Meet Paul Myerson

Let's see, what is there to say about Rita's squeeze-of-the-minute from "I Don't." He thinks Rita is "flighty" but also "a tiger in the bedroom" (insert "it runs in the family" meme here), he was a Boy Scout with Jake Morgendorffer, he apparently hasn't seen Jake since childhood but recognizes him right off, he claims he was offered a corporate ice presidency at age 29 (he's about 47-48 during "I Don't," same as Jake), he has a sailboat and met Rita in some sailboat-related manner, and he plays golf. Paul also seems to be well off financially and have a casual regard for the law, as he pulled several hundred-dollar bills from a roll of cash and bribed police officers to overlook the chaos at the wedding reception. A risk-taker he certainly is, and also self-important, egotistical, confident, condescending, patronizing, and a boor. Erin thinks he is "pathetic," and Jake quickly comes to dislike his childhood pal, though some of that might be jealousy of Paul's successes and how he rubs it in.

Paul himself isn't so interesting as his presence is. Bear with me a moment. That Paul knows Jake and dates Rita is a point in favor of the Barksdales and Morgendorffers having once lived in the same general area along the East Coast. My guess is that they all came from the Pennsylvania-Maryland-Virginia-Delaware region around Chesapeake Bay. It seems too much of a coincidence to be otherwise.

Paul's presence also supports the theory that Rita is good at manipulating people for financial support, or else finding people willing to offer such support. The currency she uses in exchange for the cash is sex. Helen says that Rita was always their mother's favorite child, so we know where this trend started. Paul paid off the cops, and he might be bailing Rita out of other troubles to boot.

How might Paul reappear in fanfic after "I Don't"? Rita might dump him for someone else, and he might try all sorts of things to get her back. He doesn't strike one as evil, but he could be very annoying. Then again, he might dump Rita for someone younger and prettier, and Rita might not take that well, leading to trouble. She might need his money at a crucial time, but he's gone. Daria or Quinn might get a summer job working for his company, discover he's involved in illegal activities, and you take it from there.

My creative ability is a bit strained with this character. He's good for something, but it's hard to say what. Any ideas?

The Holidays Take a Holiday

"Are you taking some kind of experimental depression medicine?"

This was Quinn's question to Daria in "Depth Takes a Holiday." Sort of makes you wonder. What if Daria had been taking an experimental antidepressant, and she began to hallucinate and have delusions as a result? No one but her sees or can interact with the Holidays, but Jane and Trent play along, and Quinn decides the whole family is going to hell in a handbasket. (Jake and Helen have gotten frisky without the help of a love Taser.) This would be an interesting AU... or perhaps a good explanation for what really happened, as Jane chases Daria all over town to keep her safe during her brief psychosis while Quinn tries to get her parents to stop snogging and get Daria to a hospital.

Makes more sense than a wormhole behind a Chinese restaurant.

Less fun, though. Maybe the wormhole wasn't so bad after all. You decide.

Hippie Days Are Here Again

Over in the Creative Writing forum on PPMB has appeared the newest segment in a great old tale: Roentgen's "New Drum, Same Tune," begun in 2005. (Profuse thanks to Scissors MacGillicutty for posting the new material.) This intriguing alternate universe assumes that Jake and Helen stayed hippies from the late 1960s into the late 1990s. As a result, the older Morgendorffers are burned out from drug use, hiding from the law (they sell the drugs they don't use), and barely have two nickels to rub together. That last bit is the pivot on which the AU turns: a severe change in socioeconomic status. These Morgendorffers have survived at the poverty level for years, are at the poverty level now, and will likely remain at the poverty level for years to come.

What makes this especially interesting is that in canon both Helen and Jake held left-wing political views in their hippie days, believing a great class struggle exists between capitalist haves and repressed proletarian have-nots (per the numerous references and flashbacks to their college days presented in "College Bored," "The Teachings of Don Jake," "That Was Then, This Was Dumb," and "Sappy Anniversary"). Helen once even gave Jake a copy of Marx's Das Kapital. The story brings the Morgendorffers full circle in their politico-economic philosophy: They are now the underclass, paranoid about "The Man" and refusing to engage with the greater society.

In a sense, "New Drum, Same Tune" spins off from the meeting between the Morgendorffers and the Yeagers in "That Was Then, This Was Dumb." The leftover-hippie Yeagers were finally won over to the Morgendorffers' modern views on Darwinian capitalism. Here, the enormous consequences of Jake and Helen keeping their old lifestyle are made plain . . . and Daria and Quinn must pay the price.

In the TV series, Daria proved that some of her parents' leftist class-vs.-class philosophy had rubbed off on her when she began to criticize Tom Sloane essentially for being rich. I had some trouble imagining anyone but Daria even thinking of doing such a thing. Isn't hunting for rich guys what most stereotypical girls want to do? The Daria in Roentgen's story might of sheer necessity have a different view, as the threats to her own health and well-being (not to mention her dreams of college) have clearly made her less interested than in canon in the welfare of others, who must fend for themselves in a dog-eat-dog world just as she does.

I look forward to more of this story, with its twisted AU twist. It'll be interesting too to see how Quinn claws her way out of poverty. Wonder where Rita and Amy are. Hmmm.

Travel Broadens the Mind, They Say

Uh-oh. Blogger.com has notices saying it is having trouble online. It was down for a while earlier. Rats, hope this stays up. Blogging is fun! Here's the gnus.

Deref is asking about having a UK/Europe Dariacon. Makes sense, him being from Austria and all that.

Thinking about going to the Orlando Dariacon 2008 on the March 1-2 weekend? Click the link and let everyone know you're coming! Only 33 days left!


Fan Art

• Winter in Hell, by DJPotatoe (Fan art for one of my stories! Yeee-haaaaw!!!)
• The AU Boys, by acidgirl (Fan art for another of my stories! Darius Morgendorffer and John Lane, two alternative guys most excellently rendered in B&W.)
• Daria the Animated Series - Now in 3D, by Christ Oliver (Daria/Superman busts out of the screen! Red/blue 3D glasses needed, but the effect is reported to be very cool.)
• Kevin vs. DeMartino in "Lawndale Fighters"! (Thank you, S.C., for the addition!!!)
  

Ficlet Threads

• Bits & Pieces that just BEG to be made into Daria FanFic (a fragment by WacoKid gathers good reviews.)
• Scenes No Daria Fanfic Should Have: Dawn of a New Horror (one of the fastest growing wacky threads in recent weeks.)

Fanfic

• Been Here Before, by The Sidhe (Part 33: Daria's morning after, and it appears a surprise is coming just before the story ends.)
• Change is in the Cheer, by lupinsmoon12391 (COMPLETE! A very interesting story about Daria, Jane, Brittany, and Mack, but mostly about Jane and Mack.)
• Crouching Monster, Hidden Magic, by LSauchelli (Parts 1-3: A wild new Daria/Harry Dresden crossover takes off.)
• The Cynic, The Fashionista and The Jackass, by Doggieboy (Part 7: A great Daria crossover with The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.)
• EarthFall, by legendeld (Episode 1, Parts 1-2: Beginning a new tale, a Daria/Robotech crossover.)
• Everybody Loves Jane, by many demented fans, loving compiled by Derek (Ongoing, no end yet in sight despite claims to this effect.)
• Falling Into College 61: Latitudes, by Richard Lobinske (Part 9: As a bonus, story includes many random brain misfirings posted by the fans.)
• Lane Change, by Ranger Thorne (COMPLETED! In the final chapter of this Daria/Doctor Who crossover, Trent learns the truth about Jane and Daria!)
• Lesson Learned, by legendeld (COMPLETED! And we meet the father of Daria's baby!)
• A Little Vacation, by Doggieboy (Parts 1-3: The title is a gross understatement.)
• The Misery Chicks, by NightGoblyn (Part 6: Angst! Ouch ouch ouch! Love it.)
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker: Part II, by jtranser (Further adventures into the outer limits of Stacy's future.)
• Surprises, by legendeld (Parts 8-10: The story continues to live up to its title as an old new face threatens to appear.)
• Turnabout Confusion Part II: All The King's Horses, by Dennis (Blooood on the mooooon!!! Blooood on the mooooon!!!)

Whew, that was a lot. I'll update the 2008 fanfic list later.

PPMB and SFMB are saved! Hooray!

The title says all. Playgrounds are open again. Major PPMB update coming tomorrow.


Party on!

Everyone to the lifeboats!

While SFMB is apparently up and running (albeit slowly), some fans have reopened Scorched Remnants and posted there. Give it a shot as an alternate. Read all the old threads dating back to 2004. Marvel at the cavern-like black background. Never surrender, or whatever.

Due to technical difficulties beyond our control....

It appears that I will not be able to report on PPMB goings-on for a little while, with all the blank screens and internal server error messages and long delays that are cropping up. Hmmm.



So it goes. Sigh.

Starting to wake up now, sort of

PPMB and SFMB have come back up after a day-long hiatus, possibly a server problem. Richard Lobinske, Brother Grimace, and Roentgen have been adding new pages and information to DariaWiki like crazed fiends, bless them, and you are encouraged to check out the new stuff (and add some new stuff yourself, please). An expansion of the "Evil Daria" stub page would be so cool.

Here are a few notes on watt's gnu at SFMB.

Fanfic

• The Cynic, The Fashionista and The Jackass, by Doggieboy (Part 7)

Fan Art

• Jane paying tribute to an artist of yore, by The Great Saiyaman (the artist is Bob Ross)
  
• Want You, by Minkychanz

If you haven't voted for the Daria Fanworks Awards, hurry up! Four days left! To repeat a section from an earlier post (I luv cut & paste!):

The rules for voting on the 2007 Booties: Daria FanWorks Awards, Written Works, and the updated & corrected list of nominations for the same are available for the clicking. Both the rules for voting and the list of nominations for the 2007 Booties: Daria FanWorks Awards, Visual Works, are right here.

PPMB will take time to wade through, so more later. Thank heavens this blog's server isn't down. Yet.

That's Odd. . . .

Both PPMB and SFMB seem to be down. Anyone else noticing anything, or is it just me?

The Perfect Couple

In the last post we asked the musical question: If it happens that Jodie dumps Mack, is there a person to whom Mack would naturally gravitate, someone he knows from Lawndale?

If Mack is an ESFJ, there are two personality types likely to gravitate to him, and he to them, according to Myers Briggs personality theory. One of those types is an ISFP, often called the Artist. In short:

Jane Lane.

Yes, it is true, Mack and Jane appear to be extremely compatible. And here we fanfic writers thought we were just making it all up. We definitely need more Jane/Mack fan art.

Interesting that Jane and Mack, though friendly, never seem to throw off sparks when near each other. Both of them are just too nice to do anything about a mutual attraction, if such exists. Neither would want to hurt Jodie. On the other hand, this is why we have fanfic, isn't it?

Saint Mack

Even using comparisons with Jodie Landon and other students, Michael Jordan Mackenzie's personality type is difficult to pin down. Some of the traits he is given in the series appear to conflict with each other (being reliable and faithful, but irresponsible with money), though not to a critical degree. A good athlete, he is also bright and well read, and makes good grades. Nonetheless, he is not on the level of Jodie and Daria in intelligence.

After considerable reading and review, I would guess that Mack is an ESFJ: extroverted, generally emotional in his expression, concerned with the here and now, resolves his problems and looks for closure. He is, as noted above, reliable and disinclined to cheat on a girlfriend, but a free-spender and not good with his allowance, apparently spending most of it on Jodie. He is warm and caring, full of energy, responsible, enjoys structure, obeys the law, has a strong moral and ethical sense, and prefers practical solutions to problems. Saint Mack, indeed.

Materials about the Myers Briggs personality system always say that any two well-balanced personalities can become mates, though certain types are prone to go for certain other types. In the case of Mack and Jodie, I looked through various articles to learn if the two had a natural chemistry. They don't. Fanfic writers have played with this idea for years.

It is interesting at this point to look again at Jodie's editorial in The Daria Diaries and study what she says about Mack, without naming him: "And why are you dating the captain of the football team—because you like him, or because he's who he is and you're who you are and others don't care to question the equation?"

Does Jodie think of her relationship with Mack as artificial, founded on false expectations and inexperience? It sounds like it. Are they doomed as a couple? Not necessarily, but I've long had a gut instinct that Jodie will one day tell Mack, probably in college, that they should "just be friends." If it happens that Jodie dumps Mack, is there a person to whom Mack would naturally gravitate, someone he knows from Lawndale? An interesting thought to be explored later.

The Two J's

Continuing our train of thought from the last two postings . . .

Picture "Esteemsters" with Jane unavailable to Daria because Jane already has a best friend with whom she can watch Sick, Sad World, visit UFO conventions, and complain about school. Jane might not even be in the self-esteem class, having tested out of it long ago with Jodie so they could do whatever they wanted after classes. The match becomes even better when you look at their dating habits. Jodie already has a steady boyfriend; Jane is happy to play the field as she did when Daria was around. Jodie, being practical-minded and having a bf herself, is more accepting of the time Jane spends dating; she won't become morose about it as Daria did ("See Jane Run," etc.).

Is Jodie an outcast? She's one of the few black students at Lawndale High, so yes, that could happen along racial lines, but Jodie could also be fed up with the world in general, as is Daria. Jodie in fact already is fed up with the world, but she plays the game and milks The System for all it's worth under her parents' direction. Remove the parental push, and . . . she's Daria. Jane and Jodie obviously knew each other before Daria appeared: witness their joint remembrance in "The Big House" of Mr. DeMartino's heart attack the year before. They could have been best friends for years.

Any chance of a triangle developing between Jane, Jodie, and Mack? Probably not. Saint Mack wouldn't cheat on a girlfriend, and Jane never showed she was inclined to move in on another girl's territory (unlike Daria or Quinn). As a result, a Jane-Jodie friendship is probably going to be a keeper.

[LATE ADD: I was forced to modify the above text following a discovery I made a few minutes ago. As I am so fond of saying, more later.]

Under these circumstances, what about Daria? She enters Lawndale an outcast and remains that way, alone as she told Tom in DDMD she feared she always would be . . . unless she finds a different best friend, a topic for later. We haven't investigated Mack's personality yet, and that's in the next posting.

Just the Same, Only Different

Daria and Jodie have an interesting conversation near the end of "Gifted," as they review their day at Grove Hills and share something about how they each deal with the world. "Believe me," Jodie tells Daria, "I'd like to be more like you." "Well, I have to admit, there are times when I'd like to be more like you," Daria responds. "Really?" says Jodie. "I'm not saying all the time," Daria qualifies.

The funny thing here is, Jodie and Daria are alike. Do they realize it on some instinctual level? To the best of my ability to tell, both of them are INTJs: extremely intelligent and cynical introverts who think through their problems, rely on intuition, look to the future rather than the here and now, and prefer closure to problems rather than continually sorting through options. Jodie is greatly pressured to be more outgoing and resents it mightily; Daria has her own deep well of anger at the way she feels she has been marginalized in her life for being intelligent, unwilling to act shallow and brainless to gain popularity.

Is it possible that Jodie is what Daria could have been, if she had been pressured to be more outgoing by her parents? Helen attempted to do this with her speech about "the mask" in IIFY?, but neither of Daria's parents are focused enough on childrearing to make more of an effort than that. As a result, Daria cruises lazily along under her parents' benign neglect.

Is it possible that Daria is what Jodie could have been, if her parents had not micromanaged her life? Interesting AU possibilities arise here, if Andrew Landon had been more preoccupied with his infant son (per his comments about Ethan to Jake in "Gifted") and less with his eldest daughter. The stage would have been set for sibling rivalry on a massive scale, with Jodie and the middle child Rachel resenting Ethan for being favored, Rachel resenting Jodie's good grades, etc. Sounds a lot of Daria and Quinn in a way. Left to her own devices, who would a more relaxed, benignly neglected Jodie have found for a best friend? Well, if Jodie and Daria are so much alike inside, who was Daria's best friend?

Right. Jane.

More soon.

Jodie and Mack and That Personality Thing

We return to the Myers Briggs personality theory, taking a look at the most perfect student in Lawndale High, and the (unintentionally) most perfect male student there, too. As before, I will wing it and guess at the personality types of these two extraordinary teenagers, then offer a lot of dopey armchair psychology as to what it all means. (I have a degree in armchair psychology, so I'm a professional. Don't try this at home.)

Astronomers find it easier to measure the mass of double stars than single stars, because of the easy-to-see gravitational effects that each star in a double has on the other. A star all by itself doesn't react against anything, making the mass-determination process problematic. The same is true about personality guesswork. Daria and Jane are easier to peg when considered as a dyad rather than separately. The same is true for Jodie and Mack.

Whereas Daria and Jane are both introverts, Jodie and Mack both appear to be extroverts, which to me is rather unusual as it is the extrovert/introvert combination you usually see in mating (at least as the MBTI describes it). Jodie especially is way out there, with all her service-oriented extracurricular activities and leadership positions. Mack for his part is the captain of the football team; it certainly isn't unknown for an introvert to be a leader (lots of them are), but Mack never shows any sign of the complicated interior life that most introverts have. What he says and does is what he really is, which is the hallmark of an extrovert. Mack leads a fairly low-pressure life, though he is driven to distraction by his girlfriend. (See his New Year's resolutions regarding Jodie in The Daria Database.)

Jodie, however, does have a significant interior life. See her Lawndale Lowdown editorial in The Daria Diaries, "Living Up to Your Potential." On the surface she is writing about exactly what the title says, but she's also revealing her highly stressful inner world, driven to overachieve by her father and mother. (The pressure from her father especially is often mentioned in the TV series.) The girl who once wanted to be a ballerina likely started off as an introvert, but was forced to be more social by her parents. In my humble opinion, Jodie is a perfectionist INTJ who was forced to become, in part, an ENTJ.

Even as a high-school student, Jodie is formidable. Brilliant and possessing extraordinary leadership abilities, she has connections leading all the way into Washington, D.C., thanks to her summer work in a Congressman's office (IIFY?). Attracted to business, she wants to start her own company ("Partner's Complaint") and easily manipulates older adults into assisting her by force of her personality and charisma, plus some judicious name-dropping. She adapts quickly to changing situations, has an instinctive grasp of politics (power and personal), and can make the hard calls. And, it must be added, she has one of the most cynical attitudes toward The System of anyone in the series, except possibly Daria herself.

And that opens up a very interesting avenue of inquiry, about which more later.

I May Not Know Art, But I Know What I Liek!

A tiny little bit of a train wreck of a week has finally passed, but it's Friday night now so why worry over trivia? Some amazing works have appeared in the art folder on PPMB. For your delight, see:

so guess wut i herd: slobbergoat's Daria-ized version of a popular Internet meme. (I lieked it.)

Cast Portrait (WIP): Daria's face in startling high realism, by S.C.

I'm new here, and I guess my art is too: DJPotatoe's version of Mystik Spiral, with two full-color crossover pictures of Fashion Club members hanging out with cool video-game characters.

True to my word, I have sent in my votes for the 2007 awards. I found the experience quite painful, as many categories had multiple entries of outstanding caliber, and choosing the best from each took a longer time than expected. It was impossible to just "knock out." My thanks to everyone who contributed fan art and fanfiction. Will 2008 top the past year in quality?

More soon, I hope. A lot of new fanfic has come out, and I am extremely far behind in reading it. Not a great week, as I said, but maybe this weekend will make up for it.

Not Getting a Lot Done Here, Obviously

Too much real life going on, and you wouldn't want to hear about it anyway. Tonight I hope to send out my votes for the Daria Awards, find some topics for here, and start fixing up my stories on my website to send links around. I haven't done that for ages. Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm. More later.

Meet Halloween (and good luck)

The Holiday with sex appeal. Secretive and distrustful, touchy about privacy, moody and irritable, doesn't want to be "happy all the time." Self-reliant, motivated to earn her own money (e.g., as a coffee-house waitress), always active, likes to play "tricks" (minor vandalism, especially in wealthy neighborhoods). Doesn't always play well with others and doesn't like to share. Possibly uses drugs or the Holiday Island equivalent because she has a high awareness of "narcs." Plays drums in an alternative band, is good at it and loves it. Popular, a trend-setter, attractive, fun.

Some guesses: She likes chocolate and candy, eats a lot of it for snacks, never gains weight. She operates on the "trick or treat" principle, meaning if you are nice to her, she will think you're cool and won't likely "trick" you. A little spoiled and stuck up because she is so popular.

Random fanfic ideas: Halloween returns to Lawndale, by herself. Why?

1. She had a fight with her boyfriend and is cooling off, but might meet a new bf in town (Trent?).
2. She wants to see what Earth is like again, liked the independence she had, wants to start her own band, maybe with Monique.
3. She's pregnant and not sure what to do about it. Holiday Island time is not the same as normal time, so she could be pregnant for years, even decades. Who's the father(s)? What's the kid(s) gonna be like? Will the kid(s) be a new holiday(s)?
4. She pulled a "trick" that backfired big-time, and she's on the run from one or more angry Holidays (or worse).
5. Another Holiday (or being) pulled a "trick" on her and she's madder than hell and not going to take it. The guilty party has escaped to Lawndale and is in hiding . . . but not for long.

Toss in your ideas, too. This one Holiday could power a lot of fanfic.

Top News This Hour: I Kissed Your Boyfriend. Film at 11.

The other day I found a nice little Daria logo that I've replicated in numerous different colors for update posts like this. It saves the character pix for better topics.

Before we begin, I must say I'm surprised there aren't more Daria blogs around after all this time. Yes, I know about the ones where some teen or whoever is pretending to be Daria or Quinn, right, and I'm ignoring the blogs on actual real live famous people named Daria, like models and porn stars and so on. It's just weird that there aren't more blogs about Our Heroine. Oh, well. A number of fanfic writers and fans have created their own personal blogs, but most are just about life in general. I've linked to those with strong Daria content. Anne D. Bernstein's blog was added at left with her permission because, hey, it's just like having a blog from Daria and Jane both! Seriously, you ought to read the Buzzdome blog now and then. It's hilarious, but what else could it be?

And on with the news. . . .

PPMB
The Misery Chicks, by NightGoblyn (Part 6) *
Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued) * (UPDATE)
Surprises, by legendeld (Part 7)
Turnabout Confusion Part II: All The King's Horses, by Dennis (continued)

SFMB
One Year Later, by NightGoblyn (continued)

FF.Net
Sarcasm, by Khelan (complete!)

* Contains mature content. Brace yourself.

In the realm of total strangeness, there is the "Scenes No Daria Fanfic Should Have: What Have We Created?" thread on PPMB, with more fruitcake versions of "I kissed your boyfriend." Feel free to join in the chaos.

MartinUK has posted a genuine news story you won't believe about Scottish attack squirrels, which will one day find their way into fanfic, I am so sure.

In the realm of more serious actual news, a request for beta-readers has been posted by JPAGC on PPMB. Check it out; you might find it interesting. I sure did.

Finally, if you are like really really really bored, then you must go at once to the MTV website and take the "Sick, Sad World Trivia Contest" even if you have already done so, just for no reason.

And that's the way it is, January somethingorother, 2008. Good night.

Be All That You Can Be

Off the top of my head, I recall a number of fanfics in which one or more of the Daria crew went into the military. The closeness of 9/11 to the assumed graduation time of Daria's class puts a hard spin on the topic. If memory serves, Daria, Jane, Quinn, Trent, Mack, Upchuck, Kevin, Andrea, and Brittany have all done time in either the Army, Marines, Air Force, or Navy. Daria and Jane once even got to be submarine commanders.

Realistically speaking, though, who do you see as the most likely ones to serve in a branch of the military? Kevin tops my list of volunteers only because he has so few other options, but the chances he'd be allowed in the Armed Forces are low, given the high technical needs of today's warfare.

Of the rest, I see Mack as the most likely to serve, probably in the Army in the post-9/11 fever, and very likely to climb ranks quickly. And after him... Brittany. Seriously. She could do it. And maybe, just maybe, Upchuck.

Your turn. Agree? Disagree? Take your shot.

Interesting alter ego, BTW: Mack as George C. Scott as General George Patton, Jr. Nice trick.

Who?

While surfing around, I discovered a very interesting post on a cartoon-oriented blog. Read what Geena Davis had to say about female characters in cartoons, then try to find Our Heroine's name in the numerous blog responses without using the search function.

No wonder OH is sulking in a box in the backyard. Fame is such a fleeting thing.

Watching over them in the background

The scene is a high-school history classroom near the beginning of "Fat Like Me." Mr. DeMartino is ranting because no one will tell him the causes of the Great Depression. Daria and Jane are betting on which epithet the teacher will call the class. "Say it," mutters Jane. "Starts with an M," says Daria.

For less than a second, we get a closeup of Jane. On the wall behind her is a poster shown earlier at a great distance. Who is the poster of?

Say it. Starts with an M.

Have a great day on Monday!

What About Tom?

Tom Sloane is hard to tag in terms of personality, and a lot of essays have been written about the difficulties in pinning down his character. (See his entry in DariaWiki for links to those materials.) I had the most success in using a fairly general assessment based on the MBTI, and what came out was that Tom was probably an ENTP.

How did I get this? Fuzzy logic, mostly. Tom strikes me as extroverted, since he makes the first moves on both Jane and Daria, and he does get around a bit (i.e., he's not "antisocial" like Daria). He's unconventional in how he conducts his love relationships (not meaning the triangle thing, but more in how he likes to spend time with a girlfriend). He refers to normal dating habits as "corny crap" in "Sappy Anniversary," an episode that reveals a lot about his views on romance. This isn't necessarily bad, as he can intuitively pick out the right thing to do at times, like that special dinner for Jane with the music, etc. "All I did was meet a girl I thought was cool and I went out with her for a while," he tells Daria in "Dye! Dye! My Darling." "We started to get bored with each other. It happens all the time. It's nobody's fault." In other words, he, like Jane, is prone to change his mind, and he accepts that conflict is a normal part of life. Combine that with his intellectualism and his missing of emotional cues in both Jane and Daria, and he comes out as an ENTP.

What is an ENTP like? The following links will help.

• http://www.personalitypage.com/ENTP.html
• http://typelogic.com/entp.html
• http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore/entp.htm
• http://www.entp.org/
  

Innovator, inventor, visionary, an ENTP is a restless optimist in search of understanding about the world. (This is the good side, of course.) This seems about right for Tom. He did try to bring out Daria's good side, too. Lot of good it did him, but he did try.

More interesting still, some websites about INTJs (Daria's type) say that the ENTP is a natural mate. No guarantees there, of course. Jane and Quinn both comment (in DDMD and IIFY?) that Daria and Tom would make a good pair. That it didn't work out for Tom doesn't mean it won't work out for another ENTP. INTJs are also attracted to ENFPs and to ESFPs, say the websites.

Wait a minute. Didn't we already talk about ESFPs? Why, yes, we did.

Oops. More on this personality stuff later. Amazing what you can still drag out of a show like this, isn't it?

Throwing Light on Personalities and Daria

Years ago I worked for a game company that also published books. To help writers develop more lifelike and interesting characters, the editors recommended that writers take a look at a book on personality types that was popular at the time, called Please Understand Me. The book included a simple personality test, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), that sorted results by introversion vs. extroversion, thinking vs. feeling/emotional, and so on. The validity of the test in the real world is under question, but it certainly produces some interesting and useful results for fictional folk.

We can't administer the MBTI to Daria characters, but with some guesswork we can peg more than a few personalities in the series. I've mentioned Upchuck in a previous post, but here we will go after bigger fish: namely Daria and Jane. Let's cut to the chase and give you the personality types that each of them seems to be (to me, but feel free to argue it), with some reference links to give you a clearer idea of what the test result means. Take a minute to read the links and see if you agree with my assessment.

Daria Morgendorffer: INTJ

• http://www.personalitypage.com/INTJ.html
• http://typelogic.com/intj.html
• http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore/intj.htm

Jane Lane: ISFP

• http://www.personalitypage.com/ISFP.html
• http://typelogic.com/isfp.html
• http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore/isfp.htm

Daria is an introverted thinker who relies on her intuition and likes closure. Jane is an emotional introverted sensualist who loves life's possibilities. Note that the links discuss what personality types these two are most likely to go after, too. More on this later, with guesswork on other characters and their personality types.

What do you think? Food for thought there? For those interested in checking out the original book at the local library, there's an updated version available. While you may not wish to take the test results too seriously for yourself, the book is an excellent thumbnail guide to personality types you can use in fanfiction, the Daria show being no exception.

Nuttin' Goin' On T'day

Richard Lobinske added Chapter 8 to Falling Into College 61: Latitudes, over on PPMB. Not much else happening except lots of people complaining about the cold. Kids these days, jeez louise.

There were some things I was going to write about... where's my list... ah. More in a little while. I promised myself I would add at least one new posting to this blog every day, and so far it's gone pretty well. Having fun playing with Irfanview, making interesting special effects using The Head (negative image).

More soon, collecting some notes.

P.S. And if you are an Aquarius, happy birthday! Wikipedia says some weird things about you, though.

2008 Fanfiction Has Been Updated!

Couldn't think of a good picture to go with this. Just check out the links to the 2008 fanfic lists for PPMB and SFMB in the left column, downwards a ways. Fixes were made to the 2007 lists, too, but nothing critical. The 2008 artwork list was already updated by Richard.

Enjoy.

It's the Age of Aquariums!

We're heading into the Aquarius birth cycle either today or tomorrow, depending on which flavor of astrology you follow. The MTV alter ego of The Head will lead us into the news, of which there is a surprising amount over the last couple days.

In the realm of artistic endeavor, Ranger Thorne has done up a nice picture of our favorite nonexistent Morgendorffer, Veronica, with a special surprise to boot. Thanks to Richard Lobinske for pointing out the links.

Also, Christ Oliver redrew a scene first done by Ranchoth, taken from a very different version of "Dye! Dye! My Darling," in which The Kiss heads into alternate-universe territory.

Since we once had a long PPMB discussion about rats the size of cocker spaniels, we've now got a long PPMB discussion going about prehistoric rats the size of Volkswagens, which I am sure will make us thankful for the dog-sized rats we have nowadays. Maybe giant space hamsters weren't so off-the-wall after all.

UU has begun a thread asking about non-canonical surnames of Daria characters, to go with Brother Grimace's thread about middle names. Please toss in your ideas to both.

FANFICTION UPDATE!!!
Some damn good stuff has just popped out of the fanfic kiln. I dare not give anything away, but it is delicious.

PPMB

• Lesson Learned, by legendeld (LATE ADD: Part 6)
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued) *
  
• Surprises, by legendeld (Part 6)

SFMB

• One Year Later, by NightGoblyn (Part 1)

Back to working on the 2008 fanfic update, with some corrections to the older list. Happy times, Aquarians!

* Contains mature content. Brace yourself.

Crickey! I've got kangaroos loose in the top paddock!

S'trewth, mate! Only 220 years ago today, the Botany Bay Penal Colony was established in Oz, eventually leading to Crocodile Dundee, The Road Warrior, Fosters beer, and a language with remote similarities to English. For complete information on the cultural contributions of the modern-day descendants of the colonists, click here.

In other news tonight . . .

The rules for voting on the 2007 Booties: Daria FanWorks Awards, Written Works, and the updated & corrected list of nominations for the same are available for the clicking. Both the rules for voting and the list of nominations for the 2007 Booties: Daria FanWorks Awards, Visual Works, are right here. The deadline is January 31st, so get goin'!

Richard Lobinske has once again upstaged me by updating the 2008 Visual FanWorks Listing. Check out the cool new stuff! (Still not sure about those buns.)

Brother Grimace is searching for suggestions on the middle names of the Daria characters. Share your ideas in this thread. Note the link in the thread to an older thread on this topic.

Finally, I must touch upon a sad topic. There has been an ugly rumor on PPMB that I have discovered modesty. Let me set the record straight: Nothing could be further from the truth. The Internet is filled with falsehoods and lies, and this is one of them. Thank you for listening.

Adults Only, and Other Fandom News

Mrs. Bennett, in her Sex and the City outfit, is here to announce that an adult section has been added to Lawndale Online: The Zon (or Zen, something like that). If you are of the adult persuasion, you may head over there and check it out.

On PPMB, Wormbat has delivered a cute little ficlet: "Who Lies," a Daria/True Lies crossover. Kind of makes you wonder what's actually going on at that law office, doesn't it?

Eccles has announced a major update for his supersite, Lawndale Sun-Herald. Go check it out. Submissions guidelines are right here.

A February 1st deadline is in effect to get your fanworks over to Outpost Daria for the first update of 2008. Be sure to read the submissions guidelines first if you're new to this. Fanfics will be uploaded before fan art, but the art will make it in, too.

Brother Grimace, Roentgen, and others have been working tirelessly to expand our Daria knowledge on the DariaWiki. Everyone is invited to pitch and contribute some pages of your own.

This blog had its 5,000th viewing earlier today, hooray! Of course, 96% of the views were probably mine, but that's okay. Come back anytime. Have a great weekend, stay warm, peace out, and party on!

Can't Sleep? Looking for Something Good to Read?

On the PPMB Channel right now . . .

• Been Here Before, by The Sidhe (Part 31 or 32, not sure which)
• Dial M for Magic, by LSauchelli (completed!)
• Falling Into College 61: Latitudes, by Richard Lobinske (Part 7)
• Lesson Learned, by legendeld (Parts 1-3)
• The Misery Chicks, by NightGoblyn (Part 5) *
  
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued) *
  
• Surprises, by legendeld (Parts 4 and 5)
• Turnabout Confusion Part II: All The King's Horses, by Dennis (continued)

Also, for those with . . . uh . . . different tastes . . .

• Iron Chef: Lawndale Fighters. A pleasant collection of wholesome family-oriented vignettes, and if you believe that I also have this bridge to sell you.
• Scenes No Daria Fanfic Should Have: What Have We Created? I have no idea, but this stuff is majorly whacked out. *
  

Have a good night.

* Contains mature content. Brace yourself.

Yet More Unfinished Stories I Have Loved (Part 3)

Let's finish this up, shall we? It's eating my brain.

People Who Need People, by LOTR_Dan: This Tom/Stacy shipper (if that is the right word for it) startled a lot of readers when it appeared. I still have to know how they woke up together, if you get my drift. I think we all want to know.

The Pro, by TheEleventy: Daria, Jane, snowboards, and a helpful instructor who makes Daria blush. TheEleventy was extremely good at adding in sensory details that made the stories he told as lifelike as life, and he hammered it down here. I would like another five or six chapters of this, please.

Same Drum, New Tune, by Roentgen: Jake and Helen retain their hippie lifestyle when they move to Lawndale, kids in tow. This struck me as an attempt to wrestle with class values, which became important to Daria only when she began dating Tom Sloane in the series. Here, the Morgendorffers seem to be even lower on the economic scale than the Lanes, and that is saying something. Roentgen has served notice that he intends to finish this one, and I eagerly await the results.

The Secret Life of Penny Lane, by TheEleventy: Penny Lane is not who she seems to be, and the terrorists and revolutionaries who go up against her don't live long to regret it. A fast-paced thriller about a CIA agent who doesn't know when she's beaten. Nice cameo with Andrew Landon, too.

Sponger, by TheEleventy: This story and “Daria’s Goodbye Wave” painted Daria and Jane as surfer bums after they drop out of college, disenchanted with their lives and looking for something more. They find it riding the waves. TheEleventy pulled it off rather well and created a fine read, while it lasted. Sigh.

The Unlikely Match, by TheEleventy: Kevin/Amy says it all. Kevin is a bit out of character, not as totally dumb as he is in the series, but he's much more appealing here and I am inclined to forgive the OOC. Shipping him with Amy Barksdale was a master stroke. The story sucks you in and that's all she wrote. Shame it ended just before Daria found out (WTF OMG!).

Where is this one going?, by RedlegRick: Daria battles a world of post-9/11 paranoia in this well-handled tale that badly needs a new title. Daria is very much in character as a college student wrongly accused of having terrorist sympathies after she is caught up in a police sweep following a riot. This is a terrific read, highly realistic, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. MORE!

and . . .

Iron Chef: Conversation with Dumb People (unnamed story, Daria as radio DJ), by NightGoblyn: I forgot what NightGoblyn planned to call this AU story, in which a very antisocial Daria comes to Lawndale but doesn't make friends with anyone at all, not even Jane. She puts together a low-watt radio station and broadcasts from her family's basement, answering letters she gets from her fellow students at high school. However, the other kids don't know that the voice on the radio is actually Daria. The fragment of the story that exists is a real trip; you have to read it if you haven't already. This could be a really great work.

That's it for now. If I come across any other unfinished stories I want to see finished, you will hear about them here. (I haven't brought up the various Daria series that I want to see finished. That for later.)

Vas is das Uberfic?

It took a lot of surfing through fandom glossaries for me to discover there was such a thing as an uberfic, and it took a lot more investigation to really understand what it was. (I was being a bit thick.) Uberfics (or "ubers") are most commonly seen in fanfiction for the TV show, Xena: Warrior Princess, wherein certain episodes were shot depicting Xena and company in completely different settings, wearing clothing appropriate to those settings, but still acting much as they normally did. The characters are kept as close to canon as possible, but they play out their lives in different time periods or genre settings (the modern world, the Old West, a fantasy kingdom, the far future, the Ice Ages, etc.). The characters might be the ancestors or descendants of the canon ones, or they might be reincarnations, computerized entities, dream figures, or "just simply there" with no explanation given.

Daria fandom has its own uberfics, if I understand the definition correctly, but there are not many of them. Before now I believe they were called retro fics. One of the most remarkable of them was Greystar's "Daria 3059," a crossover with the BattleTech universe but with Lawndale being a city on the planet Trent, somewhere out in the galaxy. Battles between giant robots are fought with our favorite characters in the pilots' seats, reaching a very satisfying conclusion.

Decelaraptor is a master of the form, producing numerous uberfics placing Daria and Jane in various settings with humorous effect. His relevant works include "Le Morte d'Angela," "Tales of the Missouri Cheyenne," and a host of short fics for an Iron Chef called "Retro Dariana" ("Daria: 1830," "Blimps Over Brittany!" and the bittersweet World War II tale, "Home is the Sailor").

The Retro Dariana thread also includes Gregor Samsa's excellent story, "Ms. Morgendorffer's Profession," about a Daria born during Victorian times. Dervish created a startling and wicked uberfic placing the gang in a Dungeons & Dragons underground setting, "Daria of the Drow."

Not all uberfics are crossovers, and not all crossovers are uberfics. The characters in an uberfic never catch on that they are not in their original homeland, as they were born and raised in whatever new worlds they are in. Their world is natural to them.

It will be interesting to see what new uberfics are attempted this year. It is a tricky form, but an entertaining one, too.

Yet More Unfinished Stories I Have Loved (Part 2)

Fandemonium, by Angelboy, et al.: This one was plenty weird, a multi-author collection of vignettes depicting the Daria cast as fans of a TV series called "Fandemonium," playing off on our own fandom. The "Fandemonium" characters were Daria fanfic authors. The serial had no real end point, being more like an extended slice-of-life story, and it would be great to see it continue.

Foggy Lawyer Breakdown, by Lawndale Stalker: Love the title. Love the premise, too: Helen has a nervous breakdown in her high-stress work as an attorney, and Jake, Daria, and Quinn must work to make ends meet while Helen recovers. A very engaging AU. Cross your fingers.

Going Corporate, by Nemo Blank: Dilbert and Daria. Need we say more? This had great potential, but it is unlikely it will be finished by the author. Alas.

House in the Woods, by Angelinhel: A creepy horror fic with great atmosphere and a mystery that has not been fully revealed. Moar, pleez.

In Dreams, by Scissors MacGillicutty: Way beyond strange. Daria and Jane discover a library in an infinite shaft, through which pages of fanfiction float eternally downward. I have to know what the hell was going on in this one. It was cool.

Lambda, by SigDiff: Daria crosses over into the Half Life game, battling the alien Combine with the help of Jane and a few other survivors from long-lost Lawndale. A bleak world where death is everywhere and survival is all. I like it.

My Name Is Lane, by NightGoblyn: Raymond Chandler writes a hard-boiled story in which Daria learns who her real mother is, as told from Jane Lane's perspective. You have to read it to get the full feeling. Let us hope there is more to come.

Not Exactly, by MsHand: A sequel to MsHand's story, “Priceless,” this details what happens when the Morgendorffers cannot afford to send Daria to Raft after all. She goes instead to Lawndale State, where she meets up with Amelia and loses touch with Jane (who made it to BFAC in Boston). The story wrapped up too quickly with some plot threads begging for further exploration.

Obligatory Artie-Fic, by RedlegRick: Imagine what would happen if UFO-obsessed Artie became the target of every government conspiracy imaginable. What would happen is that you would get this story. I liked the humor and the out-of-control plot. New title needed, but the story rocks.

(to be continued)

Some Call It . . . . . . . Art

Alas, alackaday, I am woefully behind on updating all the new and continued fanfics on PPMB, but I will get around to it one of these months.

Meanwhile, check out the new artwork by Acidgirl: "Bosquejos," which means "sketches of Daria," and "Apocalyptic Daria," featuring Daria and Martin with happy faces because they haven't yet been blown up or irradiated, though we can always hope.

More news, or at least something, soon.

LATE-BREAKING NEWS: Sleepy Lotus has begun a new serial story on ff.net called "Night Owl." Daria/Trent shippers, you know where to go and what to do.

Yet More Unfinished Stories I Have Loved (Part 1)

The heck with it, here are the rest of the Tales That Must Be Told, IMHO. Alphabetical order is followed. Pitchforks will be passed out shortly.

Anger Meets Her Match, by TheEleventy (ri0t, hey): A hard-knocks Andrea/Mack shipper that totally rules. TheEleventy was at the top of his form here. I have the impression the story was almost done when it stopped.

Big Jake’s Harley-Davidson, by Ranger Thorne: One of the most unexpected AUs + weird shippers ever, one that will leave you stunned and smiling. And it has HARLEY HAWGS!!!

Cole Barksdale, by CAP: This intriguing serial had just gotten underway when it stopped. Who is Cole Barksdale, and what is his connection with the Morgendorffers? Much mystery, lots of unanswered questions.

DAR, by Gregor Samsa: This is hysterical. Daria gets a self-aware AI for a personal computer, and the doors into Chaos are opened. I was beside myself waiting for the next chapter, and I still am.

Daria and Jane Go to the Moon, by echopapa: A rarely seen historical AU for Daria, in which America's space race accelerates under the leadership of JFK, who is not killed in Dallas in 1963. The title makes the plot very, very clear. More, please!

Daria Disenfranchised, by Napalm Kracken: One of the best reinventions of the Daria series ever done, this collection of stories turns the Dariaverse on its head and deserves continuation. Lively dialogue, sharp characterizations, excellent use of the script format, lots of fun.

Daria Morgendorffer and the Magic McGuffin, by Ranger Thorne: A really good Daria/Harry Potter crossover that kicks righteous booty from square one, from a phone call from "Uncle Albus" to the train on the way to Hogwarts. Daria and Jane seamlessly replace Harry and Ron, promising a memorable adventure or two (or more). We await a continuation with baited breath.

Death Rowe, by bgryphon: Bizarre as hell. Stacy Rowe commits suicide but is returned to life, or something like it, by a mysterious figure in a hooded cloak with a scythe. This exploration of the borderland between life and death was eerie and wonderful, and the revelation of the cloaked figure's identity is a shocker, but entirely plausible. The implications are mind-boggling. This begs for many more chapters!

(to be continued . . .)

We Have a Special Announcement . . .

Outpost Daria is once again opening for business.






You may now go outside and scream your heads off. Thank you.

Unfinished Stories I Have Loved (Part 3)

And last, but hardly least:

Sarcasm at 1600, by Mike Xeno: Roentgen had the good taste to finish the "R" story I most wanted to see completed ("Reclamation"), so I will use two "S" stories, and this is the first. (We're skipping the "Q.") An adult Daria is running for the presidency as an independent candidate, and many of her old classmates (and Tom!) get involved in her campaign. Very well handled, smart and clever and, tah dah, appropriate given that this is an election year. More, please.

Shadow of a Cynic, by Ranger Thorne: With a little creative work on Jane Lane's family tree, she becomes a relative of the original Shadow, but it's Daria who must learn the paranormal secrets of the Shadow once Tom Sloane is murdered. (And no, a dead Tom is not the reason I love this story.) This tale really put your nerves on edge, waiting for the next battle with evil. It kicks ass.

A Time for Us, by aeverett: An unknown writer appeared a few years ago and began a strange tale of a Daria thrust back a few years in time, when she encounters Trent and Jane before Daria originally came to Lawndale. This fic was heading into Daria/Trent shipping territory but had a powerful edge to it, as Daria was struggling to save the siblings from abandonment and ill prepared to handle her feelings for Trent, who is about her age and drawn to her. Rarely has anyone popped into this fandom, shown such promise, and vanished without even finishing the first story done.

Unexpected, by Nemo Blank: Of all Nemo Blank's unfinished stories, this is the one I most want to see done. Twenty-something Daria and Jane get into the wrong line at a Boston courthouse and end up getting married by accident, and that's just the start of this perverse epic with comedy and drama enough for all. You have to shake your head and wonder where this could have gone. So much potential . . .

Working Girl, by Kara Wild: This coming-of-age story for Quinn Morgendorffer is perhaps the finest unfinished story of them all. This is a work of great character and depth, with a profound atmosphere of alienation and loneliness. Quinn struggles through the painful minefield of young adulthood with the sometimes help of her Aunt Amy. A breathtaking performance by any standard, and a fitting follow-on to Kara's superb Driven Wild Universe. A masterwork.

Yuki-Onna, by Sleepless: Remember what I said about "Broken Connections"? This story does all that and coats it with sheer horror. This story gave me bad dreams. It was worth it for the chance to descend into the lightless pit Sleepless has here prepared. You were warned.

Sorry, no "V," "X," or "Z." More of the unfinished stories I have loved later. Enjoy.

Unfinished Stories I Have Loved (Part 2)

To continue . . .

Housing Daria, by LSauchelli: A Daria/House crossover, in character. Delightful, heartwarming wickedness. With any luck, LSauchelli will finish this one very soon. It's a winner.

In and Out, by SigDiff: This fic had one of the most awesome works of fan art ever done, a pic of Jane with a red Mustang done by S.C. The story was awesome, too, exciting and tense and crazy. Daria and Jane as bank robbers on the run—he really pulled it off! SigDiff has stated he won't finish this, but he left the door open for someone else to try. Let's hope for the best.

Judith, by Erin Mills (a.k.a. Shallow15): Since 2003, Erin has produced a number of ficlets (e.g., "Misnomer" and "Research") dealing with a psychopathic young woman named Judith who is murdering Daria Morgendorffers in every alternate universe she can find, no matter how bizarre. As it happens, Judith is the middle name of a Daria Morgendorffer from a universe where she turned out to be a very bad person. (Shades of The One!) How did this happen? Why is she killing all the other Darias? Who can stop her? These stories were my first exposure to multiple AUs in this fandom. A fanfic that offers more depth into what makes this misery chick tick would be welcome.

Lane Change, by Ranger Thorne: No "K" title, so here are two "L's." This one is currently my most favorite unfinished Daria/Doctor Who crossover ever, and it is by far the absolute wildest of them all, even crazier than the complete ones. Shock after shock, thrill after thrill, a magnificent job. And only one (approximately) chapter left to go!

The Longest Year, by Greystar: What if Daria got pregnant by Tom? This tale gave the answers and did it well. Some nasty twists take place in the background, but front and center is Daria, coping as best she can with impending motherhood—which she doesn't necessarily want. Great stuff.

The Misery Chicks, by NightGoblyn: I want to call this story hard-hitting, but that is such an awful pun, considering. Psychologically damaged, Daria and Quinn arrive in Lawndale, and only Jane can help them . . . maybe. Riveting and well told, with a nightmare of angst lurking below the surface. MOAR!!1!!1!1!!

Notes from Exiles, by Scissors MacGillicutty: The first Scissors story I ever read (when he was called "et alia"), and I was hooked through the gills. Daria's dumped everyone and gone to France, leaving a sister and a former best friend behind in Boston. We spend a rootless, restless evening with Quinn and Jane in a haunting story that cannot be forgotten.

Once Upon a Time at College, by Lawndale Stalker: Daria and Upchuck in a college shipper? LS was always great at making this pair work, but this partial story rose above the rest. The most disturbing thing about leaving this story incomplete is that we never get to see the poker game with Tom and Upchuck in which Daria plans to use her natural assets (boobs) to win—and she's in character! You can't believe it, and it's great!

Phlegm Noir, by Scissors MacGillicutty: I was trying not to mention any writer twice, but I can see that this won't be possible. Scissors has recently mentioned he plans to continue this story, and thank God. He was challenged several years ago "to write a short Daria fanfic in which a character from that show shouts, at some dramatic point, 'Top of the world, ma!' Angst would be nice but is not required, and comedy is allowed." Lying, treachery, backstabbing, double-dealing—this story is so much fun, it's criminal.

More to come.