Like, Glub!

Sandi almost has the right idea for World Snorkeling Day, except that she's clearly scuba diving rather than snorkeling. Oh, and you aren't supposed to hold hair dryers or any other electrical devices while doing either activity.

While we wait for Sandi to get the shock of her life, Daria and Jane can celebrate International Day of Friendship. In fact, their relationship is close enough that they may even decide to go for Share a Hug Day! Hm...maybe they aren't quite that close.

Fanfic Update!

• Convergence on Lawndale, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 9): "As Stacy returned to her seat, she tried to ignore Sandi’s glare. 'What was that about, Stacy?' the latter asked. 'Um, nothing,' Stacy said."


• Friend of a Friend, by Doggodoaattack (part 8): "'Daria, get up. Janes here.' Glancing at her alarm clock, she saw it read 9:30. Her mother must be losing her mind, Jane was never awake that early on a weekend."


• Grant Writer's Block, by welltemperedclavier (parts 11 and 12): "No one at Daria's company objected when she'd given her two weeks' notice and finished her time working remotely from the Morgendorffer home, now darker and quieter and dustier than it had ever been." (Part 12)


• It was only a kiss..., by DIsaac (parts 1 and 2): "My mind just started racing with every single thought I could imagine or even think of after finishing what I just did with Daria." (Part 2)


• taken by someone who makes me better, by wwzelda (COMPLETE!): "Twenty years after leaving Lawndale for college and never looking back, Jodie finds herself back for Lawndale High's reunion."


• Titanic - A True Story, by Sheila Wisz Ellayn (parts 3 - 5): "Larry had heard all kinds of stories about Edward John Smith, the greatest and most respected Captain in the entire White Star Line, everyone in Southampton knew about him, the man was famous... and yet, standing in the living presence of the legendary Captain Smith was a totally new experience!" (Part 4) (Part 5)


• you were right in front of me, by wwzelda (COMPLETE!): "When Daria nearly gets into a bad car accident, she doesn’t think to call her parents, her sister, or even her boyfriend."

There's More Than One Way to Bring Glory to Laaaaaawndale High!

Ms. Li is having a terrific National Soccer Day, but I don't think the students are going to appreciate it. I guess it's still better than chopping open a soda machine with a fire ax, though.

Today is also the anniversary of the episode "Speedtrapped," which aired on this day in 1999. Daria got her driver's licence, Mystik Spiral got arrested, Quinn got a cute new outfit, and Travis...well, Travis just barely got away with his life.

Fandom News!

• Charles RB is passing the baton of the Lawndale High forum to Erin Mills.


• R.I.P., Sinead O'Connor.


• dennis71 has a question about "Love Is a Series of Burning Sensations."


• Talk about when pop stars have to do normal jobs.

Auntie Pathy

I see Rita and Amy are arguing again, but they should try to make peace because it's Auntie's Day and they need to set a good example for their nieces. Unfortunately, that thought will probably set them off on an argument over which of them is the worse example, so I think I'll just stay out of this one.

While we're talking about massive blow-ups, today is also the anniversary of the episode "Fire!," which aired on this day in 2000. Wait, did you think I was talking about Jake's unintentional arson? I mean Daria, Tom, and Jane's escalating conflict. And the worst was yet to come....

Fanfic Update!

• Alone, by Doggodoaattack (part 14): "'Tell me what happened at the Zen.'"


• Daria: Cynic the Superheroine, by Meester_Lee (part 3): "At the end of the school day, Daria returned to her house. She devoted the early part of the evening to business: first checking messages on her phone service, then calling the Navajo Nation’s tribal police to report that her car had been stolen."


• Friend of a Friend, by Doggodoaattack (part 7): "'So, you can’t talk tomorrow?' Daria had been on the phone with Charlie for almost an hour after school, discussing anything and everything."


• Grant Writer's Block, by welltemperedclavier (part 10): "Many people would be terrified at the thought of having to write sixteen pages of original content over the brief course of a single weekend. To Daria? It was a chance to show off."


• Quinn's Keg Party, by Sheila Wisz Ellayn (COMPLETE!): "To Quinn Morgendorffer, that slow and cloudy day started just like any other Friday morning..."


• She Ain't Easy, She's My Sister, by Dennis (COMPLETE!): "'I get it, Mom,' said Daria Morgendorffer, as she folded laundry, the cordless phone tucked between her shoulder and her cheek. She rolled her eyes at the wall of her bedroom as she put another T-shirt on the neat pile on the bed."


• Titanic - A True Story, by Sheila Wisz Ellayn (parts 1 and 2): "It was a happy day, and there it was! The mighty RMS Titanic of the White Star Line, looking as majestic as any ship could ever dream to be, just waiting as hundreds of passengers slowly made their way into the unbelievable vessel." (Part 2)

Helen, You Might Want To At Least Get a Covered Wagon!

Helen's all set for Pioneer Day, or at least she would be if the pioneers set off with a single wheel and a chicken. Perhaps she should talk to the Dewitt-Clinton family and get advice? On second thought, better not. Talking to them is never a good idea.

I hope Quinn wishes Daria a happy Cousins Day, and while she's at it she could give Erin a call. Poor girl probably needs some cheering up, considering who she's married to.

Finally, it was on this day in 2013 that CollegeHumor released a fake Daria movie trailer that made all of fandom wish it was a real movie. Really, the whole thing was spot-on! You can watch it here.

Fandom News!

• R.I.P., Tony Bennett.

Or As Jane Calls Him, "Young Thomas"

If Tom chooses to celebrate National Thomas Day by stuffing his face with junk food, then who am I to stop him? I just hope he made sure that the gummi bears weren't already reserved for an art project. As for Tommy Sherman, well, he can get his own holiday. Preferably one about massive head injuries.

Travis, meanwhile, will be pleased to know that it's also National Day of the Cowboy. Of course, wearing a cowboy hat and playing a guitar does not a cowboy make, so I'll reserve judgment until I see him ride. And by "ride" I mean dive out of the way of crazed homicidal teenage drivers.

Speaking of Daria, today is World Brain Day and I hope she celebrates by...I don't know, thinking or something. At the very least I hope she's able to keep a safe distance between herself and any non-brains, for everyone's sake.

Fanfic Update!

• Daria: Cynic the Superheroine, by Meester_Lee (part 2): "She got home in a couple of hours and let herself in after thanking Joe for the ride and giving him some bills to help with gas money."


• Daria's Lifeline, by Faith64 (COMPLETE!): "Daria held the phone in her hand, hovering one finger over the keypad. She knew the number well enough, having called it in more than one moment of emotional crisis."


• Friend of a Friend, by Doggodoaattack (part 6): "The next day after school, Daria found herself pacing back and forth in her room. Her ‘not a date’ with Charlie had been the only thing on her mind all day."


• Grant Writer's Block, by welltemperedclavier (parts 7 - 9): "Daria had always been the stoic Morgendorffer. Even more so than mom, she’d stay calm in the wildest situation." (Part 8) (Part 9)

On the Good Ship....

Jane looks just precious for National Lollipop Day, but her expression says she'd rather find the person who dressed her like that and put the lollipop someplace unpleasant. Have a sweet treat today if you want one, but I'll stick with chocolate myself.

If Quinn ever decided to join the Chess Club (as Daria predicted in "Quinn the Brain") then I hope she and her friends have a great World Chess Day. If she didn't, then there's always Kevin "King me!" Thompson!

Also on the subject of school extracurriculars, I hope Jane changes into her running clothes in honor of the anniversary of "See Jane Run," which aired on this day in 1998. If Jane still has that lollipop handy, I think either Evan or Ms. Morris would qualify as candidates for its final resting place.

Fandom News!

• Dennis is looking for someone to beta read his latest work.


• Share your thoughts on a Bob Ross color-by-number book.

Some Families Dive Further Down Than Others

Jodie's showing excellent form for Women's Dive Day, but I'm sure her parents will find fault with it somehow. Maybe they'll complain that she should have been studying on the way down?

In any case, the Landons will not be celebrating Perfect Family Day, but then again none of the other families in Lawndale really qualify, either. The Grififns are a nightmare, Helen can't get along with her sisters for even a minute, and the Taylors...well, let's not even get into that one. It could be that the Lanes have the right idea: stay on different continents and everyone gets along much better.

Fanfic Update!

• Alone, by Doggodoaattack (part 13): "Daria took a deep breath and began to recount the events that led to her nightmare."


• Daria: Cynic the Superheroine, by meesterlee (part 1): "'So you’re really going back?' said Clarise Sparrow. Clarise had been one of Earth Intelligence’s interrogators put in charge of debriefing her after she arrived on this world after her unintentional translation from Earth Bet."


• The Engineer and the Time Lady, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 20): "Nina thought more about the rescue. There was certainly more to it than that."


• Friend of a Friend, by Doggodoaattack (part 4): "Sitting in the back of class, Daria found herself unable to focus, her new discovery swarming her mind."


• Grant Writer's Block, by welltemperedclavier (parts 5 and 6): "'I didn’t know Sandi was still in Lawndale,' Quinn said. It was almost midnight, and a steady rain pattered on the roof. Daria lay on her bed with her phone to her ear." (Part 6)


• There and Back Again, by Shanejayell (COMPLETE!): "Quinn Morgendorffer sighed softly as she rode the elevator up, her light brown hair flowing gracefully over her shoulders. She was not looking forward to this."

Medusa, Esq.

Helen's fully into celebrating World Snake Day, and I am very intentionally avoiding the obvious lawyer/snake joke that I could have made. I'll just say that I'd rather take my chances with Joanna, sensitive scales or not.

Let's just hope she puts that bow down before she finds out that today is National Wedding Invitation Day, because if she gets another invitation to a wedding for Erin (or, God forbid, Rita herself), then that reception will be full of stone sculptures before they even cut the cake.

Fandom News!

• Do all your stories take place in a single continuity?

Born to be Mild

Mack's looking quite bad-ass for National Motorcycle Day, and I hope he learns from Kevin and doesn't try to pop a wheelie. I don't care what that Paunch guy did on CHiPs.

I am, however, happy to see that he's (mostly) clothed, because it's National Nude Day and I really don't think anyone should ride a motorcycle naked. At the very least you want a helmet!

Finally, today we celebrate the anniversaries of both "The Teachings of Don Jake" and "Lane Miserables," which aired on this day in 1997 and 1999. Both involved Lane family reunions that went south quickly, but only one of them provided us with Trent's sage insights into Huckleberry Hound.

Fanfic Update!

• Alone, by Doggodoaattack (part 12): "They didn’t talk much on the way to Jane’s house. Daria was still shaken by her recent panic attack and the sudden reintroduction of her only friend in the world back into her life. Jane was still angry and worried about her friend."


• Daria Ravenclaw: The Legend of Sporting Joe, by Meester_Lee (part 19): "On Wednesday evening Julia came from day camp, showered, and changed into something dressier than she’d been wearing since she arrived in Highland."


• "Expectavi"—Daria: Agent of Cobra, by Ranchoth (part 5): "In a second, she was there again. Another classroom. Another damned uncomfortable chair. Babel in front of her, soaking in bedlam. There was a voice, coming from behind."


• Friend of a Friend, by Doggodoaattack (parts 2 and 3): "They made their way to the venue, where the band was already playing, some punk rock group that Toms sister was obsessed with." (Part 3)


• Grant Writer's Block, by welltemperedclavier (parts 3 and 4): "Daria didn’t exactly hustle in her search for a volunteer position." (Part 4)

It's So...Jiggly!

Brittany could not be happier that today is National Eat Your Jello Day, but Daria and Jane seem distinctly unimpressed. It can't be that they're food snobs, given the greasy pizza and cheese fries they regularly consume, so I'm going to assume they're disgusted by the sight of primary colors during daylight hours. Not. Done.

On the subject of color, you could celebrate Different Colored Eyes Day even if your eyes are the same color. Just follow Quinn's advice and look into colored contact lenses! She recommends green for that touch of exotica that many young women crave.

"Legends of the Mall" aired on this day in 2000, which means the episode is old enough to qualify for its own past-era urban legend story! What kind of story would you set in the early 2000s? Probably something about a creepy Tamagotchi wearing Heelys and getting "crunk."

Fandom News!

• Vote in the Celebrity Deathmatch polls: Dexter vs. Young Sheldon Cooper and Benson DuBois vs Ralph Hart.


• Ao3 is offline due to a DDoS attack.

Warm Kittens are Great...But Not THAT Warm!

Helen's fans (especially Eric) are pleased to see how hot she looks today, but she's still not as hot as Death Valley was on this day 110 years ago, when it hit the world record high temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit. Although the way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if that world record gets broken before long.

On a lighter (and cuter) note, today is National Kitten Day and I hope you have a cuddly feline friend to snuggle. If not, go see if Mr. Whiskers is in a friendly mood! (Spoiler alert: he isn't.)

Fanfic Update!

• Alone, by Doggodoaattack (part 11): "Daria was startled by a loud knock on her door. She quickly hid the razor under her pillow and pulled down her sleeves, covering the fresh cuts on her arms."


• Grant Writer’s Block, by welltemperedclavier (parts 1 and 2): "On her thirty-eighth birthday, Daria celebrated by doing the same kinds of things she did every day." (Part 2)


• Lawndale's Forbidden Library, by chaoslordsquidward (COMPLETE!): "Daria awakened from her slumber. While she had an urge to drink blood, like all vampires have, she had an even greater urge to visit the Lawndale library to return her overdue books."

Thank You, Jake, For Wearing Boxers!

I'm pretty sure Jake is just celebrating Body Painting Day and didn't drop four figures at Axl's Parlor for tattoos. Not only would Helen murder him, but he's way too high-strung to be able to handle that many needle jabs...especially in sensitive places.

Daria, on the other hand, would probably much rather focus on Video Game Day, especially if there's a new Cannibal Fragfest out and she's got writing to procrastinate on. I think she'll pass on the Virtual Reality games, though, as they make her ill and bring back unpleasant memories of being ditched by a lovable kook.

Fandom News!

• Talk about the return of Tracy Grandstaff.


• Vote in the Celebrity Deathmatch polls: Quincy vs. House and Snuffy Smith vs. Punkin' Puss.

Maybe Don't Kiss Your Webmaster, Though

Daria is immediately regretting her decision to celebrate International Kissing Day with Tom. Of course, she's going to regret it even more when Jane finds out!

If you decide to obeserve Take Your Webmaster to Lunch Day, be sure to invite Noah Barkman. Now that the dotcom bubble has long since popped, I'm not sure the guy is getting a lot of hot meals anymore. Do yourself a favor and skip the kombucha, though.

Last but not least, the episode "Ill" aired on this day in 1998. We may never know the root cause of Daria's rash, but we've sure had a lot of fun playing with it in fanfic, haven't we?

Fanfic Update!

• Agony of De Fly, by radiofox (COMPLETE!): "A beautiful Saturday morning in the Lawndale. The sun shining, birds chipping, the sound of cars driving and flies buzzing. Wait, flies buzzing?"


• Alone, by Doggodoaattack (part 8): "The Zen was more crowded than Daria had ever seen it, probably because Mystik Spiral wasn’t playing."


• The F Files, by jones2000 (part 9): "From his hospital bed Chuck watched as Milo Luciano walked down the steps of the courthouse in his fancy Italian suit, shoot the camera a smug little grin and flipped on his sunglasses like he was some B list movie star that had just got off a DUI on a stupid technicality."


• Song From An American Movie, by ladyevil (part 13): "The movie started with a montage of homeless people either on the streets or in the shelter. Care was taken to obscure their faces."

Curiouser and Curiouser!

Stacy is all set to play a game of croquet in honor of Alice in Wonderland Day! I would warn her against angering the Queen of Hearts, but if she can handle Sandi then this should be no problem.

Does anyone know if Travis is still around? If so, he can celebrate National Country Music Day! If not, I don't blame him. I wouldn't want to stick around while Daria's behind the wheel of a car, either.

And happy Independence Day to my fellow American Daria fans! We sure showed the King of England what's what, didn't we? Now we can drink tea without paying taxes and spell words with z's if we want to! USA! USA! USA!

Fandom News!

• R.I.P., Marvin Kitman and Frank Field.


• Talk about the man who literally drank to death.


• Vote in the Deadliest Warrior poll between Dynomutt and Blitz from C. O. P. S.

Do Aliens Disco?

I don't think we need to ask Daria if she's celebrating World UFO Day; the question is whether or not the UFO that left the crop circle was from Mars or Zippotron. Some mysteries will simply never be explained.

On the other hand, the mystery of whether or not Rita's celebrating National Disco Day is an easy one. Do you suppose she still has the disco ball from her (first) wedding reception? I mean, disco was king. King of what, though?

Fanfic Update!

• Alone, by Doggodoaattack (part 7): "Daria woke up the next day feeling groggy and miserable. She had nightmares all night, reliving the fear of the past few weeks and fearing the horrors of her future."


• Daria Ravenclaw: The Legend of Sporting Joe, by Meester_Lee (part 18): "On Monday Julia got up, put on shorts and a tee, then sat down to wait for her mother. Her mother was dressed casually, or at least what was considered casual by the tabloids."


• Her Last Words, by Sheila Wisz Ellayn (part 67): "Anna looked in silence at the dazzling violet moon that glowed so high up in the sky, the severe wind just kept carrying snow from the high mountains everywhere and she was starting to get really cold that night."


• La Dolce Daria, by wilddogjj (part 1): "Daria and Jane were at a pizza joint in Manhattan's East Village doing what they'd done as teenagers in Lawndale; talk about their lives over pizza."


• The Youngest Barksdale, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 8): "Upon arriving at school, Quinn met her friends. She hadn’t yet told them about her mother’s suspicions about Ms. Li."