"Deal me in."

Mack's showing an impressive card-holding skill for Card Playing Day, but let's see if he's as good at playing cards as he is at fanning them out. He'd better be; I hear the Future Morgendorffers play a mean game of hearts.

Today is also National Chocolate Candy Day, but as far as I'm concerned every day should be National Chocolate Candy Day. Just a thought.

Fanfic Update!

• Bearing the Summer, by Lady Evil (part 21): "'Alone in the woods again.' Jane said, walking hand in hand with Jesse. 'Yeah.' he said."


• I STAY, by O-L-D-D (part 3): "Hands thumped against the steering wheel in frustration as Jane sighed and gave up."


• Star Trek: Voyager: Q Junior's Lessons, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 3): "'These are very heavy,' Junior complained as he approached the turbolift. ‘Why wasn’t the Intrepid class designed with turbolift access to the Shuttle Bay?’ he wondered."

Mack's...er, Jack's Wild

Sir Mack invites everyone to join him for a game of five-card stud on Card Playing Day. The winner gets either the power to crush their enemies, to triumph over all...or the tender liver of a newborn babe. You choose.

Today is also a holiday for the true believers, because it's the anniversary of the birth of Stan Lee on this day in 1922. The late comic book writer and creator may have died last year, but the sheer number of superhero crossovers in Daria fanfic shows that his legacy lives on even in our fandom.

Fandom News!

• Szcz posted a new Iron Chef: We Need a Christmas Tree.


• Youth of Oz posted a series of TDWP reviews.

"Deal me in."

Mack is inviting everyone to join him in a game of poker for Card Playing Day, and the Future Morgendorffers are just about to start a game of Hearts as well. Perhaps the rest of us should follow their example! Unless you would rather not share a heartwarming family moment, in which case fair enough.

I, meanwhile, will be celebrating National Chocolate Candy Day, and don't ask me how that's different from any other day. It just is, okay?

Fanfic Update!

• Ashley The Seal, by Brother Grimace (parts 1 and 2): "Ever have that strange feeling where you're not sure if you're awake, dreaming or in a really good fantasy - and you don't even care? Welcome to where I am, right now." (Part 2)


• God Save The Esteem: Punk is Dead, by Charles RB (part 5): "Daria left a night full of punks to enter a house full of punks. You may think there are only two but the smell of puke was akin to an entire squat of crust punks on its own."


• The Grace Kelly of Our Day... (Scenes No Daria fanfic should have: 600 Years Afterward.....), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "The dress was fitted and tight in places that Daria tried not to think about too much, her hair had been styled and tied back into an elaborate bun, the borrowed jewelry from the Prince's collection felt strange on her fingers, wrist, neck, and the less said about all of the makeup on her face and neck the better."


• My What Big Teeth You Have, by Anonymous (COMPLETE!): "Daria woke up in the forest, naked and covered in mud. This was not okay."


• Reflections, by Lady Evil (part 12): "Jane lay face down on the ground as the sound of musket fire filled the air. Play dead she thought. That's what they're paying you for. Just lay on the ground and do nothing. Gotta say, this is the easiest buck I ever made!"


• Unnamed story (LLH - Short Entries), by Roentgen (parts 79 and 80): "James Brown tunes were playing overhead on the tannoy - Daria didn't know that the Godfather of Soul played so much Christmas music. She had to admit that she was enjoying a little bit of Christmas spirit." (Part 80)

You Wouldn't Like Him When He's Angry...Or Any Other Time, Really

O'Neill is hulking out in order to wish comic book writer Stan Lee a happy 92nd birthday. Well, he's sort of like the Hulk. Only not green. And not angry. And not smashing anything. But hey! Close enough, right?

This is also Card Playing Day, so if you've been wanting to set up a family card game, today's the day. Bridge? Gin? Hearts? Done!

Fandom News!

• What are your favorite unaffordable hobbies? Tell everyone about it in a new thread.


• Give your thoughts on The Hobbit part 3 in the Weapons of Mass Distraction forum.


• What is the one film you have to see?


• Whom would you choose to play the female Doctor Who?

"Deal me in."

Future Jake and Future Daria are celebrating Card Playing Day with a nice family card game. As I recall, they're playing Hearts. Or is it Future Hearts?

Hey, I just realized that by now they're probably Past Jake and Past Daria. Weird.

Fandom News!

• NapalmKracken would like advice on what to do in London for New Year's Eve.


• Put the cast of your favorite TV shows in Daria character roles.


• Nominate your favorite stories for the 2013 DFAs! See the official rules here.


• Nominate your favorite artworks for the 2013 DFAs! See the official rules here.

Go Fish!

Happy Card Playing Day! Why not celebrate by playing a family card game like we (never) used to?

Today is also the birthday of comic book writer and co-creator Stan Lee, born in 1922 and still a True Believer! There have been tons of comic book crossovers in Daria fandom, Marvel and otherwise. Rather than having me list them all out here (and have I mentioned I'm lazy?), how about you post your favorites in the comments?

Meanwhile, I'll update everyone on the latest fanfic!

• The Author as a Lesbian, Season 4, by DeacBlue (part 5): "Sandi nudged Tiffany, who appeared to drop something next to Quinn. She got down from her seat and picked it up, dropping a lit firecracker in Quinn's shoe. It went off, just as Tiffany took her seat again, and if Quinn had been looking, she would have seen Sandi switching one of her beakers."


• Be Careful What You Wish For, by Doggieboy (part 5): "Suddenly the TV set turned on and the image of a puppet appeared on the screen. 'I see you’re both awake,' the puppet said. 'Let’s play a game.' 'Oh, crap,' John said as his face went pale. 'What’s wrong?' Jenny asked, her voice quivering. 'I don’t understand what he means by "playing a game".' 'Unfortunately, I do,' he said." (SFMB)


• Chaos Theory: The Esteem of the Cynic and the Eccentric, by Walter Kovacs (parts 0 and 1): "'Haruhi? What do you think?' asked Helen as she scowled at Haruhi. In a cheerful tone Haruhi piped up with 'It was cool being interviewed by sick, sad world about uranium in the drinking water! I even got a free sick sad world DVD set out of it' Jake just sighed and shook his head after hearing Haruhi's response. 'No, kiddo about the move' asked Jake who was regretting asking Haruhi." (Part 1)


• Daria - Double Down, by neonhomer (parts 14 and 15): "Daria got up and walked up the stairs, and into her room, closing the door behind her. She slipped out of her clothes of the day, and put on a night shirt. She then turned the light off, laid down in bed, put her glasses on the table beside the bed, and closed her eyes. When she did, all she could see was an image of Quinn, laying on the ground, with Sandi standing over her. She snapped her eyes open." (Part 15)


• Daria is Victorious (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: Last Friday Night!), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "'Attention, all students!' Ms. Li said. 'As the principal of such talented students, it is my great pleasure to announce that several of our students have been offered the opportunity to apply for a one-year term studying at the acclaimed Grove Hills Conservatory of the Arts!' 'Oh, no,' Daria sighed, looking up from her coffee. 'This could suck.'"


• Daria Of Kleenex (Iron Chef: What's behind Alter Egos?), by RX-87 (COMPLETE!): "'I'm Zhengdong, he's Sameer. We're friends of your father, but that's not important right now. We need to get you someplace safe before-' Zhengdong was interrupted as the window of the dorm, and a large part of the wall, was staved in by some invisible force. '-That. RUN!!!'"


• Daria/Power Rangers: Watching the Watchmen, by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "'Geez, he seemed so nice when he started yesterday,' said Rose. 'Bad day?' 'Started?' asked Daria. 'That’s Tommy, the new kid. Didn’t you notice? Wait, forgot who I was talking to.'" (Part 9) (Part 10)


• Dear Judith, by DeacBlue (COMPLETE!): "Daria looked over to see what could be a carbon copy of herself, but wearing a black catsuit and a long red cloak. 'Well, I often wear green jackets, but I don't think that I've been "snot-nosed," since we all were. I might try red and black though - if Jane doesn't give me trouble for horning in on her "look." What's your name?'"


• A Johnny X X-Mas Special, by peapotmaster (parts 1 and 2): "'What’s up, Johnny?' the dog spoke. 'Are you pondering what I’m pondering?' Johnny asked the talking dog. 'Yes, and stop with the Pinky and The Brain reference,' replied the dog." (Part 2)


• Squandered Snowflakes, by Lord Yellowtail (COMPLETE!): "Because she was Amy Jones and she was freaking brilliant. She deserved better. She deserved recognition: crowds cheering because she had skirted the establishment and changed the world for the better and gotten freaking loaded while she did it. If she ever met anyone smart enough to invent a time machine, she’d do whatever it took to go back in time and push herself in front of a train. With my luck, Power Girl would show up to save me. Oh, God."


• Unnamed story (just a little something...), by oni (parts 1 and 2): "'So have you watched MTV lately,' asked Jane with an amused grin. She had time off from her animatior job at Cartoon Network, so she decided to spend christmas and the next few days off with Daria at her home in Boston." (Part 2)


• Unnamed story (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: Last Friday Night!), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "'Ms Morgendorffer? Did you get contact lenses?'"


• Unnamed story (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: Last Friday Night!), by Greystar (COMPLETE!): "Kate looked at Jerome, and then to the array of steel tanks that were standing up in the bed of the pickup truck they had rented from Happy Herb's Rentals. Each tank was connected to an electronic valve that could be operated from the cab and had a nozel that was angled upwards and pointed backwards."


• Unnamed story (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: Last Friday Night!), by JPAGC (COMPLETE!): "(That Evening, at the Morgendorffer house - Helen, Daria, and Jake are at the kitchen table, playing a board game. It's Daria's turn.) Daria - Well, now, I am looking for someone to negotiate with. I have some bricks I can offer... Jake - I'll take them!"


• Unnamed story (Crossovers Still Crossing Over), by RLobinske (COMPLETE!): "(Jake is riding in the Core Shuttle along with his daughters on the way to school; Quinn is to his right and Daria to the left) Jake - Girls, I just want you to know your mother and I realize it's not easy moving to a whole new colony -- especially for you, Daria, right? Daria - Did we move?"

Bridge? Gin? Hearts? Done.

It's National Card Playing Day, so why don't we get together for a family card game just like we used to? Okay, fine, we've never played a family card game in our lives, but that doesn't mean we can't play a quick game of five-card stud. Jacks are wild.


BIG NEWS!

The PPMB will be moving on December 30th. Check the thread for all the details, like when the board will be closed. Better start packing now!

EVEN NEWER BIG NEWS!

The PPMB has successfully moved! Hooray!


Fanfic update:

• The Art of Cooking Pizza...and Other Things, by Doggieboy (COMPLETE!): "The silent alarms went off at just five minutes after noon, right as he lifted the coffee cup to his lips. Damn, he thought and sipped the Folgers Classic Roast. It never fails."


• The Cards You Are Dealt, by Doggieboy (part 9): "Please, Goddess, don’t let that roar mean what I think it does. She shuddered and nearly tripped over a slab of concrete that had been lifted by a tree root. Don’t let the cops get involved with this, either."


• Daria/Dorian 12: Spring Breaks, by LadieT (part 1): "Dorian, Jane, Jodie, and Mack were sitting in the cafeteria talking about vacation plans. Mack was going to be working with Kevin and his dad while Jodie's parents had filled her plate with volunteer work. When Jane told the others that she and Dorian were going to the beach, they sat stunned. Not because Jane convinced Helen and Jake to let Dorian go, but that Dorian wanted to go in the first place. They knew that the words beach and Daria would never have been in the same sentence."


• Family Game Night, by NapalmKracken (COMPLETE!): "TANYA I know this is a stupid question but do you have any remorse? LD Those little fish that suck on sharks? Awkward silence. TANYA That’s not funny. LD It was a little funny."


• Flynn at 1111 Glen Oak (Crossovers Still Crossing Over), by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 3): "'Good Morning, Agent P,' Major Francis Monogram said from the main view screen in Perry’s lair. Then a picture of Sandi appeared on the screen along-side his face. 'Doctor Doofenshmirtz has kidnapped this teenager. Her name is Alexandra Griffin, though apparently she prefers to be called "Sandi." All we have on her is that she is the ‘President’ of one of Lawndale High School’s extracurricular clubs. Get going and put a stop to his plan, whatever it is. We’re counting on you, Agent P!'"


• Having Themselves A Very Judith Christmas ('Flashpoints': A Worldburner Mini-Fics Thread), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "The great class war had finally broken out in Lawndale, the rich armed with the finest combat weapons possible and the underclass with boards with nails in it. In the middle of the fight, Angier Sloane caught sight of the half-burning TV store. 'Something weird's going on on that channel!'"


• Having Themselves A Very Judith Christmas: Appendum ('Flashpoints': A Worldburner Mini-Fics Thread), by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (COMPLETE!): "'...Yeah Kristen, it is on every channel,' Quinn said into the phone as she ran one of her hands through her short hair. 'Whoever these people imitating my sister and her friend are, they have really advanced technology.' 'From what they are saying, I think they are interdimensional doubles of Daria and Jane, and they are causing destruction on a scale we cannot imagine,' Kristen Bell said. as she looked at the scene unfolding on the television. 'It's on the radio too.'"


• Holiday Roadtrip, by Chris Tucker: "Instead of the usual t shirt, torn jeans and rather ragged sneakers that made up his day to day wardrobe, Trent Lane was Dressed. Leather loafers, charcoal gray slacks, simple belt, light blue cotton dress shirt, a necktie, albeit a skinny leather tie, loosely knotted and a tweed blazer. 'He does clean up nicely, doesn't he, Daria... Daria?'"


• In Silence Sarcastic, by Trscroggs: "Jodie grinned and stepped well within Daria’s personal space. Jodie made a show of checking for witnesses, completely missing the way Daria’s nostrils flared, before pulling a small paper bag out of her book bag. 'I’ve got your goods right here,' Jodie said in a bad Brooklyn accent. 'And let me tell you, this wasn’t easy to get on short notice.' Jodie smiled to show that the last was part of the joke."


• Jane Morgendorffer, by LadieT (part 30): "A few days before school started, Trent approached Helen and Jake. Although he was only a sophomore, he wanted to talk to them about college and what kind of grades it would take to get into a good one. He wanted to get a degree in business so that he could work with Jake full time. Trent knew that getting into music was hard and he wanted to do something he enjoyed while pursuing his dream. Seeing her husband's face light up, Helen assured Trent that as long as he kept a B average, they would help him go to college. As Trent left the room, Helen turned to Jake who still had the smile on his face."


• Lawndale Sucks, by Smijey: "'Hi! You're cool. What's your name?' asked a girl with pigtails. 'Quinn Morgendorffer,' she replied coolly. 'Cool name,' said another girl. 'So, are you Team Edward, or Team Jacob?'"


• The Order of Infinity ('Flashpoints': A Worldburner Mini-Fics Thread), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "The massive, lighted ball had just completed its journey, and the hundreds of thousands of people that had jammed themselves into Times Square were celebrating – when the spiral of yellow light appeared in the middle of the crowd. For some reason, there was no stampede or mass hysteria; the people simply stood as a wave of silence washed across them – across the world, as cameras transmitted the image of the spiral opening up into a portal of yellow, and a single man walking through."


• Screams of Silence, by Jim North (part 12): "The slight quiver of Quinn's phone makes me twitch involuntarily. I immediately stop walking and scan the fog while pulling out my pistol. I point it down at the sidewalk and place my thumb on the hammer, ready to cock it back the second the vibrations get too rowdy for comfort. But as I take a few cautious steps forward, they stay relatively the same. And that's when I hear it. A steady, repetitive thumping noise coming from the other side of the half-constructed wall I'm walking alongside. After a couple of seconds, the thumps seem to match up to the phone's vibrations, almost as if they were echoing each other somehow."


• Spirit of the Game, Nature of the Beast, by HolyGrail2007 (prologue and part 1): "'Well, I can tell you, I guess. Elsie’s going to head off somewhere and my parents are out. Listen to my story. God knows I’ve remembered it time and time again. Maybe you can tell me who was wrong and who was right.'" (Part 1)


• Super Daria Bros. (Iron Chef: Super Daria Sisters), by project pegasus (part 4): "Kevin: It's an umpah-lumpah! Toad: (Trying to be diplomatic) I'm sorry, but you must be confused. I am a retainer of the Mushroom Kingdom, and I have your mission briefing. Kevin: Don't worry. I know the drill: don't eat the candy that turns you into a giant blueberry. I got it."


• Unnamed story (A Christmas Iron Chef), by thatLONERchick (COMPLETE!): "Daria and Jane walked into the Morgendorffer home and stopped dead just past the threshold. They stared goggle-eyed at the Saturnalia orgy taking place on the first level of the house, their noses wrinkled at the indescribable stench of sex, liquor and clotted cream. For some reason, there were large-denomination bills scattered over the carpet."


• Worldburner: A Very Judith Christmas, by Erin Mills, Brother Grimace, Charles RB, and Overlord Mikey (parts 1 - 3): "Reiko reached into the inner pocket of her jacket and withdrew the card. She handed it to Richard, who grimaced at it. The front of the card was a cartoon of Judith standing in a snowbank, a festive scarf around her neck, holding the disembodied head of Santa Claus. Behind her, NegaJane was ransacking the sleigh, while idly kicking Rudolph in the nuts. Richard opened the card." (Part 2) (Part 3)


• Worldburner: Amelia and the Planet of the Hippies, by Charles RB (part 1): "Of all the Defender Ring’s endowments, the power to banish dark forces from a universe was one of the greatest. And Amelia had been practising all bloody week and was truly, truly hoping that she just had the one faulty Ring in the whole Corps. The alternative was too embarrassing to contemplate."

Jokers Wild

For reasons we cannot fathom, someone once declared today was Card Playing Day (a.k.a. National Card Playing Day), and now it's all over the Internet like every other wacko meme ever invented. It's almost like there's a holiday version of Internet Rule 34, that there is a holiday for everything imaginable, no exceptions. Ah well, so be it. You got cards, go play a game.

Card games have a place in Daria fanfiction, as long as we're on the topic. Some of the fanfics I recall in which card games form a part of the plot include:

• After Work
• Darius (chapter 23)
• Death Takes a Holiday (chapter 1, minor)
• John Lane 16: Left to the Heart
• John Lane 26: Neptune et Fortuna
• Legion of Lawndale Heroes 7.9: Missing Man
• Once Upon a Time in College (which has disappeared from PPMB for some reason, before it was completed)
• Parental Injustice
• Priceless
• Sleepover
• Summer of the Hot Lake (chapter 1)

Anyone remember any others? Anyone know where Lawndale Stalker's "Once Upon a Time at College" went? Okay, I'm done embarrassing myself. Thanks, Richard.

OTHER NEWS: Farren O'Blivion has decided to keep writing "Daria: The College Years" on FF.net. The nine chapters up so far have been revised, and chapter ten is on the way!

Problems still being noticed when uploading fanfiction to Lawndale Online. Awaiting fix.