Monday, August 31, 2015

Love Her or She'll Sue!


Helen's happy to announce that it's Love Litigating Lawyers Day, although I'm not sure how many people will be celebrating that one. Maybe Jake, if Helen can squeeze him into her busy schedule.

Also, Daria and Jane made a guest appearance in the online comic strip "The New Adventures of Bobbin" on this day in 2001. It's good to see that those two have reached the point where the Tom thing is actually kind of funny. Maybe.

Fanfic Update!
  • An Adventure of Sandi, a teenage witch, by bhut (COMPLETE!): "'...Ugh!' Sandi Griffin said with a groan, as she stretched-out on a cot. 'You can't believe what has happened today!'"

  • A classic case of collapse and rebirth, by bhut (COMPLETE!): "Life is not a smooth flow like the river, nor it is straightforwardly comprehensive like an ABC book. Sometimes, events that change our lives are triggered by something very small and insignificant, even something that in other instances wouldn't - and didn't - affect us at all."

  • Clothes Make the Crush (Iron Chef challenge secret admirer), by EntrancedCat (COMPLETE!): "'I think that's a great idea, Quinn.' I granted. 'Having the football players model the latest in mesh practice jerseys at the next pep fest will only increase our popularity over the cheerleaders. Make it so.'"

  • Conga Line of Confusion (Iron Chef challenge secret admirer), by Anguirus1955 (COMPLETE!): "Daria Morgendorffer walked next to Jane Lane on their way to their next class. I wish I could tell you how I feel about you, Jane thought as she walked next to her best friend."

  • Daria Nova (Daria daughter of ? Iron Chef challenge), by Wraith (COMPLETE!): "Daria kept a careful eye on her surroundings as she headed home. They lived in one of the nicer areas of the Scrapyard, so she shouldn't need to use any of the weapons she had secreted about her person, but better to be safe."

  • Don't Feed It After Midnight, by Anguirus1955 (parts 1 - 3): "It was a few weeks before Christmas, and Jake Morgendorffer had gone up to New York for a brief consulting job for a client who had begun setting up a new business on Manhattan Island. It was on his way back from the last meeting that he noticed a small shop in China Town, having decided to stop there and maybe get a souvenir or two for his family." (Part 2) (Part 3)

  • Dreams Rewoven, by RLobinske (part 2): "'With you being the major breadwinner, this is going to be a big hit to our budget,' Michael said as he poured over a spreadsheet on the computer."

  • The Goth, the Witch, and the Perky, by 11tee (part 2): "'Mr. and Mrs. Morgendorffer?' The doctor looked at the two adults standing on opposite sides of the waiting room. There was a teenager with thick-framed glasses sitting on a bench a few yards away, his eyes shifting from one adult to another."

  • Lies of Life, by Princess_Pasta (part 11): "Trent pulled up in front of the modest two-story house, parking his car in the driveway behind Daria's. He was a ball of nerves, anxiety eating away at him ever since Monique asked him for this favor."

  • Quinn's Code 14: Wedding Trouble, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 2): "It was uncomfortable. Daria figited. It was just as she had feared. The dress was ill fitted and to make it more infuriating, the seamstress was continually pricking her with a pin."

  • The Stupidity Which Came From All That Texas, by Anguirus1955 (parts 1 - 3): "It was a somewhat normal day in Lawndale, or at least it seemed that way, as two female youths made their way towards one of their homes after school." (
  • Part 2) (Part 3)

  • That Summer, by The Central Scrutinizer (part 11): "'So the creep is actually a dark sensitive nihilist ex-cop guitar collector,' Daria said, twirling a lock of her hair, 'whose day job is as a bill collector'"

  • There She Goes (Iron Chef challenge secret admirer), by StickShift (COMPLETE!): "Michael "Mack" MacKenzie walked through the halls to his next class. His walk slowed as he spotted her. And there she went, walking by him oblivious to his existence."

  • Unnamed story (Daria daughter of ? Iron Chef challenge), by Anguirus1955 (COMPLETE!): "It was Daria's eighteenth birthday when she and Quinn were both informed of Daria's true heritage."

  • Unnamed story (IC: DIsaac's 10 Items Challenge #1), by neonhomer (COMPLETE!): "Quinn slowly dragged herself into the kitchen, wearing the clothes she had worn the night before."

  • Unnamed story (IC Runaway Daria), by Waylander (parts 1 and 2): "Agent Phil Coulson put the car keys in the pocket and smiled benevolently, seeing the impatience on the face of Abigail Brand. She was standing next to the Morgendorffers' mailbox, the heel of her right shoe tapping the pavement." (Part 2)

  • Unnamed story (Iron Chef challenge secret admirer), by 11tee (COMPLETE!): "There she is. I know it's cheating but I know who I really like."

  • Unnamed story (Iron Chef challenge secret admirer), by neonhomer (COMPLETE!): "'I wonder who that could be?' I said as I heard the sound of the doorbell chiming throughout the house."

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Have Some Kitchen Sink Stew!


Jake's cooking heart-healthy today for More Herbs, Less Salt Day, but someone should probably tell him it wouldn't be a bad idea to lay off the chili peppers, too. For the sake of his tongue, if not his sanity.

On this day in 2000, Admonisher published the essay "A Rant About 'Evil' Tom." It touched on a number of other issues, too, but Tom seems to be the main focus of the ranty goodness.

Fandom News!

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Is It Hiking Yet?


It's time to take a hike--literally--because Mr. DeMartino and the campers are celebrating the anniversary of the movie Is It Fall Yet?, which aired fifteen years ago today. Lots of other things happened in that movie, including Quinn's tutoring and Daria and Jane (finally) making up, but that image right there is still my favorite!

Fanfic Update!
  • Dreams Rewoven, by RLobinske (part 1): "College Loses Major Endowment 'That's going to take a bite out of things,' Daria Morgendorffer said as she read the article in the college newspaper."

  • A Faerie Tale for Chuck, by E. A. Smith (COMPLETE!): "Charles Ruttheimer watched the full moon rise behind the trees, sending slivers of light through the branches to shine like searchlights on the water."

  • Her First Time, by 11tee (COMPLETE!): "Jodie Landon sat on the bench; the face etched into her mind appeared when she looked at the man leaving the ramshackle hovel. She closed her eyes; her next set of decisions would have a profound effect on many people's lives."

  • If You Knew (secret admirer challenge), by Princess_Pasta (COMPLETE!): "She watched her from afar, much like she had every day for the past two months, captivated as always by how graceful and fluid her movements were."

  • Lawndale Z (Daria daughter of ? challenge), by Kuriamo22 (COMPLETE!): "Daria sat on her bed reading like she always did when she wasn't at school or with her father sparring."

  • A Man Among Men (secret admirer challenge), by Zetor (COMPLETE!): "Janet hated school dances. They were just excuses for those filthy men to grind all over those poor innocent girls."

  • The Peregrine's Eyas, by Lord Yellowtail (part 2): "The muffled thud-thud, thud-thud of her rubber-soled workboots pounding against the corridor floor echoed in Stacy's ears as she jogged through the nearly-empty fortress at the best speed she could manage without running."

  • Slow Flows the River, by UU (part 3): "'The ceremony of corruption having drowned in sweat, Their Majesties departed,' fanning herself with a handkerchief, Amy finished her sotto voce narration of the festivities that had made Don alternatively chuckle and fidget uncomfortably."

  • That Summer, by The Central Scrutinizer (parts 2 - 10): "Jane waved over the waitress. 'Excuse me—miss?' Daria huddled over her coffee and murmured, 'Garçon means boy.' Before Jane could reply, the waitress was beside the table, arms akimbo. 'Get you two something else?'" (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7) (Part 8) (Part 9) (Part 10)

  • Unnamed story (IC: DIsaac's 10 Items Challenge #1), by 11tee (COMPLETE!): "Jane closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples. The penguins were still frolicking in their pond, and though they never stopped moving, she felt confident she could capture their little idiosyncrasies in her painting."

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Is That Your Final Answer?


Tom's wishing a happy birthday to Regis Philbin, who (among other things) was the original host of the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Of course, Tom doesn't care if you want to be one or not; he's not giving that money away. How do you think old money gets old?

Fandom News!

Sunday, August 23, 2015

"I finally know what it is to conquer my fear! Nothing can stop me now!"


Jake's ready to take on his phobia for Ride the Wind Day, and I wish him the best of luck. Especially when it comes to getting that branch removed. Whether you want to ride the wind in a hot air balloon or in a hurricane, or just keep both feet planted on the ground, enjoy your day! Just stay away from Jane's oldest brother, all right?

Fanfic Update!
  • ASPS, by PrecambrianStudios (part 85): "He was tired and dirty and the world was loud and annoying with people speaking what ifs and who dids. Meanwhile things and people who never existed walked alongside him as he walked down the winding road of greyness that had rose up to cut and smash his face several times now."

  • Dear sister, my best friend, by 11tee (part 5): "Hola hermana! I'm not sure where to start, so I'll just throw it all out there. Dad is getting transferred- to Maryland! Like, what's in Maryland? Ugh, I don't wanna leave Texas."

  • Freer Days (Daria daughter of ? challenge), by Zetor (COMPLETE!): "The Morgendorffer living room was filled with more tension than Daria had felt in a long time. Her parents had called Quinn and her down after returning from a parents night at the school."

  • General Semantics, Private Angst, by gwrtheyrn (part 49): "Daria Morgendorffer 2's mind was still abuzz over the intergalactic invasion, which wouldn't even reach the Milky Way while humanity still existed as a single species."

  • The Goth, the Witch, and the Perky, by 11tee (part 1): "Quinn Morgendorffer sat on her bed, tears running down her face. The last year and a half sucked. Her life was a mess despite outward appearances, and now she couldn't think of anything other than how much she hated being alive."

  • Lies of Life, by Princess_Pasta (part 10): "Still, Monique had promised Sheena and she needed to at least ask him. She waited until he seemed mostly coherent, deciding that she might as well just get it over with. 'I need to ask you something.'"

  • The Melancholy of Daria Morgendorffer (World's Medium-Sized Crossover), by Wraith (part 4): "By the end of the day, she was already well known. Not just among sophomores, either, As a new transfer student, that might be expected. But all the other years had at least heard her name."

  • The Peregrine's Eyas, by Lord Yellowtail (part 1): "For 10,000 Earth years, the desert land surrounding the fortress of Zordon of Eltar had bourne witness to countless events of import, moments that shifted the course of galaxies—whether cataclysmic enough to light the very space between the stars on fire, or so subtle that a keen observer staring right at the incident in question might miss the whole thing."

  • That Summer, by The Central Scrutinizer (part 1): "'You can't smoke here.' The tall man with long hair and worn features relaxed into the booth, looked at the waitress, took a long drag on his cigarette, and softly replied, 'May.'"

  • Tiffany (Proposed IC: My Secret Baby), by peetz5050 (COMPLETE!): "'Welcome, please come in and have a seat.' Ms. Li said to the elegantly dressed couple as she ushered them into her office."

  • Two thousand and fifteen, by Astrocar82 (part 1): "'Daria, please, take a seat.' the school psychologist offered as Daria grudgingly sat down. This was not a test she, or her mother, wanted Daria to take."

  • Unnamed story (Daria daughter of ? challenge), by EntrancedCat (COMPLETE!): "'Daria, now that you and Jane are adults, well eighteen anyway,' Helen began nervously. 'Jane,' Vincent said quickly as he headed for the front door of Schloss Morgendorffer. 'I'm not your father but I'll always be your dad. Well, gotta catch that plane.'"

  • Unnamed story (Daria daughter of ? challenge), by Meester_Lee (COMPLETE!): "Daria was making her way through a book in the commons room. Despite the tedious Sixteenth-century style prose, Daria found the subject matter both fascinating and illuminating. Her reading was interrupted by a gentle hand touching her shoulder."

Friday, August 21, 2015

Quinn's Gone Old School...Really Old School


Quinn really needs to start using more sunscreen, but she's just in time for National Senior Citizens Day. Quinn may not be very happy about this, but I'm sure Sandi is ecstatic.

Today is also an important anniversary for Helen. No, not her wedding anniversary--more important than that! The American Bar Association was founded on this day in 1878.

Fandom News!

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

"This is like that movie, Angela's Ashtray!"


Daria's looking forward to a nice, well-balanced meal for National Potato Day. I would have thought it was a welcome change from nonstop microwaved lasagna.

Fanfic Update!
  • Black Cloaks of Lawndale, by Waylander (part 23): "Helen made the proverbial first step to solving the problem; she finally acknowledged that she is clueless how to deal with Daria and Quinn."

  • Dammit Daria, by SexshiTiTePaNtZ (part 3): "The rain pattered against the roof of Trent's car as Jane and Trent climbed in. 'When do you think this'll let up?' Trent asked his sister as he closed his flip phone. 'No idea. Daria's the one to ask that kinda stuff.' Jane answered."

  • Slow Flows the River, by UU (part 2): "'I'm certain I heard someone leaving in the middle of the night, but Patrick is still here, there's no doubt about that,' Amy said. 'At least last night the two of you weren't, um, militant around the clock.'"

  • When Love Takes Another Path, by ST91 (COMPLETE!): "At first things went well. After having got of the car Rita, Erin and Grandma Barksdale greeted their families, told them words of comfort and then, while Katherine prepared dinner, Albert, Rita and Erin helped respectively Tom, Helen and Daria with arranging their belongings."

Monday, August 17, 2015

Some Books Are More Equal Than Others


Daria's celebrating the 70th anniversary of the publication of George Orwell's Animal Farm, or at least she will if her fellow campers (coughAmeliacough) leave her alone long enough to read it. Perhaps one of these days someone will write a Camp Grizzly/Animal Farm crossover...and it will be a thing of beauty.

Fandom News!

Saturday, August 15, 2015

What a Good Day to--Oh, God, Look at the Time!


Helen and Jake are taking a rare moment to rest on this fine Relaxation Day. Of course, this image was taken from a fantasy sequence because we all know that would never really happen. Helen's phone would start ringing or Jake would think of something that reminds him of Mad Dog and it would all be over before it began.

Fanfic Update!
  • Beneath the Surface, by Princess_Pasta (COMPLETE!): "'I think Jodie and I are over.' There was a slight pause in the air as the weight of such a heavy statement took a moment to catch up with the both of them."

  • Children of the Scorn, by Kristen Bealer (COMPLETE!): "Daria once again found herself in charge of a group of her peers, and all hope of finishing her term paper that night was beginning to fade."

  • Linda's Trash Freakout (Iron Chef: Linda's Trash Freakout), by Shiva (part 1): "Linda Griffin groaned as the trash bag suddenly split apart, spilling all of the Griffin's garbage onto the sidewalk."

  • Rude Awakening Ep 13: The Hiring Game, by DIsaac (COMPLETE!): "CLAYTON: Hey Jo, do you need anything else? JODIE: Nope. CLAYTON: Wait... Whiskey and a cigar? JODIE: It is how EVERY DAY should end."

  • She Was Me, by Princess-Pasta/CaffeineAddict94 (part 1): "Mom finally cracked the day after my seventeenth birthday."

  • A Time For Us, by aeverett (part 8): "Jane Lane knew, by the set of her brother's features, that he was upset.. really upset, upset in a way she'd rarely seen him in her entire life."

  • Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Dance like Nobody's Watching), by Wraith (COMPLETE!): "I paused outside the door of the clubroom. I could hear loud music from within, and it was enough to make me sick to my stomach. Not because the sound was at the right frequency to cause distress, mind you. But the location it was emanating from certainly was."

Thursday, August 13, 2015

She's Definitely Not in Her Right Mind!


It's Left Hander's Day, and Brittany's still trying to figure out if this applies to her or not. To all of the lefties out there (including the one I'm married to), enjoy your day! The rest of the year obviously belongs to us normal folks.

Fandom News!

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Hail to the Clowns!


President's Day is sharing a good joke for Presidential Joke Day, although knowing those two it's probably not really all that funny. Then again, maybe they are the joke.

Today is also the anniversary of the episode "Just Add Water," which aired on this day in 1999. In that one we found out about Mr. DeMartino's gambling problem and found out the real depth of Ms. Li's ability to choose school events that aren't even remotely appropriate for high school students. Plus the writers managed to shoehorn in a Titanic joke.

Fanfic Update!
  • Beneath the Surface, by Princess_Pasta (part 3): "Lunch went by quickly considering nobody wanted to break the forced, tense silence that had descended on the table. Jodie tried to broach the subject of leaving again to which Mack calmly but seriously disagreed. Normally, that was where things would've ended."

  • Children of the Scorn, by Kristen Bealer (part 2): "Daria knew she didn't want to get stuck with an unpaid babysitting job, but she'd be damned if she'd let anyone destroy her room."

  • Clarity, by Zetor (part 4): "It was three weeks ago. Mother had been busy and had forgotten to set out the pills for a couple of days. Everything had become so clear."

  • Sonoma Coma, by jtranser (part 21): "First you freeze, then you fall. It's O.K. as long as you don't do it going down the steps"

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Shhhhh!


Daria's got the right idea for Book Lover's Day, but she'd like everyone to please be more quiet while she reads. Preferably in another room. Or, better still, in another country.

If you're looking for something to read yourself, why not pick up Walden by Henry David Thoreau, first published on this day in 1854. Did you know he was Jane Fonda's father in real life, too?

Fandom News!

Friday, August 7, 2015

Is She Channeling Ashley-Amber?


Brittany's serving up some refreshments for International Beer Day, which I guess means she got voted Keg Queen this year. She looks pretty happy about it, though, probably because it beats watching Kevin crush cans on his head. Or listening to him sing about what quantity of the beverage currently sits on top of the wall.

Fanfic Update!
  • Almost Over You, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "'I think you look great, Jane.' 'Keep being flattering, Theo. It reminds me of everything I've ever heard about actors.'"

  • Beneath the Surface, by Princess_Pasta (parts 1 and 2): "'Look Kevvy! It's that guy from that game you play!' 'Aw, sweet!' 'That's not a cosplayer. That's just a photographer...' 'But he looks just like him!'" (Part 2)

  • Buenos y malos momentos, by taitolin (COMPLETE!): "El cuaderno de notas tenia errores matemĂ¡ticos tan bĂ¡sicos que parecĂ­an increĂ­ble que fuera de un reciĂ©n graduado de preparatoria, pero gracias a su empeño y determinaciĂ³n, sin contar con algo de suerte que siempre acompaño a su amigo habĂ­a logrado que una camioneta de helados que daba perdida se convirtiera en una marca de helados exitosa."

  • Children of the Scorn, by Kristen Bealer (part 1): "I can think of about a million things more appealing to do on a Saturday night than attend a 'Focus on Teens' workshop with my parents. But is baby-sitting a couple of kids so Quinn can go on another stupid date one of them?"

  • Coloring Highland, by Zetor (COMPLETE!): "Jane sighed in boredom. The Highland Middle School offices were as bland as the rest of the town. She didn't understand why she had to move here; she and Trent had been fine."

  • Dammit Daria, by SexshiTiTePaNtZ (part 2): "Jane shuffled out of bed and slinked her naked body into a black hooded sweatshirt when she heard the phone ring."

  • Investigating the Semi-Intelligent Meat, by Kuriamo22 (COMPLETE!): "'They're made out of meat.' 'Meat?' 'Meat. They're made out of meat.' 'Meat?'"

  • Is it Curtain Yet?, by Zetor (part 6d): "Stacy's voice came over the phone. 'Um, hi Jane. Can you talk for a minute?'"

  • Night Witches, by Panzerfaust 150 (part 10): "President Reagan and his National Security Team were assembled in the Situation Room, for the now-usual morning military briefing."

  • The One, Pure and Untouched, by EntrancedCat (COMPLETE!): "'Daria, Mai, come look,' Quinn called excitedly from the second-story porch of the Ling's farmhouse."

  • Rude Awakening Ep 13: The Hiring Game, by DIsaac (parts 8 and 9): "(Sandi has given birth to a Baby Girl. While Tom has to Ice down his junk after Sandi's death grip on it. Stacy is there as well as a member of Tom's family.)" (Part 9)

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Dog Days


This bulldog needs to work a little harder than that for Work Like a Dog Day. Then again, if it's J. B. from The Angst Guy's "A Hard Days' Night" then I suppose he's earned the right to take it easy.

Fandom News!

Monday, August 3, 2015

The Vaseline is Optional!


I'm not sure this is the traditional way to celebrate National Watermelon Day, but I guess it works. Go ahead and get yourself some watermelon today, too, but I would recommend that you just cut it open and eat it. Just my own preference, though.

Today also marks the anniversary of the episode "Write Where It Hurts," which first aired on this day in 1998. There weren't any watermelons in that one, but it did feature Jake's Kitchen Sink Stew--which might very well have watermelon in it, for all we know.

Fanfic Update!
  • All's Fair ('Iron Chef' for Robyn & all comers - 'The First Ten Minutes'), by Princess_Pasta (COMPLETE!): "She spit onto the concrete, the mixture of blood and saliva standing out in sharp contrast against the cracked sidewalk. Her hands were shaking, the skin on her knuckles scraped and bloodied."

  • Attack of the "Super Brain", by Captain Marbles (COMPLETE!): "Ms. Li watched in horror as her prize student wreaked havoc on the sleepy little suburb. 'There's one last hope!' she said."

  • CafĂ© Talk (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: The Madness Sets In), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "At Raft University there was a small, pretentious cafĂ© just off campus called the CafĂ© de Paris, and while most of the French on the menus was misspelled, for those in the know it was a place to get a cup of great coffee and really good cake."

  • Consequences, by ST91 (COMPLETE!): "Helen Morgendorffer had a severe headache. It was because of what her son Clint had revealed to her. Besides that she was very angry."

  • Expansion (Write-Off Challenge 1.2!), by baelparagon (COMPLETE!): "The last thing he saw was the goalpost falling, yellow metal careening for him as it had done during his career before his neck snapped. The pain in his neck was horrendous for but a moment before everything went black."

  • Is it Curtain Yet?, by Zetor (part 6c): "The door opened behind her and she turned around to see Daria looking about as bad as she felt. Her sister walked over and dropped down onto one of the other couches."

  • Lawndale and Sandi Griffin's Genie, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (Future Excerpt 3): "'I didn't wish for immortality!' Jasmine said. 'Then how have you lived until now?' Samara asked."

  • Lawndale's Finest 3: The Brave and the Bold, by NightGoblyn (COMPLETE!): "Scarlett tried to hurry down the hallway without hurrying too much, she was about to be late but she didn't want to accidentally blow any doors off their hinges or anything." (Part 7) (Part 8)

  • Real Friends, by 11tee (COMPLETE!): "Quinn walked through the hall toward her locker. As expected, Sandi, Stacey, and Tiffany were waiting. Sandi looked furious. 'So what's this I hear about you and Jamie going on another date, Quinn?'"

  • Silence is Golden, by 11tee (COMPLETE!): "Silence. The woman sat on her bicycle looking down the trail. The ridgeline was to her right, a cliff-face to her left."

  • Unnamed story ('Iron Chef' for Robyn & all comers - 'The First Ten Minutes'), by 11tee (COMPLETE!): "Bang! Nngghh? Bang! Gah, what the heck, Daria thought. Bang! Abruptly, she remembered."

  • Unnamed story ('Iron Chef' for Robyn & all comers - 'The First Ten Minutes'), by EntrancedCat (COMPLETE!): "'Daria, Daria.' she heard a soft male voice quietly but insistently calling her name. Mr. O'Neill was leaning over her desk and looking down at her with concern and sympathy."

  • Wheels, by 11tee (COMPLETE!): "Daria stood back with one hand under each of her sister's shoulders. Quinn tried moving her legs to help, but the atrophy pretty much hindered any real assistance."

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Or Maybe It's More Like, "You Go, Girlfriend!"


It's National Girlfriends Day, and I'm not certain if the holiday refers to girlfriends as in boyfriends/girlfriends or friends who are both girls. Either way, Daria and Jane qualify--they're friends and they were both Tom's girlfriend at one point. Although the two examples are kind of mutually exclusive, when you think about it.

Anyway.

This is also MTV's 34th anniversary, and while MTV turned its back on Daria a long time ago we still have it to thank for Our Heroine's existence.

Fandom News!