E.T. Phone...the Mall

Tiffany is ready to celebrate First Contact Day, but alien enthusiasts everywhere will be disappointed. After all, they've been hoping to find intelligent life on other planets.

Fortunately, it's also Deep Dish Pizza Day, and no one can be sad when they have pizza. In Daria's own words, "there's no aspect, no facet, no moment of life that can't be improved with pizza."

Finally, happy Easter to everyone in fandom who celebrates! Thanks to the Wayback Machine, you can enjoy a festive batch of Easter-themed Daria stories and fanart from the Sh33p's Fluff.

Fanfic Update!

• Captain or Hero?, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 1): "Captain Erica Browne looked at the planet from her ready room window. Beowulf had arrived in high orbit earlier in the day."

Watch Out for Atomic Communists from Mars!

Better keep at least one eye on the skies, because it's Extraterrestrial Abductions Day and you never know who might be waiting to scoop you up. On the bright side, they might be alien space babes who will replace your skin and press your pants for free!

If you don't get abducted, feel free to tell everyone you did because it's also World Storytelling Day and being kidnapped by a UFO would make for a fun tale. I'm sure it would be more amusing than Quinn's story about tacky dresses or Daria's cannibal fairy tale.

If you don't do anything else today, at least be sure to brush your teeth. Partly because it's World Oral Health Day and partly because no one wants to smell your bad breath. Don't forget to follow the Gupty kids' example by flossing!

Fanfic Update!

• Spider Quinn 20 The Imitation Tempest, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (COMPLETE!): "Norman Osborn was looking at the latest email regarding a replacement for the Goblin Glider when the assistant messaged him."

I Guess She Couldn't Find Any Black Ones?

Andrea has chosen an appropriate accessory for Umbrella Day, but it might be more useful if she waited until it was raining. Rain or shine, snow or heat, I hope you stay protected from whatever the weather may bring you today!

I don't think an umbrella will be enough, however, if life decides to throw aliens your way. Fortunately, it's also Extraterrestrial Culture Day and you can take the opportunity to learn more about the otherworldly beings. Just think of the attention you'll get at the next UFO convention! Mostly unwanted, I'm afraid.

If you're geeky but not, like, Artie geeky, then you could celebrate Clean out Your Computer Day instead. If you need assistance, you could ask Jake to draw on his days of experience at Buzzdome. On second thought, just call customer support.

Quit Horsing Around!

I don't think Quinn quite understands the point of National Help A Horse Day, but kudos to her for never skipping arm day. I can't even imagine what the rest of the Fashion Club will say when they see what she's wearing, though.

Things will get even worse for her if she also decides to celebrate National No Makeup Day, although I'm not sure Quinn could cope with that kind of deprivation. Even if she's supposedly "the kind of person who doesn't really need makeup."

Finally, a very happy Alien Day to Artie, who will hopefully be celebrating here on Earth and not on some alien spaceship getting his pants nicely pressed. Daria could go back to the UFO convention, but if she tries to take her family along then Quinn will probably throw a horse at her.

Fanfic Update!

• Funky Pretty, by MoleFromTheMinistry (part 4): "It was faster than a bullet from a gun, quicker than the blinking of an eye. That electric jolt of dopamine entered both their brains, a rush of understanding finally was understood between the two."


• I (Don't) Want to Be a Part of It, by ladyevil (part 6): "'Every time I look at you I don’t understand!' Trent sang. 'Why you let the things you did get so out of hand? You'd have managed better if you'd had it planned. Why...' Trent coughed."


• Is it The Purge Yet?, by darialalalalala (part 1): "'Next on Sick, Sad, World.' Daria rolled her eyes and then switched the channel in hopes there was a channel that didn’t go on ad-break."


• Just a Girl, by Panwarcriminal (COMPLETE!): "Daria stood at the door of Jane’s apartment. She knew what Jane planned, if you could call just saying 'Let’s get dinner and see where the night goes' a plan, but Daria knew one thing was certain: she was going to come out to Jane."


• You Really Got a Hold on Me, by janendaria4life (COMPLETE!): "Daria and Tom sat in a booth at Pizza King, every few minutes taking bites when they weren't getting easily distracted into conversation with one another."

Keep Watching the Geeky Skies!

I see Lawndale is busy celebrating Extraterrestrial Culture Day, and I'm sure Artie is in there somewhere. I'm not sure if he's there to have fun or to educate others, but either way you can bet he'll show up before too long.

Trent is more likely to play music (or a close approximation of it) because it's not only Get Out Your Guitar Day but also National Guitar Day! If he decides to perform at the UFO convention, then I'm sure the place will be empty within minutes.

I think he'd be better off playing in Max's Tank, and not just because it's National Van Day. If we're lucky, the van will break down somewhere inconvenient and no one will have to listen to his music at all!

Fandom News!

• Voting is open for the 2024 Daria Fanworks Awards!

Ribbit!

Kevin's out chilling on his lily pad for World Frog Day, but I hope he isn't expecting Brittany to help turn him back into a human. I mean, kiss a slimy old frog? No way! Imagine the warts!

It might help to refresh her memory of the story "The Frog Prince," because it's also World Storytelling Day. Daria will probably regale us all with a gruesome spin on the old story, so I hope no one has eaten recently.

I suppose Artie could share his alien encounter story yet again for Extraterrestrial Abductions Day, but I'm not sure we want to bring back all of that trauma. After all, he's probably never going to find anyone to press his pants so nicely ever again.

Anyone Here From the Planet Zippotron?

All of Lawndale appears to have turned out to celebrate Extraterrestrial Culture Day, and if we're lucky Daria and Jane will wear their alien space babe costumes. That's not likely, however, with the chance of Upchuck being present, so we'll just have to settle for Artie and his synthetic skin.

Someone should let Wind know that it's also Get a Different Name Day and he should feel free to change his name to Ronald now that the Naming Gazebo isn't standing in his way. Everyone else can either heed or ignore Jake's advice as they choose: "Walk away. You change your name, move to another state, get some ID. It's not too late to start over, Daria, it's not too late! You're still a young man! You don't have to live with your mistakes! Get out while you can!"

Don't worry. I'm not going to start shaking you.

Finally, I have good news for Daria and Tom. Not only is it Kiss Day, but also National Apology Day so they can go confess their mistake to Jane and hope for forgiveness. Maybe.

Fandom News!

• Derek has an important announcement for anyone who tried to register at the PPMB between February 4 and February 11, 2024.

Take Me To Your Pizzeria!

Daria's ready for First Contact Day, although I'm sure she's much more interested in celebrating No Contact Day. I suppose that's what the ray-gun is for. "Alien love goddess" my ass!

If any aliens contact you, please invite them to join you for a slice of Chicago-style for Deep Dish Pizza Day! Although be careful; they may want to put weird alien toppings on it like space rocks or plutonium chunks or...ugh...pineapple.

Fanfic Update!

• Close Encounters of the Ted Kind (The Ted Zone), by Kristen Bealer (COMPLETE!): "'Settle down, young people!' Ms. Li said, unnecessarily, to a mostly apathetic Lawndale High auditorium."


• Hometown Movies, by wilddogjj (COMPLETE!): "Quinn has unexpectedly found herself drawn into a conservative culture war. A Republican-led House Committee is trying to determine the potential harms of social media on America's youth." (Part 2) (Part 3)


• Oh No No, by Val_Creative (COMPLETE!): "'DAAAAAARIAAAA!' Outside of Daria's bedroom, Quinn hollers, furiously stomping in. That boring brain of a sister won't get away with this—"


• Pizazz, by FictionAuthorofFiction (COMPLETE!): "Despite what her teenage brain liked to tell her, Daria knew she wasn't exactly unique. There were thousands, if not millions, of people just like her in the world."


• Star Trek: Lower Decks: An Aquatic Second Contact, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 4): "'I shall return to my ship,' Ma’ah announced. 'Understood,' Freeman said."


• The Truth Comes to Daria and Quinn, by Sheila Wisz Ellayn (COMPLETE!): "It was just another day at Lawndale when a terrible truth would come to Daria and Quinn."

French Aliens from the Planet Earth!

Keep away from Tiffany because it's Extraterrestrial Abductions Day and the last thing you want is to be abducted by Tiffany. Not because of the alien thing but because she's just that annoying.

Oddly, it's also International Earth Day, so that's even more reason to not get abducted. Not that you needed more reasons, of course.

Assuming you do end up staying on Earth, today would be a good day to brush up on your foreign languages, as it's French Language Day! You could go to Chez Pierre to practice, or you could go just about anywhere else for a more authentic experience.

Fanfic Update!

• Breaking Balmora, by welltemperedclavier (part 9): "His face hidden in steam, and hot water up to his neck, Jeval tried to relax."


• Degrade, by FictionAuthorofFiction (COMPLETE!): "Daria felt herself freeze as her brain took in what she was hearing. Jane, her best friend, her only friend, was talking about her to the track kids."


• Purple Sweater, by Sheila Wisz Ellayn (parts 9 - 11): "It seemed to Quinn that John Astrella grew taller and even more attractive now that they were getting closer, Daria and Jane stared at them from a great distance, Stacy's heart began to beat a lot faster than normal and meanwhile John and Anna continued with their chat." (Part 10) (Part 11)

Phoooooone Hoooooooome!

Someone should tell Tiffany that cosplaying as E.T. does make her look fat, but this is the only way she can think of to celebrate World Contact Day. I think that if any aliens did meet Tiffany as their first contact on Earth, they'd probably leave immediately.

Speaking of Tiffany, today is also both Dumbstruck Day and Everything You Think is Wrong Day, which both apply to her. In fairness, though, in order for everything you think to be wrong you'd have to actually, you know, think.

Fanfic Update!

• lawndales elite, by rvgonzal (part 1): "Interior house- front room- Couch cushions are overturned, books/ papers are scattered all over the floor. Camera pans to different areas of the house and it looks like a tornado has hit all the rooms with each room messier than the last."


• The Plague Of Daria (The Plague Of Daria), by WildDogJJ (part 1): "A red Mustang GT pulled into the Ruttheimer's driveway and came to a stop. Once the car was shut off Stacy Ruttheimer, nee Rowe, emerged from the driver's side while Daria Morgendorffer emerged from the passenger side."

A Day for Alien Farmers

Daria has pulled out all the stops in honor of National Agriculture Day, but I think it would have been fine if she'd just picked some tomatoes or something. If Trent realized his dream of becoming a farmer who's paid not to grow crops, he's probably celebrating, too. And by "celebrating," I mean "sleeping."

It's also appropriate that Daria has apparently been turned into a crop circle, because today is Extraterrestrial Abductions Day. Artie had better watch out, just in case those alien love goddesses decide to come back for a return visit.

Fandom News!

• Tell everyone whether you think Jane or Daria is more attractive.


• Describe your ideal Daria video game.


• What are some unanswered question you want answered about the main characters in Daria?


• Why did the Morgendorffers stop being hippies? Share your thoughts.


• Share Daria moments and stuff on YouTube.


• Vote in the Deadliest Warrior poll between East Side Greasers and Coney Island Warriors.


• Szcz posted a new Iron Chef: Changing Style.


• BloodyWilliam started a 2018 Art thread.

This Spaceship is Reeeeeeally Shiny

Tiffany is about to celebrate Extraterrestrial Abductions Day by kidnapping us all and taking her to her home planet so she can ask us repeatedly if things make her look fat. Kind of makes the horror of probing pale in comparison, doesn't it?

Come to think of it, it actually makes more sense than it should that Tiffany could be an alien. Honestly, I'm surprised there aren't any (or at least many) fanfics exploring that possibility. Perhaps she was the one those agents in "The Lawndale File" were really looking for!

Fandom News!

• Share your examples of dumb behavior in a new The Stupid It Burns thread.


• Tell us about a trivial thing that caused a disproportionate emotional response in you.


• Is it time for a woman on America's paper currency? Give your thoughts and suggestions.


• Do you think Amy is an overrated character? Tell everyone what you think.


• tafka posted a new Iron Chef in Creative Writing: Iron Chef.


• groverman62 has a question about John Berry in the Golden Oldies forum.

Phooooone Hooooooome?

Today is Extraterrestrial Abductions Day, so Artie had better beware! Watch out for any Tiffany aliens today, because they're bound to take you to their fashionable spaceships and make you over by force. Your only hope is to have plenty of shiny surfaces available to distract them with.

Fanfic Update!

• After the Disaster 2 :: Esteemers, by Fhujeth_x (COMPLETE!): "'What does the Fashion Club do...?' Sandi thought for a moment and then immediately looked at Stacy. 'Stacy?' Truth be told, Sandi had no idea what the did, except enforce good fashion rules around the school, to keep up with the hopping 90s trends."


• After the Disaster 2 :: The Invitation, by Fhujeth_x (part 1): "'I cannot believe it.' Sandi glanced towards Tiffany while she walked down the street towards her house, 'Joey, Jeffy, AND Ja-- That other kid are all freaking out about Quinn.' She rolled her eyes, 'I mean, Tiffany. Quinn is new. She has like... new everything, you know?'"


• Apocalyptic Daria: Fence Builders Corps, by Doggieboy (prologue): "Doug smiled, too, and chuckled, 'We have six to seven miles of fence to put up before...' The woman swallowed, and her smile weakened even more. 'Don’t worry about it, Jennifer,' he said. '"Ours is not to reason why, ours is to do, or die."'""


• Clique Swap, by psychotol (parts 20 and 21): "Scene: Same, only much later, Nallok is holding two of the cases full of credits and is shaking Quinn’s hand. Voiceover: 'No problems arise, and Nallok’s work is complete.' Nallok: 'Well, may the force be with you,' leaves. Quinn: 'Okay, let’s get Tiffany back here and inject ourselves, then we can start refining our very own force powers.'" (Part 21)


• Daria - Double Down, by neonhomer (part 32): "'Hey you two... wait up!' Came Tilly’s voice from behind. 'Hurry up slow poke.' Said Jane, as she paused to wait. Daria kept walking. Tilly picked up the pace, breaking into a run to catch up. 'What’s with her?' 'She’s tired of waiting.' Said Jane. She waited for Tilly to catch up, and then continued to walk. 'On what?' asked Tilly. 'You I guess.' Said Jane."


• Disconnect the Dots, by InvisibleDan (parts 1 and 2): "The first meeting of my undergraduate creative writing class of the semester went as per usual. We were scheduled to meet only once a week, for three hours on Thursday afternoons, and I had to steel myself with coffee and chocolate to make it through. I sat down, unpacked my tote bag full of notebooks, note pads, and papers, and cleared my throat to begin." (Part 2)


• A Distant Lawndale, by Arena del Sur (part 7): "I went upstairs. Once back at my room I remained in the dark, looking through a window. I was ashamed. How could I have forgotten the tragedy that soon my family is going to suffer, the imminent failure of my father...?"


• Dylan, by J-D (part 2c): "He passed near Simon Griffith standing in the middle of the room talking with a couple of other jocks from the swim team, one who looked East Asian and another a tall blond with a buzz-cut. They were scanning the room, too, and also pointing. Rod faded back against the wall of the room just behind their line of sight. 'Okay, I'll give her seven and a half out of ten, but that's the limit', the tall blond was saying. 'But look at her over there! Definitely at least a nine, especially if she keeps it up with that wiggle.'"


• God Save The Esteem ep41: Is It Fun Yet?, by Charles RB (part 3): "'And here we are!' Erin parked the car in a somewhat seedy part of the South Bronx (and being a seedy part of South Bronx is a challenge). 'Aunt Amy said this was the best place to meet her.' Daria looked over at the dirt-brick club, with the sickly neon 'Spanks For The Memories' sign and crude drawing of a woman with a whip."


• Melody Powers, Book 1: "Our Chick in Havana" (Round Robin), by JoeMerl (part 2): "'That Melody Powers has been a thorn in our side for too long,' the Supreme Leader said. 'The Bolsheviks Allied to Destroy Democracy and Institute Evil Socialism will not stand for another blow to our organization. The time has come for Melody Powers to die.' The Supreme Leader pressed a button on the intercom. 'Send them in!'"


• A New World, by breitasparrow (part 2): "After a few more minutes of chatting, they both called it a night after Jane told him she had to get up in the morning for an exam. Just as Trent hung up the pay phone, Nick walked up to him with a bummed expression. 'Uh, Trent? We kinda have a problem.'"


• Quinn meets Quinn (Iron Chef: I Met Myself on the Way to the Town Square ...), by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (COMPLETE!): "Quinn knew, however, that it wasn't an echo. 'Who are you?' she asked. 'Who are you?' the other person asked back, with a tinge of fear. This time, Quinn walked in the direction of the voice, perpendicularly to the direction she had been going in. 'I asked first,' Quinn said as the other person came into sight. 'I'm Quinn,' the long haired red head said. 'Golly, her hair is longer than Daria's and Erin's,' Quinn thought. 'Strange, I'm Quinn too,' Quinn said, with a nervous laugh."


• Rude Awakening Mini: The St. Patty Day, by DIsaac (part 4): "@tweetbynumbers (Jane Lane) Listen, amgia how about a couple of shots of Irish whiskey to forget anything basketball...My treat! @MelPowers (Daria Morgendorffer) I see we're using the offical sports drink for writers and artists? Well if it's a free drink for me.... I'll gladly take it!" (Part 5)


• Sandi :: Well... This Sucks Chapter 12, by Fhujeth_x (parts 1 and 2): "'Tommy Sherman?' Sandi tried really hard to remember that name, something slightly familiar about it. That week Fluffy ate the... 'You're dead...' She looked at him, 'Like, you're that goalpost guy from Lawndale... the one the cheerleaders think haunt the locker rooms or something.' 'Tommy Sherman does a lot more than haunt the girls locker rooms.'" (Part 2)


• Stupid End of Times (Iron Chef: Getting Ready for the End of the World), by Vukodlak (COMPLETE!): "Tom, Daria and Jane watched the news report in horror. The plan had failed in ten hours the asterioid would impact the east coast hailing the end of humanity. They thought about all the things in life they'd never done what they'd never do with their lives."


• To Annoy a Mockingbird. Chapter 5, by BF110C4 (parts 1 and 2): "In the table that the Fashion Club had reserved for themselves at the beginning of the year Sandi was already waiting for her to start their meeting. 'Secretary Stacy, please annotate the late arrival of the vice-president and the opening of this session of the Fashion Club' It seemed that Sandi wasn't in a good mood. 'Yes, Sandi.' 'Now the first topic of the day is the official inquiry of the Vice-President Quinn in unfashionable activities.'" (Part 2)


• Unnamed story (IC : Daria and the School of Magic), by Ranger Thorne (COMPLETE!): "'Jane,' Daria said as the rock golems reached a hundred yards, 'we're about to get killed.' Jane turned from the solid rock wall long enough to grunt, then turned back to the wall as she pulled out a pencil."


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Crazy Pairing Story!), by JoeMerl (COMPLETE!): "'Aw,' St. Patrick's Day said, a ridiculous little simper spreading across his face. 'Ain't she a bonnie lass?' Cupid raised an eyebrow, looking from his friend to the blonde model twenty feet away. 'Whoa. You ran away from Holiday Island just to moon over some chick?' He chuckled. 'You got it bad, man.'"


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Getting Ready for the End of the World), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "'Bulletproof glass across the whole building. Check."


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Getting Ready for the End of the World), by peetz5050 (COMPLETE!): "In the distance toward the town center she saw what she at first took to be a flock of large birds ascending toward the burgeoning clouds now covering half the sky. She then stood stock still for several minutes blinking rapidly and swallowing hard trying to maintain control of herself. Her knees started to tremble and her breakfast threatened to make a reappearance as she realised exactly what she was looking at."


• Unnamed story (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: Last Friday Night!), by Angelboy (COMPLETE!): "As the aged speakers finally died out, the teacher began to take role, which most of the students ignored for the most part, as they’d been together since Elementary school. It wasn’t until the history teacher reached one name and his eye nearly exploded out of his skull did they pay attention. 'Daria Morgendorffer?'"


• We Only Hurt the Ones We Love (IC Runaway Daria), by deneich (part 9): "'Hello, Davidson residence....hello, is anyone there?' I could hear the stress and apprehension in her voice, I swallowed tried to speak and swallowed again, so much had to be said but all I could manage was to croak out a raspy 'Mom' 'Cassie! Dear Lord, thank you for answering our prayers. Cassie, where are you?'"

The Mystik Wow!

Only 33 years ago today, a peculiar signal was detected by The Big Ear, a giant radio telescope at Ohio State University. Now dubbed the Wow! Signal, the event has never been duplicated and its origin remains a mystery. Was it a message or unintended signal from a distant alien civilization? That question has never been properly answered.

This day has many historical connections with the Daria show. It marks the beginning of both Alternapalooza and Woodstock 1969 (see here, here, and here); is the anniversary day of many French events (Daria likes France and speaks French), and is Flooding of the Nile Day (doesn't have much to do with Daria, except for the alter ego at the link).

W8 4 moar. Back again. The fanfic list will have to wait a bit.

KN00Z!

• Richard Lobinske has updated the Big List o' 2010 Daria Visual Fanworks! Can't believe the wealth of stuff there.
• NEW! thatLONERchick has produced artwork of a famous, sort of, original character from Daria fanfic. I cannot take responsibility for your amazement and joy when viewing the images. No, seriously, I can't.
  

Wearing Only Her Legal Briefs

Legal eagle Helen Morgendorffer celebrates the arrival of the 2010 Godiva Festival in Coventry, which promises to be the best party place on Earth for the whole family. A minimum of 85,000 people are expected. No, seriously. And they won't even have a naked lady on a horse! Everyone's there for the food and music and parade. Well, we believe in traditional values here at the Daria Fandom Blog II, so we do have a naked lady on a horse. No Godiva chocolates, though. We're on a diet.

Eight years ago today, Daria began airing on The N, but in a severely censored form that caused legions of Daria fans to rend their garments and cast ashes on their heads. Is It Fall Yet? was so chopped up the plot made no sense. (Click the link to Outpost Daria to see how the movie was edited.) The butchered episodes ceased to appear in 2006.

The Roswell UFO event is alleged to have occurred 63 years ago today, though accounts have changed over the years and different dates have been offered. Thanks to Roswell, we have soap operas about troubled alien-human-robot love triangles. Or we should have.

Daria said three little important words to her future husband on this day ten years ago. Do you know the fanfic in which she did this?

N0OoZ!!

• Roentgen has produced a clever timeline showing what has been going on in Lawndale High without Daria and Quinn present.
• The Daria Fan Club has grown and changed a good bit. You might wish to check it out.
• Can there be good things in bad episodes? Byron Lomax asks that question, then invites your response. What do you think? (Me, I haven't seen a bad Daria episode yet.)

FF.net

• The InDark, by Mediancat (Part 22): The screams had come from beefy guy and his wife. 'Course, Daria could hardly blame them, with the eyeless robed guy with a long knife walking around waving it at people. He'd been headed for Amy's car, but on seeing Daria and Oz had turned towards them. It was as if his orders were: "Go after Daria, slash tires, and scare people," in that order of importance. It was a good thing no one had tossed in "Go after her friends." (Daria/Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

PPMB

• Anti-Trope, by Minx (continued): "I demand you do something about this!" Ms. Li looked at the irate woman that stood before her and sighed. "Mrs. Rowe, I'm afraid there just isn't enough evidence to support your claims," she said calmly. "What more evidence do you need?" Mrs. Rowe exclaimed as she threw her hands above her head. "My son has e-mails to that boy discussing the paper, he even has handwritten notes! Look!" Mrs. Rowe retrieved a manila folder from her briefcase and dropped it on the desk in front of Ms. Li. "if that isn’t enough evidence I don't know what is." Mrs. Rowe smiled victoriously as she waited for the principal to respond.
• Daria: Hunter 6—Infectious, by Jim North (continued): Burnout moved to follow her, but Jane put her hand out and shook her head. The blonde frowned but stayed at the doorway, slingshot at the ready. Jane turned to the rest of the group and noticed a high keening noise. It took her a few seconds to trace the sound to Brittany, who was staring down at Mack and screaming as quietly as she could. DeMartino and Kevin had picked themselves up off the ground, but Mack sat against the wall, cradling his dead wife's arm. His eyes were wide, his dark skin had gone ashen, and his breathing had turned ragged. Even at a distance and in the poor lighting, Jane could see the perspiration standing out on his forehead. She knelt down next to him, making sure her blade arm was as far back as she could get it.
• Finn Morgendorffer 51: A Matter of Trust, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 4): Daria was still wrestling on what to do with Henry, and she decided the only person she could talk to about it was Jane. She headed over to BFAC unannounced, hoping that Jane was there. Sometimes it could be hard to find her. Jane had been spending a lot of time with Miranda and Mark, and, while Daria knew better than to lash out at them, particularly since Jane was so happy, it bothered her. She was spending more and more time alone. She was disappointed when she knocked on the door and found that the other two wheels, Miranda and Mark, were the only two people in the room.
• Is It Over Yet? by S.C. and Kara Wild (COMPLETE!): "You have ONE last chance to make your WOEFUL study habits moot during the final exam! Which is why I ENCOURAGE you to sign up for the new school TUTORING program. The smart ones to teach, the IDIOTS get to ruin someone ELSE'S life for a change!" "Well, when you make it sound so rewarding..." (PPMB discussion thread)
• Judith Strikes! The Taking of Lawndale High, by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): If you were out in Lawndale after curfew, you were either desperate—for food, for shelter, for an escape—or hard as nails. Either way, you wouldn’t go to the Zon. It was too big a wreck, too condemned, too much a reminder of how Li had massacred organized resistance in her rise to power. So twenty-one people sneaking into it over the space of an hour? Twenty-one people who were clearly armed? If you’d seen that you’d immediately know something was up, just before they slotted you before you blabbed it.
• Politricks Are Not for Kids, by Brian Taylor (Part 3): "She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes... she'll be coming 'round the the mountain when she comes..." "Oh, Jesus God, why won't you leave me alone?"
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Daria and Jane pregnant at the same time), by Vukodlak (COMPLETE!): Tom was sitting at home watching TV eating some popcorn. In a couple of weeks he'd be off to Bromwell, for now he was enjoying Sick Sad World. Well, "enjoying" wasn't exactly true—there simply wasn't anything else on. It had been over a month since the incident in which a moment of weakness after their breakup Tom went to Jane's and they ended up sleeping together. And the following day Daria, filled with regret over the breakup, went to see him and they made up all night long. Needless to say it had been a very awkward couple of days, but they had managed to talk things out and clear the air... though he hadn't spoken to either of them since. "Millionaire playboy knocks up both his ex-girl friends who used to be best friends, when Sick, Sad World returns." "What an idiot," Tom said to himself. At that moment there was a knock at the door.
  

Unidentified Flatulent Objects?

Hard to believe that only 63 years ago, the modern age of the UFO began with the sighting of nine flying objects near Mt. Rainier by pilot Kenneth Arnold. This curious moment in history is sometimes now called UFO Day, and we celebrate it as such here. Are UFOs from alien worlds? Is there a conspiracy keeping the truth from us? Could Beavis and Butt-head have anything to do with it? Keep watching the skies!

In other historical news, it was only 636 years ago today that one of the first known cases of dancing mania broke out. It appeared in Aachen, Germany, then spread across Europe and affected thousands of people who danced uncontrollably until they collapsed. Despite all rumors, the outbreak had nothing to do with disco, which was a much later disaster.

NuuZ!

• Jezebel.com features another Daria article: "Daria & Fashion: A Few of My Favorite Things." Enjoy.

PPMB

• Anti-Trope, by Minx (continued): Heather dug the remote from between the cushions, turned off the television after the closing credits began to roll then turned to Dean and watched his brow furrow as he seemed to be dealing with an inner moral conflict. She smiled and placed a hand on his thigh, "Are you okay? You look troubled," she said. "Huh? No I'm okay," he said a little startled, "Just trying to think of something to pass the time before I have to go back and meet up with my family," he lied as his eyes fell to her hand. Had he actually been paying attention to the outside world, he would have realized the time to meet his parents had come and gone. "I can think of something," she said in a slightly seductively tone as she leaned in and planted a chaste kiss on his lips.
• NEW! Bathing with Archimedes, by RLobinske (COMPLETE!): "Dr. Frumsworth explained that glasses shouldn't cause a problem unless have a very specific combination of myopia and astigmatism correcting optics that could interact with the field to convert other electromagnetic wavelengths to UV as they pass through the system." Jack said, "Then taking her out into the sunlight was a bad idea." "Sounds like it," came Daria's voice. Henry partially climbed up the sculpture and held the scanner over the edge of the tub "Daria, can you look at the scanner so that I can get your prescription?" "How about if I take off my glasses?" "Don't. If they are the cause of the malfunction, removing them would disrupt the field and bathe you in a dangerous level of UV radiation." (FF.net)
  
• Daria: Hunter 6—Infectious, by Jim North (continued): The two agents excused themselves from the small group that they had been talking to and made their way over to the table, where Jane stopped them before they could speak. "No no no," the bounty hunter said. "Before anything else, I wanna hear some names." The agents frowned. "No names," the male agent said. "It's better that—" "Bzzt!" Jane cut them off. "Wrong answer! Look, I enjoy the whole cloak and dagger bit as much as anybody. But trying to refer to you two in any specific way without names is getting more than a little annoying, especially when we're surrounded by your extended three-piece family, okay? Before you give Daria the third degree, you're going to cough up some damn names, whether they're real or not. Got it?" The agents looked at each other, then back at Jane. "Agent Bealer," the woman said. "Agent Moore," the man followed.
• Finn Morgendorffer 50: Matters of State, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 8): “Are you ready for this, Finn?” Amy asked. Her voice made the words almost seem as a challenge, but Finn didn’t mind. “No second chances, I’d better hope so.” Finn answered. Amy smirked at the answer. “I’m so proud of you, Finn. All your effort has been rewarded.” Rita praised. “Thanks, Aunt Rita, but I haven’t won yet. And we should get going. It’s going to be a long day.” Finn noted, and the family agreed. Finn wondered if they were as nervous as he was going into this game. There was a phenomenal difference between the audience and a player, but when it came down to it, they wanted this victory for Finn as much as he wanted it, and they could only watch and cheer, powerless to affect it.
• NEW! Grove Hell on Earth, by Charles RB (Part 5): Crisis erupted, fast and terrible, and Amelia’s attempts to hold it back had only made it worse. “I’m using those bushes next!” yelled Daria as Amelia scurried off. She saw Rob’s expression. “No, really. Saves another stop later on. ‘Work smarter, not harder,’ as Mum used to say before she noticed Quinn was doing neither.” “I don’t trust you,” he said abruptly. “I don’t know what your game is, but Amelia’s had enough grief in her life.” “Excuse me?”
  
• Lawndale's Finest: Actions Stories #4, Power Struggle, by Jim North (COMPLETE!): The electrical discharge tore through empty air as Jane stepped to the side. She felt her skin prickle as it went past, barely missing her, but she didn't have time to breath a sigh of relief. Livewire tossed another bolt her way, then a third, forcing her to focus entirely on dodging. After another blast passed her by, she swung all the way around to the other side of her attacker, the massive g-forces of moving so fast in so small an arc causing darkness to press around her vision for a second. (FF.net)
  
• Raft College: The First Year, by Rglovejoy (Part 11): Stacy was laying on the towel next to her, listening to her iPod. Quinn looked over at her friend and tapped her shoulder. "Stacy, could you pass me the tanning lotion?" The pigtailed girl immediately rolled over to face Quinn. "Of course," she said as handed the bottle over. "I hope it's working for you." "Oh, it's fine, Stacy. I just have really sensitive skin, being a redhead and all. You're so lucky, your skin does a lot better in the Sun." Stacy smiled happily at the compliment. "I was thinking, since we're both seniors now and stuff, what're you gonna do for next year? I mean, are you still thinking about going to Pepperhill?"
• Sleepwalker, by Jim North (Part 1): The little girl desperately wishes to fall asleep. It is an almost nightly chore, the struggle to find just a few more precious minutes of sleep before she is called upon to go back out into the world to suffer its slings and arrows. It's so much easier to bear when she's gotten a proper eight hours, but those days are few and far between. Most night, like this one, continue in frustrated silence as she stares helplessly at the ceiling and hopes for a reprieve. She has little understanding of this affliction. Mommy and daddy have sent her to doctors and clinics, spending as much and sometimes more than they can afford to find a reason if not a cure behind the insomnia, but to little avail. It is simply her unnatural condition, to remain awake when by all rights she should be asleep, dreaming dreams of far away lands of magic and mystery.
• Stuck Inside of Howard with the Crewe Neck Blues, by Brian Taylor (Prologue): Weekends with Helen Barksdale were something that Daria and Quinn had both come to dread. Good days involved forced conversation and an attitude of artificial cheeriness that usually broke down into awkward silences which stretched on for minutes (with luck) or hours (without). Bad days started at awkward silence and progressed to Daria holing up in what she liked to call the Guest Room Perilous, Quinn mutely watching MTV on the living room sofa, and Helen barricading herself in her office and yelling at junior associates over the phone.
• Tracksuits, by Malakite (Part 9): Sandi smirked slightly at Quinn's somewhat doubtful look as it reflected from her full-length mirror. "I don't know, Sandi" she said softly, before continuing with more confidence. "The black is slimming." Sandi smiled at this as she replied, "Not that you need it." "And this grey stripe is subtly bust-enhancing," Quinn continued with her critique. Here, Sandi ran her hand lightly over Quinn's chest as she whispered in her ear, "Yes, it is." "But these holsters... I'm worried they make my thighs look fat."
  

Spring Has Sprung! Fall Has Fell!

Lots of interesting tidbits for this day, so get ready. "The Story of D" premiered nine years ago today, midway through the fifth season of Daria. The episode's title was based upon the title of a famous pornographic novel, The Story of O, about which no more will be said here. Look it up on your own. "The Story of D" was embarrassing enough for Daria, who is at a low point when she goes over to Tom's house to blame him for her story being turned down by a magazine. The shame of it. The image at left is Daria's face when she realizes that she has been... (duh DUNNN)...

REJECTED!!!

Today is also the spring equinox, at 1:32 PM EST (adjust for your time zone). You may dance around the Maypole and throw flowers or whatever. It's *Spring*! (This holiday is applicable to the Northern Hemisphere only; it's the autumnal equinox below the equator, where everything is backwards.)

Because this is springtime, this day is also the Persian/Iranian new year's day, celebrated as such for the last 3,000 years; Ostara, a pagan holiday (Mabon in the Southern Hemisphere); Equinox Earth Day (some say it is the real Earth Day); a holiday I cannot pronounce in Japan, there for admiring nature; Chunfen in China; International Astrology Day; the International Day of the Francophonie (party hard if you speak French like Daria and Jodie); St. Cuthbert's Day (for Dungeons & Dragons game enthusiasts); Sham el-Nessim in Egypt; and (most importantly for this fandom) World Storytelling Day. The storytelling theme for this year is "light and shadow."

Oh, and it is also Extraterrestrial Abductions Day. Srsly. Poor Artie. Tiffany is the E.T. poster girl at right.

The downside is, a tragic event occurred six years ago today in one of the many Dariaverses out there. A sad and magnificent story.

Do you know of any other crossover appearances of characters from Daria besides those given here? If so, drop a note and the item will be added to DariaWiki.

ART!!!

• The Artist and The Burnout, a marvelous image of which Jim North says, "Nobody saw this coming." I sure didn't.
• The Hallowed Halls of Fielding, by Quiverwing. Miracles never cease!!!
• NEW! Quinn and Stacy from the Daria: Hunter series, by Jim North. Teh awesomeness!!!
• EVEN NEWER! Tom and a very pissed-off Andrea from Daria: Hunter! PAR-TAY!!!
  

PPMB

• Finn Morgendorffer 38: Fractures, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 1): “I understand if you’re weirded out. I mean, dating your buddy's ex doesn't jive with the dude code.” “The code is malleable. Us guys are nothing if not understanding of our buddies. You two are both my friends, and I care that your happy. If you’re happy and she’s happy, that’s all I’m concerned about.”
• Getting a Bye, by Disco316 (COMPLETE): Daria sat in her room, pondering how best to phrase her question for the first, and quite possibly last, test she’d ever have to give. As she finalized her test, a knock was heard at her door. She saved her work and called, “Chaos reigns within.” The door opened, revealing Sandi. She was wearing a very low-cut burgundy top with a black micro miniskirt. “Hello, Daria.” Daria looked around, unsure what to think of the scantily-clad Fashion Club president before her. “Um, I think you have the wrong room, Sandi.” “Oh, Daria, Quinn and your parents left for a movie,” said Sandi. “They won’t be back for a couple hours. This is between you and me.”
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker, by jtranser (continued): "As far as ThirdSight is concerned, you're just another predator trying to get in the game. And the only thing they haven't yet decided is what sort of cage to put you in."
• Uplinked, by Silver (COMPLETE!): Hiro: Cynic, this is insane. / RacheIsGod: All the more reason to go for it. / CynicalData: Shut up, please. I'm working. (Daria/Cyberpunk 2020 RPG)
  

Beware...

Back in Roman times, today was the Ideas of March, the mid-month. We know of this date thanks entirely to Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar. The Ides of March reappears in Daria fanfiction as a person, thanks to the existence of Holiday Island ("Depth Takes a Holiday"). The Ides is not a "holiday" in the usual sense, and it is certainly not regarded as a nice day as a result of what happened to Caesar exactly 2,053 years ago. The physical appearance of the Holiday Island character known as the Ides of March was based upon a cross between 1950s spree killer Charles Starkweather (at left) and 1963 presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, more the former than the latter. Fanfic authors, use him as you wish.

Today is also World Contact Day in ufology circles and among those who believe in Men in Black. The date originated 57 years ago with a conspiracy theorist, and the concept eventually grew in the telling (particularly in a 1967 essay anthology) until rock groups like Klaatu and the Carpenters (!) were singing the official song of World Contact Day. If you want to know more, follow the Wikipedia link and sub-links, but be warned you are heading out on a very bizarre Internet trip.

Roentgen has once again opened a can(on) of worms in his opening post of what promises to be an interesting PPMB thread on the usefulness of canon in Daria fandom. Enjoy.

Sick, Sad World has updated again! Yay!

PPMB

• Apocalyptic Daria: Timeline, by Doggieboy (Part 1): Before I begin this timeline, let me introduce myself. I am the Chronicler, and my job is to tell you of the events that mark this particular corner of the world I watch. To hear my wife tell it, my job must actually be to sit at the pub and throw back a pint or two of stout whilst telling ribald tales and eating a plate of fish and chips. She is wrong, although I cannot deny that I do enjoy such pleasures.
• Falling into College 72: Valley of Love and Delight, by RLobinske (Part 14): "Have another drink, Daria," Jane said. Daria shook her head. "You can have a hangover in the morning, I'm going to pass. Besides, I want to have the blackmail material after tonight, not be the blackmail material." "You're no fun."
  
• Zero G, by SigDiff (Part 4): “Daria, we've apparently got a rat infestation.” ”I'm not sure I want to know how you found that out.” “Well, what are we going to do about it?” ”Nothing. But if we lose another system to a rat, I'll suit up and vent the whole damn ship.”

A Few Last Aliens to Bug You

These two images were posted here before, but not in such high quality. Thanks to UU for his help with the alien images of late. Use them in your stories as you like.

Ten years ago, MTV aired a special program called, "Behind the Scenes with Daria." It's one of the few Daria programs of which nothing remains: no script, no photos, nothing. We hope the program will appear on the DVD set in May.

The Aliens Among Us (in Jane's School Locker)

"The Old and the Beautiful" has an interesting moment in which we get to peer inside Jane Lane's school locker. She has a drawing that looks to be of a Grey alien, and above it a sketch of some kind of tentacled Cthuloid monster with one large eye. (She's holding a bull's skull, by the way.)

Why would she have these? Yeah, I know, because she's Jane and having monster pictures in her locker is a very Jane sort of thing to do. Her brother Trent, however, has a picture of a Grey in the Tank. Wait, the Tank is owned by the drummer, Trent just drives it. The image at the lower right is from "Road Worrier." You can usually see the Grey behind Trent's head while he's driving.

If you click on the label "aliens" below, you'll get a long list of all the other aliens that have appeared in Daria over its five seasons. That's a heck of a lot, and we're not counting mentions of Sasquatch, black helicopters, clone armies, and alter egos.

Or the UFO convention with the giant green Grey making a peace sign (or victory sign?) for the crowd. (Click on pic for detail.)

Interesting place, Lawndale.

Wonder what really goes on there at night...