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!

The Vine: January 27, 2005
January 27, 2005 · No Comment

Hi Sars —
This isn’t earth-shatteringly important, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to
ask anyway. You said in a past Vine that you don’t like Dickens’ writing.
I was wondering — why not? Do you think it …

The Vine: January 26, 2005
January 26, 2005 · No Comment

Dear Sars,
I am a 25-year-old woman with a major attitude problem. See? I’m the first
one to admit it. But I don’t know what to do about it, and I’m really
scared that it’s going to ruin …

The Vine: January 25, 2005
January 25, 2005 · No Comment

My boyfriend of almost a year has gone to teach English in Japan
for 12 months. I visited him in his second month for a few weeks, and
arrived home in Australia a month ago. I do …

The Subheroes Chapter 11: Sense and Sensibility
January 24, 2005 · No Comment

It’s looking like snow. Jenny hopes it snows; snow dulls the old smells, makes it easier for Rina to work, plus maybe they’ll open the bookstore late and she won’t have to go in for …

The Vine: January 18, 2005
January 18, 2005 · No Comment

Dear Sars,
I’ve had some good luck and some bad luck with the ladies in the past, but this current situation has me really confused. I’m a grad student and I met this undergrad girl (different …

25 And Over
January 17, 2005 · 218 Comments

If you have reached the age of 25, I have a bit of bad news for you, to wit: it is time, if you have not already done so, for you to emerge from your …

The Vine: January 15, 2005
January 15, 2005 · No Comment

Sars:
Thank you so much for your answer to Vegan. I’ve been a vegetarian my entire 40 years (not a vegan — need the cheese) so certainly qualify to comment. In those 40 years I’ve inadvertently …

The Vine: January 13, 2005
January 13, 2005 · No Comment

Dear Sars,
I have an extremely close family. We see each other daily, have a family business together, et cetera.
My sister, who is a lot older than me, got divorced two years ago from a guy …

The Vine: January 12, 2005
January 12, 2005 · No Comment

I can really feel for Mr. Feminist — I was his feminist friend. I still
own two copies of The Natural Superiority of Women, though I couldn’t tell
you where they are. I attended Radical Lesbisan Feminist …

The Vine: January 11, 2005
January 11, 2005 · No Comment

Dear Sars,
I am curious to hear your thoughts on my Christmas dilemma.
I will start by giving you some background on all the players. I got married earlier this year to someone whose parents live several …