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: 10/23, 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 …

Update: October 20, 11 PM
October 20, 2008 · 5 Comments

71K plus, folks!   Awesome work.   I credit Nikolai.   (hee.   Really, I credit you.)
Ten-odd days to go; four thousand until we hit the match.   Haven’t donated yet?   Now’s the perfect …

Sparkling Conversation: A Few Highlights
October 20, 2008 · 24 Comments
Sparkling Conversation: A Few Highlights

Nikolai: “Rrr.”
Hobey: “…”
Nikolai: “Rrrrrrrr.”
Hobey: “…”
Nikolai: “…Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”
Hobey: “…”
five minutes later, from under couch
Hobey: “…Rrrrrrrrrrrr rrr rrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrr rrrr, rrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrr RRRR RRR RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! RRR!!!!1!“
Sarah: “Good one.”
*****
Nikolai: “Rrrrrrrrr.”
Little Joe: “Ggggglllhh.”
Sarah: “HA HA HA HA …

On a happier note
October 20, 2008 · 25 Comments
On a happier note

As of this writing, $69,702.
Please draw the appropriate parallel between this nauseatingly cute photo of Hobeshka and Josef and my warm fuzzy feelings for all of you.   (Note: parallel should not contain humping.)

Nikolupdate
October 20, 2008 · 57 Comments
Nikolupdate

“In Soviet Russia, cat adopt you, okehhhhh?”
Niko is coming home to my apartment this afternoon.   This is not going to make me very popular with the ranking felines, but the kind woman at Feline …