Send In the Economist Clowns!

Mrs. Bennett is really getting into the spirit of American Circus Day, or perhaps she's decided that crazy diagrams aren't confusing enough for her students and is taking an even weirder approach to teaching economics. Either way, I suspect the classroom will be much livelier from now on.

In fact, they might as well forget about the learning and just celebrate World Party Day! If Brittany's parents are out of town then her house is an option, as long as no one minds the lack of jacuzzi.

Finally, if we get some rain (or an almost-but-not-really hurricane) then we could observe Find a Rainbow Day. Kevin's skill at creating rainbows is only matched by his ability to knock doors down with his head.

Fanfic Update!

• Devil Woman, by mystikexplosion (part 1): "In Jane’s room. Daria: ...is it just me, or are they louder than usual?"


• A diverted stream, by HeinousKim (COMPLETE!): "It happened after the hair fiasco, when Daria went to Jane to apologize."


• Homecoming, by davidfalkayn (part 19): "'And so you ended up in our universe.' Boris concluded. 'Yes, Sir.' Angie affirmed, 'As I told you earlier, all Q did was give me a start—a place to live and enough knowledge to get around. Everything else I learned and did on my own.'"

How About a Party of One?

Daria's really not into World Party Day, but given the kind of people she's with, can you blame her? My favorite parties are smaller affairs, quieter and cozy. It's reading, okay? It's sitting alone at home and reading.

Today is also Find a Rainbow Day, and if you can't find one, just ask Kevin. Apparently he's good at both creating rainbows and knocking down doors.

Fanfic Update!

• And So The American Experiment Begins, by Lady Evil (part 4): "'Do you seriously call this a maze?' Ms. Barch asked as Brittany put a slice of American cheese on a maze on the back of a box of Cocoa Puffs."


• Doctor Who - Changes in Time and Space, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 11): "The Doctor and Felicia entered a large underground chamber from the staircase they had just descended. 'He must’ve extended a natural cave,' Felicia said."


• I STAY, by O-L-D-D (part 6): "There was only one other time Jane had seen Daria in a bedraggled state and that was during their failed trip to Alternapalooza."


• Tommy The Terrible (The Carbones), by WildDogJJ (COMPLETE!): "Jim has sinced calmed down and is trying to coax Tommy into literally coming out of the closet."


• Too Sexy For Her Brain (The Carbones), by WildDogJJ (parts 1 and 2): "The bathroom door opens. Daria emerges with wet hair wearing a bathrobe, indicating that she's just taken a shower. Carrying her sleepwear in a bundle she makes her way down stairs." (Part 2)


• Unnamed story (World's Shortest Crossover XV: A New Era In Crossovers), by Linnofthewoods (COMPLETE!): "A young Pokemon trainer from Lawndale had finally earned enough gym badges to challenge the gym in his hometown, and with his partner, Hawlucha, he had just made quick work of the last trainer he needed to defeat before finally taking on the leader himself: Trent."

Work or Party? Hmmm....

It's Don't Go to Work Unless it's Fun Day! Since work is the closest thing Helen has to fun, I suppose she's technically right on this one.

If you don't find your job as fun as Helen does, you could instead celebrate World Party Day, especially if Brittany's parents are out of town again. It's a tough decision for Daria, because either way she'll have to interact with people.

Fanfic Update!

• Daria Ravenclaw: Highland Years, by Meester_Lee (part 35): "They left Texas from D—FW the week after the girls' school let out. The Morgendorffer family finances had taken a pounding from first having to stay at the Hotel Aylesford during the gang war, then with the far greater expenses of moving, and after Helen and Jake compared the air fares, they found that it was cheaper to fly out of Dallas than Midland, even using long-term parking rates."


• Deeds, Not Words, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "Karen didn't try to hide the sense of slight disbelief at seeing Jane in the 'Dollar Dollar' convenience store on Dega Street in Lawndale, idly going over the sandwich items in the coolers. 'This isn't something that I thought you'd even bother doing anymore,' Karen said"


• Gunsmoke and Mirrors, by Captain Marbles (part 1): "Two men were relaxing over whiskey at the Nineteenth Hole of the super exclusive Wildcat Links, somewhere in Maryland; and the first guy said, 'It looks bad, Roy. All these kids calling for a ban on assault weapons, and with the shooting in Florida and all the copycat shootings across the nation our popularity has never been lower—what can we do?'"


• Is this Pink enough for you?, by 917brat (part 2): "It had been only a couple of days since the last argument had ended and since then both mother and daughter's tempers were still high. Helen because her daughter had stormed off like she had during their argument, while ignoring her calls to come back."


• Jane Lane's surrealist escapades, by PrecambrianStudios (part 1): "Jane Lane stared up at the sky as the tornadoes bore down upon her. 'Huh, swirly,' she intoned as the vortex plucked her off the ground and hurled her above the clouds, revealing the massive, radiant stellar body surrounding the planet."


• Jane's Life's Lottery, by WellTemperedClavier (parts 1 - 3): "1. You've been here before. It's the same whiteboard, the same fluorescent lights, and the same Mr. O'Neill reading from the same feel-good script. All around you are the familiar burnouts, screw-ups, and rejects. Your people, in other words." (Part 2) (Part 3)


• The Offpsring (Pasta's Never-Ending Ideas Thread 2), by Princess_Pasta (part 1): "Sylvia's Italian Bistro isn't on par with the fine dining experience offered by Chez Pierre but it's an affordable outing that doesn't mean choosing from the dollar menu. It's definitely good enough for a date, even if he uses that term loosely."


• Of Microwaves and Electric Keyboards, by Souless Familliar (part 4): "As Daria headed downstairs she heard chattering coming from the kitchen as the smell of burnt pancakes wafted through the air. 'Dammit!' she heard her father cry out, before hearing her mother's voice comforting him and offering to take over."


• Paradigm Shifty (Iron Chef: 1980's Daria), by Charles RB (parts 1 and 2): "'Now Daria, I know it's a challenge having to start a new school--' 'Did we move?' Daria looked out the window. 'False alarm, Dad, we're still here.' 'Daria.'" (Part 2)


• Second Chance at Love, by DavidFalkayn (part 1): "'No! I won't let you!' Captain Elizabeth Shelby shouted as she saw both her grandparents' life forces being drained by the pa-wraith better known as the Blood Wraith."


• Unnamed story (LLH Short Entries : Thread #2), by Roentgen (part 113): "'You know,' Karen said, 'this is the first time I've looked forward to going to Lawndale High in a long time.' 'Why?' Quinn asked. 'Seeing as how next week is the start of that SPORE thing?' Karen said. 'Given that I had to take shit from Julia about how my solution didn't work out?'"

Party On and Get Out of the Closet!

Although today is It's My Party Day, I seriously doubt that Daria's willing to claim the party as her own. Any party of Daria's would clearly be a party of one, and even that might be too crowded for her taste.

Today is also National Coming Out Day, so if any Daria characters would like to confirm their place in fanon by revealing a previously-unknown sexuality, this would be the appropriate time. If you go by fanfic, that potentially includes every single character. Every. Single. One.

Fanfic Update!

• Decisions, by elainefr (part 18): "Daria impatiently looked through the candy bars trying to find the one that just had to have."


• Fates Entwined, by Deep Metal (part 9): "'Hey Daria,' Jane said on the phone. 'What's going on?' asked Daria. 'I'm not too shabby,' Jane replied. 'Things are getting pretty interesting between Eric and I.'"


• Quinn, Episode 6: Sappy Holidays, by WildDogJJ (COMPLETE!): "We see Mr. O'Neil in a crazy costume. In a lame attempt at political correctness he is wearing a stereotypical African robe (Kwanza), a fake white beard (Christmas) and a yamulka (Chaunakah). His attempt at multi-culturalism is a testament to his cluelessness." (Part 2) (Part 3)


• Unnamed story (LLH - Short Entries), by Roentgen (parts 49 and 50): "Daria - "M" - wore her psionic regulator. She hated the thing, but she realized that she'd have to wear it if the Legion were going to make their incognito rescue mission a success." (Part 50)


• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria fanfic should have: 600 Years Afterward.....), by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): "All, my board is thinking of firing me. All I'm asking is to let me take the Mel Gibson option - let me get into heavy therapy and counseling, whether it be in a facility or somewhere else. A good twelve-step program."

Party Time!

I don't think Daria is enjoying World Party Day very much, but everyone else seems to be having a good time. Jane's probably still in the laundry--I mean, make-out room, so the same could probably be said of her.

Fandom News!

• Do you ever feel attacks of nostalgia? Tell everyone about it.


• Watch the Final Fantasy XV trailer and share your thoughts.


• Zetor posted a new Iron Chef in Creative Writing: Thoughts on things.

It's Her Party and She'll Snark if She Wants To

Daria may not be enjoying It's My Party Day, but everyone else seems to be. If you want, throw a party of your own to celebrate someone's oarents (yours or anyone else's) being out of town. Unless you'd prefer to swallow glass instead.

Fanfic Update!

• Action Stories #5: When it Rains, it Pours, by NightGoblyn (part 3): "'Alright, we're going to have to steer Quinn away from taking you to get your hair done,' Jane said, talking to her cousin as they walked down Dega street. 'I'm guessing that since you're Kryptonian, you have the same powers I do, so scissors are not going to cut it, literally.'"


• Behind the Counter, by NightGoblyn (part 13): "'Yo,' Jane called out from behind the register. 'Cooler's done, I'm gonna book as soon as you're ready to start. I'm missing a party right now.' 'Yeah, yeah,' Daria said, stifling a yawn. She swung by the coffee area and poured herself a cup, then walked around behind the counter and froze."


• Broken, by tafka (part 1): "The car came to a slow stop as it cracked along the crisp, grey gravel drive. I looked up at the building that was to be my home – for how long, I don't know."


• Daria: College Pains Redux, by James the Lesser (part 24): "Daria hears her cellphone ring but she is at work so doesn't answer it. 'Ironico is not a word.' She deletes the o on the end and continues reading through the article."


• Death To Fashion (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: The Madness Sets In), by ognawk (COMPLETE!): "'Stacy, I'll ask you again. How do you explain this crime against fashion?'"


• Kittens And Khaos (Shorty Shorts), by ognawk (COMPLETE!): "Todd Ianuzzi was sat in at the kitchen table in his cabin, out in an isolated area of Lawndale. He was gently stroking a tabby cat called Trudy, who he'd rescued from a tree several months ago, and he had doted on her ever since."


• The Many Doctors, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 26): "Martha Jones was not impressed that the Doctor had apparently picked up someone else whilst he had been away. This 'Felicia' person was not explaining herself, but was clearly was not comfortable around the Doctor."


• The Phantom of the Library, by neonhomer and Princess_Pasta (part 2): "Matthew spun around to see a woman with long, red hair waving at him. He turned and walked over to her. 'Hi Aunt Quinn.' He said kind of glumly."


• Redux, by Princess_Pasta (part 15): "Skylar wasn't expecting the offending comment. He turned around, searching for the source of the question. Standing in the locker bank adjacent to him was a guy he only knew by last name. Lane."

Get Ready for the Countdown!

It's New Year's Eve! (Or for some of you in fandom by now, New Year's Day!) Are you ready to watch the ball drop? Or are you planning to be mostly incoherent by that point, taking a cue from Jesse over there? Or you could observe the day with a couple of New Year's Daria fanfics, Nemo Blank's The Mighty Quinn and Disco316's When the Ball Dropped.

However you plan to celebrate, stay safe and have an awesome 2012!

Fandom News!

• Be sure to nominate for the 2011 Daria Fanworks Awards! See the lists for finished fanfiction and artwork, and also discuss written works and visual works in the threads.


• Post your contributions to a Daria Time Capsule!


• Share your beverage of choice in the favorite beer and drinks thread.


• Happy 2012! Post your plans, hopes, and good wishes.


• Roentgen muses about camp and hipsterism.


• What episodes do you think epitomize Daria in a nutshell?


• AngelusAlvus has a question about Tom's future alter ego from Is It College Yet?


• Discuss the movies The Dark Knight Rises and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in the threads.


• GlitterShrooms is looking for beta readers for a new story.


• Two new Iron Chefs posted in Creative Writing: Charles RB's Texas is flooding and Daria lives by the river and HolyGrail2007's Kevin-isms.

The Ace of Space

Forty-nine years ago today, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to reach space and orbit the earth. In Russia today is Cosmonautics Day, but worldwide it's Yuri's Night, celebrating both his achievement and the launch of the first American space shuttle, Columbia, 29 years ago. Find a Yuri's Night party near you and PAR-TAY!!!

Today is also National Licorice Day, for those of you so inclined to celebrate it with a snack, and it is also Big Wind Day (look it up). Late night talk show host David Letterman (at left) turns 63.

Would you believe the very first truancy law in the USA was passed 157 years ago in New York? That was before the Civil War, too. Daria has a reflection on this day for you.

Finally, for reasons that are not clear in the least, this is Walk on Your Wild Side Day. It does not seem to be connected to the Lou Reed song, so I have no idea what's up with that. You figure it out.

PPMB

• Ah! Amiga-sama! by Nullset (COMPLETE!): “Aunt Amy, I really need some help now if you have time to talk,” Daria said when the ringing stopped and the call connected. “Thank you for calling the Goddess Technical Help Line!” Daria heard in reply. “Please stand by as a goddess will be with you shortly.”
• NEW! Finn Morgendorffer 42: The Suburban Symphony, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 3): “Oh, hey, Daria. It’s Tom.” Her boyfriend was on the other line. “Hello,” Daria replied politely, but coldly. After the whole talk with the recommendation and all, she was a little peeved at Tom. Fortunately, he didn’t mention it: He informed her that Finn had called and was stopping by in an hour, and wanted to know if she wanted to hit a movie afterward. She declined, a movie just didn’t seem exciting. She hung up, and began writing a short story. A short story quickly turned into a long one. A long one about a virus that made it’s victims blind and idiots, convinced that they were superior to the “lessers” as it slowly wrecked their bodies. As a side effect, it turned blood blue.
• NEW! General Semantics, Private Angst, by Gwrtheyrn (Interludes 21.1 & 21.2): There was only quantum-level flickering on the interface graph. Trent Lane propped the guitar he had been holding against the padded, soundproofed wall, and reached for his coffee. Ice cold, with that oxidised flavour. Mmmmm, gimme more! He closed his eyes, and whited out for a long moment.
• NEW! The Ringbearers, by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): Daria waited backstage, combing her gray hair into submission. It's so much thinner now, she thought, remember the time that the make-up artists had with it so long ago. She hadn't been on television since 1966, but everyone would expect her to look the same as she did when she stepped on the set at CBS as a 22 year old who wanted to learn the business from the ground up. "Hey, old woman." It was a familiar voice with a sharp nasal accent that Daria placed instantly.
  
• A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Minx (COMPLETE!): "Mom and Dad are going to kill me.” Daria sighed and stopped pacing. “I’ll take full responsibility; they can’t put any of the blame on you for me hiding in the van,” said Quinn. “No, that’s not why they’re going to kill me. They’re going to kill me for murdering you and leaving your body to rot in the middle of the desert.”
• Tequila and Tattoos Don't Mix, by LadieT (COMPLETE!): "How was your week?" Jane asked Daria. "Well, the renewing of Erin's wedding vows turned into a "Sick, Sad World" moment but watching my mom knock out Aunt Rita was worth the price of admission." (FF.net)
  
• Unnamed story (More Crossovers Not Yet Crossed Over), by OverlordMikey (fragments): “I need to talk to you about something.“ The two sat together in the mall food court. “I’m a time traveler," said Brittany. "I’ve come here from the future when it was discovered that we couldn’t go back any further than the date when you arrived in Lawndale. Our agency is curious how Ms. Morgendorffer caused this. However we like believe she did not do this intentionally. She somehow cause a quake thing in time.” (Daria/Haruhi Suzumiya)

Caption Contest!

Something or someone has caught Brittany's
undivided attention at a party.
What is it?

Happy Birthday, Cherry Lane!

Surprise! Cherry Lane is five years old today! Yes, the presumed daughter of Wind Lane celebrates her fifth birthday today, and her godparent NightGoblyn must be so proud. He should write another story about her, shouldn't he! Yes! Right away, too! I don't have a picture of Cherry that I can use, so her Aunt Jane's boots, which Cherry now wears, will have to do.

New Year's Traditions: Getting Totally Wasted

While this tradition seems pretty obvious, there are special procedures that must be observed:

1. Singing traditional songs.

2. Playing traditional games.

3. Eating traditional foods.

4. Unintentionally destroying property.

5. Having deeply meaningful conversations.

6. Offering candid assessments of the party.

7. Offering candid assessments of the partygoers.

8. Escape.

9. Final thoughts.

Party Till You Wake the Dead!

I guess the above would be the Fashion Club equivalent of a Halloween party, with everyone wearing hideously unfashionable clothing. Hope you party is going well. No trick-or-treaters here yet. Oh, wait, five just came by. More coming.


Brief mention of Daria in a humorous way appears in this article about upcoming events in Philadelphia. Just search for the word. I got a laugh out of it.


Also found a recording of the song "Daria," by Cake. Kind of alternative/odd, not a fast-beat song. Interesting, but I like anything by Splendora better.


About ten trick-or-treaters in all, not very many. Still got a while to go, though. More later. Sorry: moar l8r! And keep Halloween in your thoughts, like Andrea does!

Away Until the Weekend

I will be away from my computer until Saturday. More updates then. Have a great end of the work week!

Happy National Hangover Day tomorrow!

Party responsibly.







And I'll see you in 2008. Have to log off, big storm coming. Rats.

Happy New Year! Party hard, dudes!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope you have your party plans laid out. If you decide to go the Upchuck route and run around the house in your underwear, that's nice too but don't tell anyone about it, please, and make sure no one around you has a camera-phone, or else people at McMurdo Station in Antarctica are going to be laughing at your pictures on the Web.

I am likely to be fairly busy tonight, so if there are no other posts I will make up for it tomorrow if possible. Peace out, my homie g-dogs! (Did I say that right? I heard it on TV once.)

Last Note: Being a former editor, I can't help but draw your attention to the current list of Banned Words for 2008, from Lake Superior State University. (M Man drew my attention to the list first.) I love these people. Bless them, every one, for their perfect storm of organic truthiness and random sweet waterboarding pop that's under the bus. It is what it is.

And a Merry Yule and/or Solstice as well!

This is as close to a Wiccan Quinn as I can find in my files. Hope it is suitable. I meant to post this earlier but got caught up in Real Life.

I will try to update the fanfic list and note any new stories that have come out in the next couple days. Party on!