Baseball

“I wrote 63 songs this year. They’re all about Jeter.” Just kidding. The game we love, the players we hate, and more.

Culture and Criticism

From Norman Mailer to Wendy Pepper — everything on film, TV, books, music, and snacks (shut up, raisins), plus the Girls’ Bike Club.

Donors Choose and Contests

Helping public schools, winning prizes, sending a crazy lady in a tomato costume out in public.

Stories, True and Otherwise

Monologues, travelogues, fiction, and fart humor. And hens. Don’t forget the hens.

The Vine

The Tomato Nation advice column addresses your questions on etiquette, grammar, romance, and pet misbehavior. Ask The Readers about books or fashion today!

Two more things, only one of which is embarrassing
November 6, 2008 · 30 Comments

The non-embarrassing: you guys, the Newsweek special election report is gripping stuff.   All day, I’ve given myself one page each time I finish something from my to-do list, but a little while ago I …

Two embarrassing things
November 6, 2008 · 41 Comments
Two embarrassing things

1. Thing the first: you know how you keep seeing the ads for Stylista and saying aloud, “Please, who would watch that?”   I would, as it turns out.     AND I LOVE IT. …

The Vine: Novembama 5, 2008
November 5, 2008 · 100 Comments

Dear Sars,
Here’s an etiquette question I can’t seem to find addressed anywhere online.
My in-laws are inappropriately invested in my thank-you-note writing.

Yes We KECHONK!
November 5, 2008 · 187 Comments
Yes We KECHONK!

In lieu of the regular Vine, a few words of advice: remember when this happened, and how awesome it felt. Remember that you, the Nation, have improved the lives of tens of thousands of people. …

Please please please, let me, let me, let meeeee get what I waaaaaant this tiiiiime
November 3, 2008 · 184 Comments
Please please please, let me, let me, let meeeee get what I waaaaaant this tiiiiime

Election Day is nigh at last; I can’t WAIT to vote.   And, honestly, to have this campaign madness over with at last…not to mention the last eight years’ worth.
In case it didn’t go without …

Tiny obscurity
November 2, 2008 · 46 Comments
Tiny obscurity

The Daily Beast does a story on the ’08 DC Challenge.
A few notes: 1) I did not invent the Blogger Challenge, which is kind of how the story makes it sound.   2) I super-hate …

America runs on Dunkin
November 2, 2008 · 12 Comments

Literally.   I live right on the marathon course, which is cool, mostly, except for the band set up on the corner, whose “music” is echoing off the surrounding buildings and leaving me no part …

Prizing Reminder
November 1, 2008 · No Comment

Ya gots to get me your receipts by NOON TODAY ET.   If you didn’t get an email from me, your receipt wasn’t logged. (Please make sure it isn’t in your spam filter, and/or that …

O say does that seed-spangled banner yet waaaaaaave
October 31, 2008 · 25 Comments
O say does that seed-spangled banner yet waaaaaaave

…O’er the land of the freeeeeee
and the home of THE AWESOME.
$111,352 dollars raised, 1162 donors participating, and 19,577 children reached.
I must tell you that I did not know for sure it could be done.   …

Update: 10/31, 10 AM
October 31, 2008 · 25 Comments

Welcome to one of the last 2008 Challenge updates.   As of this writing, over $108,000. Truly thou art wonders to behold.
Also pretty dang wondrous: kids frolfing.   Ultimate Frisbee was invented not far from …