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!

“I want to do my best”
December 3, 2008 · 14 Comments
“I want to do my best”

Don’t we all, Ms. Yoshida.   Don’t we all.
Eri Yoshida, a knuckleball pitcher, will play for the Kobe 9 Cruise in a new independent league starting in April 2009. The team selected her last month …

The Vine: December 3, 2008
December 3, 2008 · 21 Comments

Apologies for the brevity/tardiness of today’s Vine; lots going on behind the scenes here at TN HQ today.Stay tuned…
Hi Sars,
This is probably more an etiquette question than anything else.When, if ever, should you tell your …

Support Local Biz: November 29, 2008
November 29, 2008 · 90 Comments
Support Local Biz: November 29, 2008

I worked with John Grady a few years ago when he played Captain Patterson in the FGM.   You can catch him in the upcoming Ian McShane project Kings, and in a short called Doga …

The Vine: Turkember 26, 2008
November 26, 2008 · 138 Comments
The Vine: Turkember 26, 2008

Hey Sarah,
Here’s a doozy for you.
I am the unofficial lead secretary in a smallish office — unofficial because I’m on the same level as the other secretaries, it’s just that I’m the only one who …

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…tree
November 24, 2008 · 42 Comments

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive artificial Christmas tree?   (…”Winter-holiday arboreal cluster,” whatever you like.)   The faker and more space-age ’50s Christmas-looking, the better, and if you can attest to its relative pet-safety (i.e. …

Six degrees of detonation
November 24, 2008 · 38 Comments
Six degrees of detonation

Sarah: “Check it out, you know that girl that I yelled out about at the movie this afternoon?”
Skyrockets: “The girl you…right.   …Wait, no.”
Sarah: “During the credits, when I yelled out ‘MARIA DIZZIA!’ You know…her?”
Skyrockets: …

The Vine: November 21, 2008
November 21, 2008 · 8 Comments

Hey, folks.Overwhelmed by other deadlines this week, I’ve asked the beautiful and talented AB Chao to step in on Ask The Readers Friday.Welcome back, AB!
Dear Sars,
HELP!I finally found a product for my face that I …

The Vine: November 19, 2008
November 19, 2008 · 41 Comments

Dear Sars,
Since I found out a few weeks ago that my ex became single again, I have been dreaming about him.Not in passing cameos, but long elaborate dreams full of longing looks, “accidental” touching, and …

Red White & Beefsteak: UPDATE
November 17, 2008 · 21 Comments
Red White & Beefsteak: UPDATE

Due to very slow sales, the “Red White & Beefsteak” shirt is no longer available; the shirt/store will return in March.   Those of you who have already ordered will receive a refund, plus a …

The Vine: Novemberainbow 14, 2008
November 14, 2008 · 34 Comments
The Vine: Novemberainbow 14, 2008

Dear Sarah,
My 27-year-old sister came out to me and the rest of our family recently. I think everyone’s dealt with it fairly well — we all asked a lot of questions at first and my …