Hearts and Wheels

Cupid hopes everyone is having a super-romantic Valentine's Day, but reminds you that if you aren't, there's always the Love Taser! (My advice: don't accept his offer.) Daria has already shared her thoughts on this particular holiday.

Today is also Ferris Wheel Day, so why not surprise your sweetie with a ride that goes around in circles? Try not to share a car with Stacy, though. That's a real romance-killer.

Fanfic Update!

• American Idiot, by Lady Evil (parts 3 and 4): "Alfred’s favorite fast food hamburger was actually Whataburger, but those were hard to come by this far north." (Part 4)


• Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl, by Meester_Lee (part 42): "Daria put the coins in the slot and then dialed the operator. She looked around to see if there were any Muggles close enough to overhear her reading the numbers off her credit card."


• Doctor Who - Changes in Time and Space, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 10): "Kiara saw Felicia enter the elevator, after the culprit had used another. Unfortunately there were only two elevator doors on that floor."

"Everything is cool. Everything is love, baby."

Happy Valentine's Day! And what could be more romantic than a horrifying, way-too-revealing image of Upchuck as Cupid?

Today is also Half-Price-Candy-Day Eve, and for those who like a little less eye-gouging horror on their holidays, here's a bunch of Valentine's Day-themed fanfic for you to enjoy.

• Acts of Cupidity by Disco 3:16


• The Bear and the Unicorn by Brother Grimace


• A Bitter Aftertaste by Dennis


• Daria/Dorian: Love Rescue Me by Di


• Pause in the Air: Family Affairs by The Angst Guy


• The Secret Life by The Angst Guy


• The Valentine Crush by LILJELLYB AND T1TANIC111


• Valentine's Day by Deref


• A Valentine’s Day to Remember by Galen Hardesty

Also, here's a bonus Valentine's Day picture created by S.C. Don't worry; it's way easier on the eyes than that alter ego of Upchuck.

"Everything is cool. Everything is love, baby."

Happy Valentine's Day! Nothing quite says "love" like a half-naked Upchuck, so consider this my holiday gift to you all. Try not to get hit by Cupid's love taser or get tricked into blurting out the name of that particular someone who makes you feel like Queen Cleopatra.

Especially if that particular someone happens to be a half-naked Upchuck.

While you all try desperately to erase that image from your minds, here are a few Valentine's Day-related fanfics for your enjoyment:

• The Bear and the Unicorn by Brother Grimace


• The Valentine Crush by LILJELLYB AND T1TANIC111


• Valentine's Day by Deref

Begorra! The Saints' Days of Holiday Island Preserve Us!

It's Saint Patrick's Day once again, time to drink green liquids and party party party and pretend you're Irish and all that traditional stuff. We have the Holiday Island leprechaun-type St. Patrick here, and the Tiffany alter ego-type St. Patrick, so do it to it.

These two costumes, by the way, would be extremely easy to duplicate for those fans whacked out just enough to do it.

"College Bored" (season one, 13 years ago), "Daria Dance Party" (season three, 11 years ago), and "Murder, She Snored" (season four, 10 years ago) all premiered on this date. Another three good reasons to celebrate the date!

NEW! N0O0Z

• I'm seeing reports that the first two season of Daria are also available at iTunes.

PPMB

• Finn Morgendorffer 37: Mature Relationships, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 5): “There’s this... squirrel!” Jake ranted. “Knocking over my trashcans, digging near my shrubs!” “Yeah, squirrels are pretty aggravating,” Tom agreed. “Tom, don’t encourage him,” Daria remarked. “I’ve been trying to catch him, but dammit, the squirrel grabs the acorns and the stupid trap doesn’t close!” “Ummm... have you tried something sticky?” Stacy asked. “I know they like peanut butter, maybe that’ll get it caught.”
• NEW! General Semantics, Private Angst, by Gwrtheyrn (Part 19): Daria first ran to Nastasya Mackenzie. She pressed a quick thumb into her carotid artery, but could detect no beat there; there was not another moment to be lost on anything more. She had to disarm all the guards, before anything else.
• NEW! The Hallowed Halls of Fielding, by Roentgen (Part 16b): "Why do they call Clarissa van Maar 'Tony'?" asked Quinn. "A lot of it's kind of weird," said Jill. "But I can show you. Tony!" "Hello, Jill," Clarissa said. "How are things, Tony?" "Things are [i]grrr[/i]eat."
  
• Shining Star: Temporal Conundrum, by RLobinske (Part 2): While his team fitted charges around the six Architects Gates in the room, Ian Llwyd held off a group of trans-dimensional pirates who had been using the distribution node as their base of operations to loot and steal across the multiverse. His number two called, "Ready, Ian!" In a Cornwall accent, Ian said, "Fall back to the rally point and prepare to leave!" Keeping up a steady stream of covering fire with his modified Sterling submachine gun, he backed to the rally point while also keeping a wary eye on the explosives.
• NEW! Unnamed story (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have: Ouch Time), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): The crowd of over 300,000 screaming fans cheered as Tom Sloane picked up his guitar and stepped to the front of the stage for the final song of the night.
  

ZZZZZZAP!!!!

Three Daria episodes premiered today in the distant past: "The Invitation" (13 years ago), "Depth Takes a Holiday" (12 years ago), and "A Tree Grows in Lawndale" (11 years ago). At left we see the results of Cupid's Love Taser on Jake and Helen. A very sweet and special moment it was. ZAP!!!

And a very special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to CHUCK NORRIS! He turns 70 today. No kidding. He is THE MAN!!!

OZ NuZ!

• NEW! Mega-fan tafka from Australia has posted a link to the OzDariaCon site on Facebook, with photos from past OzDariaCons. (You need to be logged into Facebook to see the link given in her post.)

ART R0O0LZ!!!

• "Surrounded by Idiots" (Andrea done Lichtenstein style), by Minx: an unbelievable work of pop genius! You can have MY fifteen minutes of fame, too!
• LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE! "Burnout Girl a la Warhol's infamous Marilyn series," digital media (PSP), by tafka. WE BE ROCKIN' NOW!!!
  
  

PPMB

• Daria—The Next Chapter, by LadieT (Part 4): Jane's night was no better. She tossed and turned. As she fell into an unnerving slumber, she had an eerily vivid lifelike dream. She was sitting on the couch in their old apartment in Boston. She was looking at photos strewn over an old coffee table, with her hands in her lap. She heard the door open and close. A pair of arms reached around her. She looked up and saw Tom's smiling face. "Hi, Jane. How are you?" [continued here]
  
• NEW! A Few Years Difference, by Vlora (Part 3): "So what did you do all day, Trent?" the younger girl asked, her hands tucked under her chin as she pretended to look interested. Daria had felt her attention snap to Jane accidentally at the question; she quickly turned her eyes back to her half-eaten slice. "Slept." Jane groaned, "How do you manage to sleep all day?" "With my eyes closed," said the resolute male whose name was apparently Trent.
  
• Finn Morgendorffer 36: Brain of the Family, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 2): Daria wasn’t surprised to see an older male teacher walking out with a box of his things as she walked to the school the next day. That must have been Mr. Edwards, the teacher Finn had mentioned was doing whatever it was to that girl he was talking about. Daria briefly considered what ramifications it would have, but dismissed it. She didn’t care what happened to that guy, and they’d just pick another teacher. I wonder what idiot would take that stupid job, she thought to herself as she looked out front at the real teachers, who were holding up strike signs.
• NEW! General Semantics, Private Angst, by Gwrtheyrn (Part 18): The face was intact. It looked unmarked by the terrible fear and agony that had wracked her in those last seconds as she had burnt like a match in front of the Games Machine. There even seemed to be a touch of colour in the cheeks. Daria felt sure that that dead face looked more lifelike than her live one at that moment. (Daria/van Vogt's World of Null-A)
• NEWEST!!! In Vino Veritas, by Disco316 (COMPLETE!): After a song by Skin Klinik finished up, the channel went to a commercial. Most of the dozen folks in the bar paid little heed, but one woman fixed her steely gaze on the TV before her. “La la la la la,” sang the TV as a promo for Daria: The Complete Series came on. Various clips from the series run were played to best characterize Daria’s wit. At the end, a female announcer read, “Daria: The Complete Series. Own it Tuesday on MTV DVD.” The woman stared at the TV, a look of hatred in her eyes. “I freaking hate her.”
  
• NEW! Zero G, by SigDiff (Part 1): Ringing filled the bedroom as the alarm clock, blinking the time of 7:00 AM, bleated its morning call. A slender hand slid out from the covers lying on the bed beside it, blindly guided to the Off button with a precision obtained from years of muscle memory. “Ugh.” A voice muttered from the bed. After several seconds, Daria rolled over and sat up. After her body automatically retrieved her glasses from the nightstand and put them in place, she scanned the room, finding the other bed empty. I guess Jane found a guy to spend the night with. I just hope she's already awake and on her way over. (based on this idea)
  

More eventually, fuzzy headed at the moment.

"...we are compelled to ask, what is love?"

Yes, my friends and followers, love is in the air, dropping like nuclear fallout across the world, irradiating us with its rosy glow, weakening us with the sickness of desire. It's St. Valentine's Day, and Cupid is shooting his Love Taser everywhere. Will you feel the shock of passion? Will you collapse with romantic tingles when the Love Taser finds you? Beats me.

Seventy-six years ago, love touched someone in a Daria fanfic. And ten years ago in another fanfic, an important message had to be delivered by this date. Was it a missive of desire? Read the story and find out!

BTW, TelevisionWithoutPity.com has a very active message board of late about Daria and the DVDs. The link takes you right there.

Stay tooned.

Happy V.D.!

Just a quick note to let you know I probably won't be blogging tomorrow night. Valentine's Day, you know, going out for dinner and so forth.

Richard Lobinske has done terrific work adding all the Daria Fanworks Awards to the DariaWiki. A round of applause for him, please.

And, as a special for Valentine's Day, here are three new artistic endeavors from PPMB, courtesy of (drumroll) DeviantART! Great name, that.

1. FANWANK!!! A sensitive and touching reminder of what February 14th is all about: naked lesbians and the guys who watch them. Thanks to Christ Oliver for this thoughtful and timely reworking of a classic (in-canon!) Daria/Jane moment.

2. Ukrainian Daria (WIP), by HumberBay. Ukrainians love Daria too, or at least I assume they do, and HumberBay is preparing Our Heroine for a special appearance in traditional Ukrainian dress. I think that's what that is.

3. Cuuuupiiiid, by MDetector5. Does this love taser make me look fat?

Have a great V.D. tomorrow. Party on most righteously!