Have a Great 2011!

It's New Year's Day, which means a brand new start for some and a brand new hangover for others.

Anyone have any thoughts about what 2011 will bring? What do you think will happen in fandom? In your own life? In the world in general? In the underground kingdom only I know about where the invisible gnomes dwell? Post your predictions in the comments!


New Fanfic!

• The Application, by Doggieboy: "They walked quietly side by side through the deathly quiet city once known as Lawndale. The only sounds were those of their feet as they moved through the freshly fallen snow. Large militry-style duffel bags rested on their shoulders, and the bags were stuffed full. Every ten or so seconds, the taller of the two, the male, turned and looked behind them. Just in case they were being trailed."


• The Cards You Are Dealt, by Doggieboy (COMPLETE!): "The redheaded teen walked to a maple tree about 15 yards from the cliff edge and she looked around. 'John?' she asked. 'I know that you’re here. I can sense your presence. Come out and face me.' She heard a noise behind a large evergreen bush, moved her right hand to the pistol grip and waited as the werewolf walked out into the open. He growled quietly as he faced her." (Epilogue)


• A Day On the Sick Sad Job, by abe (part 2): "It was shaping up to be a really bad day, Jane realized, as she stared at the unappetizing meal spread across her lunch tray. The cafeteria two floors below her cubicle was usually a source of fairly good -- and occasionally excellent -- food, but it had failed her today. Maybe the usual cook's off sick, Jane thought. Or maybe... 'Next on Sick, Sad World: crazed assistant cooks who serve up their boss for lunch.' She inspected the mystery meat again. If so, that assistant cook is as incompetent as he is crazy. And the lunch was just one more blow from fate, which seemed to have it in for her today."


• Holiday Roadtrip (guest installment), by VPrad: "She could understand the reasons behind that smile. She had been one step away from losing everything. She had looked into the eyes of death and had survived to tell it. It didn’t matter if you believe in a god or not, life had given her a second chance and Daria was a wise enough person to make the most out of that opportunity. Despite all the blows life had thrown right at her, she had managed to rise stronger, and not drown in self pity. If Daria could do it, so could she."


• Janet Barch in My Life as a Tween Queen (Write-off Challenge 7, Round 2!), by LadieT (COMPLETE!): "Then it happened - her mother came home one day from work holding up two slips of paper in her hands. Not just any kind of paper - tickets. Two tickets for her and Janet to go see the Monkees in concert. Staring at the ticket speechless, Janet began to jump up and down in excitement. She was going to get to see him in person. Davy Jones - the object of her pre-teen fantasies."


• John Lane 48: A Boston We Will Go, by RLobinske (part 1): "Hearing Daria's voice on the phone, Amy Barksdale leaned back on her sofa and said, 'My favorite niece. I hope this is a social call and not to inform me that Helen has blown a head gasket and needs to be sent back to the factory for repairs.' 'Actually, John and I kind of need a favor.' 'Sure, I can be a witness. Fifty bucks if I meet you at the Justice of the Peace and a hundred if you drag me to a chapel.'"


• Lane Nauseum, by OverlordMikey: "'If you cry I'll throw up and I just changed my boots.' Wind remained silent for awhile. 'Well you said you had good news.' Jane said not really asking since Wind's great news is either we've patched things up or I found someone new. 'I met the women of my dreams!' Bingo"


• Life Beyond Highland (Iron Chef: Lawndale State), by LadieT (part 7): "Daria watched the other woman start to walk away. After a moment, she looked up at the sky and closed her eyes. She couldn't believe that such a harmless conversation had brought up such a flood of memories about her father. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn't notice that another person had joined her. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned to see her friend's brother standing beside her. He lifted his thumb and wiped off a fresh tear that had fallen."


• Quinn's Code - Story 1: The Esteemsters Code, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 3): "Quinn completed the form and handed it to Andrea. Andrea read it and signed it. 'You are now a probationary member of the Programming Club,' she said. 'Probationary?' Quinn asked. 'I will test you on your proficiency in the languages that you listed, prior to giving you full membership,' Andrea said."


• Spirit of the Game, Nature of the Beast, by HolyGrail2007 (parts 2 and 3): "She’d have to keep an eye out, of course, but there was no way that Elsie would dream of insisting Nadine or her 'cousin' not attend. The intrigue of the game and the chaos it unleashed was only a part of it’s overall excitement. There was another, more private, excitement that gave Elsie her fun. And that was outwitting another player’s schemes." (Part 3)


• Threshold, by LadieT (COMPLETE!): "'It's five minutes 'til midnight. I thought that I would be ringing in the New Year alone. Did you expect me to kiss your sister when the ball dropped?' Giving a slight laugh, Daria shook her head. A moment later both people were looking up into the sky. By now, the clouds looked like a brick wall trying to encase the heavens into darkness. The moonlight bounced off of them causing it's light to radiate that much more. Daria leaned back and placed her head on the other person's shoulder."


• The Tween Queen of the Camp (Write-off Challenge 7, Round 2!), by Kristen Bealer (COMPLETE!): "The girl tilted her head and gave Quinn a nasty look. 'Hmm. I can see where the untrained eye would think so. It's quite a skillful imitation.' That stopped Quinn's enthusiasm dead. At school, kids usually smiled and said nice things when she talked to them. This was new. She thought hard to come up with something that wouldn't make the girl say more mean things. 'Um, I like your hair.'"


• Unnamed story (Crossovers Still Crossing Over), by NightGoblyn (COMPLETE!): "BLACK SCREEN fades into a still shot: The room looks like the living room of a basement apartment that's being used as a science lab - a badly underfunded science lab, with all sorts of precarious and jerry-rigged equipment. In front of the camera is a battered kitchen chair. The camera shakes slightly, and centers on the chair. FEMALE VOICE: (off-screen) There, that'll do."


• Unnamed story (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: Damn The Torpedoes!), by thatLONERchick (COMPLETE!): "The Morgendorffer New Years Eve party was in full swing. Family and friends from all over Lawndale, and some from beyond, frolicked and boogied through the first story of 1111 Glen Oaks in inebriated contentment. Most of the guests wore costumes, but Daria was dressed in her usual ensemble, plus a pair of fuzzy bunny slippers (for comfort)."


• The Vision of the Burning Cities, by jtranser: "'Daria, If you take this job, one of the first things you might want to do is choose groups of people to protect.' 'Are you serious? I get my own Chosen People?' 'You don't have to be so formal. When I emerged, I settled on protecting madmen, small children and the United States of America. Of course, in return, you have to set some special goals for them...'"


• Worldburner: A Very Judith Christmas, by Erin Mills, Brother Grimace, Charles RB, and Overlord Mikey (part 4): "(As we return to the special, Jane Casalane stands by the large fire place cheerfully sipping hot cocoa; she‘s dressed in a large red and green ball gown. NegaJane can be seen in the corner near by sitting; also sipping cocoa. JANE CASALANE: Hello everyone; I’m Jane Casalane. If your just tuning in I’m one of many of Judith’s many – um... (She pauses to consider the words.) JANE CASALANE: Eh, what the hell, she hasn’t killed me yet so I‘ll risk it; prisoners. "


• Worldburner: Amelia and the Planet of the Hippies, by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "Behind Amelia, Laguerta and Morg were banging their hands on the table. It was a tempting offer. This was an embarrassing conversation that could not get worse- Then it got worse as her Defender Ring told her that portals to a netherworld were starting to open around Lawndale." (Part 3) (Part 4)


• Worldburner: When It Rains, by RLobinske (COMPLETE!): "The hate and anger flowing from Ian was greater than anything Richard had ever encountered. Even some of the most evil can love and when that love is taken away – horrible things can happen. Knowing how such anguish fueled Ian's will and thus, the power of his Vengeance Ring, Richard still didn't hesitate to lift his light saber to block the attack that he knew would power through Victoria's force field."