Hitting Below the Designer Belt

Either Stacy is celebrating Boxing Day in an unusual fashion (pun intended) or she has taken exactly as much of Sandi's crap as she's willing to take. I hope Daria doesn't decide to get the old refrigerator box out again, partly because it might bring back bad memories and partly because it's too cold to sit outside in a cardboard box.

On the other hand, a little solitude at any temperature might be the better option if Quinn decides to celebrate National Whiners Day today. I'm sure she has plenty of subjects to whine about, from not getting her preferred Christmas gifts to Stacy wearing a crop top with baggy shorts.

I assume that the Guptys are celebrating Kwanzaa today, based on the presence of "Kaneesha's First Kwanzaa" in their book collection. Unless they've decided that Kwanzaa is too commercial and rots your teeth or something, that is.

Fanfic Update!

• Beautiful love moments, by redpink (part 1): "Soft light filters through the curtains. The room is quiet, cozy. Pillows are scattered across the bed like clouds."


• Spider Quinn 19 Making the News Amidst the Storms, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 12): "In the Historia café, Andrea breathed a sigh of relief, although Mina Rodgers had yet to arrive. She then saw Quinn re-enter."


• The Times, They Are Deranging, by Kristen Bealer (COMPLETE!): "'Excuse me, are you Ray?' The young man who turned toward Helen looked exactly like she'd expected: scruffy, shifty, and not in the slightest bit trustworthy. She suspected that he had a promising career ahead of him as a crooked businessman who embezzled heavily from the company."

Maybe Daria is Part Cat!

Instead of either shopping or punching people, Daria has elected to spend Boxing Day by boxing...herself. Gotta say, of the three options this one sounds the most appealing to me, too. Throw in a good book and I'm set for the whole day!

This is also the first day of Kwanzaa, which the Gupty family...might...celebrate? Based on their owning a copy of Kaneesha's First Kwanzaa, anyway. With that group, I can't even guess.

Fanfic Update!

• Daria Enrolls at Nevermore, by Meester_Lee (part 5): "Alder led Hopgood and the three women from Georgetown inside, leaving the cabbie in the small dining room that remained open after the end of Nevermore’s school year."


• My Week At Lily's, by radiofox (part 1): "Lilith sat down on her double sized bed and scooped her phone into her nimble palm. She swiftly gripped the black iPhone and flopped onto the bed."


• Song From An American Movie, by ladyevil (part 6): "Daria found herself on a stage in front of a muddled crowd of faceless people. Great, I’m having that nightmare about being naked in public again."


• The Youngest Barksdale, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 5): "First class was Language Arts. 'And so, in The Sound and the Fury, Faulkner give us a veritable kaleidoscope of P.O.V.s -- points of view. Of course, the title itself is from Shakespeare. Can anyone tell me which of the Bard's tragedies?'"

Float Like a Fashionista

Stacy's got her game face on for Boxing Day, which has more to do with shopping than the sport of boxing. Then again, maybe this is Stacy's preferred method of shopping? If so, I pity the shoppers (or Sandi) who get in her way today.

Today is also Kwanzaa, and I assume the Guptys will be reading "Kinesha's First Kwanzaa" to celebrate. With any luck, Tad and Tricia's training will kick in and they'll contribute all kinds of fun commentary along the way.

Fandom News!

• See ambient's imgur gallery.


• Discuss the cases of voter fraud...in Donald Trump's favor.


• Daria is streaming on Comedy Central Animation Pluto!


• Share the weirdest stuff in early Daria.


• Talk about the Nashville Christmas explosion.

Hitting Below the Designer Belt

Normally I would tell Stacy that Boxing Day has nothing to do with the combat sport, but one look at her expression tells me I'd rather just stay out of her way. I don't know what Sandi said this time, but I'm sure she'll regret it soon.

Today is also the first day of Kwanzaa, and I expect the Guptys will be reading Tad and Tricia Kaneesha's First Kwanzaa to celebrate.

Fanfic Update!

• Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl, by Meester_Lee (part 17): "Both Jake and Daria left Florean Fortescue's ice cream shop sated, happy, but exhausted."


• Daria's Great Adventure, by dmsfanman (part 33): "Arnison and Mia removed the helmets of their surface suits. Arnison looked around and was quite impressed with the space."


• The Hallowed Halls of Fielding, by Roentgen (part 179): "'You know,' Pat said, 'why don't we have a virtual frog? Or something?' Tom and Pat looked down at the dead frog on their dissection plate. 'What, not going to major in biology, Pat?'"


• Hell hath no fury... (IC: Make a Daria Character a Killer), by nightbeast37 (COMPLETE!): "It was well past 9pm. Kevin had been chained to his bed, stripped to his boxers."


• My Cruddy Valentine, by Lady Evil (part 5): "'OK,' Daria said at her book club. 'Does anyone have any questions about what we've read so far in Emma?' A girl with pigtailed strawberry blonde hair raised her hand. 'Yes, Natalie?'"

Boxing Brittany

I think Brittany's got the wrong idea for Boxing Day, unless this is how she always goes shopping. I suppose the boxing gloves would be an advantage in beating other people (the Fashion Club, for example) to the best deals at Cashman's.

Today is also the start of Kwanzaa, which the Guptys apparently celebrate for some reason per "Pinch Sitter" and Kinesha's First Kwanzaa.

Fandom News!

• Ever wonder what it would be like if Kevin Thompson became a US ambassador?


• What would a Daria/King of the Hill or a Beavis and Butt-Head/King of the Hill/Daria crossover fanfic look like? Share your thoughts in the threads.


• Do you think Daria is just as good looking as her sister, Quinn?


• Jabe Shepherd wonders how a first interaction would go between Jane Lane and Beavis and Butt-Head.


• Dark Kuno shares an illustrator's repainting of Disney and other cartoon caracters.


• See an artist's take on Jake in the new Daria on Tumblr thread.

Sandi Had Better Watch Out

Someone needs to pull Stacy aside and let her know that although today is Boxing Day, it really doesn't have anything to do with the combat sport. Looking at her expression, though, you might want to wait until she changes out of her fighting gear.

In less violent news, today is also the first day of Kwanzaa. Apparently the Gupty family celebrates this holiday, considering they have the book "Kaneesha's First Kwanzaa" in their library. There's a fanfic waiting to happen, I think.

Fanfic Update!

• The Aftermath, by metameric1 (part 2): "'Jeez, now she's a total egghead!' The burst of laughter followed Daria down the hall. Some of the people nearby glanced at her, some smirking, but most shared a dark look as they ever so slightly tightened ranks around the smaller teen."


• "Aw Mama...Can This Really Be The End?", by Scissors MacGillicutty (part 31): "'Detective, please hold for Special Agent Sydnor.' —it's still morning and you're still listening to Mental in the Morning with Bing and the Spatula Man!"


• The Blackout Menace ('Iron Chef' for Robyn & all comers - 'The First Ten Minutes'), by baelparagon (COMPLETE!): "For the majority of people in life waking up in a strange environment with no idea how they got there would have caused a momentary panic response. For Daria however this was beginning to become a rather unfortunate circumstance"


• A Crystal Tokyo Nursery Rhyme (Tales of the Shadow Senshi: Rise of the Shadows), by Erin M. (COMPLETE!): "Rest my child, it's time for bed Time to lay your weary head If awake you try to stay The Shadow Senshi come to play"


• Daria: College Pains The Sophomore Year, by James the Lesser (part 1): "Lindy sits at the Morgendorrfer home with Little Jake on her lap. 'Your momma is going to be home soon. I hope with good news.'"


• Dear Daria, by Anonymous (COMPLETE!): "Dear Daria, That's a silly slip. But I told Wren I was writing to my sister, so I suppose that makes it truer than if I was just writing in a journal. And it's not like you'll ever see this or anything."


• The First Time ('Iron Chef' for Robyn & all comers - 'The First Ten Minutes'), by Indigo (COMPLETE!): "Daria woke earlier than usual that morning. She had wondered what this moment might be like for her ever since she had been old enough to wonder about such things."


• Last Day (Re: 'Iron Chef' for Robyn & all comers - 'The First Ten Minutes'), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "Daria rubbed her eyes, and groaned as she took in the far-too-bright beam of reddish-orange sunlight and the sound of her mother's piercing, incoherent shrieks."


• The Morning Aftermath ('Iron Chef' for Robyn & all comers - 'The First Ten Minutes'), by 45Ranger (COMPLETE!): "Daria opened her eyes and quickly sat up in the bed, too quickly judging by the pain in her head. Speaking of pain it was made even worse by what she would swear were explosions going off in her room."



• Neg Active (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: The Madness Sets In), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "Chuck had been doing it wrong for a while but he knew the real deal now. To get the girls, he needed to be a challenge. He needed to show his superior genes. Just like Alpha V said, he had to bring those 9's down a peg and show he had social capital and then they'd be his. He might even get to... (his mouth went dry) ...kiss a girl."


• Nuclear Fallout of My Winter Heart, by Anonymous (COMPLETE!): "Jane opens the door to the student services building, and it's still bone-chill cold inside, but at least there's no wind. They check a laminated map to find the office for Raft Roundtable. 'This is all your fault, you know,' Daria tells her, tugging down her scarf to speak."


• SickSadWorld.com, by Anonymous (COMPLETE!): "What the hell was Jane up so early on a Sunday for? The situation being rare enough, Daria sighed and answered. 'Hello?' 'Daria! Did you see my email? Did you hear the news?'"


• Star Trek: Daria - Resurrection, by echopapa (part 15): "'Got any basic training stories you'd like to share with the readers?' Jake asked. 'Do you want me to tell you tales about how all of us underclassmen had to muster on the parade ground at 0500 while we were berated and chewed out by a Drill Sergeant from Hell? And then we were made to do PT and run laps until we threw up? Sorry to disappoint you, but none of that happened.'"


• Unnamed story ('Iron Chef' for Robyn & all comers - 'The First Ten Minutes'), by Princess_Pasta (COMPLETE!): "Daria was, understandably, livid about having woken up in the middle of her best friend's dorm room devoid of both her glasses and her shoes. Any memory she had of the previous afternoon was fuzzy and there was no doubt in her mind that Jane was wholly responsible."


• Unnamed story ('Iron Chef' for Robyn & all comers - 'The First Ten Minutes'), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "'Ugh, my head...' Daria moaned as she crawled out of bed, on reflex she grabbed the bottle of bourbon on her nightstand and took a swig."


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: The Neuropathology of the Fashion Club), by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): "'Oh Quinn!" Stacy said, "I'm glad that we're getting to be real friends. Best friends! Closer-than-best-friends!'"

Quotations from Fashion Chairman Quinn

Why someone decided to put Quinn's face on the body of Mao Zedong is beyond me, but today's the 115th anniversary of Mao's birth, and superfan UU has stated that this would be the ideal Quinn doll, so here it is. No accounting for taste. I think Quinn would swoon to see her hair cut like this, on top of the flat gray outfit. If there is a Fashion Hell, this character is the doorman.

Today also marks the start of Kwanzaa, which made a momentary appearance in the episode "Pinch Sitter."

Here's a question: would either Mack or Jodie celebrate Kwanzaa? Would anyone in Lawndale do so? I find myself unable to answer that question. Comments, anyone?

"Kinesha's First Kwanzaa"

While Andrew and Michele Landon do the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers thing for us this Kwanzaa, let us reflect on a story that once upon a time appeared in Daria Fanficland: "Kinesha's First Kwanzaa." I have forgotten the author's name, but he said he had titled the story after the children's book mentioned in "Pinch Sitter," as he could think of no other name for the tale. In a weird kind of way the name was appropriate, though for the life of me I could not say why.

The tale was an alternate-universe creation in which the birth order of Jane and Trent Lane was reversed, so it was Trent Lane who sat behind Daria in Mr. O'Neill's self-esteem class. Daria and Trent became friends but never dated; Jane, being older, had her own life but still looked after her little brother. It was a bittersweet story, very affecting and sad, though in no way tragic. The ending was moving and well handled, and I always considered it one of the best Daria AU stories ever done.

And then the author decided to have all his fanfiction removed from the Internet, and it vanished utterly. I cannot even find the story using the Wayback Machine at www.archive.org

Anyone remember this story? Anyone know where it can be found?

LATE NOTE: I have corrected the spelling of the story's title per the story itself, by Mr. Anonymous. Thanks to Cincgold (CINCGOLD?) for saving the day!