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!

Death Is Not An Option: Hoarders Cleaning Specialist Edition
March 1, 2012 · 35 Comments
Death Is Not An Option: <I>Hoarders</I> Cleaning Specialist Edition

Tough call. I love Matt Paxton’s podcast; I love sassy Matt Paxton, period. And Cory Chalmers is maybe still trying to figure out his facial hair (that goatee was catastrophic), plus…a grown man named “Cory.” …

Leap Vine: February 29, 2012
February 29, 2012 · 25 Comments
Leap Vine: February 29, 2012

I have a question regarding what to do about a depressed adult.
Backstory: My mother died of breast cancer three years ago. She was the stronghold of our family: the sweet, kind, funny, loving parent. She …

TN Read-Along #14: The Great Influenza
February 27, 2012 · 14 Comments
TN Read-Along #14: <I>The Great Influenza</I>

(cue “I don’t see what’s so great about it” jokes)
Hey, remember everything that ISN’T the Oscars Death Race? Me neither! Awesome! …I’m so sorry about the protracted service interruption, guys. I’ve missed you, and all …

Oscars Death Race: Last day
February 26, 2012 · 18 Comments
Oscars Death Race: Last day

UPDATE 2:30 PM
Sarah 61, Oscars 0
Thanks for all the support and comments, and a hat tip to everyone else who raced along with me. I am THRILLED that the third time was the charm; consider …

The Vine: February 23, 2012
February 23, 2012 · 19 Comments
The Vine: February 23, 2012

Hello, friends. I apologize for the spotty service as I try to finish the Oscars Death Race. Things should return to normal next week; I haven’t forgotten the Read-Along, or Jump Street recaps, or any of …

Oscars Death Race: Less than a week
February 20, 2012 · 8 Comments
Oscars Death Race: Less than a week

Oh, it’s about to get ugly. …Okay, “uglier.”

The Vine: February 17, 2012
February 17, 2012 · 10 Comments
The Vine: February 17, 2012

In the mid-1980s there was a kids’ show on PBS. As I recall there were several recurring segments of the show and one of them took place on a treasure island. I think there were pirates …

The Vine: February 15, 2012
February 15, 2012 · 18 Comments
The Vine: February 15, 2012

Eight years ago, during college, I became very close friends with a co-worker. She had just graduated from high school and her boyfriend was at boot camp. A few months after we met, they became …

Oscars 2012 Death Race Update: 2 weeks to go
February 12, 2012 · 10 Comments
Oscars 2012 Death Race Update: 2 weeks to go

Since we last convened:
Anonymous
Footnote
Drive
Kung Fu Panda 2
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
and a Best Actor overview

The Vine: February 10, 2012
February 10, 2012 · 4 Comments
The Vine: February 10, 2012

I have been going nuts trying to remember the name of this series. From what I can remember it was about a girl who moved to a new town, and got a new (hot) boyfriend. They …