Boxing Brittany

Just 222 short years ago today, England thought it had solved its crime problem by successfully sending every convict that could be found to the opposite end of the globe, where Botany Bay was established. Strangely, this did not solve England's crime problem. Nonetheless, we honor this event as the creation of Daria's Australian fandom.'Strewth! (The picture at left is not meant to imply that any party has ever engaged in "genetic engineering" with the kangaroos.)

Sixteen years ago, the Cando Event occurred in Spain. A meteor? A UFO? Rich fodder for Daria fanfic? You decide.

MOAR NUUZ

• Outpost Daria has updated! Hooray! Send more stuff, keep him busy!
• Julia the winged superhero (a fandom addition to the Daria legend) got her first portrait from MidnightStorm.
• A Fandom Auction to Help Haiti Recover is being held at LiveJournal. I know little about it, go see what's up.
• Some final touches have been made to the 2009 fanfiction compilation. You can use it as a searchable index to find stuff. Enjoy. And go vote for the 2009 Booties!
• Cherry Lane has had her first non-NightGoblyn portrait painted, by the excellent MidnightStorm! And a picture of Heather is on the way!
• The handsome and dashing Mr. and Mrs. Sloane appear courtesy of Quiverwing!
• Want to write real good English? Roentgen has got advice for ya. (Not a humor thread.)
• The all-new 2010 Daria Fanfiction Listing is now open! Read and enjoy!
  
• And Martin Pollard asks, where did Jane's coffee fixation come from?
  

PPMB

• The Beautiful Princess and the Painter, by Vlora (COMPLETE!): "O-Oh my," Mr. O'Neill mumbled over his breath, his hands clasped on top of the desk. ‘I—called you here today to discuss a little, er, issue with Quinn’s grades." [Now with more WIN!] (FF.net)
• Daria: Hunter 5—Strictly Business, by Jim North (Parts 1 and 2): "Are you saying that werewolves can't wear suits? Do you have something against werewolves? Are you, perhaps, a werewolf racist?"
• Daria in: Cyborg! by Ranger Thorne (Part 1): "So, you okay with this whole ‘not-really-Human-anymore’ thing?" "Actually, it’s kind of cool."
• Daria Is Raven's Apprentice, by Project Pegasus et al. (continued): "Sorry," said Daria, "I only read yaoi lemons."
• DeWitt-Clinton Maiden, by Wraith (Part 1): There was a pause on the other end of the line. This usually happened when Daria answered a call meant for Quinn, but this time seemed odd. For a moment she thought the line had gone dead. Instead of the usual background noise that went with a surprised pause, there was absolutely no sound at all. Then whoever it was on the other end of the line spoke up. (Daria/Rozen Maiden)
• The Dream of the White Darkness, by jtranser (continued): "In your pre-dream screening session, you stated that you felt your thoughts were no longer your own. After three dream sessions, I must tell you now. You are correct."
• Dye, Dye My Darling..., by MidnightStorm (COMPLETE!): [Songfic!]
• Falling into College 72: Valley of Love and Delight, by RLobinske (Part 3): "It's going to be really embarrassing tomorrow if we oversleep and I miss graduation."
• Finn Morgendorffer 26: The Mark of Failure, by HolyGrail2007 (COMPLETE!): “Let me guess,” Finn started. “I don’t have time for this crap. What the hell did you do to Jane?” Daria demanded. “Daria, I haven’t seen Jane for days. She’s been out with Tom.” “She’s joining the cheerleading squad.”
• Finn Morgendorffer 27: Helen and The Boys, by HolyGrail2007 (Parts 1 and 2): Finn had already settled on inviting Tom over for the weekend. It was only fair, considering it would not be right to invite just one of his buddies without the other. That might cause some thoughts of favoritism, and Finn did not do that. Joey, Jeffy, and Jamie were equally important friends. While Finn trusted Joey more in a fight, Jamie on the football field, and Jeffy pretty much the rest of the time, each of them were awesome, fantastic friends and they were all important to him. Tom, to Finn’s surprise, was actually eager to hear about it.
• The Heather/Damsel Chronicles 12: Yule Be Sorry, by NightGoblyn (Parts 1 and 2): Heather rolled her eyes. “Go read a romance novel, Dam.” “I don't need to, I actually date in real life,” Damsel said archly. “I guess it helps that the boys aren't afraid of me.” Heather whirled around and opened her mouth, and then Cherry held her hands up and said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Both sisters turned to look at her and she continued, “I didn't fly all the way across the country to listen to you two bitch at each other. Can we have a truce for the holiday? You know: peace on Earth, goodwill towards women, all that stuff?”
• Legion of Lawndale Heroes Mini: Girl Fight Tonight, by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): The good think about trying to beat up Brittany Taylor was Sandi knew that Brittany had at least a black belt. Brittany was used to getting knocked about.
• Moment of Thought, by Malakite (COMPLETE!): "I know what kind of upbringing she's had. What's your excuse?" Ms. Morris asked. Daria reflected for a fraction of a second...
• Regifted 2: I Put Away Joyless Things, by Ajar (Part 2): “Private Daria Morgendorffer, 8675309.” “The Geneva Convention doesn't apply to high school,” Graham said. “That's what makes it so fun.”
• Tales of the Ringbearers: A Very Bad Move, by Doggieboy (Part 1): Even in death, the man’s eyes remained open and stared at the wall behind the desk. Clad only in a pair of white crew socks, he laid on his left side and his left arm clung to the desktop. Smoke rose from his face and chest areas, and blood decorated both his body and the cream-colored carpet around his body.
• Trapped, by Jim North (Parts 1 and more): Daria Morgendorffer was sitting in a chair. The chair, she would have assumed, should have been in a room. Or somewhere outside. Or at least somewhere. As it was, the chair—and, subsequently, Daria herself—was located precisely nowhere.
• Uh-Oh, Slash Comes To Town, by Ajar (continued): “Hey, Daria,” said Jane as the two met up at the Mystik Spiral gig. “I'd like like you to meet Alison, my, uh... It's kind of complicated.” (SFMB)
  
• Unnamed story (More Crossovers Not Yet Crossed Over), by Trscroggs (Part 1): “So let me get this straight,” Daria said to the bruiser of a fed. “One of your spies went off the reservation and stole one of your most classified pieces of software. Before being caught, he tried to mail it to someone, but miss-typed the address and sent it to me instead.” “Correct.”

"Does red, white, and blue make me look fat?"

In addition to being New Year's Day, this is also the 258th birthday anniversary of colonial-era seamstress Betsy Ross, often credited (at least in legend) with sewing the first official United States flag (seen at right).

A short but intriguing essay on the origins of January 1st as New Year's Day appears here on Wikipedia. Hard to believe there were so many other days in the past when the new year started.

Richard "The Great" Lobinske has completed the annual compilation of Daria Visual Fanworks, all the great art at which we marvel through the year. An epic achievement, three years in a row! Thank you, Richard, and a big THANK YOU to the artists!

The 2009 Daria Fanfiction listing has also been completed. A banner year for great storytelling, let me tell you. The Booties will be hard-fought this year.

My Heart Will Go On... Until Death, Anyway

Twelve years ago today, the epic movie Titanic was released in the USA. This led directly to the penning of the Daria episode "Just Add Water," which shares many plot elements with the movie, except for being shorter. Brittany, upon being informed of the event in her history class, had this response.

Queen Jossie wrote the fanfic "Y 2 Day?" ten years ago today. Remember all that Y2K crap? Jeepers. Did get some good fanfiction out of it, though. In addition to the above, the following have moderate-to-high Y2K-ness. Anyone recall any others?

• Daria's Christmas Folly, by Crazy Nutso
• Daylight: Falling from Grace, by Disco316
• DWU#13: Erin the Head, by Kara Wild (song at the end)
• Falling into College #9: Holiday Breaks, by Richard Lobinske
• The Submariner Series, by Wildgoose
• Why 2K? by Kemical Reaxion

OUTRAGEOUSLY GOOD NEWZ!

• One-time Daria fan artist Katie Cook is big time now! John Takis informs us that she is now drawing Fraggle Rock comics, and she has also been drawing collectible cards for Marvel, DC, and Star Wars! Check it out! Katie Cook's Daria fan art from the year 2000 survives on the web. We can say we knew her way back when she was awesome, before she became mega-awesome. And, in keeping with today's Titanic theme, here is Ms. Cook's Daria from the movie.

Quiverwing reminds us that there are only TWENTY (20) days left in which to nominate your favorite works for the 2009 Daria Fanworks Awards! Read the rules!

FF.net

• Secret Smile, by SinisterDragula (COMPLETE!): The front door slammed, followed by grunts of disgust. “God! Why did Jamie have to be such a jerk?”

PPMB

• NEW! Ah, Good Memories, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "Tell me why we're paying good money that we could be spending on bad pizza to see another faculty roller hockey game, Lane." [Cosmic Epic Win.]
• Another Normal Day in Lawndale, by JPAGC (Part 3): Quinn quickly spotted her sister with two of the usual companions: She remembered Brooke, the tall, brunette girl, but couldn't place a name on the blonde girl with a pink shirt also hanging with her. A junior? A freshmen? No matter, she thought, just another of the mindless fashion zombies my sister likes to so much.
• Anti-Trope, by Minx (continued): “No, a million times, no.” Dean shook his head. “There is no way in hell I am going to play football.”
• Crazy for Fashion, by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): "Let's look at the spectacle, Daria." "No." "Aw, come on. I'll give you a dollar."

• Daria: Hunter—Mind over Plasma, by Jim North (COMPLETE!): "Artie." The man's head snapped up so quickly that it looked like it might tear straight off his skinny neck and fly across the room. "What? Yes? I'm Artie!" "Your abilities," said the bounty hunter. "Just how far do they reach?" (FF.net)
• Daria: Hunter—Rememory, by Jim North (COMPLETE!): Another day filled with strangeness had passed, and Daria had made it out the other end alive. She told herself that that was the important thing. She was alive. Jane was alive. Their temporary ward Artie the psychic pizza cook was alive. The only person who hadn't survived the events of the day was the man who had attacked them, and good riddance. (FF.net)
  
• NEW! The Dream of the White Darkness, by jtranser (continued): "A number of patient specific tests will have to be run before a complete diagnosis can be ventured. But one thing has already become clear. Evidence of psychotronic interference and embedding is faint but clear. In short, patient has been a subject of involuntary mind control experimentation." [and more added here!]
  
• NEW! Finn Morgendorffer 21: Jane Errs, HolyGrail2007 (COMPLETE!): “Oh, come on,” Jane continued to tease. “It’s not like I haven’t seen you in your boxers before.” And that was enough. Daria pushed open the door into her brother’s room. “What the hell is going on?!” she shouted with righteous fury.

• Hallway, by GlitterShrooms (COMPLETE!): "Morgendorffer! Lane! What do you two punks think you’re doing?” yelled the always angry Ms. Barch.
• NEW! In Search of the Path, by Trscroggs (Part 1): Drawing on all the experience she had gained while trapped in this twisted world of sorcery, the Seeker yelled in her most authoritative voice: “Freeze! Hands in where I can see them! Turn around slowly and I won’t have to shoot. Oh my God! It can’t be!” The small woman who had been stealing the Seeker’s loot stared in surprise. “Brittany Taylor? What the hell are you doing here?” Daria Morgendorffer asked.
• NEW! In Silence Sarcastic, by Trscroggs (continued): My sister, the dating guru, Daria signed. But I do not need to speak to the dating guru; I need to talk to the fashion guru instead.
  
• Love Is a Series of Burning Sensations, by Undefinedlust (Part 14): Okay, so I really couldn't get everything Daria was saying, so I called Christina for help and we talked till midnight. Then I got really high and tried to go to bed. But I just couldn't sleep, I just kept thinking of her in that box... just thinking about her... What the hell made me think it was a good idea to go for a walk... a walk past her house... looking to see if her light was on... Geez Jane, act like a stalker much?
• NEW! Monster Madness, by Trscroggs (continued): “Pilot Candidate Sterling has apparently decided not to read his briefing, sir. He called Pilot Morgendorffer a ‘know-nothing civilian brat’, sir.”
  
• One Night..., by Charliefox2012 (COMPLETE!): [revised version of original at FF.net]: I lie here, naked, but covered by a thin sheet, in a bed that is not my own.
• Quinn: The Show, by Ajar (Part 3): "So, um, what do you think about wrap skirts this season?" "First parachute pants and now this. Is there no end to Hammer's insanity?"
• A Reaper in the Wind, by Richard Lobinske (Parts 1 and 2): Tom closed his book and set it on the table next to the chair before rising. Only a moment after the visitor had knocked on the door, Tom opened it. "Good morning." A man in a black suit presented Tom with a sealed folder and said, "Special Agent Sloane. Your next assignment." [Daria/NCIS]
• NEW! Second Life, by Legendeld (Part 2): "I don't know why you keep putting up with Daria's crap, Jane. I know tons of models who would love to date you." Quinn took off her light coat and hung it on the stair railing. "Tell me what she did!"
  

• Slumber Party, by GlitterShrooms (COMPLETE!): "My God, Li," cried Ms. Barch from outside in the tree. "Are you getting all of this?" "You betcha your fat ass I am," replied Li with her camcorder.
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part III), by jtranser (continued): High above Toronto, Stacy flew into the tomato sunrise. Below her, a hundred miles down, wreathed in light transparent smog, the brown and wrinkled surface of Earth bid her a silent forlorn goodbye as she engaged her drives and headed for the center of the galaxy.
• A Very Saturnalia Holiday, by Vlora (COMPLETE!): "What if you don’t celebrate Christmas?" Daria asked, her eyes set on Mr. O’Neill’s face. "Then pick any holiday you like!" "May I go first?" [At last! Thank you, Vlora!]

Never Let It Be Said This Fandom Has No Fanfiction

The 2009 Daria Fanfiction listing is complete, up to this day (more or less). Please go to the list and check it for accuracy. Congratulations to everyone who wrote a story here, and especially if you gave your story a name. Seriously, look at all those nameless fanfics! Man.

Anyone, now you have something to read!

Turning Over a New Leif?

Today is Leif Erikson Day, celebrating the first landing of Europeans on North American shores (meaning Newfoundland) just over 1,000 years ago. Leif was a Viking's Viking. Alternate histories sometimes toy with the question of what might have happened if the Vikings had managed to expand their colonies in the New World. It's anyone's guess there. Maybe we'd have the mighty Upchuck of the North or something.

The last known supernova in the Milky Way Galaxy appeared in the sky 405 years ago today. Closer to our own time, Entertainment Weekly named Daria Morgendorffer one of its "cartoon divas" 11 years ago. Daria gained her new status at the same time as did Tinkerbell, Veronica from the Archie comics, and... um... Foghorn Leghorn? WTF?

MTV Animation, which produced Daria and so many other wonders, closed its doors for good eight years ago today. The collage at upper right shows the major MTV cartoons 0f 1996, just before Daria appeared. Rest in peace, MTV Animation, and thank you.

GNUZ ALERT! Quiverwing has just posted the rules for the 2009 Daria Fanworks Awards on PPMB. Read over them now and start picking out your favorites!

PPMB

• NEW! The Curse of El Smoocho, by Roentgen (Part 4): Quinn stormed over to the door. "Daria, why do you want to ruin my life?" she yelled. "I'm sorry for lacing my boots in the unapproved 'under' method. With the help of God and family, I can change—"
  
• Detective Stories 4: Fledge, by NightGoblyn (COMPLETE!): Stacy leaned on her cane and, in an effort to distract herself from the constant itching of her right leg, peered over Daria’s shoulder at the computer screen. “What are you working on?”
• Finn Morgendorffer 6: Beautiful, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 3): “I’m fat,” Finn finally moaned. Unlike his normal complaining, Finn now sounded like he was two steps away from crying. “Fat?” Daria thought. She had many choice words to cut her brother down to size. Some curse words, some normal ones, and some Finn would have never heard of. But “fat” was not an insult she reserved for him.
• NEW! Meowlody Powers, by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!): The busy crowd and layout of store displays made Meowlody's job difficult as she patrolled the area. Zhreow would come in close, because, like Meowlody, she believed in the personal touch. That would be Meowlody's only chance to stop the assassination, even at the risk of being detected and forever losing her ability to be an agent. (FF.net)
  

Lasagna AGAIN?

It's that time of year when the management of the DFB2 (i.e., me) solicits suggestions from its readers (i.e., you) as to what more can be done with this blog. I know it is ephemeral as are all things, but it is a lot of fun and I would like to keep typing in it for a long time to come.

What else do we need that would help the fandom grow? Other than DVDaria, I mean. What else can this blog do for your Daria enjoyment? Drop some notes in Comments. I've gotten a lot of good ideas in the past and have used them. I just want to keep up with things.

Just checked the meter, and we've got over 86,800 hits so far in a year and a half. Cool. Keep it up.

Oh, and MDetector5 put up some great Helen art!

Plus, the 2009 Daria fanfic list was updated!

Odds and Ends and Dresses That Don't Fit

The Big List o' Daria Fanfic for 2009 has been updated. Have a look at it and see if anything is out of place. I will post corrections as I get them.

I still cannot get over how many responses The Kristen Bealer Guy got to this post. Man. Why can't I think up topics like that?

More shortly. Thinking about some stuff.

PPMB is having some serious issues with errors today. I can't even post on it now, when I could earlier. Dang.

That Time of the Month Again

It's Friday the 13th. Check your car for signs of paranormal activity.

The list of complete and incomplete Daria fanfiction for 2009 has been posted!

More soon, have to get some sleep.

AWAKE AGAIN!

• The 2009 fanfiction listing has been updated six zillion times since last night, mostly to remove my mistakes.
• Ranger Thorne has created the Ringbearers' "Skippy" List. You have to read it to understand it.

PPMB

• John Lane 39: Leaving Summer, by Richard Lobinske (Part 4): "It only seemed fair," said Daria, "that since I was kissed by a girl that I should kiss a girl."
  
• Rings and Things That Cannot Go Together, by Ranger Thorne (continued): “The galaxy is doomed.”