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!

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Articles in The Vine

The Vine: October 16, 2009
October 16, 2009 – 12:02 PM | 89 Comments

Hi, Sars,
I’m writing to ask what you think about some advice given by a fellow advice column writer, Lucinda Rosenfeld over at XX. A recent column of hers has caused quite a bit of controversy. …

The Vine: October 14, 2009
October 14, 2009 – 3:17 PM | 54 Comments

Hi Sars,
My boyfriend and I just moved to New York, and since I arrived two weeks ago, I’m plagued by a near-constant fear of being attacked. (I figured I might as well jump right in.) …

The Vine: October 9, 2009
October 9, 2009 – 2:59 PM | 49 Comments

Hi, Sars (and readers!),
This is actually my second Vine-y missive, but this is a much more practical concern. Well, sort of. The thing is, there’s this painting that I’m trying to find. I first …

The Vine: October 7, 2009
October 7, 2009 – 4:13 PM | 55 Comments

Hi there,
I have a quick question for you and the readers. I’ve had two performance evaluations at work recently, with two different people. Both of them said essentially the same thing; that I’m a hard …

The Vine: October 2, 2009
October 2, 2009 – 1:56 PM | 41 Comments

In honor of the contest: Bookfest!

Dear Sars,
This book identification had been bothering me since 8th grade, which I just realized was 20 years ago. Yikes. I’ve tried searching online, but I haven’t had any luck. …

The Vine: October 1, 2009
October 1, 2009 – 5:29 PM | 41 Comments

Hi Sars,
I have a cat question. I’ve read through most of the Vine archives and haven’t found this one, so maybe it’s new. Here’s the deal: My husband and I have four cats. …

The Vine: September 25, 2009
September 25, 2009 – 10:26 AM | 262 Comments

Inevitably there is backstory (which I have tried to keep short), but ultimately this is a request for book title suggestions.
My mom lives in rural Utah.She volunteers for a tiny and ill-funded (understandably; the town …

The Vine: September 23, 2009
September 23, 2009 – 1:45 PM | 96 Comments

Dear Miss Bunting,
Thank you for making me laugh until my sides hurt. It’s funny because it’s true.
I would greatly appreciate it if you would clarify another word faux pas. My head spins off of my …

The Vine: September 18, 2009
September 18, 2009 – 10:59 AM | 12 Comments

Dear Sars,
I have a shopping question for you and your readers (mighty army that they be).I’ve been looking off and on for a few years now for gloves for my husband.Being a particular person, he …

The Vine: September 16, 2009
September 16, 2009 – 11:19 AM | 62 Comments

Dear Sars,
Here’s one that you’ve never answered: what should I do with my journals?
I have a bunch that I’ve written in for the past decade and was storing them in the basement. I decided to …