Picnic Time!

The last day of August is Eat Outside Day, marking the passing of summer and one more time to bask in the sun before fall. Drinking outside is acceptable, too. Enjoy as you wish.

Today is also Love Litigating Lawyers Day, and we send our cheer and joy to Kara Wild, our very own Helen Morgendorffer clone lawyer and Daria fan, who is braving the wilds of Australia at this moment in the capable company of her sister and Deref the Barbarian. Hey, you guys: PAR-TAY!!!

GNUz!

• Iron Chef Talk: Tom does the right thing! What if Tom Sloane wasn't a jerk at all? What then?
  

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• It's a Sick, Sad, Sad, Sad World, by TheExcellentS (Part 1): It was the opening day at the new Sinclair Casino and Resort built on the outskirts of Lawndale, Maryland, and the combination of high school seniors having just come off their graduation, families on summer vacation and the general social butterfly population ensured a healthy flow of customers for the occasion. A lot of the adult patrons gravitated towards the casino, where the hope would be that one lucky spin on the slots could change your life. They didn’t know it at the time, but for 10 people, their lives would change forever by the end of the week....

Where There's Smoke...

Monday again. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the MTV premiere of "Fire!" (probably named for Beavis's favorite saying). Much of the action took place at Le Grand Hotel in Lawndale. Some quotes from the episode, some of them clickable:

• "No, Eric, it's only one a.m. Of course you didn't wake me."
• "I can never forget that giant clog and what might have been."
• "How about Screecher II? I heard those blood-sucking eyeballs look really cool when they burst."
• "Is there really a secret underwater railroad smuggling flounder to freedom? Get on board the sole train, tonight on Sick, Sad World!"
• "Eeewwwwwww! You're making me nauseous!"
• "No, that was the maid. I think she got into the mini-bar. Hey, did I mention they have melba toast?"
• "The Fashion Club will be holding emergency meetings all week on faux-tanning lotions and I don't want you to do anything embarrassing, like show up."
• "Personally, I always had a soft spot for Stalin. Any dictator who changes his name from Dzhugashvili to "Man of Steel" has my vote, so to speak."
• "I can't know everything! I'm not my sister's beeper!"
• "When did I become a third wheel in my own relationship?"
• "You mean... I... almost... went out with... a computer geek?!"

There is a curious footnote about the episode, one of those parallel invention thingers between "Fire!" and the events in Kara Wild's "None in the Family," part 2. We celebrate the weirdness, too.

The CIA is [X] years old today, happy birthday to you. Two of the most famous movie directors of all time were also born on this date in history: Blake Edwards, noted for the Pink Panther series and Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Stanley Kubrick, noted for Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The Shining.

Awesome new art of the week: Daria and Trent Forever by breitasparrow. Yes!

FF.net

• Community Service, by ChilombiLite (COMPLETE!): So, first I had to actually agree to go on this date in the first place; I mean, Stan doesn't even have a car, let alone money to take me to Chez Pierre like any other popular guy, but he actually has the nerve to take me hiking? In the mountains! I can't believe this! I'm going to kill Sandy for talking me into this.
• If Nothing Else, by Puggles Master (Part 1): "My God, I can't believe Mary would wear her hair up, most definitely showing her plump-like face," Sandi Griffin droned on. Standing several people ahead of Quinn gave the former Fashion Club President some satisfaction, despite having to turn to observe any facial reaction expressed by Quinn. "Well, it is rather hot out, Sandi," Quinn half heartedly defended. Meekly, the redhead tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before quickly searching the crowd. Well, graduation hasn't quite started. I'm sure they're somewhere. Though Daria was a person almost impossible to miss in a crowd.
• The InDark, by Mediancat (Part 30): Patrice groaned in pain, weaponless, on the top of a building in Topeka. Her wrists were shattered, and so was her chance to kill this Slayer. She wasn't worried about her long-term prospects as a member of the Order; she'd had too many successes to have one failure, even a spectacular one as this, cost her everything. But the healing, the effort to get her out of jail, they would cost her. Her next few jobs would be reimbursed expenses only.
  

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• Close, by OverlordMikey (COMPLETE!): It isn't really a bad day, just cloudy. Daria stood away from everyone else, looking at the sky. She was a little taller but still the same, although she was wearing black. Her second year in college and here she stood at a funeral. She felt strangely pacified by the breeze. She kept thinking about what people said. You two were so close. (FF.net)
  
• Daria Does Down Under! by TAG (COMPLETE!): [Too silly to sample, sorry.]
• Daria/Dorian 5: Mountain of Truth, by LadieT (Part 5): "Dorian, I want to come, too," Quinn stated. "No, you stay here. Get warmed up by the fire and talk with your friends. We'll be back in no time." Dorian grabbed his backpack. He still had the Pop Tarts, another canteen, and a flashlight in it. Jane gave him a puzzled look. "With the way this trip is going so far, rather be safe than sorry," he grumbled.
• Daria Is Raven's Apprentice 2, by Project Pegasus (continued): "Wait, what?!"
• Driving a Pale Van, by McKeon (COMPLETE!): There was a dull thump as the Tank met the black-clad man. The brakes that he had been working hard gave way, and the black van rolled to a halt on the shoulder. Whoa. This could be trouble. It was about that time that the passenger door of the tank was opened, and a middle-aged woman entered and sat down in the passenger seat. "Excellent!" she stated with a smile. "You killed Death." (Daria/Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality series)
• Finn Morgendorffer 54: On the Outside of Love, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 3): “Anyway," said Jane, "I was calling to tell you I won’t be coming home for spring break.” “Where are you going?” Trent asked. “My roommate, her boyfriend, and I are all going to France.” “France?” “I managed to get a trip. Kinda last minute, especially for going overseas, I know. Pretty cool, huh?” “Why are you going to France?” Trent asked. “I’m craving French bread.”
• Grove Hell 2: All the Lawndale People, by Charles RB (Part 3): Daria looked up and saw Upchuck, the most annoying lech in school, heading through the forest on his own, with no way to dodge any fire in time. She grinned nastily. “You know, you’re right. This is great fun.” Bang. (FF.net)
  
• Judith Strikes! The Rise and Fall of D.D. Morgan and the Sanity Assassins, by Brian Taylor (Parts 2 and 3): "From looking at your history, you appear to be what we'd call a solitary kid. Is that fair to say?" "From looking at your tie, you appear to be an idiot. Is that fair to say?" (Part 3)
  
• The Lane That Wasn't, by LadieT (Parts 6 and 7): The road before her stretched endlessly in two directions. Jane sat on the bench. She looked at what appeared to be an oversized laptop's screen. The grey-eyed man who was sitting beside her remained silent. She sat back rubbing her eyes. She turned to him and watched as his face remained expressionless. He pressed the pause button. "So, you are telling me this is what is going to happen when I wake up?" (Part 7)
• Lemon Parade, by Jim North (COMPLETE!): The little girl clambered up the stepping stool and quickly took stock of everything sitting on the counter. She checked, double-checked, and triple-checked, spending more time than she knew was necessary, but the exact right amount of time that she felt was necessary. Everything had to be perfect. Everything had to be right. She was going to have the best lemonade stand ever. (FF.net)
  
• Look! Up in the Sky! by Chris Tucker (COMPLETE!): Quinn hugged her friend as Sandi wept. "What the hell is this all about?" she wondered. Her gaze fell upon the envelope on Sandi's bed. BALTIMORE MERCY HOSPITAL, Juvenile Oncology Department. You know how you can be watching Wheel of Fortune and with only one letter on the board YOU KNOW what the phrase is? Yeah. That. How the heck does that happen? Quinn KNEW what this was all about.
• Politricks Are Not for Kids, by Brian Taylor (Part 7): "Joining us now to tell us more about the aftermath of the Employment Recovery Act is Jane Lane, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sloane White House. Jane, it's a pleasure to have you." "Yo." "So, my first question" "I'd have to say that I would personally stuff a live hand grenade down the Russian prime minister's pants for a Klondike Bar." "Cute." "I really am, aren't I?"
  
• Pulp Fiction, by Chris Tucker (preview): Daria interrupted her friend. "I disagree, Jane. We're more Marvin and Wendy, actually. Waiting for the Super Friends to show up and rescue us. They'd send one of the really lame Friends, like Apache Chief, for Marvin and Wendy." "Yeah! Or Aquaman! The bastards!"
• Surprise! by Chris Tucker (COMPLETE!): "BEST part of the job!" he said to no one in particular as he suited up before entering isolation. "Good news, everybody! Daria, the transplant from Quinn took. You're making cells on your own! Oh, and you might like to know. You're in remission."
• Three-Edged Sword, by NightGoblyn (Part 7): "Tom and I have been... sleeping together... for a couple of months now," Daria said. "As usual, it happened completely by accident." "You're very accident prone around him," Jane said, in an even dryer tone.
• Uncle Anthony's Happy-Fun Esteem Class, by Charles RB (Part 1): "EsTEEM. A TEEN. They don't REALLY rhyme, DO they?" DeMartino barked out every word with loathing, not even trying to sound like he wasn't reading from notes. Daria wasn't sure what she'd expected from self esteem class, but this was preferable either way. "But we are HERE to beGIN realizing your ACTUALITY... Hrrrr. WHAT, Ms. MorgenDORFFER?" "I want to know what 'realizing your actuality' means." There was a long, long pause. "CHRIST on a BIKE, I don't know!"
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Real Esteem), by Jim North (COMPLETE!): [Too short to sample!]
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Real Esteem), by Ranger Thorne (COMPLETE!): “In this class,” the teacher growled as he stormed into the room, “there will be no silly phrases or nonsense about how the world would be a worse place without you in it.” Pulling a piece of wood from inside the black robes he wore, he waved it and the windows went dark. (Daria/Harry Potter)
• Unnamed story (Scenes That Should Be: Breakfast of Zombie Champions), by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): Dinner had been rudely interrupted by Ms. Li's call. According to Ms. Li, Daria had failed the psychological exam administered to new students at Lawndale High School. "Is she going to have, like, a breakdown or something?" Quinn asked, "'cause that could really mess me up with my new friends!" "Don't worry," said Daria. "I don't have low self-esteem. It's a mistake." "I'll say!" said Jake, glad that his daughter was being self-affirming for once. "I have low esteem for everyone else," was Daria's calm reply, which brought dinner conversation to a halt.
• What a Rip Off! by Chris Tucker (COMPLETE!): "Daria, good news! Gotta wait and see, but it looks like we're going to kick you out of here in a another week or so." "Thanks. Thanks for nothing, Mac!" "Aaaa... What was that?" "Superpowers! Where are my superpowers? All that atomic energy and all I have is a sunburn on my butt."
  
  

Dancing Cheek to Cheek

Today is World Dance Day (also International Dance Day, Dance Day, etc.). It's another of those UNESCO-type holidays when our International Overlords force us to do things for cultural diversity, like eating healthy foods and appreciating badgers. Today you must dance. I have a note from my doctor saying I'm excused, but you have no excuse. Get goin', shake a leg.

By the way, the Landons at right are doing their dancing bit as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Hope someone here remembers who those two were. They appear to be doing that famous "Dancing Cheek to Cheek" bit from the 1935 movie Top Hat.

OUTPOST DARIA has updated again! Yay!

The Great and Powerful Kara Wild reports on her DVD Daria set: contents, cool stuff, and everything! DVDaria has updated! See also this PPMB thread about the set.

Superfan CR85747 informs me that MTV2 will air Daria starting on Monday, May 10, 5-6 AM EDT/PST, and Tuesday, May 11, 1:30-2:30 AM EDT/PST. Be there!

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• The Dream of the White Darkness, by jtranser (continued): "Once you slice open a bag of potato chips, there's no going back." —Stacy Rowe [NEW! Extra chapter here! "Emergency meeting in the Director's conference room! Round up your staff and be there in 10 minutes, before they close the security doors! And use Quiet Passage Protocol!"]
  
• Finn Morgendorffer 44: My Three Young Women, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 2): Jane had been getting increasingly distant lately, and it was getting more and more difficult to enjoy spending time with her. And, oddly enough, it wasn’t as if they weren’t doing anything different. They hung out, Finn watched her paint. Sometimes they went to a movie, exchanged bodily fluids, and all the normal teenage stuff. Nothing about their relationship was different. Except Jane, Finn thought to himself.
• Shining Star: Temporal Conundrum, by RLobinske (Part 8): "I'm a little miffed at seeing versions of myself in relationships with what look like good guys," said Daria. "I'm pushing thirty and haven't even had a good date in the last two years." Archangel said, "I could set you up with Pam Anderson in a heartbeat." [Yowsa! See the alter ego at left for Daria as Pamela Anderson on Baywatch!]
• NEW! Transgender Bender, by Minx (Parts 1 and 2): Hmm, so Quinn isn’t little miss perfect after all. This fugly chick is her sister. Sandi smirked. He had found Quinn’s Achilles’ heel. [Originally posted here.]

Brainy Quinn's Breakthrough Day

Eleven years ago today, Kara Wild completed the first story in her grand epic, the Driven Wild Universe. That first tale was "Rose-Colored Lenses," in which Quinn Morgendorffer is forced to get corrective glasses (see "new" Quinn at right) and sets off a magnificent trope-busting saga. Congratulations to Kara, and thank you!

In a delayed April Fools prank, the BBC announced 80 years ago today in the evening that there was "no news" to report. Imagine hearing that!

Actor and poker player James Woods, said to bear an amazing resemblance to Lawndale lawyer Jim Vitale (per Scissors MacGillicutty), turns 63 today. Best not to confuse Mr. Vitale with James Woods as he appears on Family Guy, which also features a high school named for Mr. Woods.

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• Daria Race War, by Bliss Ticks (continued): The clock struck midnight, and yesterday marked the last day of exile for Jane Lane. Tomorrow morning she would meet Daria in front of her house, and together they would walk into that hellhole, Lawndale High.
  
• The Dream of the White Darkness, by jtranser (continued): "This is where something jumps out of nowhere, screams 'Booga Booga!!' and scares the shit out of me." Daria's nervous attempt at humor met with silence, then a very faint reedy voice coming from under the stairs said: "No. That comes later."
• DVDaria, by Admonisher (COMPLETE!): [Originally posted 3/31/01 on FF.net, this classic now appears only on PPMB. Enjoy!]
• Finn Morgendorffer 43: A Tale of Three Schrecters, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 1): “Good morning, Finn,” Helen spoke warmly to him. “What a lovely day.” “I don’t plan on wasting it,” Finn returned. “I’ve already made plans.” “That’s wonderful, Finn. Have a lovely time, Finn. But, speaking of plans, have you thought of what you’re going to do with your summer?”
• The Hallowed Halls of Fielding, by Roentgen (Part 24a): "When was the last time I was in Maynard Hall?" Tom asked himself. "Yeah, I remember. Fifth grade music. I remember a song that went 'solar plexus meow meow meow'. That's the sum total of my learning." "What did you learn?" Daria asked. "That I couldn't sing," Tom said. "Oh, Thomas!" cried Elsie. "I've been telling you that for years." (NEW! Part 24b: "So, Quinn?" said Pat Seven. "Do you want to see our little wooden boat?")
  
• Library Phoenix, by SigDiff (continued): Jane stayed up halfway through the night listening to Daria talk about her plans. To her, it sounded like complete fantasy. Flying machines that could outrun their own sound, other machines that could do math by themselves. Light with no flame, powered by the wind and the sun and something called the atom, which apparently the ocean had plenty of. Devices that allowed one to talk to another miles and miles away as if they were just a few feet away. Jane didn't believe a bit of it. At least, she didn't believe it until the demonstration.
• NEW! Shining Star: Temporal Conundrum, by RLobinske (Part 6): BEGIN EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION: Central Database security has been compromised. Intruder identity is currently unknown. Extent of breach is currently unknown. Breach has been identified as the personal computer issued to former field agent Ian Llwyd. Unrecovered computers from his team are considered suspected alternate breach sites. Containment protocols have been initiated. Access of data to field units may be restricted until full security is restored. You are instructed to use your current assignment to investigate this breach and provide any assistance in identifying the perpetrator.
  
• Springtime for Self-Esteem, by Ajar (Part 1): “It's always a pleasure,” said Ms. Li as she ushered a woman out of her office. “Well, the Mental Health Society always appreciates any principal that takes initiatives to help those dealing with mental health issues. Although I really was hoping to meet some of the support group.” “I wouldn't want to take them out of class, or expose you to their reformist delusions.”

CRINGE!

Kara Wild wants to know what you think are the most cringe-worthy character moments in Daria. "I'll forgo naming a really obvious one," she writes, "and just say that I cringe whenever I think of Jane's reaction to Daria's botched hair dye job in DDMD!. 'You did it on purpose! To take Tom away from me!'" What do you think? Read and post!

What would be my response... Jane not slapping the living crap out of Daria in the same episode. Yeah, that would be it.

I came across an interesting news item on the 'net about the DVDaria release. Check it out.

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• Add-on ending to The Fight (by TheSharpie), by Ranger Thorne (COMPLETE!):
• And Goes Well With Fish? by Sandi Griffin, by Dennis (COMPLETE!): “Picking the right color is really what fashion is all about. You want to draw the eye, but in a good way, not like those horrible chunky girls who wear orange spandex and pink tops. That just makes you look horrible."
• Anti-Trope, by Minx (continued): “Wakey wakey, hands off snakey!” Jane slowly opened the door to Dean’s bedroom and saw his sleeping form under a mess of blankets on his bed. Dean groaned and rolled over. “Go away, Quinn,” he mumbled and pulled the blankets over his face.
• Finn Morgendorffer 40: Higher Learning, by HolyGrail2007 (COMPLETE!): “This is the part where you tell me not to talk about my sister like that.” “I don’t when it’s true, Finn. I don’t when it’s true."
• NEW! Finn Morgendorffer 41: It's Called Boston, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 1): “A trip? Where? School’s still in session.” “I know. I wanted to go to Boston.” “Finn, why on Earth would you... wait, this was the plan you thought of with Jane?” “I wanna take Jane to BFAC. I want her to tour the campus, to see the sights. Talk with people really learning art. Not drunks like Lindy.”
  
• Fragments of an unnamed tale, by Staticblast (COMPLETE!): "You are now entering hell, Mr. Pickman." Daria gives a slight smile. "Please keep your limbs in the carriage." (Daria/Call of Cthulhu)
• The Hallowed Halls of Fielding, by Roentgen (Part 21): For Quinn, this was the moment of truth. Normally, one goes through five stages of mourning but Quinn was still stuck on the second stage - anger. She hated this whole stupid system at Fielding. She hated the snobby people. She hated the mean old teachers. She hated the endless attempts to need to keep up. She hated the stupid lack of fashion sense. She hated Pat Seven. She hated Sue Bentley and she hated Patty Clark and she hated Claire Davidson and she hated Jill Yardborough. When I get out of here, I'm going back to public school and no amount of money in the world will get me to go to private school again.
• Jacob Morgendorffer, Esq., by CAP (Part 7): The man smiled broadly. “Thanks, Captain,” he said extending his hand. “Charles Ruttheimer.” “Jacob Morgendorffer,” Jake answered as he shook hands. (FF.net)
• Lawndale's Finest: Action Stories #4—Power Struggle, by Jim North (continued): "Look," she said, "my fault or not, I think we need to just stop and take a moment here. This whole 'hold Lawndale hostage for money' thing . . . the zap you got must have scrambled you up or something. If you just come with me to S.T.A.R. Labs, they can try and get you sorted—"
• Musings on "The Last Virus," by Jim North (COMPLETE!): Despite my better judgment, and based on the most likely faulty judgment of my peers, I am submitting the enclosed short story "The Last Virus" for potential publication in Musings. One can only hope that your eventual rejection will only lead me into a gradual but inevitable spiral of alcoholism and drug abuse to blot out the pain instead of outright hanging myself from a rafter in my house.

"I Don't" Did It!

One of the best of all Daria episodes, "I Don't," aired twelve years ago today. We get to meet Amy Barksdale, but enough about her.

What about Daria's cousin Erin? Could she be rehabilitated in fanfiction as anything other than a ditz? Discuss below in Comments. More soon.

NO0oZ!

• The Magnificent Kara Wild has updated DVDaria!
• Respite has discovered a new Daria fanfiction site at ArchiveOfOurOwn. Enjoy! (I do need to update the links here soon, some of them need fixin'.)
• NEW! Advice from tafka appears on PPMB on how to post an artwork in progress.
  

FF.net

• A Few Years Difference, by Vlora (Part 2): "We won't talk about it," said Helen to Daria. "You do know about contraception, though?" "I'm 22." "Well, when a woman and a man love each other very much—" "Wow, look at the time, gotta go out!"
• The Passing of a Loyal Friend, by Johnny Style (COMPLETE!): The bodyguard simply pushed her charge to the ground and then stood in the path of the incoming gunfire. The other bodyguards quickly identified where the gunfire was coming from and returned fire. The woman who had stepped in the way of the incoming bullets also tried to draw her side arm. However she felt something wrong and when she drew her hand away she saw it was covered in blood. Her own blood, it seemed she must have taken a bullet or maybe two. "Britt?" asked her terrified charge. "Just stay down Jodie," the bodyguard said as she slumped to the ground. "Don't worry I'm sure the others will..."
• [Links to stories already mentioned here have been placed with those stories.]

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• Apocalyptic Daria: Scarlett’s Tale, by Doggieboy (Part 17): Tents, makeshift shelters built out of plywood and tin scraps, and assorted vehicles of all shapes and sizes were set up haphazardly amongst the homes and buildings that made up Taylorsville. “I didn’t think that there’d be that many people here,” Scarlett said, her voice reflecting her awe. George looked at the teen. “There’s at least two million people who have been displaced from eastern Maryland and Delaware alone. That’s a lot of people to absorb... and move on out.”
• Daria: Hunter—Infectious (continued): Daria fired again, but once more her shot went wide, that time missing completely. The creatures closed in too quickly for a third shot, so she dropped her gun completely and made the move to unsheathe her right blade while slashing with the left. One of the creatures caught the edge across the face and spun off to the side, leaving Daria open to strike at the other. Her right fist came up and she realized too late that there wasn't a blade sitting over it.
• Daria: The Next Chapter, by LadieT (Part 1): Jane glanced down at Anne, still sleeping peacefully. "Looks like I have to get ready to pack some things. We are going to visit Grandma Amanda and Uncle Trent for a few days." Jane went into her bedroom to grab some luggage. As she packs, she stares at a photo on her nightstand. It was a picture of Anne, Tom and herself taken eight months ago, when they were happy. When they were still... Jane shook her head.
• Daria: The Next Chapter, by LadieT (Part 2): After some time to gather her wits about her, Daria decided to drive around to see how much things had changed. She frowned when that the pizza parlor she and Jane had hung out at had been turned into a bland chain restaurant. Yet another small business gone to hell in a handbasket. She made a mental note for her next editorial.
• NEW! Daria—The Next Chapter, by LadieT (Part 3): Daria and Allen found a place near the pharmacy. Damn, don't this bring back bad memories. She closed her eyes to block the visions going through her head. Allen stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him and smiled. Allen saw her parents and waved. They returned the gesture before heading to sit with the Griffins. Their feud ended years ago with Sandi's overdose. That event led Quinn to become the woman she was today: wife, mother, soldier... currently six months into a year long tour of Iraq. Once she returned home, her time with the Army would be over. She had decided not to reenlist and to go back to college. Daria stood quietly and wished for her sister's safe return.
  
• The Dragon's Kiss, by LadieT (COMPLETE!): The night air was crisp as Mack exited his vehicle. He grabbed a duffle bag out of his back seat and made his way to the house. He knocked on the door. A leather clad figure opened the door and directed him inside. The only noise he heard from behind him was the clicking of the lock. He felt a gloved hand run through his hair. He reached around to pull her in front of him. After an intense kiss, they broke apart. [EYE-BLEACH WARNING!]
• Dying on the Inside, by Minx (COMPLETE!): Sleep. That’s all I wanted, all I needed. Just one night’s sleep, but it’s impossible, that’s when they return: the memories.
• Finn Morgendorffer 36: Brain of the Family, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 1): The rumor around school was that the teachers wanted a raise. That didn’t surprise Finn in the slightest. In a word, Li was cheap. Cheap as balls. After all, that whole fiasco with the soda cans was because Li spent all their money on bomb-sniffing dogs and other high-tech gizmos that were completely and totally unnecessary. Who would be using a satellite to spy on the school anyway?
• General Semantics, Private Angst, by Gwrtheyrn (Part 17): "Still not ready!" he said sharply. His suspicious gaze darted over the room. Daria shrugged into the dinner jacket she'd grabbed. "No-one specified white tie, Mr Vitale," she said, mildly. "Do I need to change?"
• The Hallowed Halls of Fielding, by Roentgen (Part 15): Pulling up a chair, Quinn flipped on the back switch of Daria's Banana computer. Instead of the typical screen saver, Quinn was greeted with a name and password login screen. The name DariaM was already filled out. All Quinn needed was a password. Hmm... what would Daria use as a password? Quinn decided that she'd try the same password that she herself used and typed her first guess. Password: password. Immediately, the login screen was replaced by a picture of an angry looking Daria. In bold letters the caption underneath read: GET LOST, QUINN!!
• Infamy, by RLobinske (COMPLETE!): The room hushed as the school board superintendent, Mr. Cartwright, crossed the stage and stood before the podium. He cleared his throat and said, "Under Civilian Exclusion Order 34, issued by Gen. John DeWitt, commander of Military Area 1, your principal, Angela Li, has been relieved of her duties and sent to a War Relocation Camp. Mrs. Bennett will be acting principal until a permanent replacement can be named. Thank you and you may return to your regularly scheduled classes." (FF.net)
  
• NEW! Ohio, by Respite (COMPLETE!): Helen answered just a bit too cheerily. “We’re just so glad to have our girls back safe and sound. I’m so glad your schools came to their senses before all that violence spread to Boston. You’re not taking part in any of that nonsense, are you, Daria? Good. Now, where are your father and Quinn? They really should be home by now.” Daria followed Jane into the kitchen and busied herself with a head of iceberg. “Actually, Mom, I’m—" (FF.net)
  
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: "...And that's how your dad and I got together"), by Greystar (COMPLETE!): Daria turned the radio on and cranked the volume. An unholy electronic screech filled the car for a moment before a prerecorded voice replaced it. "This is the emergency alert system. The President of the United States has issued an Emergency Action Notification with an attack warning throughout the United States."
• Vincent and the Lovely Light, by Respite (Part 1): “Why are we doing this again?” Daria asked. “Because we’re bored.” “Bored. We’re going to risk our lives, and maybe our sanity, because we’re bored.” “Yup,” Jane answered. “Bored. It’s Springtime, we’ve been cooped up for ages, we’re young, and we need adventure, Daria. Besides, how lucky are we to have a trans-dimensional wormhole in our very own town?” “You couldn’t be like every other teenager and just look for drugs or sex?”
  

Hooked?

Pisces begins today, for the fishy zodiacal ones among you, so check your horror-scopes as Daria here has done. And learned to regret.

And this is the ninth anniversary of the first showing of "Fizz Ed" on MTV, kicking off the fifth and last season of Daria. Angst aplenty for all.

In the fandom, Kara Wild's essay, "The Off-Canon Approach" turns ten today, exactly. A milestone, there.

SKYPECON begins this weekend! Join in the fun of an online Dariacon! Meet new people! Argue with them!

Sketches of Mr. DeMartino, Quinn, and Sandi are offered by the illustrious MDetector5 on PPMB.

The new MTV Daria site is going strong. The URL used to connect to thumbnail descriptions of the episodes in the series, but the whole thing has been greatly expanded (thank goodness). The official Daria Facebook site will give you a pre-order special if you sign up. Amazon now has a pre-order section, as do several other sites.

Sick, Sad World has updated, as of a few days ago. Outpost Daria updated a few days ago to offer details on the DVD release.

Glitter Berries is still impossible to get, but you can download the whole thing here and are encouraged to do so soon.

The MySpace fan group, Daria and Jane 4ever, has unexpectedly ceased to exist. It had the largest collection of fans until the official Facebook site came up.

Another great fanfic update coming this weekend. Stay tooned.

Politics in the Good Old Days

A mere 254 years ago, Aaron Burr was born. He grew up to be the first (and last) Vice President of the United States who was legally allowed to shoot his political opponents dead. Sadly, the laws were changed after Burr's famous duel with duel-loser Alexander Hamilton (former Secretary of the Treasury), and now Vice Presidents are only allowed to shoot people by accident. I am not sure if Kevin (at left) is supposed to be Aaron Burr, but it's the closest alter ego there is to him, so it will do.

This is the 115th birthday anniversary of Babe "The Big Bambino" Ruth, not the candy bar but the baseball guy. The candy bar was not named for him. It's a long story.

And this is the 58th anniversary of the most peculiar royal succession ever, when Princess Elizabeth climbed into a giant treehouse in Kenya and was there notified that she had just become Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. She went up a princess, came down a queen. And people say there's no such thing as magic. Disney must have had a hand in this, you know he did.

And if you're heading over to Facebook's Daria page, the official one by MTV, say hi to one of our own! Thanks, Kara!

EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

Kara Wild has been notified that MTV is going to interview the voice actors for Daria on the DVD set for Daria.

MTV is looking for questions to ask them.

Kara will forward ours.

If we have any.

GET TO WORK!!!! HURRY!!!!!!

It's Tango Day! Hooray!

Yes, Daria fans, today is Tango Day! Today we celebrate the tango by watching other people dance, because we are Daria fans and you've got to be kidding that we can actually dance, like no way. Well, okay, maybe some of us can dance, but the exceptions prove the rule.

The tango was invented in Buenos Aires, which was destroyed by jealous aliens who had too many legs to tango properly. We mourn the loss of a great city, but we still have the tango to fill our Daria fanfics (such as here and over here).

Lawndale Commons, one of the great early supersites for this fandom, is said to have shut down on December 11, 1999. A story by Kara Wild was dedicated to it that same month. Lawndale Commons did close its message board about that time (and perhaps changed its address), but it was given its final update in 2003.

Elvis, Unplugged

Forty-one years ago today, Elvis made his best known comeback, a special shown on TV that became instantly world famous. And MTV artists remembered it and used it as a Trent alter ego, at left. For more information on this specific alter ego and what it shows, click here. Did you know that Elvis not only invented the music video (with the "Jailhouse Rock" musical number from the movie of the same name), he also invented the "unplugged" live performance with his comeback special? What a dude.

Found a recent online article about DVDaria. Nice to see the support! Go, Kara!

Born 61 years ago today is the Alter Ego That Should Have Been: the Oz. Why no Ozzy, MTV? Oh, well. Maybe next time.

BREAKING NEWS!

Kara Wild has been in touch with The Powers That Be about the DVD Daria set....

AND IT'S COMING FOR REAL!

Click the link and read the story, with information on what the set might include! Most EXCELLENT! Thank you, Kara! and thank you, Viacom/MTV!

You may go outside and scream for joy now. Thank you.

Daria's Role Model

Two fandom related events happened ten years ago today. Kara Wild posted a critical essay on one of the Daria fandom icons: "Amy: Savior or Chimera?" And Daniel Suni sent his very first fanfic to Outpost Daria: "End Weekend, End." In addition, Tiffany & Co. (for whom Tiffany Blum-Deckler was probably named) was founded in NYC 172 years ago.

A very weird and potentially useful fanfic plot idea was brought up by Malakite on PPMB. Won't spoil it here, but it might involve time travel....

And I discovered a fan movie for Daria made by the immortal S.C., and perhaps you might like to see it and share the awe. And turn up the volume.

PPMB

• Basic Training: A Daria the Green Lantern story, by Echopapa (Part 4): Daria and Trent’s conversation was interrupted by the form of the bartender flying across the room and landing in a heap against the far wall.
• Left for Dead, by TAG (COMPLETE!): The blonde girl in the bomber jacket tuned the old Gibson at the microphone before the lights came up, half listening to the cat calls from the audience as she waited for the rest of the band to signal readiness....
• Reusably Complex, by Ajar (Part 4): "Mr. Edwards?" "Call me Ken." "How did you get to sub here again? I mean last time my Mom threatened to sue the school for endangering the students."
• Scarlett the Fairy Goes on a Picnic, by Aloysius (COMPLETE!): On one fine summer day, Scarlett the Fairy flew over Lawndale City Park and basically enjoyed herself. Families were out and about; children played, pets scampered and even imaginary creatures were having fun here.
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part III), by jtranser (continued): "Each and every one of you has an unspoken desire to become a woman who emphasizes a life of passion expressed through her personal style," said Sandi Griffin. "Each one of you wishes to cultivate all life’s pleasures and have a fulfilling career. And you have failed. Every time. Only one person can help you achieve all that. And that person is me."
  
• Two Halves, by Dark Kuno (Part 4): “Hola amigos,” mumbled Jane around a large oatmeal raisin cookie as she approached the twins table. “Hola Juanita. ¿Cómo están esta noche?” returned Daria flatly. “¿Qué haces, chica?” prompted Alex. [FF.net]
  

And now a word from the Talking Heads....

Kara Wild has made an offer that this fandom cannot possibly refuse. Read and contribute ASAP. Woo-hoo!

PPMB

• Once Upon a Time in Lawndale, by Disco316 (Part 10): Angela Li, the town sheriff, sat at the main table in Flagstone's Town Hall. It was customary for the sheriff to act as the auctioneer for any property auction. She couldn't help but think it was a shame she would be unable to bid on the large piece of property being offered. Still, from the whispers coming through town, and from the group of rough-looking bandits who’d made their presence at the auction known, she had a feeling bidding on the land would be nothing but trouble.
• Something Is Rotten in the State of Lawndale, by Kristen Bealer (COMPLETE!): Later the following week, Daria was in her room, contemplating her hydrocephalic skull replica. "Nah," she muttered at last. "Too easy."
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): There is no greater fool than he who wants to see things as they really are. Even so, that wish is sometimes granted. But know this, the fulfillment of that request is never to the benefit of the wisher.

A Rosier View of Quinn

Ten years and one day ago, the very first story appeared in the longest-running Daria fanfic series ever, the Driven Wild Universe. In "Rose-Colored Lenses," Quinn Morgendorffer (against her will) gets a pair of corrective eyeglasses, and the world is never again the same. The fandom was never the same again, either. Cheers to you, Ms. Wild, and thank you.

It's raining out at the moment, more news to come as it appears.

L8R: I've developed a quirky interest in DariaWiki in the last couple days. I am a sucker for looking up fanwork conventions used by Daria fanfic writers, and after reading through some of FF.net's collection, I hope to add more fanfic examples to various DariaWiki pages. Maybe this will stimulate interest in long-ago works or whatnot. A few new conventions have made themselves known, too: for instance, "Last Line" stories, in which everything hinges on the final words in the tale; "Gender Switch" tales in which characters change sex; and the infamous "Makeover" tales, which are not all alike. Everyone probably knows of examples of these, but it is interesting just how often some of these tropes are seen. I've been poking at family-tree revisions, too, under the heading "Multiplied Morgendorffers" (a work in progress, feel free to tinker with it and everything else I've done).

Today is also Jayne Mansfield's birthday, a 1950s starlet that Quinn pretended to be in an alter ego. More later after the thunderstorms pass.

Memento

Five years ago today, in another Dariaverse, Private Quinn Louise Morgendorffer was killed in action in Iraq. Her story is here. Thank you, Guy. We will all remember you.

In the real world, "The Story of D" premiered eight years ago yesterday.

I'm still looking through the flipbooks that reappeared on MTV's Daria website (see yesterday's post). Awesome. Someone at MTV looked out for us. Thanks! and thanks to you, UU, for finding out.

Amy Barksdale: Threat or Menace?

Nine years ago today, on the nose, the great and powerful Kara Wild posted the essay, "Amy: Savior or Chimera?" She makes some good points. Were all those fannish expectations about Amy a lot of hooey? Apparently so. Amy can sure hold a grudge. Is Daria like her after all, or not? (I think we argued this one out already, though. Oh, well.)

Legendeld has some more rants to rant. Read on.

I have a lot of new stories to mention, but no time to do it. More l8r.

Working Girl, Five Years On

Five years ago today, Kara Wild posted a link to a DWU story she was fleshing out: "Working Girl." The story is still incomplete, but in my humble opinion it is probably the best still-incomplete fanfic out there, better than many complete ones (including my own). The in-depth portrait it offers of Quinn Morgendorffer on her own in the big city is superb. If you get the chance, please click the link and check it out.

Moar gnuz l8r.

When I Saw You Standing There

"Jane, have you considered homeopathy?"

"I'm going to stick with guys for now, but thanks for asking."


Nine years ago there was "Jane's Addition," the end of the third season. The title probably didn't make much sense until five minutes into the story, and there he was.

I never saw this episode until way, way later. Funny to think now of all the different ways it could have gone.

Tom Sloane wasn't that bad a guy, really. Worse was done by others on the series. I pretend not to like him, but the truth is . . . he's kind of lukewarm, so-so, eh. If there hadn't been a triangle, what would have happened then? Wish he could have been more. Wish it could have been different.

Anyway, Tom's first appearance is nine years old today. Cheers, and happy Monday.

Oh, right: MMan brought up an interesting topic on PPMB. It came up in a fanfic once, but there's a lot more to be said about it. What if Daria were aired today? How would the show be different? More opinions are needed.

And now a special word from Todd Ianuzzi.

Todd would like to note that Kara Wild has updated the number of signatures on the DVDaria page to:

28,000!

So high a figure, yet still our cries for Daria on DVD go unheard. Oh, cruel fate!

DJPotatoe (can nothing slow this man down?) presents the fandom with a "realism" sketch of Anthony DeMartino.

I'm making more progress with listing all Daria fanfics for 2008. Hope to post it before the end of the weekend. BRB.

BACK AGAIN.

Okay, I've done the rough draft of the 2008 Daria Fanfiction Update, and it's posted here. Hope you like it. I have a lot to add yet.

Jim North attempted to gross everyone out with his new entry on the "The 1,001 Deaths of Tom Sloane" thread, and he damn near succeeded. Shame on you! (Write more!)

Holding off on the fanfic update here while I process stuff on the Big List.