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!

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 …

Prop 8 is enough
November 14, 2008 · 76 Comments
Prop 8 is enough

It’s more than enough, in fact.   We’ve had more than enough codified discrimination in this country over its long and sometimes misguided history, and whatever semantics those in favor of Proposition 8 choose to …

In Critical Condition
November 13, 2008 · 10 Comments

Critical Condition is actually the beautiful and talented Mark Blankenship’s blog, and I’ve got a guest piece up over there about the return of Unsolved Mysteries.

The Vine: November 12, 2008
November 12, 2008 · 32 Comments

Hi Sars,
Given your experience in both the blogging and publishing worlds, I’m hoping you can help me out with some questions about the relationship (or lack thereof?) between the two.
I am a writer who, since …

The Vine: November 7, 2008
November 7, 2008 · 24 Comments

Hi Sars,
I read a science fiction book in my teens in the nineties, and I can’t remember the title.
It was about people genetically engineering their kids to not ever need sleep.For example, when they …

Prizing update
November 7, 2008 · 20 Comments

The prizing phase has begun; please make sure your spam filters will accept emails from me, and do get back to me as soon as you can if you get a win notification — we’ve …