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: March 27, 2002
March 27, 2002 · No Comment

I have lived with Boy for a year now. We have been together for about six months longer than that. I have known him for three years now, literally since moments after he graduated high …

The Vine: March 26, 2002
March 26, 2002 · No Comment

My first thought on reading Going for Family Gold’s letter was that she isn’t so much concerned about her in-laws’ treatment of her (which has been going on for years now), but of their grandchild. …

The Vine: March 21, 2002
March 21, 2002 · No Comment

Hi Sars,
I have a guy friend that has been around since childhood. Dude is a lovely person, but he is sucking the life out of me. He is fairly depressed and rarely leaves the house. …

The Vine: March 20, 2002
March 20, 2002 · No Comment

Hi Sars,
Just wanted to add my two pennies’ worth regarding the woman who is hurt by the indifference of her in-laws. I know what she’s dealing with, because I have felt it as well — …

The Vine: March 19, 2002
March 19, 2002 · No Comment

Sars:
Since you’ve proven yourself consistently wiser and more knowledgeable about these sorts of things than I, I’m dropping this ettiquette question your way.
I was invited to the wedding of two friends of mine from grad …

Head Case
March 18, 2002 · No Comment

In college, we spent a lot of time on the theoretical. Part of that derived from our classes — although, if I recall correctly, I greeted my PHI 101 preceptor’s question about the possibility that …

The Vine: March 15, 2002
March 15, 2002 · No Comment

Ms. Bunting,
I have some insight into Clueless’s problem. I meandered through various jobs and majors to wind up as a very unhappy chemist. So, one summer I came across a book called Where Do I …

The Vine: March 14, 2002
March 14, 2002 · No Comment

Hello. Bow, scrape, nod, feh.
Mr. Yum-Buckets and I have been dating for about a year, and have lived in sin since around April. My family isn’t keen on that but, having felt the need to …

The Vine: March 13, 2002
March 13, 2002 · No Comment

How can I figure out what I want to be when I grow up? I’m almost 29 and still have no clue what I am supposed to be doing. I’d love to be writing, but …

The Vine: March 12, 2002
March 12, 2002 · No Comment

Hey Sars.
I’m in a very similar situation to Philly, and I wanted to point her towards some useful resources. While I have a different type of seizure (and Depakote did nothing but make me sleepy, …