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!

Three Things I’ll Never Do Again
October 23, 2006 · No Comment

1. Pick up a dreaming cat
You can pick up a sleeping cat, although I would not advise picking up a sleeping cat of mine without memorizing the manual first, specifically the parts which advise you …

The Vine: October 20, 2006
October 20, 2006 · No Comment

Hi,
Do you (or your readers) know and/or
recommend any sites or books that would help me turn my American-style
resume into a European style CV? I’ve looked it up on monster.com and a
few other places, but I’m …

The Vine: October 19, 2006
October 19, 2006 · No Comment

Dear Sars,
I had the same problem with Depakote and I was leery of shaving my head. I’m off it, as well, and eventually it leaves your system, but valproic acid is lipophilic (so it won’t …

The Vine: October 18, 2006
October 18, 2006 · No Comment

I am the whitest whitey that ever whited, and I usually just mix a sunless tanner made for light complexions with my usual face lotion.That gives me some color without making me look orange, and …

The Vine: October 17, 2006
October 17, 2006 · No Comment

It’s “The Reaper’s Image” by Stephen King. Try this for a basic plotline and such.
Keep rockin’ The Vine!
Briana

Dear Briana,
Thanks!
King also has a pretty cool story in, I believe, Everything’s Eventual, about a painting with a …

Girls’ Bike Club XIV: The Dry Spell
October 16, 2006 · No Comment

Sarah: Hello?
Wing Chun: Hello!
Sarah: Oh God, now what. Who.
Wing Chun: …What in the what what?
Sarah: It’s Robin Williams, isn’t it.
Wing Chun: It’s…the latest J. Crew catalog, actually, I saw a cute skirt for you. What …

The Vine: October 13, 2006
October 13, 2006 · No Comment

Dear Sars,
I can’t believe I’m writing you over something so stupid, but you’re the only person I know of that seems to be able to find the information I need.
I’m a 19-year-old male, and my …

The Vine: October 12, 2006
October 12, 2006 · No Comment

Like Leps, I’ve struggled to make friends for much the same reasons she describes. Leps mentioned that she “spends the money most people spend on cable buying books, which probably says it all.” She might …

The Vine: October 11, 2006
October 11, 2006 · No Comment

Dear Sars,
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in January after two and a half years of trying to figure
out what was
wrong with me. Crohn’s Disease is a chronic illness that gets progressively worse and
although Crohn’s …

The Vine: October 10, 2006
October 10, 2006 · No Comment

Actually there’s an easy way to tell if a belt (or any substance for
that matter) contains nickel. Nickel is ferromagnetic, which means a
magnet will stick to it. This is also true of iron and cobalt, …