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!

Tomato Nation Read-Along #4: Bryson’s Dictionary of Troublesome Words
August 31, 2010 · 7 Comments
Tomato Nation Read-Along #4: <I>Bryson’s Dictionary of Troublesome Words</I>

Our next book, by a hair, is Bryson’s Dictionary of Troublesome Words: A Writer’s Guide to Getting It Right. I tremble to think of all the words I’m about to find out I’ve been using …

“Bartender, another round for Mrs. Uglyface”
August 30, 2010 · 10 Comments
“Bartender, another round for Mrs. Uglyface”

Happy birthday, Mr. Stupidhead. Next round’s on me.

The Vine: August 27, 2010
August 27, 2010 · 13 Comments
The Vine: August 27, 2010

Hi Sars,
I have a song question for you and the readers. I’m in Baltimore and spend most of my radio time listening to WTMD, which is a local university’s radio station. They play a lot …

Friends In Need
August 26, 2010 · 39 Comments
Friends In Need

Above: The artist formerly known as “the foster cat” supervises yet another productive day at TN HQ.
October draws nigh, so it’s time for an update on the annual Tomato Nation/Donors Choose fund drive, as well …

The Vine: August 25, 2010
August 25, 2010 · 61 Comments
The Vine: August 25, 2010

Dear Sars,
I am writing because I find myself increasingly…angry. I live in London and have done so for almost ten years. Because of my family situation, I won’t be leaving the city any time soon.
I …

DVR Break-Up: The Real Housewives of New Jersey
August 24, 2010 · 7 Comments
DVR Break-Up: <I>The Real Housewives of New Jersey</I>

I should have dumped RHoNJ when Dina Manzo did. Dina’s stated reasons had the whiff of bullshit — “I thought it would be a cute, funny look at our family,” or whatever she said at …

Strange Frequency
August 23, 2010 · 11 Comments
<I>Strange Frequency</I>

I stood in front of the DVD player for a good ninety seconds, staring at Strange Frequency‘s Netflix sleeve and wondering why in the name of beer and skittles I had put an Erik Palladino …

Tomato Nation Read-Along #4: Poll
August 22, 2010 · 15 Comments
Tomato Nation Read-Along #4: Poll

Now that we’ve emerged from the shadow of the golden raintree (…hew), it’s time to pick our next book. Please also let me know in the comments if you’d like to do a live chat …

The Vine: August 20, 2010
August 20, 2010 · 4 Comments
The Vine: August 20, 2010

Hi Sars,
I used to have this cassette tape that I listened to a bunch, probably in the early ’90s. It was a story read by a man (I think), that was probably an audio adaptation …

Bet Red, Bet Road: Update
August 19, 2010 · 9 Comments
Bet Red, Bet Road: Update

last updated 8/19/10 11 PM
All righty: A.C. tomato is still on for Friday, August 20. Current base of operations is the Trump Taj Mahal.
Complications include

a furniture delivery that day between 10 AM and 2 PM …