"I think that I shall never see / A poem lovely as a tree."

Happy birthday to the late poet Alfred Joyce Kilmer, born on this day in 1886. Kilmer is relevant to Daria as the person for whom the Lawndale public library is named, as you can see on the right.

Today is also the birthday of Steven Wright, born in 1955. We'll leave Luhrmann to do his rather good impression of the comedian, although Daria's delivery isn't bad, either.

Finally, on a sadder note, the tragic Altamont free concert took place on this day in 1969. Jake was apparently in attendance, per his remark in "Road Worrier": "Terrible tragedy, but I demanded my money back and I got it." Gouka Ryuu wrote an excellent short scene based on that line.

Fanfic Update!

• Be Careful What You Wish For, by Doggieboy (part 4): "John opened the phone and said, 'Hello?' 'John?' Tananda’s voice said from the other end. 'You’re not Scarlett.' 'I know that.' 'Well, where is she?' 'Uh, she’s busy.' After a couple of seconds, she giggled. 'Oh, I see.'" (SFMB)


• Daria 3000: Dye! Dye! My Mutated Abomination (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: Last Friday Night!), by Smijey (COMPLETE!): "'Don't you get it? The lady or the tiger -- now you don't have to choose?' 'What's a tiger?' Tom asked, clueless. 'A species of big cat. They went extinct centuries ago during the climate crisis of the late 21st,'"


• The Lady and the Tiger, by RLobinske (COMPLETE!): 'Hobbes bounced over and excitedly said, "You came back! You came back!' Daria looked down at the tiger. 'Yes, I'm back and, okay, you're real. There was nothing in the soda glass.'"


• A New Set of Rules, by Dennis (part 23): "Putting his hands out, he added, 'Come sit with me.' Daria hesitated for just a moment, old fears of intimacy warring with current desire. This is why you wanted Colleen out of the apartment, stupid, she berated herself. Finally, she slid in next to him on the couch and, ignoring the parts of her that said no, pulled his arms around her. She half-smiled at his satisfied hum. 'This is nice,' she said, and meant it."


• A QB Grows in Lawndale, by Kristen Bealer (part 11): "'Are you having trouble with your classwork?' Kevin waved off the question. 'It's not that. Um, what would you say if I said I was thinking about going into a teaching-type career?' Mr. DeMartino didn't say anything right away. He didn't even move. Then, his eye twitched very, very slightly. After almost a full minute of silence, he finally exhaled and said, 'I would say that sometimes life is just bursting with irony.'"


• Quinn's Code 05: Morgendorffers vs. Amazon, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 1): "'You know, Daria, right?' Cindy asked. 'Somewhat, I know Jane more,' Jennifer said. 'That's mostly what Quinn said a few weeks ago. I thought it might have changed,' Cindy said. 'It hasn't,' Jennifer said. 'Oh,' Cindy said, as Jennifer turned off Glen Oaks Lane. 'Did you have a pont?' 'Yeah, do you know why Daria is hostile towards Quinn?' Jennifer was silent for a moment as she thought. 'She hasn't said anything,' she said. 'Quinn hasn't either,' Cindy said as she thought."


• Tigresses of Lawndale (reposted), by taishigi (parts 9 and 10): "Quinn realized that she wanted, perhaps even needed, a real friend; a friend like Jane was with Daria. Not that Quinn would want Jane for a friend. At that point all the little pieces jumbled in Quinn's mind came together to form a picture. Quinn wanted to be friends with her sister." (Part 10)


• Unnamed story, by neonhomer (part 1): "'We’ll take her to the Enterprise. Computer. Transfer the EMH program to the Enterprise sickbay computer. Dr. Crusher, you are needed on the Enterprise, medical emergency. We found Captain Morgendorffer. Picard to Enterprise, medical emergency! Four to beam directly to Sickbay.' Said Picard, giving no one a chance to get a word in. A few seconds later, they were appearing in the Enterprise Sickbay. The EMH reappeared, just as Dr. Crusher was appearing."