Read a Handmade Children's Book!

Daria's found an interesting way to celebrate International Children's Book Day, but I think she should have stuck with Black Beauty to keep in the spirit of the holiday. I guess as long as it gets kids reading, any book will do!

Today is also National Handmade Day, so if someone gives you a hand-carved necklace then try not to treat it like nuclear waste. Unless it's carved from actual nuclear waste, that is.

Finally, today is the anniversary of the episode "Art Burn" in 2001. Jane definitely created a lot of handmade things, and she had the cramped muscles and artist's block to prove it!

Fanfic Update!

• The 25 Best Movies for a Bad Movie Night, by Erin M (parts 1 and 2): "While I spend a lot of my time writing for 'Way Too Late with Larry Purvis' to pay my bills (There, obligatory plug out of the way), I’ve found as I get older, that it’s important to take time out to recharge and let your brain just calm the hell down." (Part 2)


• Donut Piece ( Scenes no Daria fanfic should have), by shiva (COMPLETE!): "'Cake me in makeup because I feel like a biological scallop that craves a boner in the eye!'"

Don't Let Those Peanuts Hijack Your Brain!

Okay, I do not recommend that Daria and Jane proceed with their planned celebration of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day! Nothing good will result, I promise.

However, they should go right ahead and observe International Children's Book Day, especially if Daria still has her copy of Black Beauty. Jane might enjoy looking at (and critiquing) the illustrations instead.

Speaking of artwork, the episode "Art Burn" aired on this day in 2001. Jane experienced a major case of burnout, Trent had to suffer the trial of (ugh) real work, and Brittany never did find out what happened to that three-legged elephant.

Fandom News!

• Help plan the International Daria Fan-Fic Convention - Virtual edition.


• Daria has been featured in a breakdown of "The Weird Girl" trope in movies and TV.


• JD has a question for anybody who knows London.

A Sandwich and a Book...What Could Be Better?

Caution: this is not the recommended way to celebrate National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. If you want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, please make a fresh one and do not eat any antique sandwiches that have been in contact with either the Tank or Daria's backside. Thank you.

If PBJ isn't your thing, how about a nice kid's book for Children's Book Day? Daria can recommend Black Beauty, The Prince and the Pauper, and A Journal of the Plague Year. Wait, maybe not that last one.

And no children's book would be complete without artwork, so it's especially appropriate that today is the anniversary of the episode "Art Burn" in 2001. A lot of great lines in that one, especially Tiffany's "We need someone to break his fingers, like on that show about those guys." Anyone else have a favorite line? Quote it in the comments!

Fanfic Update!

• Babysitting Pretty (Life After Thirty), by WildDogJJ (part 1): "Daria and Quinn are nervously awaiting the results of her follow up. The doctor looks at the results and smiles. Dr. Conway: Good news, Daria, you're now cancer free. Also, the full metabolic panel has shown your hormones to be back at normal levels."


• Daria (and other characters) on the Defiant Round Robin, by Meester_Lee, Brother Grimace, and Roentgen (parts 57 - 59): "Amanda Waller was scheming. It was her usual occupation, although if she were questioned she'd deny it and say that she was currently making contingency plans—plans that would go in motion if Admiral Morgendorffer and her away team failed to return from the Ferengi casino ship." (Part 58) (Part 59)


• Daria's Great Adventure, by dmsfanman (part 22): "Daria looked out the rover window. It occurred to her that this was not all that useful an action. They were in a cave (or more precisely a lava tube) after all!"


• Fates Entwined, by Deep Metal (part 28): "The young six year old Daria looked around her classroom. Class had not yet begun and she had no particular inclination to be at school either."


• Hello, I'm the Doctor. Basically, go to Hell (Iron Chef: Very ILL), by Serrallonga (COMPLETE!): "(At Cedars of Lawndale Hospital) (Jane enters Daria's room) Daria - Hi. Jane – Yo. How are you doing?"


• Jane's Real Father (Scenes No Daria fanfic should have: The Saga Goes On), by TheBrodsterBoy (COMPLETE!): "'Well, turns out Vincent isn't my real father.'"


• Nothing Else Matters, by YouthofOz (parts 1 - 8): "Daria reached the dorm room she was looking for and politely knocked. The journey from Raft had been more tiring than usual, but then everything seemed tiring these days." (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7) (Part 8)


• Temple Visit (Outlander Vignettes), by welltemperedclavier (COMPLETE!): "Stale air and the spiced smoke of incense burners settled into Jane's clothes and hair as she entered the temple, her head bowed in a show of reverence. Hoarse murmurs echoed down worn adobe corridors lit by braziers and scented candles, shadows of guttering flames dancing on the walls."


• Three Devils, by atiyatortilla (parts 5 and 6): "Daria watched a squirrel dart about the grass while Jane studiously committed her likeness to paper, the charcoal drawing shaping up to be quite the portrait." (Part 6)


• Unpredictable, by Val-Creative (COMPLETE!): "Jane's brushes dry and fleck with saturated greens and blues under an opalescent white coating. Out of the corner of her eye, Daria scrutinizes the tray of palettes knives and tubes smeared in black and shiny, smeared grey."

Words, Pictures...and PBJ!

Daria's helping her classmates celebrate International Children's Book Day, but I don't think that's the kind of book the holiday creators had in mind. If you'd like to read a children's book today, why not pair it with a sandwich for National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day? Daria will probably pass on that one, since her last experience with peanut butter sandwiches didn't go so well.

Today is also the anniversary of the episode "Art Burn," which aired on this day in 2001. Jane almost filmed a Waterworld post-apocalyptic video, almost lost her passion for painting, and almost uncovered a forger's plot. So many lost opportunities!

Fanfic Update!

• The Date, by elainefr (part 6): "'How was the Country Club?' Jane asked of her best friend once they'd each settled into the comfortable positions in her room, doing what they loved to do."


• From Both Sides, by mailorderannie (COMPLETE!): "Daria crossed her arms. 'So where did you hide it?' 'Huh?' Michael's eyes lost some focus."


• I May Go Pop, by tafka (parts 1 - 3): "Daria looked at her schedule and sighed. Modern History tute again. She wouldn't have minded if the research assistant wasn't such a misogynist jerk who seemed to take great pleasure in baiting her into ridiculous arguments." (Part 2) (Part 3)


• The Lost Girl, by Hammyham (part 2): "The one good thing about being back at Lawndale; Jane is back too. Her room had been turned into a new studio for her Mom (the kiln set on fire in the basement), but luckily Trent had vacated his room a couple of years prior so she could have his."


• A.R.C CHAPTER 9 Babysitting, by ST91 (part 1): "In Lawndale and its surroundings there are many restaurants and clubs. For some of them it's a miracle to still be open despite the health inspector, but others offer the highest level of services."


• Shadows of a Timeless Song, by Dennis (part 14): "A thousand questions, many of them rude, boiled up in Daria's mind, but for once, she held them in. With a puzzled shrug, she walked through the door, which Ron closed and locked behind them."

Refrigerator Box Optional

Daria's diving into an old favorite in honor of International Children's Book Day, so why not take the opportunity to reread one of your beloved childhood classics, as well? If you'd like, share what your favorite books were as a child--or other books you think Daria might have enjoyed--in the comments.

Switching from words to pictures, today is also the anniversary of the episode "Art Burn," which aired on this day in 2001. Jane learned how to paint copies and perform undercover missions in a single episode!

Fandom News!

• Sadly, fan Arena del Sur has recently passed away.


• Fhujeth_x passes on your questions for Guy Moore, one of the Daria directors.


• Share your thoughts on the series finale of How I Met Your Mother.


• Those who play Pokemon X and Y can talk about it in a new thread.


• Two Iron Chefs have been posted in Creative Writing: JPAGC's April Fool's day and Charles RB's Codename Kids Next Daria.

Shhh! Reading in Progress!

Happy International Children's Book Day! Daria's been up all night observing this holiday, but keep your voice down. She just got to the good part. Black Beauty is always an obvious canon choice for young Daria's reading material, but what other kid's books do you suppose she enjoyed? What are/were your favorites? Share in the comments!

Today is also the twelfth anniversary of "Art Burn" in 2001. Jane as a counterfeiter? Tiffany hiring thugs to break someone's fingers? Post-apocalyptic gazebos? What a seamy and sordid place Lawndale is beneath the surface.

Fandom News!

• Outpost Daria will be shutting down in June. Many thanks to Martin Pollard for maintaining the site for so many years!


• In related news, MartinUK has taken over hosting the Daria episode transcripts.


• Roentgen discusses the Positivist Calendar and suggests a few changes.


• PrecambrianStudios kicked off a new activity: (Insert Name Here) is so Awesome That....


• Two new Iron Chefs have been posted in Creative Writing: Shiva's Daria With the Yeagers and JPAGC's April's fool.


• Shiva has a small request for artwork.

You Don't Have to Read in a Refrigerator Box, but It Might Help!

Happy International Children's Book Day! Celebrate quietly, as Young Daria just got to the good part and I wouldn't recommend that you interrupt her reading.

Today is also National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, and a tasty sandwich sounds just right as a snack while reading your favorite children's book. Just be careful not to sit on one on your way to Alternapalooza.

This is also the eleventh anniversary of the first airing of the episode "Art Burn," which appeared on this day in 2001. It had a lot of great moments, but I'm always partial to Tiffany's desire to have the caricature artist's fingers broken. Funny and chilling all at the same time.

Fandom News!

• DIsaac wants to know what you would do with $640 million!


• See the new trailer for The Three Stooges and talk about the upcoming film in the thread.


• Three new Iron Chefs have been posted in Creative Writing: Wraith's Lawndale Rednecks and JPAGC's Vivian Taylor and April's fool.

"And it's an antique!"

Today is both International Children's Book Day and National Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Day. It isn't said whether or not the peanut butter sandwich Daria sat on in "Road Worrier" had jelly in it, but let's just assume it did for now. The real burning question, however, is whether it was grape or strawberry. I'll leave you all to fight that one out in the comments while I post the latest fandom news.

• What do you think of Bon Jovi's remark that "Jobs killed the music scene"? Discuss it in the thread.


• Kvltism has 5 urgent questions about the Akira remake.


• Does Tori Amos have a scary smile? Talk about that and more in the Weapons of Mass Distraction forum.


• What do you think was Daria's role in Quinn's canonical character development?


• Lots of new Iron Chefs in the Creative Writing forum: Vukodlak's Quinn's Trashfreak out, GlitterShrooms's Bridal Expo Scenes, cfardell_Brenorenz29's Turning 30, Erin M.'s Where the Rubber Meets the Road..., and Vukodlak's April Fools!

Serious Business

Now that April Fool's Day is over, we can move on to Serious Business. Today is both International Children's Book Day and National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. You can celebrate by making yourself lunch and reading a book. Read about the history of the peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, in fact.

Most importantly, today marks the ninth anniversary of the premiere of "Art Burn," in which Jane proves herself an expert art forger. And she has an infinite love of money. Do the math. A great career is born!

And now on to other things.

PPMB

• Anti-Trope, by Minx (continued): “So you chose to wake me up,” Dean replied as he sat up. “Nice... What time is it anyway?” “Ten a.m.,” Jane said. “I felt like annoying someone and you seemed as good a choice as any.” She shrugged and smiled mischievously at him.
• Cynic and Violence, by Peapotmaster (COMPLETE!): "Here is a Muppet News Flash! It has been confirmed that football players are mysteriously becoming stupid due to something in the school’s water supply. One football player had this to say." "I'm on TV?" "Yes." "Hi, Brittany! I’m on the Muppet Show!"
  
• The Fight, by TheSharpie (COMPLETE!): “You ****!” shouted Daria, “What, Q wasn't enough for you? You had to take the one guy who made me happy too? I thought we had finally become friends, not just sisters!”
  
• Finn Morgendorffer 40: Higher Learning, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 5): It depressed Finn more than a little that Jane would be going somewhere so far away, but truly, Finn knew it was for the best. Jane needed to succeed, she deserved to succeed. Anything Finn could do to assist that, he had to.
• Surprise, by LadieT (COMPLETE!): "We wanted to tell you in person Jane. I'm pregnant and Trent and I are getting married." Daria showed Jane the ring.

You Are Never Alone with a Book

Today is International Children's Book Day, with the thought that there are few things you can get for a kid better than a good book. Other than a copy of Grand Theft Auto VIII: Thunderbird Deathwish Radiation Apocalypse, which is also a nice gift. ICBY is celebrated on or about the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen of fairy-tale fame, who was born only 203 years ago today.

More will be added to this as the day progresses. Some surprises have appeared while looking over old Daria websites, and some will be shared here. The GIF of a sci-fi Daria wearing a radio-antenna helmet and waving was pleasantly startling.