Happy Happy Birthday Birthday, Ginsberg Ginsberg!

So, this blog post was supposed to be posted yesterday. I'd like to give you an exciting explanation involving ninjas and bare-knuckled fistfights, but the reality is that I just forgot about it. So, just pretend that you're reading this yesterday. It's a very special time-travel episode of the Daria Fandom Blog!

Daria's doing a special reading of "Howl" in honor of Allen Ginsberg's birth on this day in 1926, but it's not going over so well. Maybe if she threw in some Melody Powers references it would be better received.

I don't think she should try reading it a second time, even though today is National Repeat Day. Instead, she should join Jane in a nice round of echolalia. Echolalia.

Fandom News!

• Discuss the latest terror incident in London.


• The Sidhe shared an article: The Dawn of Pax Germanica.


• Vote in the Deadliest Warrior poll between Worf and Boba Fett.

I Saw Saw the Best Minds Minds of my Generation Generation....

Happy birthday to the late Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, born on this day in 1926. Daria is shown reading Ginsberg's most famous work, "Howl," to the elderly. They failed to appreciate it, but I'm sure Mr. DeMartino (revealed to be a former beatnik in The Daria Diaries) could dig it.

Today is also Repeat Day, so if you've ever wanted to give echolalia a try, now's your chance.

Today is also Repeat Day, so if you've ever wanted to give echolalia a try, now's your chance.

Fandom News!

• cfardell_Brenorenz29 has updated Lessons From Lawndale. Thanks again!


• SFMB has been having technical difficulties. Read the discussion about it in the thread.


• SacredDust wonders what happened to the real Upchuck?


• What didn't you see in the show that you're pretty sure happened anyway? Share your headcanon deleted scenes.


• Talk about the world's first transgendered superhero in a new thread.

What Kind of Poem Would Ginsberg's Birthday Card Have?

Beat poet Allen Ginsberg was born on this day in 1926. Ginsberg wrote the poem "Howl," one of his best known works and Daria's reading material of choice at the Better Days Nursing Home:

Daria: I hope you like poetry.

Mrs. Patterson: Oh, yes. My favorite birthday cards are the ones with poems in them.

Daria: "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness. Starving, hysterical, naked. Dragging themselves through the negro streets of dawn...."

(time passes)

Daria: "...the soul is innocent and immortal. It should never die ungodly, in an armed madhouse--"

(Mrs. Patterson presses call button)

Nurse: Mrs. Patterson, can I get you something?

Mrs. Patterson: Get me my walker. And then hit her with it!

New Fanfic!

A Round Robin, An Epistolary Story, is going on in the Creative Writing forum. Take a look, and add your own entry!


• Daria, or the Confession of a Single Lonely Male, by Arena del Sur: "Had Helen been Mercedes, I would have known how to 'handle' the situation; and 'handle' is the word that suited me fine. In the good old days, by merely twisting Mecha's brittle thumb (the one she had fallen upon from a motorbike) I could make her change her mind instantly. But anything of the sort in regard to Helen was unthinkable. Legal Lioness Helen frightened me."


• Daria Vs. Old Betsy & The Five Avengers, by RX-87 (part 4): "A dark shadow loomed over Helga and the girl nearly had a panic attack as she saw another gigantic whale, this one floating in the air. This one looked more normal, as normal as anything she had seen since those awful monsters appeared, and after a moment, the creature had passed harmlessly overhead at a leisurely pace. This in stark contrast to the yellow and violet giant that came barreling up to her like a freight train, faster than anything that size had any right to."


• God Save The Esteem Ep31: Achy Jakey Heart, by Charles RB (part 2): "'If… if there is damage, then how do we prevent it happening again?' 'That all depends. I hope you don't mind the question, but is there anything in his diet or lifestyle or his attitude that might have-' 'Do you want the full list?' asked Daria. 'If we do it in daily instalments, you should have time to go home at night.'"


• Mad Dog's Legacy Chapter 9: Hard Time, by Hyrin (part 4): "'So, you're here to take out Daria?' she asked, her voice polite but her eyes glinting like obsidian. 'Yes, ma'am, her and Jane' Mack said, remembering some advice Jane had given him in homeroom: Don't lie. She can smell it like suck on the Spiral. And don't show fear. It only encourages her." (Part 5)


• Not So Different 35: Confrontations, by J-D (COMPLETE!): "And when his father wheezed that he couldn't feel his arm, Sonny was instantly riveted. He could feel his face making an uncontrolled response. 'Dad?' he said, in unfamiliar tones. His father fell face forward into the guacamole. That got Quinn's attention. 'Daddy?' she said, and her voice too had changed. And when Helen turned round and saw what had happened, she dropped the phone. It wasn't welded to her after all. 'Jakey!'"


• Not So Different 36: Odd Couple Pecking Order, by J-D (COMPLETE!): "The money was missing. It wasn't in his backpack. It wasn't in the glove compartment either. There was only one place it could be: with Travis. This revelation proved to be the introduction to another installment of that long-running program, 'Confessions! with Quinn Morgendorffer'."


• Reunion, by Hyrin (part 5): "Jane chuckled sarcastically. 'We have an argument that probably wounded the nurses, and you bring me your own book as a peace offering?' Daria found herself chuckling at the absurdity of the notion. 'Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time,' she said with a small grin."


• Rude Awakening Ep. 6: Divas NOT Wanted!, by DIsaac (parts 1 and 2): "JODIE: OK............Well.... have you heard from Sandi recently? JANE: Nothing over here. DARIA: Nothing here except she finally left Channel 5. JODIE: She will be landing here as News Director and WHUB's newest overnight DJ! JANE: AW GEEZSH! NOT THIS CRAP AGAIN! Jodie, stop hiring our Lawndale High classmates. DARIA: Because the IQ around here is low enough as it is." (Part 2)


• Searching For a New Hope, by thatLONERchick: "There were low, but heated, voices coming from the kitchen along with the clinking of glass on glass. Daria clenched her jaw and dropped her bag on a handy couch. 'How long's she been at it, Quinn?' The younger girl bit her lip, eyes tired in her somber face. 'Since she woke up. She's on her third bottle.'" (SFMB)


• Size Does Matter, by BlackHole: "Her mother was still engrossed in her papers, and Daria’s patience was wearing thin. She put her mug on the table. Yeah, and pigs fly. OK, then bombs away. 'Have you heard that constant ignoring of teenagers by their parents correlates with a significant increase in teenage pregnancies?' 'Hmmmmm... ... ... WHAT?!?! WHAT ARE YOU...'" (SFMB)


• Though the Years Part Us.... (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by thatLONERchick (COMPLETE!): "The men eyed each other across the candle flame, more nervous than they were each letting on. It had been a few years since last they had seen one another; a chance meeting at a gas station, a few minutes' smalltalk ending up as a twenty-minute conversation. Laughing about how stupid they had been in their high school days, reminiscing about games won, lamenting loves lost."


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: TAKE OUT TRENT LANE!), by 45Ranger (COMPLETE!): "'Yeah?' He paused listening to the voice he didn't recognize. 'Well I have some business to take care of first... Really? Well then I guess I'll meet you first. Where?” (Pause) ”Fine, I'll see you there.' An evil sneer comes to his face as he closes the phone and puts it in his pocket. Trent, my man, looks like you'll get to both of those bitches quicker than you thought."


• Unnamed story (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: It's Friday!!), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "Panel 5. The Legion of Lawndale Heroes recoil from the sight of "Daria's" face - burnt, scarred, not what it's supposed to be... TOM: M! Y-Your- SANDI: EWWWWWW!! That is SO gross, I, like, can't BUH-LEEVE you showed us that. "DARIA": Not a pretty sight, is it? I better put on a FACE...." (Continued by Roentgen here)


• Unnamed story (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: It's Friday!!), by Chris Tucker (COMPLETE! ): "It's a bright, cheery morning as Daria Morgendorffer LEAPS from bed, a huge cheerful smile on her expressive face."


• Unnamed story (Totally randomly wrote up this thing...), by Kael Seoras: "She woke up to the total absense of everything. She looked all around her, and saw no light whatsoever. She did not feel as if she was falling, but she felt no ground beneath her. There was absolutely nothing."


• Well 'Ard (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: It's Friday!!), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "'I have finally discovered why Kevin, despite being Kevin, keeps getting girls,' said Daria, her face and voice grim. 'It took 24/7 surveillence, breaking and entering into his house, dressing up as a cheerleader when Kevin was really drink, and even talking to him, but I've found it out: Kevin, you see, is medically incapable of ejaculating.'"

The Howl of the Cats Anniversary!

Remember that weird poem Daria tried to read to luckless seniors in "The Old and the Beautiful"? That was Allen Ginsberg's "Howl," and the first public reading of it was performed by the author 54 years ago today. Daria reenacts this fateful moment at left. A recording of Allen Ginsberg himself reading part of Howl can be found here. Quite possibly NSFW, but very interesting. I was born the year he wrote it.

Also in our Arts section, the musical "Cats" came to Broadway for the first time 27 years ago. It didn't leave for another 18 years, setting a record for stage performances. Mr. O'Neill reenacts the play at right, dressed as one of the "cats." Can you guess which "cat" he is? I'm not that familiar with the characters, though I did read the T. S. Eliot poem.

A famed Dariaverse villain was born this day in 1944 in Witney, Oxfordshire, UK. Who was that person? Guess before you peek.

DariaWiki has greatly benefited from the most excellent talents of Brother Grimace, Richard Lobinske, Roentgen, Quiverwing, JPAGC, Disco316, Gouka Ryuu, Saiyaman, Kchishol1970, and Ludraman. Thank you all! New pages have been flooding in as well: The Bug Guy, Electronic Alchemy, Memories, Meowlody Powers, The Missing Link, Pinhead, Quinn at College, A Small Stumble for Stacy, and Zachary Butler. Check it out!

Speaking of "Cats" costumes, Doc Forbin has a suggestion for Halloween. See what you think.

The Daria Fan Club is up to 1,436 members. Nice! You new guys, stick around for the DVD release, okay?

Stay tooned.

More to Come (Soon)

Today is the anniversary of poet Allen Ginsberg's birth, but that was covered well enough last year. Clicking on his name will take you to last year's post and all the information therein.

Hmmm, what else to talk about. I will try to fill in all the recent fanfic releases here, but be patient, there will probably be delays. More soon. Okay, back again. Sorry for the delay, but at least I have time to input all the new stuff, a lot of which is really good. I love this fandom. You people are the greatest.

On PPMB, Undefinedlust challenges everyone to "Defend Your Ship!" He asks, "Is there a 'ship you don't like? Then walk a mile in that 'ship's shoes before casting stones. I challenge everyone to write a ficlet that credibly depicts a ship you don't care for." Go for it. Give Alison/Fluffy the shot it so badly needs!



Note: All of the new stuff on FF.net is worth reading. Well done.


FF.net

• And Then Daria and Jane Kissed, by Smileyfax (up to Part 4): [Don't pretend you don't know what's going on here. Enjoy the fan service.]
• Daylight: Hell Freezes Over, by Smileyfax (Part 1): The wind howled, battering the thin walls of Casa Lane with more and more snow. Chill seeped in through the various cracks in the walls, through the seals that no longer held the windowpanes as securely as they once had, under doors—the house was barely warmer inside than out. The warmest spot in the house was the basement. Figures, wrapped tightly in blankets and the thickest clothing they could find, huddled around what once was used as a kiln. Now, it held a fire, kept fed by various scraps that they had found scrounging outside during the day. [Excellent variation on the Daylight concept!]
  
• Dinner, a Flat Tire, and Other Stupid Things, by SSJ04 Mewtwo (Part 1): [I didn't include a link because the story abruptly becomes NC-17 at the end. (You have been warned.) You'll have no trouble finding the tale if you go to the author's page using the author's name link. Interesting, and a nice alternate-universe take-off on "One J at a Time"... however, there is one typo, unfortunate but hilarious, that will throw you. See if you can find it. Does Amy know something about Daria that we don't?]
• One Night, by Charliefox2012 (Part 2): I sit across from her in our usual booth in our usual pizza place. She eats and complains again of the jock and his blonde bimbo. I sip my soda and listen to her quietly. I don’t have much to say about them. Besides, it’s good to hear her talk. It’s so much better than her awkward silences of late. [Slash, with depth!]
• Sinspiration, by Vlora (Parts 16 and 17): Despite the cosmic forces usually working against Trent, it wasn’t Daria at the door. Donned in their usual Lawndale uniforms, Brittany and Kevin appeared with smiles on their faces and hesitant movements in the doorway. Trent stared down at the matching couple. After a few quiet moments, Trent stood aside and stared out to the street with a slight earnest he rarely possessed. "Hey kids," Jane happily chimed, stepping over and inviting them in.

PPMB

• Daylight: Hell Freezes Over, by Smijey, a.k.a. Smileyfax (Part 1): [Welcome to PPMB, at last! Hooray! Story reposted from FF.net.]
  
• Falling Into College 68: Judging January, by Richard Lobinske (Part 1): "Hi, Daria. I thought I'd call and see how you and Michael were settling in." "We haven't killed each other yet, though if he leaves the toilet seat up one more time, all bets are off." [Heh heh heh heh heh.... angst!]
  
• Gimme Skelter, by TAG and Brother Grimace (Part 5): By ten o’clock the next morning, the sky was a deep infinite blue unmarred by cloud. The sun was a blinding white ball of silent flame. The desert was an inferno.
• Lawndale's Finest: The Dark Knight, by NightGoblyn (Chapter 4, Parts 5 and 6): Quinn hurried across the Pizza King and dropped into a booth to join Jane and Charles, who were already most of the way through a large pizza. She leaned over and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek, and then pulled off her cap and gloves. “Sorry I’m late, I lost track of time while researching a story,” Quinn said, reaching for a slice of pizza. “No problem,” Jane answered. “I’ve spent the time trying to pick up your boyfriend.” [A real top-notch crossover, masterfully handled.]
  
• Things Fall Apart, by Doggieboy (Part 15): After the rescue in the abandoned Salvation Army Thrift Store, Julie Renner practiced the use of the new Defender Ring on her right hand. One practice she found funny involved using her new-found telekinetic powers to lift Robert and make him do funny dances. [Loved that part.]
  
• An Unexpected View, by Paisleygal (Part 2): “I don’t blame you for being surprised. I asked your agent not to tell you it was me. I wanted it to be a surprise. Can I get you something to drink?” Kevin was smiling at Daria, and Daria was staring at him. She was mesmerized by the change in him. If she looked closely, she could make out the Kevin she knew in High School, but he was so different. It was compelling. His eyes were filled with warmth and intelligence. His smile was confident and charming rather than goofy and vacant. Kevin was intriguing. The writer in her couldn’t wait to unravel the mystery of such a great metamorphosis. [This one is a real trip!]
  
• Unnamed story (Dead Like Me crossover), by Pinkminx (Parts 4 and 5): Daria watched Jane and Trent shrink into the distance as they drove away. She turned and slumped into her seat catching a glimpse of her reflection in the in rear view mirror; a stranger stared back with a mirroring expression of bewilderment, of all the things that dying entailed this freaked her out the most. They shared the same eyes, but there were many discernible differences. The mirrored girl's chin was more angular, her cheekbones a little more prominent. Daria's lips remained although she seemed to have been blessed with Quinn's nose. [Keep this one going!]
  
• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fanfic Should Have: TGIF), by Dark Kuno (COMPLETE!): Helen sat in the beautifully hand carved chair at her equally beautiful matching desk. Her thoughts lingered on the hastily truncated ceremony that had wed her to Prince Eric. With a resolute sigh, she carefully removed the silver dagger from its gold case. With a firm grip she turned the blade and let its point rest on her ample bosom, just over her heart. [Daria/The Princess Bride]
• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fanfic Should Have: TGIF), by Dennis (COMPLETE!): As Daria poked her head around the boulder, a football-shaped rock shattered next to her head. "I did that on purpose. I didn't have to miss," Kevin said, voice indistinct. "I believe you," Daria said, looking at the behemoth football player. Nervousness crept into her voice. "So what happens now?" [Daria/The Princess Bride]

"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by high school . . ."

Eighty-two years ago today was born the Beat Generation poet Allen Ginsberg, author of Howl. This was the poem Daria attempted to read aloud at the Better Days Retirement Home, with miserable results. If you want to hear Allen Ginsberg himself read part of Howl, click here. Quite interesting (but possibly NSFW). I was born the year he wrote it.

It's interesting that Daria chose to read this work, as it was once declared obscene and contains homosexual references and profanity. She obviously felt she should read something with redeeming literary value, and she picked a work that was iconoclastic and revolutionary for its time, but she had no clue that the material was inappropriate in the extreme for her audience. Just like Daria to do that. Not a real "people person."

I'm behind on doing stuff again, but hope to catch up later. Wish me luck.

Happy (Former) New Year's Day!

Today is Lady Day, which was until 356 years ago New Year's Day in England, Ireland, Wales, and "the colonies." The year 1751 actually began on March 25th. The Gregorian calendar was adopted by England in 1752, so that year began on January 1st. The year 1751 was thus very short. The switch from Julian and Gregorian calendars actually has some importance in an unfinished Daria fanfic ("The Other").

Today is also Maryland Day, which would have had little effect on Daria and Jane even if they did live near Baltimore. Lord Baltimore and others founded the colony of Maryland 374 years ago. Brittany might have worked out a cheer for it, though.

Fifty-three years ago, Allen Ginsburg's poem "Howl" was declared obscene by U.S. Customs. This is the poem Daria tried reading to retirement-home seniors in "The Old and the Beautiful" ("I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix. . . .").

An interesting analysis of two Daria episodes, "Too Cute" and "Pierce Me," appears online here. A fan site I hadn't noticed before, The Daria Goodies Page, offers stuff to download. And another "adoptable" webpage on Daria is available on FanCast Beta.

On DariaWiki, Roentgen continues to improve on his already excellent list of Daria episodes, giving their original showtimes and plot summaries as well. Brother Grimace, Scissors MacGillicutty, and Richard Lobinske added more material as well.

A couple of updates:


PPMB

• Legion of Lawndale Heroes, Volume Two, by Brother Grimace (LLH 12.6 – ‘Bop Till You Drop, Part II’): The Big Bopper continues, and many get the bopping of their lives.
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): Now he has arisen: he who long slept, from the depth arisen, out of arches strong...
  
  

Also, Kristen Bealer and Richard Lobinske posted stories to Lawndale Online and Fanfiction.net.

Any more Dariacons being planned?