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!

Save The Day: April 16
April 16, 2011 · 6 Comments
Save The Day: April 16

11:30 AM update
Happy weekend, my heroic friends. For those of you frantically preparing your tax returns, take heart: we’re at $93,801! We could hit that 95K match today if you can get a friend (or …

The Vine: April 15, 2011
April 15, 2011 · 22 Comments
The Vine: April 15, 2011

My parents are having trouble cleaning their favorite chair. The small dog of the house long ago staked out the top of the headrest (by my dad’s head) as his place of rest, and now …

Save The Day: April 15
April 15, 2011 · 26 Comments
Save The Day: April 15

1:45 PM update
$91,176 — we’ll get to 95K in no time! Please consider celebrating Ukiah’s birthday with a donation today; the link to his Giving Page is below.
And now, a little halfway-mark love…
You guys, I’m …

Squared Up: Case Closed
April 14, 2011 · 7 Comments
Squared Up: Case Closed

It didn’t take long before I started fast-forwarding through the parts of Baseball Tonight that concerned the Bonds trial. The outcome wasn’t entirely without interest for me, but until I heard an actual outcome, knowing …

Save The Day: April 14
April 14, 2011 · 12 Comments
Save The Day: April 14

8:30 PM update
$88,772 — great work! Keep it up — remembering that I’ve got gift codes and a tote bag to give away ’til midnight ET tonight (scroll down for the deets)!
As Mr. Popeil liked …

The Vine: April 13, 2011
April 13, 2011 · 22 Comments
The Vine: April 13, 2011

I’ve been asked to be a bridesmaid in a close friend’s wedding. There are four bridesmaids altogether — the other three are all family members. Bridesmaid dress selection has been difficult — bride-to-be keeps changing …

Save The Day: April 13
April 13, 2011 · 11 Comments
Save The Day: April 13

5:30 PM update
Lean into it, y’all: $85,974, and Vanessa has a lot of cool stuff going on (scroll down) if you can help her Giving Page out.
9 AM update
$84,797 — 85K is nigh. I believe …

Save The Day: April 12
April 12, 2011 · 6 Comments
Save The Day: April 12

4:30 PM update, with snoozing visual aids Mabel (L) and “Little” Joe (R)
$83,738! And my tax refund arrived in the mail today, so in addition to giving away shirts (explained below), I’d also like to …

The Crushed Film Festival presents: Practical Magic
April 11, 2011 · 31 Comments
The Crushed Film Festival presents: <I>Practical Magic</I>

The Movie: Practical Magic
The Crush Object: Goran Visnjic
The Story: Sally and Gillian Owens (Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, respectively) struggle with their family legacy. Not only do they come from a long line of witches, …

Save The Day: April 11
April 11, 2011 · 10 Comments
Save The Day: April 11

1 PM update
80K is in sight, everyone — $79,007!
Got $20 you’d like to finish off a project with? Check out Ann D.’s mini-prizes (just scroll down)! It’s a gratifying way to help out for not …