Some Middle Names are More Worthy of Pride Than Others

Mack and Jodie are leaping for joy because it's Middle Name Pride Day and, well, they're the only characters on Daria who officially have middle names--Jordan and Abigail. Of course, I doubt Mack's really feeling all that proud of his middle name, but let's just allow him his moment of happiness.

Today is also a triple anniversary, because it was on this day that the episodes "The Invitation," "Depth Takes a Holiday," and "A Tree Grows in Lawndale" first aired in 1997, 1999, and 2000. Bonus points to anyone who can come up with a good connecting thread among those three episodes, because I'm coming up blank.

Fanfic Update!

• "Aw Mama...Can This Really Be The End?", by Scissors MacGillicutty (part 37): "The man took off his straw hat and set it on the blue and white seersucker jacket folded by his side on the bench. Looking out the window, he smoothed his thinning white hair, and called to the young man seated at the counter to his left, 'Eton?'"


• Consequences, by ST91 (part 6): "Clint was nervous. The idea of having an official date with Jane terrified him."


• A Night In Manhattan: A Griffin Story, by Meester_Lee (part 1): "It was one of those kinds of visits, with business that couldn't be done quickly and settled during the course of a morning or an afternoon. He'd have to stay over. It was also the sort of visit that required a measure of anonymity, so he chose to conceal himself in crowds and take a hotel room in a Muggle part of New York."


• Origins of the Ringbearers - Michael, by Brother Grimace (part 3): "Angela Li – all eighteen years and five-feet three of her, with the face of a runway model and the air of a puppy acting as if were an attack dog – stood her ground in front of Mark Schindler's desk."


• РАЗГОВОРЫ ..., РАЗГОВОРЫ ..., by Shad_Tkhom (COMPLETE!): "Дарья не могла винить Линди. Она сама, Дарья-«мозг»-ботан конченный, не заметила как младшая сестрёнка выросла — впервые стала сопереживать другому, вынула голову из тряпок и увидела, что непраильно подобраные(не под цвет глаз) носки ещё не трагедия, а вышедший из моды галстук не мировая катастрофа."


• Physical Teducation (The Ted Zone), by Kristen Bealer (COMPLETE!): "That could be me, he realized with growing hope. Perhaps I could enroll in some kind of sport and get my name in the newspaper! And then everyone at school would notice me!"


• Runaway Daria : Guardians of the Galaxy (IC Runaway Daria), by Waylander (COMPLETE!): "As the leader of the infamous Ravagers, Yondu Udonta was a business man first and foremost. He had been accustomed to all forms of depravity, and barely batted an eye at his customers' outrageous requests... at least if the price was right."


• Spelling It Out (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: The Madness Sets In), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "'A school-wide spelling bee to foster academic awareness and pride.' Daria's foul mood was fully evident even to Principal Li and Mr. O'Neill, who were standing at the edge of the auditorium stage as they watched the proceedings."


• Spirit Stick, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "'Well... that isn't good.' Valkyrie felt her Ring's defensive shield snap into existence; in the cool, early evening air alive with the shimmer of the Aurora Borealis, she saw the momentary twinkle of a crystal-blue oval surround Archangel as his shield activated."


• The Ultimate Showdown (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: The Madness Sets In), by Smijey (COMPLETE!): "Jane passed the note to the new girl who sat across from her in the self-esteem class. 'You slam?' she'd written."


• Unnamed story (Mr. O'Neill, Asshole), by Smijey (COMPLETE!): "Daria kept one ear open as Mr. O'Neill lectured to the children making tchotchke after tchotchke. 'Now, I want each of you to think of the blue lanyard as representing how you feel on the inside, and the green as how my wallet feels on the inside. Picture --'"


• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: The Madness Sets In), by Silver (COMPLETE!): "Daria awoke with a start. Correction: A start and the greatest great-grandmother of all headaches. Her hands shot to her head, and she stifled a cry of pain."