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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!

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Articles in The Vine

The Vine: April 16, 2004
April 16, 2004 – 5:12 PM | No Comment

Dear Sars:
My husband and I are inexperienced party-throwers, and after much
deliberation we’ve finally decided to try our hand at entertaining. We sent
out invitations to friends we know from several different places, so that
everyone will have …

The Vine: April 15, 2004
April 15, 2004 – 5:04 PM | No Comment

Dear Sars:
My mother-in-law is great — really. Okay, most of the time. We’re super-close; we shop, we go to the movies, we work together. My own mother lives almost a thousand miles away and I …

The Vine: April 14, 2004
April 14, 2004 – 4:49 PM | No Comment

Dear Sars,
I hooked up with this guy last week. He’s a good friend, and let’s say for the sake of this letter, there’s a very good chance said hooking up will occur again.
The problem was…he …

The Vine: April 13, 2004
April 13, 2004 – 4:39 PM | No Comment

Dear Sars,
My situation basically addresses the question: Is there ever an
exception to the butt-out rule? The one about interfering in other
people’s consenting relationships?
I’ll try to condense this as much as possible, while not leaving out
anything …

The Vine: April 8, 2004
April 8, 2004 – 4:07 PM | No Comment

Dear Sars,
I suppose, when you get right down to it, mine is not a dilemma of the upmost importance, but the subject is really beginning to strain some of my friendships. The issue? Abortion. And …

The Vine: April 7, 2004
April 7, 2004 – 3:58 PM | No Comment

Sars —
I work in an industry (manufacturing equipment for oil rigs) traditionally dominated by men, and I am one of four women (I’m a technical writer, one’s a drafter, one’s an admin, and one’s clerical) …

The Vine: April 6, 2004
April 6, 2004 – 3:53 PM | No Comment

Hi Sars,
I’ve been mulling this one over for a few weeks and would really appreciate
your excellent advice.
I come from a very successful “built something from nothing” kind of family.
My sibling and I have both pursued …

The Vine: April 2, 2004
April 2, 2004 – 11:52 AM | No Comment

Dear Sars, grammar maven from on high,
Glad to see this touched on in The Vine, but I’d like to know what you think
of the prevalence of “women” or “woman” used as an adjective in place …

The Vine: April 1, 2004
April 1, 2004 – 11:41 AM | No Comment

Dear Sars,
So a few months after breaking up with my boyfriend, I decided to try the
whole online dating scene. I recently moved to a new city, it seemed like a
low-pressure way to meet nice guys, …

The Vine: March 31, 2004
March 31, 2004 – 9:57 PM | No Comment

Hi Sars,
Thanks for doing what you do and keeping me laughing at work. I have a
particular pet peeve about the word “entitled.” My dad pointed it out to
me years and years ago, and it’s bugged …