Start Your Fashionable Engines!

Stacy's having a great time for International Sports Car Racing Day, and I just can't get enough of how genuinely happy she looks. It's amazing what finding your calling and getting the hell away from toxic people can do for your outlook on life!

Meanwhile, Linda might be taking another try with a bow and arrow for National Archer Day, but the holiday is actually for people named Archer. But I'm not going to be the one to tell her, at least not while she's armed. Go ahead and make your own "phrasing" jokes if you feel like it.

Finally, it was on this day in 1998 that the episode "That Was Then, This is Dumb" first aired. It was a blast from the past for the Morgendorffers, but the real mindblower is that about the same amount of time has passed between Helen and Jake's commune days and the episode as between the episode and today. Feeling old? I know I am.

Fandom News!

• Vote in the Celebrity Deathmatch poll between ALF and Uncle Martin.

I Bet She's Pretending the Target Is Helen

Linda's got her eye on the prize for National Archer Day, but unfortunately the holiday is for people named Archer, not for people engaged in archery. I'll tell her after she puts down the bow and arrow.

I hope Helen knows that today is also Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, so that she can tell Daria over and over again that she's wonderful even though she just...doesn't...get it! What's wrong with her?!

Don't forget that it was also on this day in 1998 that the episode "That Was Then, This is Dumb" first aired. I will never not laugh at the flashback scene where Jake kicks the Pentagon.

Fanfic Update!

• Breaking Balmora, by welltemperedclavier (parts 5 - 8): "It took a few days to get everything set up for restoring Tiphannia. Job schedules were way tougher to get around than the old school schedule. Satheri and Tiphannia didn’t work, but Satheri was so busy with wedding stuff that she had less spare time than anyone else. But they finally nailed a date for it." (Part 6) (Part 7) (Part 8)


• Purple Sweater, by Sheila Wisz Ellayn (parts 6 - 8): "Lasagna for dinner was quite a Morgendorffer tradition, the entire family would enjoy it almost every night and so at the end of that day, which had seemed just as peaceful and ordinary as any other Friday, it was frozen lasagna once again that Quinn and Daria enjoyed together." (Part 7) (Part 8)


• Take Jupiter From My Shoulders and Just Hold Her Awhile, by radiofox (part 1): "Stacy walked up to the front door of the Morgendoffer residence. As she walked up the door she felt the freezing air pierce her thin frame. She knocked on the door while thoughts swirled around in her head."

Nostalgia Just Isn't What it Used to Be

Helen and Jake are meeting up with their hippie friends Willow and Coyote to reminisce about their Sixties lifestyle because it was on this day in 1998 that the episode "That Was Then, This is Dumb" first aired. Hey, if the show was being remade today, the Morgendorffers looking back thirty years would mean the nineties. Holy cow, when did I get so old?

Fandom News!

• Talk about the death of the Amityville Horror killer.


• wouter wonders about the humor of Daria.

That Was Waaaaaay Back Then

It's another Morgendorffer/Yeager reunion in honor of the episode "That Was Then, This is Dumb," which first aired on this day in 1998. That means the original get-together was exactly twenty years ago, and it's been about fifty years since Helen and Jake left the commune. Any thoughts on what might be going on with the Yeagers now? Have they embraced the capitalist lifestyle at last? Has Ethan finally rebelled against their philosophy? What number Leary are they on now?

Fandom News!

• Jabe Shepherd asks about the do's and don't's of a self insert fanfic.


• Vote in the Deadliest Warrior poll between Coach Buzzcut and Mr. Demartino.


• Confess your ill-conceived crossovers.


• JPAGC is looking for a beta reader.


• Two Iron Chefs have been posted in Creative Writing: JoeMerl's First Kiss and Wouter's First Kiss but not Daria's.

That Was Even Further Back Then, This is Still Dumb

Helen, Jake, Willow, and Coyote are meeting up to celebrate the anniversary of the episode "That Was Then, This is Dumb," which aired on this day in 1998. I suppose a modern-day version of this episode would posit the Morgendorffers and the Yeagers as products of the 80s, which could be a whole new level of terrifying depending on which subculture you go with.

Fanfic Update!

• Chemistry, by Captain Marbles (COMPLETE!): "Several minutes earlier, high in the sky above the action. Wildcat to Ultra--M is down!"


• Dystopia, by mailorderannie (COMPLETE!): "Jane turned around, just outside the passenger terminal. 'Are you sure that you can't come with, amiga?' A wry grin graced her countenance."


• End (Ideas!), by Princess_Pasta (part 1): "In the blink of an eye, he was gone."


• For You, by metameric1 (COMPLETE!): "Coffee already made? No weird noises from her roomie's bedroom, not that she'd expected any."


• James the Lesser Presents Vinny Lane, by James the Lesser (part 33): "Christmas was coming and Vinny was losing his mind. He went through Christmas before but never with a girlfriend."


• Lawndale 2021 Season Three, by Anguirus1955 (part 8): "In the office of Helen Birdwoman, located in the upper floors of the main building of Sebben & Sebben, Helen 'Birdwoman' Morgendorffer neatly shuffled several papers into a folder."


• Moonstruck Dumb, by EntrancedCat (COMPLETE!): "Only a few minutes after the flying saucers landed on the grass of the commons area shortly after the seniors had finished their lunch period, the US military surrounded Lawndale High."


• Sisters and Friends, by metameric1 (part 28): "Quinn looked up from the dinner table. 'You guys are moving out?' Oh no! Where to? I've gotten so used to having Daria, Jane and Trent around--at least, just across the street...no more weekly dinners?"


• Songs About Jane Lane, by with caution (part 2): "A few hours of painting later and Jane was finished with her latest masterpiece, unusually satisfied."


• The Storm, by dmsfanman (part 1): "'I'm just about to leave for home, Daria. Have you decided what you are going to do yet?' Quinn said in her typically high pitched voice that almost sounded like a whine."


• Trouble in the Future, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 1): "It had been a long day. After the second day of Orientation 'O' Week, Leigh Steinhardt was ready to go to sleep. However, there was a knock at the door."


• You'll Know When You Have Kids of Your Own, by metameric1 (part 12): "Bob Coleman smiled as he slowly made his way to the kitchen door. Opening it, he saw Rusty along with two other girls her age and a boy, who was pushing a hand truck loaded down with some equipment."

"Stupid five-sided building!"

Jake, Helen, and all of their hippie friends are channeling their energy in support of the episode "That Was Then, This Is Dumb," which aired on this day in 1998. In addition to those flashbacks, we learned an awful lot about Jake and Helen's past in that one, most notably that Helen used to be famous for her oatmeal pumpkin seed loaf. We also found out that there exists at least one boy who's impervious to Quinn's influence.

Fandom News!

• Fans of Terry Pratchett mourn his passing and discuss his books.


• Help Dervish with a question about historical uniforms for cricket and rugby.


• Robyn posted a new Iron Chef in Creative Writing: First Day of Class.

That Was Then, This Is Later

The second-season Daria episode "That Was Then, This Is Dumb" premiered 12 years ago today. Ah, those wild and crazy hippie days of yore. We learn that Jane and Jessie are NOT going to make it as a couple, that Jake and Helen haven't changed a bit since their college days, and if Jake really had managed to levitate the Pentagon, he would be that world's version of Doctor Manhattan, only not so blue and not so naked. More on this episode can be found here.

And, hey! Who is that bulldog chasing the yellow Volkswagen named JANICE? Darn right! It's the bulldog Daria almost runs over a few episodes from now, in "Through a Lens Darkly"! It's J.B. himself, or "Pugsly," his stage name. Good boy! Just seeing him almost makes me want to get a dog again. [sigh]

NEW N00Z!!!

• Medea42 shares with us her "personal rules for writing fanfic" on her blog.
• Join the discussion on The Best Of Daria Fan Fiction Community on FF.net! Is YOUR favorite story in the list?
  

PPMB

• NEW! Apocalyptic Daria: Timeline, by Doggieboy (Part 2): Hello. It’s me, again, the Chronicler. What I showed you of the events from what people now call “Twilight Friday” shows a pretty much normal Friday night for a lot of people. Such is the way of the world. Until some cataclysmic event occurs, the world goes ticking along at it’s own normal pace....
• NEW! Big Brother, by LadieT (COMPLETE!): Jane picked up the phone, tears streaming down her face. She and Jesse's discussion about wanting children had turned into a heated argument. It ended with Jesse walking out of their house, slamming the door. The last words out of his mouth chilled Jane to the bone. "Jane, I want a divorce."
• NEW! Cheery, Cheery Night, by CAP (COMPLETE!): The post-award reception was in full swing. The massive gold-colored drapes and thick crimson carpeting did absorbed but little of the loud laughter and noisy hum of hundreds of conversations. The moving mass of people made it difficult for Brittany Taylor to spot the people she was seeking. Every other person stopping her to pass on his or her congratulations for her Drama Desk win as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play slowed her even more.
  
• The Dream of the White Darkness, by jtranser (continued): "Then he will fire the admissions director and replace him with someone who has a clear understanding of what sort of person a new student should be. Such a student is usually intelligent, excited about attending such an intellectually rigorous school and will, in the final analysis, do and believe what he or she is told...."
• NEW! Finn Morgendorffer 37: Mature Relationships, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 4): “So, back to the original question. Who's the lucky lady coming as your date?” “Don’t know if I’ll choose anyone. I’d love to bring you Jane. Y’know, backup and all, but, between Mom and Daria, I just see blood being spilled. Mine.” “Oh.” Jane was pretty disappointed. To be Finn’s date was not a thought that was completely unpleasant.
  
• If Ever I Fall, by TheSharpie (COMPLETE!): As Phil drove down the old highway Quinn held his hand as the song from earlier played on the radio. “Tonight was perfect, sweetie.” “Anything for you, love,” he replied. The radio played on. As they approached an intersection they heard the screeching of brakes as an SUV ran the light....
• NEW! In the Cold Summer Sun, by Malakite (Part 1): Doctor Fisk looked up from the file he was reading with a certain amount of disbelief. The man looked nervous, almost sheepish in his blue business suit. The woman tapped her foot impatiently. It was obvious she was in a hurry, the way she kept glancing down at the cell phone in her purse. Fisk still couldn't quite believe what he was going to say to these people, but then he couldn't quite believe what that plant had done to the county's water, either. It was getting harder. This was the fifth set of parents he would have this conversation with this week.
• NEW! John Lane 45: Haunted by the Past, by RLobinske (Part 2): "I might consider the proposal," Sandi said, "if your sister had a fraction of your fashion knowledge." "She knows fashion," Quinn said. "She just doesn't use it." "I bet." Quinn opened a folder and pulled out her secret weapon. An old copy of the Highland Herald. She opened it to the fashion column and said, "Look at who wrote it." Sandi read out loud, "Daria Morgendorffer." Shocked, she sat down. "Your sister wrote a fashion column?"
  
• They, by OverlordMikey (COMPLETE!): The morning sun through the motel window woke the young man from his slumber. He remembered the night before, how she had insisted they meet at the Rondayview Motel off Route Six for a night he would never forget. He had not noticed that she was crying when he got there, nor had he considered why she wanted to meet him there instead of them going together. That night had indeed been the best they had ever shared he thought as he opened his eyes to greet the new day. He looked to his side and saw no one next to him. (FF.net)
  
• NEW! Zero G, by SigDiff (COMPLETE!): “They can go EVA. They pull up beside us and just drift over. We'll need to have someone in the airlock with the outer door open so they can get in. Maybe a rope tied down that we can throw over. And no worries about them breathing our atmosphere, because they've got suits.” [Ending is here!]
  

Speed Racer Lives!

Birthdays aplenty today. NASCAR, where Stacy Rowe finally hits it big (per IICY?), turns 62. The peace symbol (on Jake's belt buckle, below right) is 52. They've aged well.

Today also is an interesting U.N. mandated holiday: International Mother Language Day. I really suck at languages, even English, so anyone who can speak two or more languages or even geekspeak has my admiration. (I've had two years each of Spanish, Russian, and Latin, plus lived three years in Mannheim immersed in German, and I can't speak more than two brain-dead phrases of each. At least I can order lunch at McDonald's in German, so that helps.) Having once been an editor, looking up the roots of old words is rather fun for me, and it is amazing just how many thousands of years old some of our words and concepts are.

NeWz!

• A stunning discovery is reported by E.A. Smith, who says Daria episodes are being uploaded by MTV to the official Daria Facebook site. Srsly. Also, the site has almost 280,000 fans now. Holy cow.
• Got art? See the quick pencil sketches by Pinhead on PPMB.

FF.net

• The Prodigal Daughter, by a440 (COMPLETE!): "AIDS," said Brittany. "Now my dad and stepmom will truly hate me for sure."
• You're Standing on Our Necks, by Gojirob/Rob Morris (COMPLETE!): "Helen, it’s terrible! My—my father is coming over in a few days." "Jakey, I know how he makes you feel. I don't like him much, either. But we have to be fair. In fact, I can't remember the last time he came over. Or—that I saw him. But he is family." "He's the devil! What we need is a devil-killer person." "Maybe one will happen along, dear." (Daria/Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

PPMB

• NEWER! After Daria, by Ravynstone (Part 1 plus): Daria picked up the syringe. It was lightweight, made of Space Age plastics, the kind of thing that would have appealed to her dad. he turned her back on the mirror and pressed the needle against her arm. She slid it into the vein with practiced ease, injecting the cocktail.
  
• Daria: Hunter—Strictly Business, by Jim North (continued): "Don't even fink about trying any fancy logic nonsense to mess wiv the robot brain, because it ain't got one!"
• Falling into College 72: Valley of Love and Delight, by RLobinske (Part 8): "Now that I've shared my news, how are you doing?" "I've actually working my All-American novel." "How many communists have you killed so far?"
• Finn Morgendorffer 33: Independence, by HolyGrail2007 (Parts 3 to 5): Daria lay in her room, staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t stop thinking about Tom. Okay, I’ve never really had a boyfriend before, so I guess I really can’t compare it to anything. But I’m pretty sure this isn’t how it works.
• Fire! The Facebook Edition, by Betting on Delusions (COMPLETE!): Tom Sloane and Jane Lane are attending the event Awkward Silence Following A Disagreement In A Relationship That Wasn't Even That Solid To Begin With.
• The Hallowed Halls of Fielding (ex-First Day of School), by Roentgen (Part 4): "Patty, let me ask you something. Everybody's taking about 'The Knowledge.' What's that supposed to—?" "Oh! Quinn! Excuse me for a moment! I totally forgot about this appointment with one of the profs!"
• NEW! It's All About the Intention, by Psychotol (continued): "Daria, he was, like, crazy into you, you two could have been so good together, why did you send him running like that?” “I wasn’t interested in a threesome with him and Monique,” said Daria.
  
• Kamen Rider D, by Silver (continued): "So, let me get this straight. I've become a Kamen Rider." "Yes, amiga, you have. You're now part of a group of characters dating back to 1971." "Way to make me feel old, Jane."
• Sixteen Days of Sorry, by Dosco316 (COMPLETE!): "Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and, sadly, a nadir in US Olympic history. As many of you are aware, the epidemic of Penguin Flu decimated the US Olympic team and the US borders were closed to quarantine the sickness. For the United States Olympic Committee, the only options left were to forfeit their Olympic positions or allow the substitution of a team mostly comprised of high schoolers from Lawndale, Maryland, who had been stuck in Toronto on a radio station-sponsored trip, to take their place."
• Teen Something, by Drachen (prologue and Part 1): Daria awoke to dawn in a dingy room in a filthy bed. She groaned as she felt her pounding head and protesting stomachache. Where was she? Slowly memories of the previous afternoon came to her. Van Driessen's wake for Beavis and Butt-head. The punch had made her feel so strange, so quick. Daria remembered leaving, walking unsteadily towards home. Staggering more with each step. Vague memories of meeting the ghosts of Beavis and Butt-head; them offering something and then helping her walk.
  
• Unnamed story (More Crossovers Not Yet Crossed Over), by NightGoblyn (appetizers): "I love transvestite porn. It's the only kind I can watch without feeling conflicted!"

Strange and Unusual Things, More of

Delving into the cybernetic underworld once again....

At left is one of the front-page images from Et Jane? (a French Daria website no longer updated). The site was exclusively focused on Jane Lane and contained lots of fanfiction and fan art for a somewhat AU version of the Daria series.

Upchuck's favorite magazine is at right, from "That Was Then, This Is Dumb." This was from a long-ago version of the MTV Daria website.

Ever since I recovered the image at left from Wildgoose's website, it has nagged at me. It was originally from a "couples" flipbook on an old MTV Daria site (a flipbook that is no longer around). It clearly implies that Jane and Alison were being tagged for a time as a couple. I know, the artists just needed a reference scale for drawing the two of them when they were standing very close together, but....

Want a really big image of Helen as a martial-arts master? Click on the pic at right. It was on Wildgoose's site, but may have come from MTV somewhere. It's a much enlarged version of the standard alter ego. Interesting. I recovered a few other giant-sized images like this one, and used one of them on DariaWiki (on the fanservice page). If you need a giant-size picture of Daria dressed up as Mother Goose, let me know.

Karine (or someone else) put together the composite crossover image at left, showing a mutant Brittany Taylor (that artwork originally by Liliane Grenier) about to take on the characters from Futurama. Cute. Still not sure what this was all about, but I like it.

Trent Lane's guitar is below, from an old MTV Daria site. Anyone able to identify what kind of guitar it is? Wouter? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Moar l8r. Hope you are enjoying this.

Art Toast

Eight years ago tonight, "Art Burn" premiered on MTV. It was nice to have a Jane-centric episode again. Too bad Stacy didn't die and make the show perfect, but you can't have everything. That's why we have fanfic, I suppose.

It was also two years ago yesterday that the world was taken over by inanimate objects, per this episode. How have we coped with this disaster? What have we learned?

More shortly. Or longly. Darn thunderstorm is coming, have to log off. But first this message:

Are you concerned about angst in 'shipper stories? Stop by the PPMB thread from Undefinedlust and discuss this topic to your heart's content. Remember, there can never be too much ketchup or angst.

Woof Woof

Ten years ago today, believe it or not, "That Was Then, This Is Dumb" first aired. At right is the great dog hero Leary (the Third), bane of squirrels everywhere.

This episode spawned a lot of fanfiction. Some examples, in no special order:

• "Visitors," by Melissa
  
• "A Time for Every Purpose," by Richard Lobinske
• "Fireworks," by C.E. Forman
  
• "Potential," by TAG
• "Vengeance," by Bacner
• "The Road Home," by CAP
• "This Is Now," by Richard Lobinske
• "Will Power," by Thea Zara and Deref
• "Past Understanding," by Ennon
• "New Drum, Same Tune," by Roentgen
• "You Don’t Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows," by TAG
• "Redemption," by Atimnie
  

Interesting to imagine what else could be written. Where might it be taken?

Latest DariaWiki page: U.S. Marshals Service, by Brother Grimace. Lots of new pages in addition!

PPMB

• John Lane 39: Leaving Summer, by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!): Alison said, "I'm not going to forget your offer…when you turn 18." Daria's cheeks reddened at the comment, but she maintained her composure. "A promise is a promise."
• Legion of Lawndale Heroes Special—Tokusatsu Team Up! by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Part 3): The Planeswalker grimaced when her counterpart teleported back to Japan. “I was hoping it would take you longer to get back from Alpha Centauri.”

A Few More Ideas For A Slow Sunday

What if this scene from "Psychotherapy" wasn't just Quinn's imagination?

Quinn (hypnotized) – Oh Caesar, please don’t poison me. I could love you, but those togas make your butt look so big.

Daria – Oh, God.

Quinn – And what’s with that headband? Olive leaves are so BC.

Jean-Michel – Looks like she’s experiencing a past-life regression.

Daria – You’ve got the regression part right.

Quinn – Help, someone help me! Some king wants kill me for loving some soldier or something before I’ve had time to pass on my secret formula for eye liner. Oh Caesar, ya big idiot! Do something!

Daria – Impressive grasp of history, but she forgot the part where they all board Noah’s Ark for a Caribbean cruise.

Jean-Michel – Daria, I was afraid you had some rather deep-seated problems. But I must say, you’re remarkably well adjusted…considering.

Quinn – You’d think someone would’ve invented eye liner before me. But no, I, Cleopatra, have to come up with all my beauty products on my own. Oh, what a hard life.

(Daria stands)

Daria – At the count of ten, I will snap my fingers, and hopefully remember none of this.

Or in "I Don't":

Daria - Actually, I'm in the witness protection program. The Morgendorffers were kind enough to take me in after my real family was exterminated by the mob.

Instead of just Daria, the entire Morgendorffer family arrived in Lawndale as part of the Witness Protection Program. Maybe they had to flee Highland after their cover there had been lost (probably because of Beavis and Butthead, no doubt).

Or from "That Was Then, This Is Dumb":

Willow - (clasps Daria's hands) You have a very old soul.

Daria - It just looks mature for its age.

Daria does have an old soul... she's immortal

(All quotes are from Outpost Daria transcripts.)

Use them, abuse them, or just have fun with them.

Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut...

If I told you today was both National Nut Day and the 88th anniversary of the birth of LSD advocate Dr. Timothy Leary (for whom the Yeagers' German shepherds were named), you would probably believe me, and that's good because it's true. You can celebrate National Nut Day by clicking here and getting some ideas, but frankly it's okay with me if you only pet a dog for Dr. Leary's birthday and not, you know, take drugs or stuff. Dr. Leary is buried in Earth orbit. Seriously. Anyone remember the Moody Blues' song about him? Anyone remember Dr. Leary talking with dolphins, or trying to? They don't talk much. Oh, and superstar Jeff ("Must Go Faster!") Goldblum is 56 today, being one of my favorite actors up there with Will Smith.

More stuff soon. Must go faster.

PPMB

• Blood, Sweat, and Cheers, by Kristen Bealer (Part 8): The look on Brittany's face was unreadable, but it made Daria feel strangely nervous.
  
• But Why? by Legendeld (Part 1): “Leave me alone!” Daria cried out as she inched closer to the edge of Lawndale High School’s roof.
• Daylight: When the Ball Dropped, by Disco316 (Part 1): “Okay," said Stacy, "so if I have this straight, I spend the night with you in your fallout shelter. If anything happens, we’re safe, and we don’t die virgins."
• The Other Side of Time: Unfinished Business, by The Sidhe (continued): Bad news travels VERY quickly.
• Snuff the Rooster, by Cypher (continued): “Wet Willie!”
• Two Halves, by Dark Kuno (Part 2): "Careful,” warned Daria. “That scrunchy might be loaded."

Good Dog!

The legendary Rin Tin Tin was born 90 years ago today. It is unlikely that Helen Morgendorffer appreciates this fact, given her experience with Leary IV.

More soon. Back. SFMB is being molested by pornbots. Alas.

Superfan Magnuskrauss has collected all the postings from the PPMB Things Students Still Are Not Allowed To Do At Lawndale High thread and reposted them as a single file on a different website. You wanna see what students can't do, go here. (Beware of ads, though.)

On DariaWiki, the Multiverse, Defender Rings, and Tales of the Ringbearers pages have gotten thorough workovers.

Best fanfic line of the day: "Add "Friggin' in the Riggin'" to the list of Things Students are Not Allowed To Do At Lawndale High."

FF.net

• Freaky Stories from the Fashion Club #1: The Diet Pills, by bhut (COMPLETE!): "Tiffany’s most prominent idiocy was her diet...."
• Girls Together Sarcastically #5: Closets Are for Hangups, by Dennis (COMPLETE!): “Well, that could have ended better,” Quinn said, attempting to sound friendly.
• Is It Graduation Yet? by MandeeMistress (Part 5): “I thought we might have to talk,” Trent said, looking into Daria's deep brown eyes.
• Mirror, Mirror, by Angelinhel (COMPLETE!): Three eerie tales from a dark carnival. Get your tickets now.
• The Sickness, by Angelinhel (COMPLETE!): In the small cave above the valley, she waited, toying with a a gun than only had three bullets left.
• Two Halves, by Dark Kuno (Part 1): “I still never understood why Mom and Dad possibly thought sending Alex to military school was a good idea,” said Quinn.

PPMB

• Common People #3: Tears of the Dragon, by NightGoblyn (Part 1): “Jane hates me.”
  
• Falling Into College 64: This is Now, by Richard Lobinske (Part 1): The return of the Yeagers . . . and Sandi Griffin.
• The Heather/Damsel Chronicles: Clique, Clique, Boom, by NightGoblyn (Part 1): “I love those old classic horror movies, but you absolutely can’t tell anybody.”
  
• The Other Side of Time: A Father's Legacy, by The Sidhe (Parts 1 and 2): “So, what’s the surprise?” Daria said as they left her study. (SFMB)
• The Sleeper Awakens, by durgarox (Part 2): This could have been called: "There Will Be Blood." The "one-shot" continues!
• Tales of the Ringbearers 9: Artifact, by legendeld (Part 1): When he arrived, he saw the body she was looking at. It was a near perfect skeleton. Nicki pointed at its hand. Tom didn’t understand the problem until he saw the ring.

Planning the Revolution to the Last Micro-Detail

According to Kara Wild's DWU story, "All But Forgotten," go-getting teen tiger Helen Barksdale wrote in her diary on August 7, 1968: "In four weeks I'll be a college freshman. Prepare for the Revolution by purchasing tie-dyed clothing, taking lessons in controlled burning, and brushing up on my Bob Dylan." We know this because Amy read her older sister's diary and told everyone about it later. All that, forty years ago today.

However, as we see at left, things did not turn out the way Hippie Helen had expected, as feminism and Women's Liberation had barely gotten off the ground. Women still did all the housework and cooking while the men drank fermented spirits. (This pic is, of course, from "That Was Then, This Is Dumb.")

Today is the 80th birthday of famed magician and skeptic James ("The Amazing") Randi, whom Daria apparently likes and admires. She mentions him in one of her online essays at the MTV website.

Today is also the 105th anniversary of the birth of famed anthropologist Louis Leakey, who might have been able to explain Kevin Thompson had he lived long enough to meet Kev.

Enjoy.

Random Fanfic Idea #13

What if Jake Morgendorffer did successfully lift the Pentagon into the air, when he tried to do it in the late 1960s?

In "That Was Then, This Is Dumb," we see a flashback of Jake, Helen, Willow, Coyote, and a few other hippies standing in a circle outside the Pentagon. This would have been in the fall of 1968 or later, after Jake and Helen entered Middleton College. Their attempt was made at least a year after the more famous "Levitate the Pentagon" event from October 1967, described here, here, and here. The attempt was unsuccessful, of course, but being the nutbar Daria fans that we are, it is fun to speculate what might have happened if Jake, psychically channeling his limitless anger at his father, Buxton Ridge, and authority and the military in general, had managed to perform this astounding feat. Wouldn't that have really ticked off his father! (And gotten the attention of the U.S. government, too.) Considering that Jake was extremely left-wing at the time, reading Karl Marx and so forth, it really does make one wonder where things would have gone.

Interesting variant AU there, sort of like a superhero tale, only twisted.