Atoms to Atoms, Dust to Dust

Fifty-five years ago today, the very first nuclear power station came on-line in the Soviet Union, in Obninsk. It proved to be remarkably durable, staying in operation until quite recently. I am an advocate of the careful, reasonable use of nuclear power for civilian purposes, and Jane Lane is too, to my surprise, but not for the same reasons.

The infamous soap opera Dark Shadows began on this day 43 years ago. (Jodie and Upchuck here commemorate this event.) I can testify to the intense fan involvement of this show, having known several people (all high-school students like me) who were completely addicted to it. Me, I never watched it. Vampires, werewolves, ugh, where were the robots and aliens? Wonder how many of the MTV animation group were fans of that show. Just curious.

It's a bit of a stretch, but Sandi Griffin's trip to Bermuda in Is It Fall Yet? makes the next tidbit relevant, sort of. Just 111 years ago, renown sailor Joshua Slocum completed the first-ever solo circumnavigation of the globe. Just 11 years later, however, he vanished in the vicinity of the Bermuda Triangle, joining Judge Crater, Amelia Earhart, Ambrose Bierce, and Elvis in the realms of mystery. Except we know Elvis is dead. Get over it. Daria fanfiction does need more Bermuda Triangle fanfics, so get on it, please.

OMG! This blog has 95,790 hits! Don't you people have lives? Or is that all from me?

Kangaballs is looking for a collaborator for a hard-boiled detective story told from Daria's viewpoint. PM her at PPMB.

Pinkminx has expanded her artistic talents to do a realistic portrait of Trent Lane. Nice! And she's got a new version of it in a different thread. Vote on them, please. In other art news, "Downer Ending," by Silver, shows Stacy Rowe watching TV. Or playing video games. Not sure, but it's Stacy.

DrNoGood09 has proposed an anime-crossover Iron Chef: Kamen Cynic. I'm not an anime expert, so I'll let him explain it.

I found an article on the dangers of cheerleading that might be of interest to those writing stories about Brittany and her colleagues. Ouch!

Disco316, João Paulo Costa, Brother Grimace, and Richard Lobinske have been seriously burning it up at DariaWiki. Good Lord! A big hand for these guys! YES!

Sorry I didn't get the fanfic list updated for a while. Busy with a story, plus life, etc. Here we go.

NEWLY UPDATED! I cannot believe how much fanfic is listed here.

FF.net

• Commitment Issues, by Fringeperson (Part 3): Trent had expressed a need to go to Dega Street for guitar strings about halfway through his pizza, an idea which Jane promptly jumped on. She was always on the look out for new and interesting art supplies after all, and Dega Street was never short of inspiration either. It was a more appealing prospect than going home, so Daria agreed to come, too.
  
• Daria, Poem Unlimited, by Project Pegasus (Part 3): “Coffee?” he asked. Coffee was his answer to everything, just as other people turned to God. For him, the reflexive impulse to offer coffee was the equivalent of saying, “I’ll pray for you.”
• Many a True Word, by Alpacca Jo, a.k.a. thatLONERchick (COMPLETE!): Home room was as uneventful as ever, Charles Ruttheimer III mused as he doodled on the back of his History notes. Around him, students traded jokes or fresh gossip, while a select few sat with their heads down in a vain attempt to catch up on missed sleep.
  
• Never Come to Be, by Alpacca Jo (COMPLETE!): A tear fell, hit Trent's guitar and slid down to drop into the grass at his feet. He seemed not to notice, kept playing though his voice grew rough.
• Shucked Again, by Alpacca Jo (COMPLETE!): She awoke in darkness, cool, sweet wind swirling about her form in what seemed like open air. The sky was an inky blur and, disoriented, she began patting the ground around her in search of her glasses. She blinked in surprise—she was laying in what felt like tall grass.
• A Sibling's Rivalry, by Alpacca Jo (COMPLETE!): Jane watched Trent's door swing slowly shut, face blank but long artist's hands clenched into trembling fists. Just before the latch clicked, Monique stuck her head out and tipped Jane a catty wink. Then they were shut into the cluttered dark of the narcoleptic musician's chambers, and Jane was left alone.
  
• Sinspiration, by Vlora (Part 20): "I’m dating someone," Jane spouted from the quiet of the band’s introduction. The crowd was shifting and stifled, the two girls barely able to see over the heads of some particularly nasty goth-punk-grunge hybrids. ‘When did this happen?’ Daria asked in surprise.
• A Stumble on the Road to Enlightenment, by Alpacca Jo (COMPLETE!): The Bromwell Freshman Orientations had always been a curious affair; while the various scholarship students or those not associated with any alumni of note attended their services in one of the campus's vast auditoriums, the Legacies were taken aside one by one to be welcomed into their new home.
  
• Super Heroism and YOU! by Alpacca Jo (COMPLETE!): Daria rolled her eyes. Thus far, Ms. Li's mandatory Super Heroism and YOU! assembly was nothing more than several black-suited "officials" with no names, no credentials, and, supposedly, no affiliation to CertIAn government agencies droning on and on and on about Lawndale's "exceptional youth" having "the future's future" on their shoulders.
  
• Take Me on the Floor, by MandeeMistress (Part 2): It wasn’t soon after Daria had arrived that Trent walked into the pizza parlor. Daria’s eyes met his sleek exterior and mysterious aura. His dark eyes were still welcoming. She felt her pulse quicken a bit. It seemed that plenty had gone on since she had left.
• Three Dark Tales, by Alpacca Jo (COMPLETE!): "Fade," "Dark Siren," and "This Is Not Hell."
  

PPMB

• 1776+222 (Give or Take), by Disco316 (COMPLETE!): “But I can’t be on this committee! Jodie has time off for the first time in years this weekend!” Mack Mackenzie complained to anyone who would listen to him. Jane Lane took Mack by the arm as she led him out of the meeting room in the school. “Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ll just get Daria to write it up. This is her thing anyway.” [The first-ever Daria/1776 crossover!] (FF.net)
  
• Fimbul (ex-More Apocalyptic Daria), by NightGoblyn (continued): The wind is brisk today, and I pull an extra pair of gloves out of my coat pocket and pull them on as I walk home. I should probably take a nap, since tonight was the first night of the full moon.
• Gimme Skelter, by TAG and Brother Grimace (Part 12): Mackenzie groaned in torment. The gasoline tanker had proved roadworthy after time-consuming repairs and tire changes, but with two axles slightly bent the vehicle had a noticeable wobble as it rumbled down the freeway at 35 mph.
• I'd Watch (in a Non-voyeuristic Way), by thatLONERchick (COMPLETE!): "We're here with Tom and his friend, Daria. Behind us we have set up an obstacle course including flaming hoops, a Yokou Zuna Sumo wrestler, and a live (and rather angry) lion!"
  
• John Lane 41: Friends and Rediscovery, by Richard Lobinske (Part 1): "...And the doctor said Sandi's leg will be in a cast for at least a month. Poor Sandi, crutches don't go with anything." "That's the same thing those landmine victims are always complaining about."
• Needs Something, by Thecoffeeguru (COMPLETE!): “Hmmmm, 'need to atone.' Needs something.” Trent Lane lay on his bed, strumming his guitar and chasing his muse. He was broken from his reverie by the appearance of one Daria Morgendorffer in his doorway.
  
• Reaped Out, by Pinkminx (continued): Quinn inhaled deeply as she stood in the drive and waved farewell to her mother as Helen reversed the car and drove down the road. The gesture went unnoticed. Quinn turned and entered the Morgendorffer residence hesitantly. [Continued here: "This isn't about the boyfriend shish kebab is it?" Mason groaned as he turned to Daria. "Love these things..."]
  
• Tales of the Ringbearers: With New Responsibility, by Richard Lobinske (Part 4): Though their weapons and some loose gear remained, there was no sign of the team when Richard stepped through the portal to the old apartment. Silent, he inspected the room and briefly looked out at the now empty park below. All around him, he felt darkness. [Excellent spooky atmosphere.]
• A Time for Everything, by Thecoffeeguru (COMPLETE!): Daria stood at the bathroom counter, brushing her teeth. This was a chore she attended to daily and, as such things went, was not that bad. Or rather, it wouldn’t be that bad if it weren’t for one environmental concern. “Gawd Daria, why do you insist on using the bathroom for that? It’s not like you even use the mirror.”
• Unnamed story (1,001 Deaths of Tom Sloane - Part II), by Dennis (COMPLETE!): [I don't dare ruin this one. Read it. Too funny! ]
  
• Unnamed story (1,001 Deaths of Tom Sloane - Part II), by Silver (COMPLETE!): The deck beneath Tom Sloane's feet bucked as only an airship under fire would. He'd tried throwing the wheel, jerking the stricken ship away from its attacker.
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Favorite Aunt Meets Amiga), by Greystar (COMPLETE!): "Hi, Amy Barksdale." "Jane Lane. Pleased to meet you." "You're cute." Amy was checking out Jane lustfully. "You're not so bad yourself." Jane returned the attention by closely examining Amy's rack.
• Unnamed story (Scenes that Should Be: Brains for Rent), by Doggieboy (COMPLETE!): Suddenly, the outer walls of the restaurant disappeared, leaving the five tables nearest to Scarlett's. A cold chill went down her spine as she watched the darkness surround them and stop at where the jagged edges of the floor tile were.
  
• Unnamed story (Scenes that Should Be: Brains for Rent), by SigDiff (Part 1): There was a loud ringing noise filling the small bedroom. Only one of its two beds was occupied, an uncombed mass of auburn hair visible at one end of a bulge in the blankets. Time for yet another boring day at work, Daria thought as she jerked awake, slamming her palm down on the alarm's “Off” button. [SF!]
• Unnamed story (Second Coming of the New Ideas Thread), by Trscroggs (Part 1): “Explosion in secondary drive array! Charge dumps 2 through 6 are unstable! Phase bubble is beginning to resynchronize with real space! Twenty minutes until field collapse!”