraine

Russia launched its biggest air attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian military said, with a barrage of strikes reported across the country today. The wave of attacks began overnight and struck nationwide, with blasts reported in the capital Kyiv, the central city of Dnipro, the eastern city of Kharkiv, the southeastern port of Odesa, and the western city of Lviv — far from the frontlines. At least 12 people were killed and dozens more were injured, Ukrainian officials said. The massive overnight assault comes just days after Ukraine struck a Russian Navy landing ship in Crimea, causing severe damage to the vessel in another blow to Moscow's Black Sea fleet.

California waves 

A powerful offshore storm is driving towering waves into the California coastline, triggering flooding and warnings of damaging swells after several people were injured by a wave along Ventura Beach on Thursday. At least one large wave crashed over a barrier and pummeled cars as drivers tried to speed away. Nearly 20 people were briefly swept away in the incident and eight people were taken to the hospital, Ventura officials said. Much of the West Coast is under flood warnings and high-surf alerts through the weekend due to the likelihood of high water and dangerous rip currents.

SpaceX

SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off Thursday from Florida carrying a mysterious spacecraft for the US military. The uncrewed X-37B space plane will potentially venture deep into the cosmos, where it is set to carry out cutting-edge research. Among the studies on board this mission is a NASA experiment that aims to find ways to sustain astronauts on future deep-space missions, including how to grow food in harsh and soilless environments. This could be crucial for astronauts on lengthy missions to the moon or beyond — places where it's difficult to deliver fresh supplies.

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The hidden meaning behind this royal scarf
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Bill to require some Chick-fil-A's to open on Sundays has sparked a cultural flashpoint
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L'Oreal heiress is the first woman with a $100B fortune
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Detroit Pistons tie NBA record with 28 straight losses
The Pistons continued their losing streak Thursday with an overtime loss to the Boston Celtics. It unfortunately marked 28 consecutive losses.

1,370

That's how many Boeing 737 Max jets are being inspected for a potential missing piece. The inspection comes after an unnamed international airline found a missing bolt in an aircraft's rudder system — and found another bolt that wasn't properly tightened in a yet-to-be-delivered plane. An airplane's rudder is used to control and stabilize the aircraft while in flight. Boeing said the issue has been remedied, but it wants to ensure all of its 737 Max jets in service worldwide are checked for similar problems.

The fact that it's being discontinued is going to be a huge shock to the system for patients, for families and for doctors.

— Dr. Robyn Cohen, a pulmonologist at Boston Medical Center, reacting to a major asthma inhaler switch coming to the US next month. The popular branded inhaler Flovent will disappear from pharmacy shelves on January 1, and doctors are concerned patients may have delays switching to alternatives and getting them covered by insurance.

New Year's Eve ball drop explained
The Times Square ball drop has been a New York tradition since 1907! Watch this short video to learn a few additional facts about the eye-catching ritual set for Sunday night!