I Seriously Doubt They Can Harmonize At All

The three Js are clearly one J short of a quartet for Barbershop Quartet Day, but that pretty much sums that trio up mentally, doesn't it? It's just as well, though, because the last thing those boys need is to add yet another person to compete with.

Let's do a special shout-out to Jamie in particular, though, because it's National James Day and I assume that "Jamie" is short for "James." Then again, as far as Quinn is concerned it's short for Johnny, Jerome, or anything else that starts with "J."

I hope all of the Lawndale pets (seen or unseen) have a great day for National Pet Day, especially Leary and Mr. Whiskers. Jake should consider getting over his traumatic experience with the latter and visit the local animal shelter and finally get that cat he's always wanted. Nuts to you, Mad Dog!

Fanfic Update!

• Homecoming, by davidfalkayn (part 21): "Entering their house together, Jake commented as he scanned the living room with his eyes before setting a pizza box down on a counter. 'Looks like we beat the girls home.'"


• Two Men and a Brittany, by wilddogjj (part 1): "Quinn pulled her car into the parking lot of That's Amore, the most romantic (and expensive) Italian restaurant in town."

Expecto Dariam!

J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter's number one fan, is 45 today. Happy Birthday to you, and thank you for all the great books that inspired so many Daria crossovers. We leave Ms. Barch's crystal ball from "Fair Enough" as today's special image. Previous blog posts naming some of the Daria/Harry Potter crossovers may be discovered by clicking on Ms. Rowling's name under "Labels."

Another source of Daria crossovers, The Shadow, was first broadcast over radio on this day 80 years ago. Thanks to Ranger Thorne for his marvelous "Shadow of a Cynic" series.

Finally, this is Hawaiian Flag Day, the easy-to-pronounce version of the day's real name. The Is It Fall Yet? image of the Three Js surfing is sufficient for that. And Stacy in a hula skirt, and Mack as a surfer dude (late adds). Enjoy.

NuuZ!

• Roxanne M offers a new and startling Iron Chef: The Date. Perhaps you should read it instead of me spoiling it here...
• Getrealordie187's new Iron Chef is Daria and Military School. (Self-explanatory enough, right?)
• And now we have Iron Chef: Guys and Guys. Do it to it.
• NEW! Erin M. warns us that today is the LAST DAY for Judith Strikes! stories. Get to it!
• NEWER! Daria Motivational Posters by the metric ton!
  
• NEWER! OverlordMikey presents: The Puppet Princess Of Lawndale Kingdom 'The Artwork'
  

FF.net

• If Nothing Else, by Harley McCoy (Part 2): Soon they arrived, the double doors hissing open to allow Quinn, Jane, Jodie, and Mack to enter. Still wearing her blue gown, her tassel jumping as the young Morgendorffer girl clopped in her heels into the lobby. Helen was first to notice her daughter and the barrage of people behind her. "Quinn! Thank God you're here!" Mrs. Morgendorffer was made-up nicely, a knee length skirt and red silk blouse. Jake had a green polo and tan slacks. More casual than Helen would approve, but with a rising concern for Mr. Morgendorffer's heart, his over-worked wife let it slide. "How are you holding up?" Fumbling to articulate an answer, Quinn mumbled at first. "I, uh, I'm fine. What happened? Is she all right?" "We don't know yet. The doctor won't tell us," Helen answered, her voice rising in pitch from frustration.

Outpost Daria

• The Alter-Ego Chronicles 1: Rowe'd Racin', by The Excellent S (COMPLETE!): "Why did you pull me in? We were in the top 15!" "The tires were about to go, and we have no more left." "Really? No more tires? You've got to be kidding me..." "Money is tight, Stacy. We have to keep starting-and-parking until we can get a full-time sponsor. It's not good, but it's all we can do." (PPMB discussion)

PPMB

• MORE NEWEST! The Ballad of Daria and Stacy, a round robin by lots of people (in progress): "Excuse me. I have a question." "Sorry, question-and-answer time is later." "I want to know what "realizing your actuality" means," said Daria, not saying "it's meaningless isn't it?" but certainly thinking it loudly. "It means... look, just let me get through this part, okay? Then there'll be a video!" She wasn't sure whether to bother paying more attention in the hope of gleaning info, or if she should veg out and catch up on sleep. Before she could decide, the petite, pigtailed brunette sitting behind her gave a gentle poke. [Sorry I didn't catch this one when it first appeared!]
  
• Behind the Scenes of the Parade, by OverlordMikey (COMPLETE!): Ted stood in an alleyway with Robert. Behind them the parade continued onward unaware of their encounter. "I came to this parade to find you," Ted said nervously.
  
• Daria/Dorian 5: Mountain of Truth, by LadieT (COMPLETE!): "Dorian, I have to admit. I was skeptical at first over the whole change thing. However, I see so much of Daria in you. I knew I was wrong." "How do you think I feel? I went to bed that night as Daria..and after night of complete and utter hell. I became Dorian." "May I ask... what was it like, changing like that?"
  
• Daria/Dorian 6: Christmas Chaos, by LadieT (Part 1): It was strange how the whole Daria-to-Dorian thing had changed Jane's view of Quinn. Jane remembered the night Quinn had shown up at her house because she didn't want to be at home by herself. Then, Jane thought about the night of Daria's birthday. How she held Quinn while Quinn cried over the loss of her sister. She is truly afraid that she will end up alone and forgotten. I guess I'm not the only one with abandonment issues. Maybe this will be good for the both of us. (FF.net)
  
• Dimwits & Dragons, by Ken Tremberth (Part 1): Sighing in exasperation, Jane stood up and went over to her canvas, turning the light on. It was an incomplete painting. It had remained incomplete for most of the week. She picked up the brush, dipped it into the oil paint, and stood staring at the half-finished painting. Outside, the rumbling of thunder could be heard as a storm came in. Jane had known about this storm since eleven, the only thing on TV at the time being the local news. Her eyes narrowed as she stood there holding the brush an inch from the waiting canvas. (Daria/Dungeons & Dragons: The Animated Series)
• NEWER! Feel Like a Winner, by HolyGrail2007 (COMPLETE!): The football game was long and hard, and, thanks to yet another attempt by Kevin to run the touchdowns in himself like Tommy Sherman, Lawndale ended up losing again. Robert sighed as he headed back to the locker room.
  
• NEWER! Finn Morgendorffer 54: On the Outside of Love, by HolyGrail2007 (COMPLETE!): Jane was glad she wasn’t holding anything fragile in her hands when she saw her mom, she nearly toppled over. “I cannot believe you are here!” Amanda remarked with both surprise and pleasure. “In... France.” Jane wasn’t certain what her mother was trying to say. (Part 6) (ENDING)
  
• A Girl's Gotta Do What a Girl's Gotta Do, by Chris Tucker (COMPLETE!): "Daria, are you feeling alright? I mean, this plan of yours, it's so not you. It will upset the natural order of things at school." "Yes, Jane. I'm fine. It's something I have to do." "Wellllll.... alright. I trust you. Foolish of me, I know."
• Gravedigger, by LadieT (COMPLETE!): Daria sat her shovel down. She lifted her gloved hand to push her glasses back in place. She looked up at the sky. It was turning a darker shade of grey by the second. She looked at her map of the cemetery and walked towards the spot highlighted on the paper. She grabbed her ladder. Her usual partner had called in sick. It was rare for the funeral home to call her in to do a solo dig. She thought back on when she first got the job two years earlier. Her mother went ballistic. Jane handled it better. "That occupation survey we completed our junior year did say you were better suited to work with the dead."
  

• Grove Hell 2: All the Lawndale People, by Charles RB (Part 4): Daria had been all set for another session of blushing, being nervous, and otherwise indulging her hormones with Trenty goodness, but that was a bit hard when Jane was in the basement too, with paint and easel and a gleam in her eye. “You better not be about to say ‘I’m here to paint you’,” said Daria, “or I’m going to play Spice Girls songs. This is not an idle threat.” “I’m present to paint you,” said Jane. “Well played. As will be Zig-a-Zig-Ah.” (FF.net)
  
• The Hallowed Halls of Fielding, by Roentgen (Part 47): Helen didn't even bother pulling up to the driveway. "All right, now remember that we have frozen lasagna." "We have seven boxes of frozen lasagna!" Quinn cried. "Gahd!" "Well, until I can trust that neither you nor your sister will destroy the kitchen, you'll be sticking to frozen foods." Daria smiled. "You're still not going to forget Quinn's little accident, are you?" "Mo-OM! I was nine!" Quinn cried.
• Hell Hath No Fury, Like Daria Pissed Off! by Chris Tucker (COMPLETE!): The two girls huddled across the table at their local pizza joint. "Val's coming back to Lawndale to do a followup piece on me." "What? Where'd you hear that?" "I got an email from someone at the magazine. She didn't like the hatchet job Val did on me, and wanted me to know Val is going to do a piece on how the whole cancer/leukemia thing has affected "'D', the bummer chick". She somehow must have seen that little announcement about me coming home in the Sun-Herald. Anyway, I already emailed Mac and asked him not to cooperate with her. He told me she or anyone else from the magazine won't even be allowed past the front door!" "I always did like him. Now I know why. So, now what?" "I'm thinking about it."
• Jane Lane: Ace Attorney 2—Turnabout Teacher's Pet, by LSauchelli (Part 2): Jane dragged her feet, forcing herself to meet her client. She was thankful that Sandi didn’t see a reason to accompany her for this task, because truthfully, she thought she would have her plate full with one psychopath at a time. She looked at the ceiling and started counting cracks on it, wondering how much of an idiot she was for not only accepting this case but also betting her career on it. (NEW! FF.net) (Daria/Ace Attorney)
• MORE NEWEST! John Lane 47: Another Look in the Mirror, by RLobinske (Part 1): The cordless phone rang and Helen said, "I'll get it," as she picked it up. "Hello? Oh, hello, Mom." John quickly stood and went behind Helen to move the kitchen knife away from her hand.
  
• Judith Strikes! A Story About Nothing, by NightGoblyn (COMPLETE!): "I hate Ring portals," the second woman said, glaring around at their surroundings. She was dressed in military fatigues in the white and grays of the urban camouflage pattern, but was without a helmet and allowed her auburn hair to sweep around her shoulders. Her goggles glinted greenly as they automatically compensated for the low illumination in the room, and she carefully swept her HK-5 from left to right as she scanned the room.
  
• Judith Strikes! Would It Help to Close Your Eyes? by OverlordMikey (COMPLETE!): Judith appeared in the middle of the street. She was ready for whatever the world might throw... there was nothing. It wasn't what wasn't but what should have been. This was a populated world. There should be people—people who would pose a threat to her—yet when she appeared she saw no one. She had brought two armed men with her to keep the fools who attacked her at distracted since she didn't have time to kill everyone, yet they were gone as well. Judith opened her mouth but no sound came out. What the hell?
• NEWER! Just a Peek, by OverlordMikey (COMPLETE!): "Damn, I can't take it!" sounded the voice of Jeffy. "Quinn's just using us!" cried Jamie. "She's really cute and all, but I'm beginning to think she doesn't like me." "I still like you," Jeffy said with a grin.
  
• NEWER! The Lane That Wasn't, by LadieT (Parts 8 and 9 and 10): Jane was asleep when she heard a slight moan come from Daria's bed. Jake shot up from the pullout couch he had been lying on. Trent who had been sitting beside Jane got up and walked over to Daria's bed. He was the first she saw when she came to. She blinked several times as she tried to focus. Trent reached for her glasses and placed them on her. She gave him a weak smile. "Hey Dee... glad to see you're awake." (Part 9) (Part 10)
  
• Pulp Fiction, by Chris Tucker (Parts 4 and 5): "Hey, James. There's cops going door to door outside." Jane was by the window that overlooked the street. "Looks like they're carrying flyers. I think they may be looking for you!" "Damnation! I can't be found. Too many questions would be asked that can't be answered right now. I need the phone again." (Part 5) (Daria/Doc Savage)

• EVEN MORE NEWEREST! The Question, by LadieT (Parts 1 and 2 and 3 and 4): It was not often that Anthony showed his softer, gentler side in public. Being with Timothy, though, always helped him open up. They had been keeping their love life completely private... (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)
  
• Sleepwalker, by Jim North (continued): Once again, Stacy found herself running headlong toward what was certainly some sort of peril. Before, it had been the thought that the Goggle Eyes Man might hurt someone else when she could have done something about it that had driven her forward. But they had caught him. She and Ms. DeFoe had found Kevin and were keeping a close eye on him. Hearing the piercing shriek had jumbled those confident thoughts. (more continued)
  
• Stolen, by Malakite (Part 3): Henry blinked. Something seemed slightly off. There was a girl maybe half his age hanging on his arm. He pushed down the uncertainty as just being unable to believe his good luck. He'd gotten away from that shrew Janet, she had been a shrew, he reassured himself. They weren't happily married and she wasn't a wonderful wife and mother. Where had that come from? He leaned over to kiss Cindi as the query exited his mind.
• Three-Edged Sword, by NightGoblyn (COMPLETE!): "Hi, Daria," Sandi said, smiling and waving the shorter girl into the room. "I'm really glad you made it, you don't know how worried I am about my algebra. I know I'll pass, but I don't want to just pass I want to do well, and..." Her voice trailed off as she watched Daria toss her coat onto the couch. Her guest turned and faced her with an expectant look on her face. "Is that... why do you have a black eye?" Sandi asked. "Did Tom...?" "No," Daria said, shaking her head. "Tom didn't hit me, Jane did."
• Uncle Anthony's Happy-Fun Esteem Class, by Charles RB (Part 2): "I've got a little CHALLENGE for you. TODAY we talked about your DAYdreams and what you WANT from your home life—toNIGHT, you're ALL going to home and do JUST THAT—and if they COMPLAIN, tell them the SCHOOL ORDERS IT!" He jabbed a finger at Daria. "What's a daydream that YOU'D like to see COME TRUE?" "I guess I'd like my whole family to do something together. Something that'll really make them suffer." "And WHY is that?" "To get them to actually pay attention to me and not trying to get me to be more like my sister." "Remember the GOLDEN rule, Daria..." "If someone is doing something to irritate you, tell them about it in detail," she parroted. "EXCELLENT."
  
• An Unexpected View, by Paisleygal (continued): "My sophomore year in college, I injured my knee...in practice. It was kind of disappointing that I couldn't go out in front of a crowd of screaming fans, but it did put me out of the game. I had to have two different surgeries and several months of physical therapy. The doctors said I could play football, but if I got hit just right I might have trouble walking without a cane. My heart wasn't really in football anymore, so I made the smart choice."
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: The Date), by Greystar (COMPLETE!): [Too short to sample!]
• NEWER! Unnamed story (Iron Chef: In Celebration of Stanley Kubrick), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): The gang in white tore through the door laughing, their leader seizing Jane as they went, stomping and jeering into the kitchen... ...and stopping. "Wait, is this house pre-trashed? What are we supposed to do then?" (Daria/A Clockwork Orange)
  
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by LadieT (COMPLETE!): Tom stared down at the piece of paper that showed the address. He stood at the door, frozen in time. The house itself had gone through major repair, but the mailbox proved it had the same owner. It was a familiar place, one he used to visit when he was a teenager. That was when he was on top of the world....
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): [Too short to sample!]
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by Dark Kuno (COMPLETE!): [Too short to sample!]
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by rglovejoy (COMPLETE!): [Too short to sample!]
• NEW! Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by Breitasparrow (COMPLETE!): Trent was exhausted from the night before. It took seven hours to get to their weekend gig, which didn't end until 2 am. It was 10 the next morning when he woke up to a light kiss on the ear. "Jesse?" "Hm?" "Why did you kiss my ear?"
• NEW! Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by rglovejoy (COMPLETE!): "You the man, Tommy! You the MAN!"
• NEWER! Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by Jim North (COMPLETE!): "Hey, what's with all the damn noise down there?!" Jane yelled down the stairs. "I mean, the noise that isn't the usual barrage of anti-music?" "'Nother fight," Trent said as she stomped into the basement to stand next to him and Jesse. "The usual."

• NEWER! Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by LibertyBellJar (COMPLETE!): Jake Morgendorffer was left alone in the silence of the Lane family’s living room as Jane and Daria got ready upstairs. His eyes wandered and he soon found himself staring up at the ceiling, admiring a rough mural of the cast of Saved by the Bell descending into the fires of hell. As jarring as it was, it was hardly out of place in a home where photographs of medical school cadavers were splashed across the walls.
• NEWER! Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by Breitasparrow (COMPLETE!): [Too short to sample!]
• NEWER! Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by rglovejoy (COMPLETE!): The toilet stall felt so cold and impersonal. Anthony hated doing this, but when he felt his urges coming on, he needed relief and he needed it right away.
• MORE NEWEST! Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guys and Guys), by rglovejoy (COMPLETE!): "You want some of my pepperoni now?"
• EVEN MORE NEWEST! Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Real Esteem), by Ranger Thorne (COMPLETE!): “I pity the fool that don’t have self-esteem!” (Daria/The A-Team)
  
• NEWER! Unnamed story (Short note...), Chris Tucker (COMPLETE!): "Quinn, it's only for one week. One week won't kill you." "NO! I'm NOT leaving the house wearing, that, that, that THING!"
  
• Unnamed story (A Work in Progress. Subject to Revision), by Chris Tucker (COMPLETE!): "James, it was really nice to come with us to see Jane off on her flight to New York." "Hey, no problem. Got a few hours between finals and I needed the break. I like hanging with you two. You're fun to be around." "Still, it was nice and we both appreciated... Jeeze, look at that!" She was pointing to huge, delta winged jet making its landing approach at Logan airport. "Oh, hell! It's the X-1! What the devil are they doing here? This is NOT their turf!" (Daria/Doc Savage/Venture Brothers)
  

Jake in the Winner's Circle

Today marks the annual running of The Oaks at Churchill Downs, the big race between fillies just one day before the Kentucky Derby. And, of course, Helen Morgendorffer is the filly to beat! (That was not meant to be a joke about the riding crop Jake is holding. But maybe it is.) Whew, is it getting hot in here, or is that picture smokin'?

Tonight, however, is Walpurgis Night, Europe's version of Halloween. Hence we use the Three Js as the witches from Macbeth. (Yet another Shakespeare reference!)

Thanks to Pinhead for the big images. Stay tooned, more to come later.

LATE NOTE: Just because I want to, here is a small tribute to the best horse ever born. I loved this guy. Enjoy.

Four Score and Three Missing Links Ago...

Hard to believe that Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born on the same day in the same year. On the 201st anniversary of their birth, we give three cheers for them both. And today is also National Freedom to Marry Day, for everyone who loves slash but in real life instead of fanfiction.

Big fanfiction update coming this weekend. Also Valentine's Day, last chance to get a present for you-know-who. Which reminds me...

Aloha, Yo!

Today is Kamehameha Day, honoring King Kamehameha of Hawaii. Do something to celebrate the occasion! I don't know, just do something, roast a pig or eat pineapple, watch Is It Fall Yet? Go wild!

More soon. It's soon!

The courageous Disco316 has taken up the unenviable task of finding and listing all NC-17 Daria stories (Dariarotica). His list is on SFMB somewhere. If you can't find it, you're not supposed to find it. Some works are borderline but fit more into the conventional listing (e.g., "Embers" and "Love Is a Series of Burning Sensations," both by Undefinedlust, which is what I said in the first place). If you have an opinion on what constitutes Dariarotica, particularly which works should be in which list, post your thoughts here.

Epiphany, Daria style

Today is Epiphany, the Twelfth Day of X (formerly known as Christmas). Epiphany is the kid at Holiday Island High who figures things out long after it would have done him any good, and knows the right retort only after everyone has left the room. (His epiphanies are a little late.)

Epiphany got its start when the Three Wise Guys (see at left) began following a brilliant star (seen at right). After twelve days of begging and pleading with her for a date, she let them take her to Chez Pierre of Lawndalehem, which cost them all the gold they had. (The restaurant would not take frankincense or myrrh as payment because those are plants.)

Epiphany (as a word, not as the holiday) is hard to explain. I looked up a bunch of definitions. They include:

• A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization.
• An usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something.
• An intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking.
• An illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure.
• A revealing scene or moment.
• A sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.
• A literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.

Daria is probably the only TV show ever to make a joke using the word epiphany. From "Jake of Hearts":

• Daria: I may have had a hand in her epiphany.
• Jane: I hope you washed it thoroughly.

Not just any old TV show could pull that one off. Several Daria stories have epiphany in their titles.

• "Epiphany," by Nick Gaston
• "O'Neill's Epiphany," by Bacner
• "The Iron Cynic Series #2: Late Epiphany," by DJW (no longer online except through the WayBack Machine)
  

If you celebrate Epiphany, then you should definitely read these stories today. For religious reasons, of course. And now for something completely different.

Dark Kuno added the latest entry in DariaWiki: This Used To Be My Playground. Thanks! Brother Grimace and Dr. Mike have been doing great work there lately.

The Backgrounders website is attracting attention and comment on PPMB and SFMB. Read and learn.

The great Kemical Reaxion has posted a short comic on SFMB: "Alcohol and Sarcasm." Happy New Year!

Now 1,095 fans in the Daria Fan Club. Wow, that thing has really grown in the last year. Word must have gotten around. It's got a lot of good stuff.

FF.net

• Daria One Half, by Batlurker (Part 3): Jane whistled. "Wow, that's one of the weirdest things I've ever seen."
• Janey on My Mind, by Violent Dyke (COMPLETE!): One day, Jane left. This is what happened afterward.
  

PPMB

• Bettie and Jack at Festivus, by Gene (COMPLETE!): The fandom's first-ever Festivus fanfic! The first fanfic of 2009! And it's a good one! Hooray!
• Daylight LLH: Palmed Cards, by Gouka Ryuu (COMPLETE!): What the Hell were you doing earlier, Gouka? You revealed the existence of Arcana and The Elite to Armalin in practically the same breath!
• King of the Ladies, by Disco316 (COMPLETE!): Courage, advice, time travel: the things some people need to get a date.
  
• Other Side, by Legendeld (Parts 1 and 2): A steampunk Daria tale... with a bite.

SFMB

• Cybercity Lawndale, by JJXB (Part 14): The street's dark atmosphere lent itself to a horror novel. Daria was getting creeped out, feeling as if she was being watched. “Damn paranoia,” She muttered to herself. (So far, the only cyberpunk Daria tale I know of.)

One Last Minor Topic:

One of the ways I've been using to identify certain students at Lawndale High (for Backgrounders) is by picking out physical details about them, such as (for the males) beards. Some useful charts naming different beard styles are available on the 'net, and I thought I'd pick two of the best of them for those of you with bearded characters in your fanfics. The right words are always better than sort-of-the-right words.

• Beard types 1
• Beard types 2

For whatever it's worth. Enjoy.

The Witching Hour

That's about it. I can't find any more good Halloween stories. Time for you to write some more.


Have a great night and a better tomorrow. Ciao.

Like Peas in a Pod

I wasn't sure I would ever have a use for this alter ago, but today was the key: it's World Vegetarian Day! Hooray! I am going to have a hamburger to celebrate that.

October is interesting because a lot of fanfics apparently take place this month. They include:

* "All My Children" (Chapter 6), by Thea Zara and Deref
* "Community Disservice," by Mike Yamiolkoski
* "Dark Horizon," by Nemo Blank
* "Scarlett" (Chapter 1, the mouse's rescue)
* "Something for You," by Richard Lobinske

There are more, but that will do. Daria also had a story published in October nine years ago in Richard Lobinske's "Nineteen in Ninety-Nine."

A Reaction You Didn't Expect

The screencap at right is a revealing one, because it shows the only time in "It Happened One Nut" that Quinn Morgendorffer expresses fear at being within arm's reach of a boa constrictor. In fact, when she later discovers Joanna the python has escaped, she doesn't run off. She places a half dozen puppies on a table out of harm's way, taking time at one point to walk over and look into the empty snake container, wondering aloud how it could possibly have gotten away once she took the lid off its cage. Other people in the store run. She doesn't.

Still later, she is still in the pet shop with the snake still on the loose somewhere inside, organizing the Three Js into a search party to capture the boa. When Joey is caught by Joanna and is running around Lawndale Mall screaming with the snake wrapped around him, he passes right by Quinn, who doesn't blink an eyelash and merely watches him run off, pursued by the other two Js and the store owner.

We have definitely underestimated Quinn's willpower, fearlessness, and poise in the face of danger. She probably gets that from dating so much. (She did once run away when she thought the Rattling Girl was coming, but she was afraid then of becoming unpopular, not of losing her life.)