Be Grateful For Peace!

I see Daria is doing the absolute bare minimum for International Peace Day, and while I'm not surprised I would hope for better. What would your parents say, Daria? That is, the younger hippie versions of your parents. They'd be pretty bummed out.

Today is also World Gratitude Day, so, uh, thank you. For reading this blog and stuff. There, I also have put forward the absolute bare minimum!

Fanfic Update!

• All American Rejects, by Lady Evil (part 5): "'Number 9....Number 9...Number 9....' Lennon’s haunting voice repeated."


• Crystal Claw, by Sheila Wisz Ellayn (part 19): "It seemed to Ella Anne that Lawndale as her new home was just getting better and better."


• Like a Steel Beam Through the Heart, by WildDogJJ (COMPLETE!): "Adam Rowe sat on a lounge chair eating popcorn as he watched Quinn and Jim having a major domestic spat."


• Unnamed story (Scenes no Daria fanfic should have), by wacokid (COMPLETE!): "'Hey, look!' Jane said eagerly as she and Daria roamed through the carnival. 'Let's go on the Dungeons & Dragons ride!'"

Peace Out!

Daria's going to have to do better than flash a peace sign if she wants to celebrate International Day of Peace. In fact, she'll probably opt to spend the whole day observing the quest for peace...and quiet while she reads a book.

Today is also the anniversary of the publication of The Hobbit on this day in 1937. If Jake didn't take this opportunity to make Helen another Hobbit-shaped candle, I'll be very disappointed.

Fanfic Update!

• Danny Morgendorffer, by ST91 (part 16): "It was afternoon and it was very hot. Daniel fell to the ground on his back. His left cheek hurt due to the punch he received. He tasted blood in his mouth."


• Daria's Great Adventure, by dmsfanman (part 29): "The Martian Explorer I came up alongside the derelict ship. The computer made certain that they did not collide with any debris along the way."


• Fates Entwined, by Deep Metal (part 32): "By the time Daria had arrived at the scene, she saw practically all the townspeople gathered together under the night sky. 'Where is he?' asked Daria, getting out of Mr. DeMartino's car."

A Day for Grateful, Peaceful Hobbits

Helen is holding a brown lump of something vaguely hobbit-shaped in honor of J.R.R. Tolkien's book The Hobbit, which was published on this day in 1937. She should probably at least try to feign appreciation for the present, though because today is also World Gratitude Day. At the very least, I suggest she not start a war over it, because this is also International Day of Peace.

Fanfic Update!

• An Annoying Paradise, by Resop (part 1): "'Are you even listening to me?' Startled, Asamura Daria (1) looks up from her book and looks at her sister, Asamura Quinn (2), through large glasses. 'Who are you again?'"


• Neutral Ground, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "Daria looked around at the slightly grubby, worn nature of the tiny mom-and-pop joint, which would have looked out of date in the 1970s, as David Allen (dressed smartly in his 'service dress blue' uniform - identical to the uniform worn by active-duty Naval officers, but with USAES insignia) followed her through the door." (Part 2)


• Sonoma Coma, by jtranser (part 25): "'Begin the Gathering of Livestock' '...B-b-but that's insane, Daria!'"


• Stargate Delicately Balanced Daria, by Meester_Lee (parts 3a - 3c): "The Quesnir came out of hyperspace at the edge of the star system above the plane of the system's plane of the ecleptic, then slowly made its way in-system, firing off probes towards two of the three large gas-giants that orbited what Earth astronomers would have classified as a G-class star well beyond the distance separating Jupiter from Earth's own sun." (Part 3b) (Part 3c)

The Melted Thing She's Holding Is a Hobbit

A lot of birthday anniversaries are up for celebration today, all relevant to this fandom in various major and minor ways:

• Stephen King (who inspired a Stacy alter ego and the authors of these Daria tales: 1 2 3 4) (and fan art and more fan art) (and more in-joke references in Daria fanfics than I can possibly list here, just way too many)
  
• Chuck Jones (famed Warner Brothers animator, helped inspire this tale and this series)
• H. G. Wells (two of whose SF works are referenced in this Daria episode)
• J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (inspired a gift Jake once gave to Helen, per the image at right from "Sappy Anniversary")
  

It is also the International Day of Peace, for what that's worth.

More to come.... and here it is!

Superfan Pinhead turns out to be an amazing artist. He has posted some of his work to PPMB: a thread of Daria/Melody Powers art, and a special moment between Daria and Jane. This is fairly mind boggling stuff.

PPMB

• Finn Morgendorffer, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 1 - COMPLETE): Ever since Finn starting going through puberty and started his seductive attitude, Helen had been trying to make sure he didn’t end up like Rita. Daria and Finn may not have fought as often, but they certainly were as bitter to each other, as Rita was to her. Despite all her desires not to, Finn was becoming the person she despised most in the world. The fact that Finn was her son was heartbreaking.
• Jacob Morgendorffer, Esq., by CAP (Part 3): “Hi, Dad,” Jake tentatively said stepping to his father‘s side. “What are you doing here?” Mad Dog wheezed. “Mom asked me to come,” Jake replied. “She said that you were... sick.”

The Most Depressed Student at Holiday Island High

The upset girl at right is actually one of Daria's unnamed classmates, getting a bad psychic reading from Ms. Barch in "Fair Enough." However, she is pretty much how I imagine that the kid named International Day of Peace looks at Holiday Island High School. Happy Peace Day today, for what little it is worth.

On a happier note, today is the anniversary of the birth of many people and things of peripheral importance to Daria fandom, judging from message-board posts and fanfic contents. Here they are:

• Stephen King is 61.
• Jerry Bruckheimer is 63.
• J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is 71.
• Chuck Jones, the famed animator, was born 96 years ago.
• H. G. Wells was born 142 years ago.

We don't have and will probably never have peace, but we can toast the folks above and their creations for keeping us from thinking about that.

LATE ADD: A thread on PPMB has been devoted to discussion of the Ringbearer story mechanics (exactly what can a Defender Ring do, etc.). If you are interested, see also the DariaWiki entry for Defender Rings, which is being revised.

Legendeld has more rants to rant for the weekend.

Newest entry on DariaWiki: The Agency! Thank you, Richard Lobinske!

Moar l8t........ Okay, it's l8r now.


FF.net

• Give and Take, by slowlygoinginsane (Part 1): Daria set her bags down as she looked at her bedroom. Padding still on the walls. Just the way she left it when she headed off to Raft. Tomorrow she would be back at Lawndale High. The thought sent shivers down her spine.
• Is It Graduation Yet? by MandeeMistress (Part 8): “I’m not okay with this. I cared about him a lot. But I’m not okay with him sleeping with his ex girlfriends.”
• Liquid Diet, by Smileyfax (Part 1): "I should let you know, I'm infected."

Fortress CINCGREEN

• Data Dump, by CINCGREEN (Part 3): There must be some way out of here / Said the joker to the thief....

PPMB

• Falling Into College 64: This is Now, by Richard Lobinske (Part 4): "Your soul is so bright, but there's a darkness behind you."
  
• Farmyard Funnies, by Deref (Part 4): [I have a bad feeling about this.—TAG]
• Invading, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Part 2 Preview): "We don't need Avengers, we have the Super Friends!"
• A Little Sax in the Morning, by CAP (COMPLETE!): Joey smiled broadly as the door opened. Mrs. White was a tall lean blonde with a body that more then one player on the football team had admitted to having fantasies about when Jamie was out of earshot.
  
• Lost and Found, by magnuskrauss (Part 1): Jane was alarmed. "What happened to Trent?" she asked without preamble.
• Mobius Strip, by legendeld (Parts 1 and 2): “I just got a call from my parents, apparently Daria dropped out of school and disappeared.”
• Sometimes It Rains, by legendeld (Part 11): “Hey, if we drop dead, we’ll try to fall over artistically.”
• Tales of the Ringbearers: First Day on the Job, by Doggieboy (COMPLETE!): “Kinda wild how a plain old guy like me can score a beautiful runner up for Miss Kentucky, huh?”
• Tales of the Ringbearers: Journey's Debt, by Legendeld (Parts 4, 5, and 6): “So are you going to blast one of us or send us to separate universes?”
• Tales of the Ringbearers: Rules of Engagement, by Legendeld (COMPLETE!): “You’re going to go back and tell them I need experienced Ringbearers or metahumans to help me. I don’t have time to babysit some kid.”
• Two Wrongs Make a Right, by magnuskrauss (COMPLETE!): [No comment except that the ending was perfect.—TAG]

SFMB

• King of the Swill, by Gum Wars (COMPLETE!): This story takes place 3 years before DARIA moves to Lawndale. It is a little know fact that mr. Khan from KING OF THE HILL owned a store in DARIAS hometown of highland at that time...