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!

Update: 10/24, 11 AM
October 24, 2008 · 60 Comments

Just FYI, I am traveling today; comments/emails may not get addressed until late tonight.I’ll do my best to keep up, and I appreciate your patience.
Nearly at 89K as of this writing.   Words fail me.
Happily, …

The Vine: October 24, 2008
October 24, 2008 · 29 Comments

Dear Sars,

I’m hosting an Alfred Hitchcock marathon on Halloween. I was planning onjust screening three films, but tonight I found the first two seasons of AlfredHitchcock Presents and three seasons of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour …

Update: 10/23, 5:15 PM
October 23, 2008 · 19 Comments

$83,263 right now.   Daaaaaaang.
Also: mini-prize!   Awesome reader Jess has offered the following prizes to any reader who donates to “Crochet Club”: a dark-grey-and-white knitted stocking cap/beanie as a main mini-prize, plus 2 knitted …

Match Game
October 23, 2008 · 23 Comments

I’m so excited for the money to kick in, I blanked my blank!
Sorry; little GSN “humor” for you there.   The match is ON, my generous friends. Let’s get this done.
(Note: projects already half funded …

Update: 10/23, 9:40 AM
October 23, 2008 · 10 Comments

75K and change at the moment; just waiting for the match to go into the system.   Great, great work; it’s much easier from here, I think, which is nice with just a week left.
Today, …

Update: 10/23, midnightish
October 23, 2008 · 5 Comments

SEVENTY-FIIIIIIIIVE!
Nice work.   I’ve notified DC to flip the switch on the match, but it may not take effect until business hours tomorrow; thanks in advance for your patience.
And thanks right now for your awesome-osity.

The Vine: October 22, 2008
October 22, 2008 · 47 Comments

Hi there,
I’m having a bit of an etiquette issue. I’m friends with a number of people who are part of a larger circle that could possibly and has been often described as hipster. That’s fine. …

Update: 10/22, 9 AM
October 22, 2008 · 4 Comments

$72,700 right now.   Only $2,300 until the match point.   You can absolutely do this.
Reader Gillian H. believes you can too, so she’s putting her iPod where her mouth is for a mini-prize.   …

Nikolupdate II: No, This Is Not Turning Into “One Of Those Cat Blogs”
October 21, 2008 · 37 Comments
Nikolupdate II: No, This Is Not Turning Into “One Of Those Cat Blogs”

But I thought you’d want to know, per Matt, that Nikolai has had a bath, behaved himself very well in the process, and is settling in nicely:
After surveying his new home, Niko has found his …

Proshai, Nikolai
October 21, 2008 · 37 Comments
Proshai, Nikolai

I am so very very happy to announce that Nikolai has just left for his new digs.   Leila and Matt will take excellent care of him (starting with the bath that I, without a …