Woof!

This gorgeous fellow is enjoying a celebratory stick for National Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day, but I hope he watches where he's going. Daria is a licensed driver now, she still wears glasses instead of contacts, and she's anything but timid after her encounter with Travis.

I hope that Mrs. Stoller is enjoying Kindergarten Day, especially because she apparently believes everyone she sees is a kindergartner. At least you know her students were always very aware of their posture.

Since today is National Library Workers Day, I want to tell you all one thing: Shhhhhh! Okay, fine, you can talk quietly. Just watch out for falling roofs, all right?

Fanfic Update!

• Of Inhuman Bonding, by wilddogjj (COMPLETE!): "Quinn, Jim and Tommy were in the parking lot speaking to a panicked Kevin and Artie."


• Spider Quinn 21 A View of Oakwood and Ruins, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 4): "Upon using an emergency exit they found security waiting for them. Ninja Talon slammed it closed and SpiderGirl webbed it shut."


• Unfortunate Son, by wilddogjj (part 1): "It was Sunday night and the Carbones (Quinn, Jim and the triplets) were having a huge Italian Sunday dinner in the dinning room. Extended family were present as well. Jake and Helen were there, though Daria wasn’t due to being too busy to commute from NYC to Lawndale."

If You're Mean to Her, She Might Sue

Helen wants to make sure that everyone knows that it's International Be Kind to Lawyers Day, so she will be happy to accept any compliments, gifts, or--never mind, she has to leave due to an emergency at work. Please hold that thought until she gets some free time in a few months, okay?

On the other hand, any librarians (including this very blogger) will be happy to take time for National Library Workers Day. Please be sure to visit your local library and support the employees!

Finally, if you've ever wanted to change your name to Ronald then today's your chance because it's Name Yourself Day. Don't let any gazebos stop you! Daria might consider changing her name to either Esmerelda or Darya.

Fandom News!

• davidfalkayn needs some help in setting up a possible ship.


• Discuss "Sleepy Lawndale Awakens" by Bacner.

Shhhhhh!

Mr. O'Neill is portraying silent film star Charlie Chaplin in honor of the man's birth on this day in 1889. I have to say, this is one of my favorite alter egos of O'Neill. Not because the two have anything in common, but because can you imagine a silent Mr. O'Neill? It would be heaven.

I'd also just like to point out that today is National Librarian Day, so if you'd like to buy any gifts for a librarian you know (cough, cough), then this would be a good opportunity.

Fandom News!

• View and discuss the new trailer for Star Wars Episode IX.


• TheBrodsterBoy wonders what episodes of South Park he should watch.


• Talk about why we write (and draw).


• Shiva posted a new art Iron Chef: Mecha Ensign Daria Art.


• TheBrodsterBoy posted a new Iron Chef in the Creative Writing forum: Blank Brittany.


• Discuss the burning of the Notre Dame Cathedral.

She Is the Egg Man, Not the Walrus

Today is Easter, hope your day is filled with many chocolate ellipsoids and good tidings. And Helen Morgendorffer says this about that.

Did you know that today is also World Rat Day? No? Shame on you. It's for the pet fanciers. This day is also the anniversary of the day Congress finally settled on a design for the U.S. flag, which only took them only a few decades, of course.

Some sources claim this is School Librarian Day, which would of course fall on a Sunday and not a school day. There is disagreement over the date, though, some quoting April 23rd. Whatever. Our best to you, Kristen Bealer the fan librarian, hope you don't mind being our mascot. We have a furry suit for you somewhere around here.

Do you like nerdy girls like Daria? Check out this blog post covering "retro nerd girls" from the movies and TV. Wow, didn't know there were so many!

PPMB

• NEW! Finn Morgendorffer 41: It's Called Boston, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 2): “So anyway, I hatched this plan to get Jane to go up to BFAC and see the sights and meet some people and look at some art and...” “You are aware this plan can backfire on you in so many ways it would take too long to mention them?”
  
• RATBOY!! by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): "Kevvie, take that off. Your fur smells funny." "Aw, babe!" [Just in time for World Rat Day!]
• Ring-a-Ling, by Doggieboy (Part 1): “I’ll get it!” Quinn Morgendorffer yelled as the phone rang. Her older sister, Daria, lay on the couch and watched Robot Monster on the television. “Of course you will,” she muttered and chewed on some popcorn. She chuckled as bubbles came out of Ro-Man’s radio-thingy. “Ah, why can’t they make movies like this again?”

The End of an Era

Thirty-nine years ago today, the disastrous Altamont free concert took place, and the age of peace and love came to an end. Jake Morgendorffer was there to see it. Terrible tragedy, but he did get his money back. [cough]

Another era (almost) ended on this day nine years ago, when the webmistress of Lawndale Commons, one of the famed fansites of the late 1990s, threw in the towel and decided to turn off the site. (It apparently went down a few years later in 2003, the webmistress having decided not to throw in the towel until much later, thank heavens.) An essay written about this incident notes that flame wars drove several of the webmasters of the time away. Interesting. More on Lawndale Commons later.

One hundred twenty-two years ago, a poet named Alfred Joyce Kilmer was born. We were treated to seeing a library named for him in Lawndale, in the Daria episode "See Jane Run." (There's a little in-joke about that library's name. The DariaWiki link explains it.)

The guy that everyone thinks of when they hear Luhrman speak was born fifty-three years ago today: Steven Wright. I love his stuff. Awesomely funny.

Still working on spiffing up the blog. Needs more cowbell. Need to think. Hmmm. Suggestions for perking it up?

Now 2,064 pages on DariaWiki. Now 1,052 members at the Daria Fan Club. Now 54,200+ hits on this blog.

Lorenzo Sauchelli's brand-new logo for the Daylight shared multiverse is online at PPMB. Thank you!


FF.net

• Call of Quinnthulhu, by Janarky (a.k.a. Dervish): A now-classic tale of horror and ugly pores.

SFMB

• Apocalyptic Daria: Brave New World, by Doggieboy (Part 5): “Where’s Diana?” (FF.net)

More fanfic listings on the way, later today.

Axes Are Fun!

Temperance advocate and axe-wielder Carry Nation was born this day 162 years ago. If you don't know about her, even a brief glance at her life story is entertaining and informative, an interesting piece of the great patchwork quilt of the American experience. Plus, Jane Lane knows about her and once said: (click here).

This is also the 173rd anniversary of the birth of Andrew Carnegie, a philanthropist who, among other things, donated money to Louisville (my home town) to start a public library, where I spent a lot of my childhood going through dinosaur books by the ton. It seems appropriate to mention him here, as he is indirectly responsible for a lot of my weirdness.

Today is also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (yes, it is odd with Carry Nation born today, too, but I'm okay with that) and International Men's Day, but only in Canada and Australia (and a few other places). If I understand this correctly, we guys are supposed to honor the latter holiday in part by honoring the earlier holiday (being nice to women) and by sacrificing something for the sake of family, friends, and country. In other words, we don't get to sit on the sofa and watch TV and drink beer, or whatever. Something to think about, anyway.

Shall I read fanfiction tonight, or not?

Here's an update on new fanfics at PPMB to help you decide. I'll update the Big List soon.

The Dark Knight, a segment from an upcoming fic by NightGoblyn
Dial M for Magic, by LSauchelli (Part 2)
Falling Into College 61: Latitudes, by Richard Lobinske (Part 4)
Open Windows 5: A Stab in the Dark, by DJW (completed!)
An Overlooked Flaw, by legendeld (Part 11)
Stacy Rowe, Seeker, by jtranser (Part II)
Stranger, by legendeld (Part 3) *

* Story might contain mature elements. Brace yourself.

DariaWiki has acquired some expanded webpages recently, namely ones on DJW's wild-and-crazy Clovis Lee-Daniels (needs fan art!) and the popular AU tale, "Esteem Roller," by legendeld. Check them out.

Finally, a bit of good news from CNN: Some people are still using libraries! Hooray! More news tomorrow.