Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November....

Today is Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night. The holiday, celebrated mostly in Great Britain, centers around the failed attempt to blow up the House of Lords. As far as I can tell, it now serves as an excuse to set off explosions. Kind of like Independence Day in the U.S., only classier.

More importantly, though, the holiday gave us the character of Guy Fawkes Day from "Depth Takes a Holiday." I think I speak for us all when I quote his immortal words--okay, word--of wisdom: "Bollocks!"

Today is also the birthday of Lynn Cullen, the controversial main character of Canadibrit's "The Look-Alike Series."

So, whether you enjoy the day by starting a bonfire, setting off fireworks, or watching "Depth Takes a Holiday," please remember to be careful and try not to blow up any government buildings.

Fanfic update coming soon, pinky swear!

Chill Out!

Canadibrit's heartwarming classic tale, "A Family Holiday," begins on this day nine years ago. (Prose version here.) Just thought I'd toss that out there.

Daria and Jane at right remind us that this is the time of year to dress warmly and not go hiking in the wilderness before a blizzard. If you do, good luck. At least you were warned.

Today also marks the beginning of the ancient Roman party holiday of Saturnalia, a week-long festival that is directly to blame for the commercialization and debasement of every December holiday there is today. You know what Christmas cards and Chanukah cards look like. When the Roman sent Saturnalia cards to each other, the cards looked like this. The Romans forgot more about partying than we will ever know. Thank God they couldn't drive.

Speaking of which, I complained a year ago that there was no Daria fanfiction featuring Saturnalia, and guess what? It's a year later and there's still no Daria fanfiction featuring Saturnalia. (Paperpusher wrote a story that mentions Saturnalia in passing, but the Morgendorffers aren't celebrating Saturnalia.) How low have we sunk to ignore this vital part of our midwinter holiday tradition? How low, Daria fen? ("Fen" means fans. It's old-timer fannish talk. Just roll with it.) Get on the stick, fanfic writers, and let the good times of Saturnalia rise once again!

Lynn Cullen = Guy Fawkes? Bollocks!

Curiously enough, Canadibrit's Lynn Cullen, Daria's half-sister, happens to have been born on the day of Bonfire Night, better (but incorrectly) known to Daria fans as Guy Fawkes Day. We don't have Lynn's birth year, but we do have her fanfic in The Look-Alike Series (TLAS). Her birth date was announced, among other places, here. Loads of pictures of the occasionally violent Ms. Cullen can be found here. The Daria character called Guy Fawkes Day, from Holiday Island High, is a classic late-1970s or early 1980s English punk rocker, per the Sex Pistols. The original Guy Fawkes was not a punk rocker. A Daria fanfic was written making use of the Guy Fawkes meme ("Remember, Remember").

Was making Lynn Cullen's birthday on Guy Fawkes Night some kind of message? Given Ms. Cullen's behavior, possibly so.

Oh, and don't mistake the fandom's Lynn Cullen for the real-life talk-show host. They aren't the same person. Duh.


Odd. I just noticed that the Facebook Daria fan site has almost a quarter of a million members! Where the heck did they come from? Why aren't they at PPMB, for crying out loud?

NEW! The Ringbearers "Skippy" list has been revived!

What else is up... oh, right.

PPMB

• Anti-Trope, by Pinkminx (Part 5): As Dean listened to the teacher talk, his brow furrowed. The teacher wasn’t making any sense. "Realizing your actuality"—what the hell was that supposed to mean?
• Behind the Mystik, by Kristen Bealer (COMPLETE!): Narrator: "And now back to VH1's Behind the Music with Mystik Spiral."
  
• Finn Morgendorffer 12: Carnivore, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 1): “Oh, Finn, there you are!” Jake called when he noticed the truant boy in the doorway. “Hi, Dad,” Finn smiled. “What’s on the tapes?” “Old home movies!” Jake eagerly exclaimed. “I get to relive all the wonderful memories of you kids' childhood!”
• NEW! ill, by Jim North (COMPLETE!): Knuckles knocked. Door opened. Jane stood on the other side, looking concerned and wringing her hands on a small can. "I came as soon as I heard," she said. (FF.net)
  
• In Silence Sarcastic, by Trscroggs (continued): “So both the Morgendorffer children are a little odd,” said Jane. “Did that have anything to do with you taking on the football team?”
• Unnamed songfic, by Respite (COMPLETE!): "My name is... Jane-Zula. The art-rula, The highschoolah..." [Daria/Aqua Teen Hunger Force]
  

Happy Birthday, Lynn Cullen!

Canadibrit's Lynn Cullen is XX years old today! (Not sure what year she was born in.) The date was announced, among other places, here. Pictures? Lots of 'em here.

This also happens to be the day of Bonfire Night, incorrectly known in the States as Guy Fawkes Day but sometimes called Guy Fawkes Night in England, according to Wikipedia. Guy Fawkes Day was one of the Holiday Island High characters from "Depth Takes a Holiday," of course. The original Guy Fawkes was arrested and fined for unlawful use of the word "Bollocks!" A Daria fanfic was written making use of this theme ("Remember, Remember"). There's also the West Country Carnival to attend, lots of fireworks and fun, do it to it. (Please be careful with the explosives, of course.)

Do you think there's something to having Lynn Cullen's birthday on Guy Fawkes Night? Hmmm.

More eventually.

Okay, back again. Sometimes soon I'd like to post my long list of the better fanfic that I've seen from 2008, plus a separate list of unfinished fanfic that I'd love to see finished (excluding stories that aren't going to be finished at all, according to the authors). More on that later. Trying to figure out what to do next.


PPMB

• Bet, by Legendeld (Part 1): Quinn couldn’t believe how terrified her sister looked. Daria broke first. “So am I deluding myself?”
• Order and Chaos, by Legendeld (Part 6): Enter the bad guys.
  
• Purity of Spirit, by DariaPhantom (Part 1): Just a little crossover with Robert Louis Stevenson.
  
• Upholder of the Good, by SoCalledGoodeGuy (Part 2): Darian, Jane, and "The Invitation."
• Which Lane Is the Right Lane? by Lord of Fluff (Part 2): There's got to be a morning after....

SFMB

• Not So Easy, by MMan (Part 2): Jamie White, your loss. Who's next?
  

Greetings from Lawndale's Internet Cafe!

We start off with another mini-pic (actual size shown) from Sick, Sad Life Planner. Wish this pic was bigger, but that's the best there is of it.

Fifty-one years ago today, the first living mammal to orbit the Earth took off for space. Laika has been mentioned here before. (Click on the label with her name for more.) Good dog.

This post-Halloween day is also important in one of Canadibrit's TLAS fics, "Children of the Scorn."

Moar to come!