Of Trees, Concerts, and Fanfic

Today is the anniversary of the birth of the poet Alfred Joyce Kilmer, for whom Lawndale's public library (left) is named. Born in 1886, he is best known for his poem "Trees" ("I think that I shall never see / A poem lovely as a tree....").

Today is also the 55th birthday of Steven Wright, the comedian. Fans have speculated that the character of Luhrmann is based on Steven Wright because of their similar deadpan speaking styles. True or not, I bet Wright, Luhrmann, and Daria would get along fairly well.

Finally, the Altamont Free Concert took place on this day in 1969. The concert is mostly infamous for violence and deaths, thanks in part to the Hell's Angels being asked to provide security. According to "Road Worrier," Jake attended the concert. "Terrible tragedy, but I demanded my money back and I got it."

To my knowledge, the only time Jake's experience at Altamont has been touched on in any detail is in Gouka Ryuu's unnamed short scene. Lots of potential for fanfic there, though.

And speaking of which, howza about another fanfic update?

• Bohemian Catastrophe ('Flashpoints': A Worldburner Mini-Fics Thread), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "'Looking good, Trent,' Judith purred, watching as Trent stepped out of the Tank, his guitar still slung over his shoulder. 'Why aren't you running, like all of the other people?'"


• But Now It's Time To Go ('Flashpoints': A Worldburner Mini-Fics Thread), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "'Judith's charging up - I estimate one minute maximum!' Jamie looked to her with alarm. 'Doc Daria--'"
  


• Dictat ('Flashpoints': A Worldburner Mini-Fics Thread), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "'Not that I or the Society are ungrateful, Ms Knight, but it does seem a bit late in the day for you to agree your... colleagues needed to be taken down.'"
  


• Eye on the Ball, by HolyGrail2007 (parts 8 and 9): "Back in his room, Finn was really angry. Mommy tried to gloss it over, but Finn knew better: She wasn’t sorry Daria made him miss his game, Daria wouldn’t get punished for it. She’d get away with it. Every time Finn did something bad, he got yelled at or punished, but Daria could yell at teachers and make everyone all sorts of miserable, and nothing ever happened to her." (Part 9)
  


• The fiercest battles lie within, by VPrad (part 28): "He was alone. The rest of the guys had gone to the respective places they would use to enter the building with hopes of not being caught. Brittany’s plan, despite being the best they could aspire to, was too risky, and it all depended on him. He couldn’t screw this up, too many lives were at stake, he knew that. 'It’s showtime.'"
  


• Genesis, by VPrad (part 2): "For a second, a wave of guilt overwhelmed her, her heartbeat accelerated, she felt again that all-too-familiar weight on her chest as she remembered the one time she attempted an inception. A single idea that had proved to be more destructive than anybody would have thought. A single concept that had torn lives to pieces."
  


• God Save The Esteem Ep13: Art of Darkness, by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "There was a hesitation on the other end of the line. Finally, nervously, her grandmother said: 'Could you put Helen on please?' Again, unexpected. 'I... I want to talk to her.' Daria swallowed and handed the phone over. 'Mum? It’s... it’s for you.'" (Part 4)
  


• Holiday Roadtrip, by Chris Tucker (part 3): "'Brace yourself, Tran. You are about to meet... My Family. If you were to flee screaming into the darkness right now, no one would blame you.'"
  


• The James Lane Chronicles Chapter 4, by InvisibleDan (parts 3 and 4): "Daria slammed the brakes. The sound startled the duck and it ran off, the ducklings doing their best to follow. The SUV stopped with only a couple of feet to spare. Daria started to chuckle at herself. She said, 'Perfect.' 'What?' 'I almost killed the ugly duckling.'" (Part 4)
  


• Jane Morgendorffer, by LadieT (part 27): "Signaling for Trent to bring Quinn to the car, Helen stood in the parking lot staring her mother down. Not caring if anyone heard or saw them, the two squared off. Taking one more look at Quinn being consoled by Trent was all it took."


• Legends Of The Metal, by TheExcellentS (parts 9 and 10): "Tom hopped off the bike and looked at his surroundings. He was at another altar, not too dissimilar to the one at the top of Killmasters Mountain, but instead of metal webbing, there were 5 large stone statues, depicting women in various battle poses. Underneath these statues stood Daria, and 4 girls he had never met before. All of them, except Daria, were blue and yellow shirts and jeans." (Part 10)


• Life Beyond Highland (Iron Chef: Lawndale State), by LadieT (parts 1 and 2): "Although it wasn't her dream school Raft, Lawndale State had decent Creative Writing/Journalism program and her credits at Kilgore College would be transferable. With some hard work, she might go to Columbia for her Masters." (Part 2)


• Screams of Silence, by (parts 6 and 7): "I awake to find myself alone in the bed. I don't have to look over to determine this. I can feel it almost instinctively. I'm prepared to write it off as nerves, figuring that Quinn must have gotten up for a glass of water or to use the toilet, but there's a paranoid whisper in my ear that's telling me that I'm wrong, an edge of unease that I can't seem to shake." (Part 7)


• Unnamed story ('Flashpoints': A Worldburner Mini-Fics Thread), by RLobinske (COMPLETE!): "Her legs shattered Daria looked up at Judith and said, 'Why?'"


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Why is Jake hugging Daria?), by VPrad (COPMLETE!): "Her mother looked disturbed, she could only look at the ground and seemed afraid to look Daria at the eyes. Jake was the vivid image of fear, but not the usual neurotic, loud-screaming kind of fear, he looked fragile, vulnerable, quiet. Whatever it was that was happening definitely had to be important. She sat in the sofa next to them. '“Mom? Dad? What’s going on?' She asked worried."


• Unnamed story (Iron Chief: The Prom), by Vukodlak (part 1): "They leaned and kissed again just as Helen popped her head in the door. Before the woman could speak her eyes zeroed in on the Prom tickets in Tom's hands. She exited just as quickly. Leaning up against the wall she gasped and a slight tear came to her eye. 'My little Daria is going to prom? willingly?""


• The Vision of the Burning Cities, by jtranser: "Walking into the bar, She was confronted by the scene of Kevin, now a zombie, sobbing into his bandages after Jane made some particularly nasty cracks about him when he tried to hit on her: 'Kevin, let's face it, while you were alive, you were never anything more than a life support system for your dick. And now that's over too, even though you aren't able to realize it.'"
  


• Worldburner: When It Rains, by RLobinske (part 4): "'Nova Valdris – Gone.' The news he'd received from the commander of the battered Ringbearer fleet still echoed in is mind. He had hardly started on writing his report when the fleet arrived and requested sanctuary. Judith had struck at them and struck with ruthless efficiency."
  


• Worldhopper, by Erin M. (part 2): "The Tiffanito paused as it sent a message back to the Lawndale PD, and to the headquarters of the People for Proactive Popularism, the unspoken but recognized governing body of Lawndale, and, through its extensive political connections, the rest of the United States."
  


• Worldsaver ('Flashpoints': A Worldburner Mini-Fics Thread), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "Helen put the phone down. 'Well, that's that: Rita, Amy, and my mother will be joining us for Thanksgiving this y-'"