"Coffee...caffeine. Dark circles. Capisce?"

I suspect quite a few Daria fans will join Jane in celebrating National Coffee Day, so grab a mug (or two) and get your morning pick-me-up. Quinn will just be sitting over there, moaning about how badly you're going to do in the Mother-Daughter Fashion Show.

I'm sure Brittany will be happy to know that today is also World Heart Day, because hearts mean romance and she loves romance novels! To celebrate, let's share some of Helen's heart-smart lima bean cupcakes...on second thought, let's go grab a pizza instead. I'd rather take my chances with the clogged arteries.

Fandom News!

• Talk about the laughable list of requirements one man is demanding of any would-be partner.


• When exactly does personal responsibility go out the window? breitasparrow wonders about alcohol as an excuse for bad behavior.


• Daria made TV Guide's list of the 60 greatest cartoons. Discuss the ranking and see who else made the cut!


• Jeremy Garrett and Robyn have artwork requests in the Easel.


• What was your favorite artwork from 2013?


• Give your opinion of the fanfic series Abruptly Amy in Golden Oldies.

Chief Mack Daddy

Mack is doing his Sitting Bull impression again because today is Native American Day, which leads me to wonder...are there any Native Americans in Lawndale? Or is African American the closest they could get?

Fanfic Update!

• A Crashing Encounter (IC: Daria wrecks a car), by ashk09 (part 2): "Daria sighed, wondering how much they would dock her pay if she was to murder her friend right here and now, and use her entrails as an exciting new topping. 'If you're not gonna order anything, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.'"


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (part 20): "'I can't believe I'm letting you two drag me to a mall,' Daria huffed. 'Oh come on, Daria, we're going to a formal occasion,' Ashley replied, 'There is a certain level of decorum required by these fancy, upper crust types."


• Just Friends, by minx (part 17): "Trent could hear the girls muffled voices, indistinguishable while his head was covered with Jane's duvet. He thought he heard something vaguely like 'Trent'. His interest piqued, Trent uncovered his head, walked over to the door and strained his ears to listen."


• MST3Q (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by SacredDust (COMPLETE!): "The first scene of today's experiment lit up the theater, and immediately its three viewers longed for the darkness. The first words on the screen appeared: 'Crisswell Predicts.'"


• A New Direction (Iron Chef: My Dad, the director), by peetz5050 (part 13a): "'HI, I'm Kayla Lindstrom from CMC Marketing. I work with Quinn Morgendorffer on the publicity side. I was wondering if you and your friends would have lunch with me today? I have a proposal for you.'"


• Nursery Rhymes (Daria and the Gang Thread), by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): "'Okayyyyy,' Tiffany said. 'What do we dooo next?' 'I have it!' Sandi said. 'Nursery rhymes'"


• Unnamed story (IC: Early Meeting), by ashk09 (part 1): "Through the gale, Daria heard a noise, but between the roar of wind and having her jacket pulled up around her head, she couldn't make out what it was; there was a sudden screech, the sound of something slamming, and then a noise she was all-too-familiar with ... someone berating her in a strident tone of voice."


• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "'911 emergency dispatch. What is your emergency?'"


• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "The carrot-top let a tiny smile cross her face as she saw the single hole in the center of the sheet of paper tacked upon the sand-worn sheet of wood, once part of a wagon... a paper with the face of an angry-looking Chinese woman."


• Unnamed story (Scenes that should be: Pacific Rimmers), by Aloysius (COMPLETE!): "Anthony DeMartino saw the sign that said, "Duck Jerky, Cherry Fudge, and Homemade Potato Chips," and just knew that he had to stop. None of the three advertised items went together, so the story of this stand just had to be interesting."


• Veronica's Story : The Highland Years, by ST91 (part 4): "'Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Veronica, happy birthday to you!'"

Excelsior!

Kevin's settling in with his favorite issue of Ratboy because today is Comic Book Day! I know he's more interested in the blood splatter than any of the actual words, but hey, the boy is reading. Don't knock it. He can work his way up to Tolstoy gradually.

Aside from Kevin, what characters in Daria do you think would be comic book fans, and which ones would they read? Comic book geeks unite in the comments!

Fandom News!

• MartinUK has some advice about animated GIFs on the board.


• Talk about controversial books in the Banned Books Week thread.


• Could anyone on Daria replace Jane as Daria's best friend, or is she irreplaceable?


• Discuss the potential Warcraft movie in the Weapons of Mass Distraction forum.


• Where have all the Angst Lords gone? Dennis is wondering.


• Quiverwing is looking for writing advice.

"Hey, if more people spoke up...."

Daria is currently yelling at the TV because she's against the banning of books. That's appropriate, because this week is Banned Books Week--but go ahead and yell at your appliance of choice to protest censorship any other time of the year, too.

If you're looking for something good and controversial for your reading pleasure, see this list of frequently challenged classic books. If you're already read them all, why don't you write a story taking people you know in real life and turning them into fictional characters? It'll be a special assignment, just for you!

Fanfic Update!

• Credence, by Astrocar82 (part 4): "'I want you to stay away from my Kevvie,' Brittany nearly shouted, with anger dotting her face as she stopped just a few feet short of Daria. 'Will do,' Daria monotoned as she continued to get the books out of her locker."


• Daria 1/2, by LSauchelli (part 8): "She wondered what would’ve happened if Ranma had been a second slower. Would Quinn care enough to admit that it was her sister that died? Would her father cry and drink himself to his grave? Would her mother hunt down her killer?"


• Daria on Top, by PrecambrianStudios (part 2): "I was in luck. Not only is this boy with glasses (his name is Patrick) unbelievably wealthy, but he also happens to be very, very malleable."


• Diversions (Daria and the Gang Thread), by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): "'I don't know,' Quinn said to Stacy ten minutes after the final bell rang. 'I'm just...you know...in a rut. After the Fashion Club broke up, things have gotten boring.'"


• Dylan, by J-D (part 29b): "Then International Friendship Day lowered her voice to say, 'Everything from Buddha's Birthday to United Nations Day, but not everybody's comfortable talking about that at the moment. Since those three burn-outs ran away to Lawndale, Columbia and Lady Liberty have been going around saying that if we don't have a New Year we might as well give the designation to the Fourth of July.'"


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (part 19): "Daria ended the call and got up off the bed. 'That was Jane. She wants me to come over. Something bad happened.'"


• Life, There's More: Sweet Dreams, by RLobinske (part 6): "'Ms. Trainor and Ms. Rudolph have agreed to a Caesarean Section delivery for Ms. Trainor to avoid further risk to mother and child. She is being prepared for surgery and we will keep in informed as we have more information.'"


• Moments in Emerald Light, by Lord Yellowtail (parts 3 and 4): "The Ring is power beyond her wildest imagination, and the biggest reason she hesitates so long before deciding to begin being a real Green Lantern—not just practicing in her basement and the woods at night—is the far that she might hurt someone too much, or completely by accident." (Part 4)


• Mood Music (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "News of the new girl's encounter with Jane Lane and Jodie Landon spread like wildfire."


• A New Direction (Iron Chef: My Dad, the director), by peetz5050 (part 12): "'I think I pulled off the ingenue schtick without a glitch. Now let's get inside so I can relax a bit. Well would you look at these three wannabees. The wicked witch of the East and her flying monkeys. The Asian one looks like she's a couple of outfits short of a full wardrobe and pigtails is... uh oh, there she goes... and that's jenga. So what do I do? Step over her or play nice? Cameras are still on so nice it is.'"


• Unnamed story (IC: Creationist Daria: Were you there?), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "'Were you there?' asked Daria, smirking."


• Unnamed story (IC: Early Meeting), by ashk09 (COMPLETE!): "It had been a weird day from Jane's perspective; rather than catching-up on sleep, or sketching, as she would normally have done during Self-Esteem Class – a course that she had taken so many times now that she could recite O'Neill's speech backwards – she had actually bothered to engage with one of her colleagues."


• A Whirled Wind Romance, by ognawk (COMPLETE!): " As she took another bite, a vaguely familiar figure approached her table with some pizza. He had long blonde hair and was dressed in a red shirt and black pants. 'Wind?' she said, finally recognizing Jane's oldest brother, 'What are you doing here?'"


• Yes, by Sofa King (COMPLETE!): "'Gruff' entered the Georgetown apartment he shared with his girlfriend, Brittany Taylor, and dropped his keys in the bowl by the door. 'Britt?' he called. 'How'd it go today?' Hearing a noise coming from the kitchen, he hurried towards it to find Brittany on her knees in front of the sink, sobbing quietly, as she seemed be holding onto the lip of the countertop for dear life."

What's the German Phrase for "Go Team Go"?

Brittany's serving up some mugfuls of Oktoberfest cheer, but she's still trying to figure out if this month is September or October. If she asks you to explain, just blame Daylight Savings or something and grab another mug of beer.

J. R. R. Tolkien fans will be interested to know that "The Hobbit" was published on this day in 1937. I don't know if beer was involved in writing the books, but I'm sure some kind of alcohol was involved when Jake gave Helen that freaky hobbit-shaped candle for their anniversary.

Fandom News!

• Stripey is looking for contributions to her online webzine.


• Discuss the shooting spree at Washington Navy Yard.


• What music do you miss the most on the Daria DVDs?


• Kem would like your app recommendations for her tablet.


• Lord Yellowtail started a discussion about his QAQA universe.


• Two new Iron Chefs have been posted in Creative Writing: GDTSP9's Early Meeting and LSauchelli's Creationist Daria: Were you there?


• Artists can share their experiences and talk about their projects in the All-Purpose Easel Thread.

'Tis No Time to Be a Landlubber!

Yar! It be International Talk Like A Pirate Day, and Upchuck is eying the saucy wenches. The scurvy dog had best keep his distance, though, lest the wenches heave him into Davy Jones's locker.

Okay, I'm done now. The truly devoted pirate fans may enjoy Shane Greentree/Gregor Samsa's Esteemarrs!, I Don't (Like Landlubbers), and The Plunderin' Of Don Jake. And, um, yo ho ho or whatever.

Fanfic Update!

• ASPS, by PrecambrianStudios (part 45): "He expected to find walk inside the prestigious dorm to find Ethan in his room, either studying, poking Edgar, or teasing Hannibal and Frederick. Instead, he found him spraying the roses in Warville's front garden with a hose hooked up to a large green vat."


• Daria 1/2, by LSauchelli (part 7): "'Put those away.' 'Only when you're six feet under!' exclaimed the lost boy as he threw the dozen bandannas at Ranma. Each was spinning like an electric saw. One touched a desk and cut it in two. Ranma jumped over two, sidestepped another and then jumped towards Daria. A single bandanna was heading towards Daria's head. She closed her eyes, frozen by fear."


• Daria and Quinn: Phone Cards, by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "Daria: 'So Quinn...' Quinn: 'Yes Daria, what do you want?' Daria: 'Uh... How did you sell all those phone cards?'"


• Doctor Ewwww, by ognawk (part 1): "Jane looked the visitor up and down, recognising the clothes she was wearing but not her face and hair. She leaned forward slightly and squinted to get a closer look. 'What happened to your hair?' Jane asked."


• Dylan, by J-D (part 29a): "'What the hell?' said Dylan. 'Listen, whoever-you-are, if this is one of Rod's pranks, just go back and tell him I'm not falling for it.' 'I'm International Friendship Day, and I'm here on a secret mission from Holiday Island. I need to recruit you and Rod to help us.'"


• The Game of Six, by Erin M. (part 1): "'Excuse me? Miss Lightning Dust?' a quiet stallion's voice asked. 'Next show's at four,' Lightning replied, not looking up. 'Come back with your challenge then, okay?' A sack of bits landed on the bar in front of her with a loud clunk. Lightning Dust blinked and stared at the sack, before turning to look at the stallion."


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (parts 17 and 18): "Inside Pizza King, Ashley picked up two slices from the counter and walked over to the booth where Daria was sitting and placed the slices on the table. Daria had called him earlier to meet her here to discuss their future, but he had no read on where she was likely to go." (Part 18)


• Just Friends, by minx (part 16): "'You can stay if you want...' A stunned silence crept in. Trent studied Daria. She was the embodiment of a deer caught in headlights. He looked earnestly into her eyes but shed already put the wall back up."


• Left 4 Daria, by Charles RB (part 8): "'The question is, has the infection only spread outside or is the mall overrun too?' asked Daria. 'Academic, the only way we're getting out of here is to bring down the barricade - which we can't - or get the roof and signal for help,' said Barch. 'If the place is overrun, we'll just--' 'Die.' 'Shut up.'"


• Lessons (Iron chef: Mack is (falsely) accused of rape), by Sofa King (COMPLETE!): "'The defendant will rise.' Tom Griffin and his lawyer stand up, as the judge turns his attention towards the jury foreman. In the gallery behind Griffin, Mack Mackenzie, flanked by his classmates and rumored paramours, Daria Morgendorffer and Jane Lane, stares a hole through the back of Tom's head."


• Life, There's More: Sweet Dreams, by RLobinske (part 5): "After sitting, he turned and said, 'My dear Amy, how are you holding up?' 'I'm a nervous wreck,' Amy said. 'Paula will be fine. She's a tough girl and if I remember correctly, this was her idea.'"


• The Mageborn Cynic Chapter 5, by peetz5050 (part 3): "Looking out of the window Jane spotted some coats of arms she recognized on the elegant carriages stopped there. She sat back down and turned a speculative eyebrow toward the Magistrata. 'I know you told us the Gryphon's, the Rowling's and Lady Tio Fan and her attendants had been invited to the capitol but the upstart Ruttheimer? Who invited him?'"


• Moments in Emerald Light, by Lord Yellowtail (parts 1 and 2): "Betty isn't vain, but if asked she'll happily admit she wants her life to be meaningful. And so long as her dead-end friendships and looming collegeless, grease-filled future is her fault, her bad decisions coming back to bite her, she's perfectly happy to tell destiny to shove off. Because as long as it's all on her, there's a chance she can get out. Somehow." (Part 2)


• Quinn the Psychopath, by SacredDust (part 11): "Daria locked the door securely behind her. 'Glad you could make it.' Sandi frowned at their dull and grimy surroundings. 'Ewww. You would pick a place like this.'"


• Something Quick (Angst-Off!), by PrecambrianStudios (COMPLETE!): "DeMartino regarded the box on his desk with an odd sense of regret he could not quite place. Inside were the meager possessions he kept inside his desk: three mechanical pencils, two pens, a highlighter, a pair of rusty scissors, his favorite CD, and the only picture of his parents he had left."


• Veronica's Story : The Highland Years, by ST91 (part 3): "The one Jake had during what seemed a normal working day was cool and bad at the same time . In fact, at first he was very happy to see his odious boss arrested , found guilty of evading taxes for twelve years. Then he realized what that meant. He was a 42 year old unemployed man with three daughters to support."


• Unintended Providence (Iron Chef: only one parent comes to Lawndale), by deneich (part 2): "'Welcome to Biblio Sanctum, can I help you?' the lady, fortyish, casually dressed in a khaki skirt and a loose fitting fuchsia sweater, said cheerfully as she worked to rearrange a shelf of books along the back wall. 'Yes. I was wondering if you were accepting applications?"


• Unnamed story (IC: Awkward/WTF Endings), by LongSnakeMoan (COMPLETE!): "The hanging body of Quinn Morgendorffer was found swinging from a beam in her parent's garage."


• Unnamed story (IC: Awkward/WTF Endings), by SacredDust (COMPLETE!): "'Look, yo,' Method Man stammered, stepping protectively in front of RZA and GZA as they trembled in each others arms. 'Me and my boys...we were just messin' with you. We didn't know you could drop rhymes like that.'"


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: only one parent comes to Lawndale), by macross (part 2): "The large Black vehicle carrying Helen Barksdale made its way through the large corporate park outside of Lawndale on her way to work."


• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Silver (COMPLETE!): "'Ewwwww, Daria! What's with this creepy mask?'"


• Yes, by Sofa King (parts 1 - 3): "Taking a deep breath, the bride-to-be opens her eyes and stares at herself in the full-length mirror before her. She fights back tears as she realizes, with no small amount of relief, that she is about to experience what, just a few short years ago, she had convinced herself couldn't happen." (Part 2) (Part 3)

Joyful Jake

What's Jake so happy about? Post your captions in the comments!

Just as Long as They Set a Good Example for Their Daughters

Helen and Linda are having a friendly little chat because it's National Women's Friendship Day, which means that the conversation won't end in passive-aggressive sniping and white-hot fury concealed by a thin veneer of civility. Wow, I almost got through that with a straight face. Seriously, they're probably ready to kill each other by now.

Fandom News!

• Check out the latest Lessons From Lawndale update, courtesy of cfardell_Brenorenz29.


• Space fanatics rejoice! The space probe Voyager 1 has left the solar system...ish.


• Talk about J. K. Rowling's latest project in a new thread.


• Two new Iron Chefs have been posted in Creative Writing: LSauchelli's Mack is (falsely) accused of rape and Shiva's Lawndale High's Corruption Exposed! But not by D&J.

Oh, No!

Daria and Jane suspect that they've just seen a black cat walk under a ladder while breaking a mirror, and that means extra bad luck on top of...(dramatic music)...Friday the 13th!

Still, there's no reason to be worried. After all, today is also Positive Thinking Day, so keep your spirits up instead of letting a bunch of superstitions get you down.

Oh, crap. I sound like Mr. O'Neill, don't I?

Fanfic Update!

• Doctor Ewwww, by ognawk (prologue): "It's started, she thought as she stood up and backed away from the console. She looked at her hands and noticed they were glowing gold as well, with small trails of energy coming from her fingers. She could feel the energy building inside her as the trails became wider."


• From Another Angle, by Shiva (part 2): "The first day back in Lawndale High was going as well as could be expected as far as Farrah was concerned. Oh sure, the teachers were as nutty and (mostly) unreliable as they had been her freshman year. However being able to socialize with her friends made up for it. Somewhat."


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (part 16): "'On that note, I need to arrange a meeting between the four of us. I have something that should explain more of what happened.' 'What could it be?' Tom asked, his curiousity piqued. 'Something I recorded at the colony. I'm not sure it will fix anything, but I think you, Daria and Jane need to at least hear it.'"


• Mad Dog's Legacy Chapter 12: Hometown Hero, by Hyrin (part 2): "With the stride of an out-of-shape minor deity, Tommy Sherman strutted through the hallways of Lawndale High."


• A New Direction (Iron Chef: My Dad, the director), by peetz5050 (part 11): "Stacy Rowe was tired. No, I mean really tired. She'd been up all night."


• Six Million Dollars and a Few Tubes of Paint (IC: Disabled Daria), by Ranger Thorne (part 1): "Sitting on the side of the bed, he asked, 'How are you feeling?' Glaring at him with her one eye, she gritted her teeth and hissed, 'I'm missing half of me and you're wondering how I'm feeling?'"


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: only one parent comes to Lawndale), by macross (part 1): "Down the Suburban Streets of Lawndale came a large black vehicle. Its design was a meeting of sophistication and sheer power. To the casual the observer it highly resembled the militaristic Humvee mated with the compact luxury SUV."


• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "As Mr. DeMartino screamed in agony, his now empty right eye socket oozing blood and puss, the classroom stared in horror."

Twelve Years Later

Today is Patriot Day, which commemorates the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon twelve years ago. For Glenn Eichler's thoughts on those events and Daria characters' likely reactions to them, see his interview with Kara Wild.

Quite a few authors have also written fanfics relating to the 9/11 attack, which you can read here:

• Across the Violet Sea by Dennis


• Darkness by The Angst Guy


• A Matter of Priorities by Richard Lobinske


• Nightmare by Erin Mills


• Nine-Eleven and Counting by The Angst Guy


• Ninety-Three by M Man


• Prepare for Bore by DW Death

Fandom News!

• Lessons From Lawndale has been updated again. Thanks, cfardell_Brenorenz29!


• Kara Wild found a familiar-sounding parody by the Nostalgia Chick.


• How bad will the upcoming movie Diana be? Give your opinion in the Weapons of Mass Distraction forum.


• deneich posted a new Iron Chef in Creative Writing: only one parent comes to Lawndale.


• Check out a blast from the past in Reese Kaine's repost of alt.lawndale.com.

"Wait, I can get a bear. I'll get two bears. Three!"

Brittany has a very special gift for Daria in honor of Teddy Bear Day, but she asks that in return Daria leaves her beloved Kevvy alone. I think she can accept that request; how about you?

I would also like to humbly mention that today marks my third year as a fill-in blogger for The Angst Guy. You know, call me suspicious but I'm starting to think this might not be a temporary position after all.

Fanfic Update!

• Anti-Trope: Chapter 4, by minx (part 4): "I began to seriously question if I'd been subconciously institutionalised. It was the only sane answer I could come up with as to why I had willingly put myself into this situation... Three days... Just three of the longests most nerve wearying days of my life..."


• Boot to the Head , by Teeki (COMPLETE!): "Mrs. Linda Jean Morrison had taught second grade at Woll Elementary in Highland for nearly thirty years, but she'd never had a student quite like Quinn Morgendorffer."


• Consequences, by ST91 (part 5): "Even now, weeks later, Clint could not believe what his brother had been able to create. A plan ... nay , a machiavellian trap from which it was impossible to escape."


• Dylan, by J-D (part 28): "'What's the big idea, signing me up for reading to seniors?' 'Yeah, I know, you had some weird freak plan to choose something that was all wrong for you, I bet. What was it? Picking up stuff from along the highway?'"


• From Another Angle, by Shiva (part 1): "It was the first day back in school and while it was kind of exciting to be back, in the crowd hanging outside of the building a girl with long blond hair felt the warm morning breeze drift around her and felt kind of blue for a moment."


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (part 15): "The following morning, Ashley had a plan. He left his cabin and decided to pay Allison a little visit. Stopping outside her door, he rummaged around in his pockets for a second before knocking."


• Great Professor Dario Ch. 1 A fresh start, by ST91 (part 4): "'Ms. Li, I presume.' Said Dario watching the asian woman. 'You've presumed right Mr. Morgendorffer, please sit down.' She said pointing to one of the two chairs in front of her desk."


• Last Chance in Highland (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "Slade's gang had almost got him at the MaxiMart and like a chump he'd not thought about where he was running to. Earl had taken a .9mm to the side and fired half his shots in suppressive fire, and now he'd run into a dead end."


• Lawndale (Iron Chef: Lawndale State), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "Lawndale is a U.S. state located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The state is a transformation of 'Lanedale', after the founder [[Vincent Lane, 1st Lord Lane]]."


• Lawndale High Wants to Spice Up Your Life (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "The students of Lawndale High stared in communal shock and amazement as a bright light on the stage revealed Ms. Li in a Union Jack dress with oversized red platforms, then more figures joined her."


• Little Mary, by Smijey (COMPLETE!): "The teacher nervously eyed Mary Fitch as she approached the front of the classroom, paper in hand. While normally the most disruptive student in class, she had been given an assignment to write a small report on Franklin Roosevelt and recite it afterwards, and it was the teacher's hope that she wouldn't be able to act out via such an innocuous topic."


• Mad Dog's Legacy Chapter 12: Hometown Hero, by Hyrin (part 1): "Daria opened her mouth to retort, but before she could say anything the door to Ms. Li's office opened and she beckoned them inside. Once they were all seated, she addressed them. 'All of you have been called here because you are currently the most active troublemakers on campus, and I am giving you fair warning that your shenanigans will not be tolerated during the events of the next week.'"


• The Mageborn Cynic Chapter 5, by peetz5050 (part 2): "'Oh very well, I'm awake. What's afoot? Why am I being awoken at this ungodly hour?' Lady Jane asked testily, she was NOT a morning person at the best of times. 'His Grace, Duke Jakob, has asked to break his fast with you and Lady Joanna, he must leave early so we must hurry.' The girl replied apologetically."


• Of Hearts and Minds Book II: Present, by mac (part 4): "'Jake.' Judy's fingers tapped a tattoo against her thighs as she stood by the doors to gather her thoughts. 'Jake, I know you've recently remarried. I was wondering what caused your first marriage to fail.'"


• Quinn the Psychopath, by SacredDust (parts 9 and 10): "'Excuse me, Quinn. May I have a word with you?' The Club looked up from the usual cat-and-mouse reverie of its leaders to see Mrs. Manson standing before them, wielding a pen and clipboard with an air of determination." (Part 10)


• Sweet Dreams, by RLobinske (part 4): "The bathroom door cracked open and Sammi said, 'Excuse me.' 'What is it, dear?' Paula said. 'I'm afraid that we may have to impose on Daria and Michael. My water just broke.'"


• Unintended Providence (Iron Chef: only one parent comes to Lawndale), by deneich (part 1): "All musings ceased, however, as Daria opened the door and found not her Father but two Highland, Texas Police officers standing there. The expressions on the officers faces made it clear that something bad had happened."


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Lawndale State), by Greystar (COMPLETE!): "Daria - It all boils down to trust. Helen - Exactly. It all boils down to trust. Show a little trust. (Daria leans forward and looks out the front window) Daria – And this really looks like just the place to do it, too."


• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Greystar (COMPLETE!): "... AN APOCOLYPTIC THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM FOR NORTHWESTERN CARTER, LAWNDALE, AND OAKWOOD COUNTIES..."

God Save the Cynical Queen!

It was on this day 480 years ago that Queen Elizabeth I was born. Daria, in her alter ego of the English monarch, looks pretty good for being almost half a millennium old.

One of Kevin's favorite anniversaries is also today: the sports channel ESPN was launched on this day in 1979. Although he seems to prefer the Pigskin Channel, I'm sure he at least switches over during the commercial breaks. Gotta keep up with current events, after all.

Fandom News!

• Help DIsaac come up with ideas for a Daria-themed college paper.


• Post about any songs that remind you of a Daria character.


• Share footage you loved but which now makes you feel sad in a new thread.


• How many of the 17 problems only book lovers will understand have you experienced?


• Talk about your favorites in a new anime thread.


• LSauchelli posted a new Iron Chef in Creative Writing: The Long-legged!Fashion!Daria.

The Extra Quart of Grease is Completely Optional

Pull up a chair and grab a slice to celebrate National Cheese Pizza Day! Ted is shocked by his first taste of processed cheese, although he still wants to know what process they use. I think the rest of us are happier living in blissful ignorance.

I would say that Trent is celebrating Be Late For Something Day, but the lazy bastard hasn't shown up yet. Depressing or not, someone really needs to get that guy a watch.

Fanfic Update!

• Climb the Ladder, by InvisibleDan (COMPLETE!): "Jane answered her cell phone. 'Yeah, I'll be there... I swear I'm on my way, Quinn, okay?' She put the phone down and rubbed her eyes. After a quick look around her room she found the pieces of an outfit and slipped them on."


• Credence, by Astrocar82 (part 3): "Soon the time had come and Quinn and Stacy walked uncertainly to their doom, where they saw Jane and O'Neill waiting for them in the room next to the stage of the auditorium."


• Dylan, by J-D (part 27): "I still have to agree that my father's reasoning was basically sound. I did nearly run over that dog while I was having my driving lesson, and contact lenses really would avoid the problem my glasses create for my peripheral vision, so I'm in agreement on principle—but do you know what you have to do when you're putting in contact lenses?"


• The Fall, by Ranger Thorne (COMPLETE!): "The gathering dusk had brought in a light fog, leaving the city with a slight haze. There, in front of the massive front gates, were two cloaked figures. Neither was exceptionally tall, but even from his office he could sense their menace and power 'Get the slayers, won't you?' he told his assistant. 'Have them arm themselves then meet me at the gate.'"


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (parts 13 and 14): "'Look, Daria, there's something I need to tell you,' he said, looking her straight in the eye, 'I'm not proud of it, but I want to be completely honest with you.'" (Part 14)


• GSA: The "Cousins" Morgendorffer, by GDTSP9 (part 1): "Daria sighed. She'd been waiting outside the airport for ages now, and Quinn still hadn't shown up. As Daria looked around, she almost didn't see the mid-sized grey car pull up in front of her. Quinn leaped out of the car and tightly hugged her sister."


• A New Direction (Iron Chef: My Dad, the director), by peetz5050 (parts 9 and 10): "'Uh oh.' Jane said then touched Daria's sleeve and pointed at the door. Daria turned around to see two of the school security staff accompanying a large, threatening cumulo nimbus cloud in an Armani suit. Jammy glared at her and indicated the door with a jerk of his head." (Part 10)


• Quinn the Psychopath, by SacredDust (parts 7 and 8): "Daria knew she would have to fight hard to stem the tide of Quinn's relentless quest for even more popularity (even if Quinn herself didn't see it as much). She illustrated her strategy with some of the hideous clay models they had made for a school project years ago." (Part 8)


• Red World, by PrecambrianStudios (part 1): "John Crichton slowly opened his eyes and was met with the usual darkness. Groggily, he turned his head left, and looked out the adjoining window. The stars were arranged in a formation he was not familiar with. 'Well,' he said, reluctantly stretching on his mattress, realizing what day it was, 'I guess today's it. Lights on.'"


• Shaggy Meets the Twins! (Scenes that should be: Pacific Rimmers), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "In the dumb self-esteem class, the kid everyone called Shaggy couldn't resist a smirk as that new girl and her twin brother acted like they were secretly lovers, causing Mr. O'Neill to go into shock and pass out."


• Unnamed story (IC: DeMartino has Barch Arrested), by CartoonDork (COMPLETE!): "'What the hell do you think you're doing? Get your hands off of me, you dirty rotten men!' It was certainly a sight to see--Ms. Janet Barch being handcuffed by two policemen, right in the middle of her science class. "

Hey, I'm the POTUS!

History lesson time! On this day 230 years ago, the Treaty of Paris was signed, which ended the American Revolutionary War. Of course, if they'd known President Kevin was in their future, the founding fathers might not have been so eager.

Fandom News!

• The rules for the 2013 Daria Fanworks Awards have been posted. It's never too early to start sending in nominations!


• Don't think, just type. Post your stream of consciousness in a new thread.


• J-D has a question about dress colors in "Daria Dance Party."


• Erin M. introduces a new series: I Can Explain Everything! See the first episode, "Schrodinger's Cat."


• Tell everyone about the bands you wish you would've seen.


• Share your non-Daria plot bunnies in the Creative Writing forum.


• honoshikun wonders about Jane and Trent's ethnicity.

"Relax? How can I relax when somebody says 'relax' like that?!"

It's Labor Day weekend, the holiday that celebrates working by...not working. Trent is probably the patron saint of this day, especially if he's gotten around to that "farmer paid not to grow crops" job. Helen, on the other hand, is probably going through withdrawal by now.

Fanfic Update!

• Anti-Trope: Chapter 4, by minx (part 3): "'I know it's hard for you to fit in, and I know you think Ms Li is out to get you but you need to realise you put yourself in these situations.' 'I do not,' Dean muttered stubbornly."


• Can't Sleep, by ashk09 (COMPLETE!): "'Hey, Daria,' said a voice, and she felt a weight join her on the bed."


• Dying on the Inside, by minx (part 2): "Trent awoke to the hand siren blasting through the ward. With a groan he dragged himself out of bed. He had learned quickly the staff like early risers."


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (parts 10 - 12): "While they were talking, Cassidy had walked in and spotted them. After picking up a soda from the counter, she made a beeline for their table and sat right next to Tom." (Part 11) (Part 12)


• Green Dragon Rising Book 1, by Grifter74 (part 2): "Daria struggled against Goldar's iron grip to no avail, as she was dragged through a palace on the moon, of all things. They were followed by Squatt and Baboo, who held Jane between them still wrapped up in a net. The group eventually stopped in front of a balcony where Rita Repulsa stood."


• Jane reacts to... (IC: Daria reacts to fanfic), by LongSnakeMoan (COMPLETE!): "Okay, so I'm still with Nathan. This has got to be a momentary lapse in judgement before I dump him. Wait why is holding my wrists tightly, why am I not walking out the door?"


• Journey to the West, by Grifter74 (part 1): "After writing about a dozen or so people, Daria spot two guys that looked like they stepped out of an old gangster movie."


• Quinn the Psychopath, by SacredDust (parts 5 and 6): "It wasn't every day that a former waitress who hadn't even finished her Ph.D. could get hired to a position at a public high school. Sometimes, Margaret Manson wished it hadn't been her day." (Part 6)


• Sonoma Coma, by jtranser (part 11): "'Yes, Jane, Every now and then I still find myself praying, just not so much. The thing is, every time I pray, I find that I'm talking to myself...'"


• This is the Morning of our Love (Scenes that should be: Pacific Rimmers), by LongSnakeMoan (COMPLETE!): "As she noticed his gaze had never left her even for second Daria's confession of love trailed off and she looked down at the scuffed leather of her boots, her cheeks burning as she waited for him to react."


• The Writing on the Wall, by SinisterExaggerator (part 2): "Daria was an inch away from cheese-whacking the person prostrate on the closet floor, but she stopped her hand as soon as her flashlight beam hit some familiar locks of flaming orange hair. 'Quinn,' she growled."

Jane's Got Another New Look

Happy Frankenstein Day! The holiday is in honor of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, who was born on this day in 1797. We know Daria has read the book, as it was one of the titles on Mr. O'Neill's list in "Write Where it Hurts" when Daria tells him she's read all of them. We don't know what she thought of it, but The Angst Guy used it as a theme in both Darius and A Hard Days' Night.

Fandom News!

• Discuss the fates of various Daria characters, good or bad, in a new thread.


• Share examples you've discovered of Daria references on Youtube.


• SacredDust talks about the many faces of Quinn.


• Give your thoughts on--or simply mock--Miley Cyrus's performance at the VMAs.


• Is this the best Daria cosplay ever? Take a look and judge for yourself.


• ognawk has a request for fanart for "The Great and the Good."


• peetz5050 shares a tutorial on drawing hands in the Easel.

On Your Mark...Get Set...Squeak!

Today is Race Your Mouse Day, so make sure you have your maze ready. Try not to let Brian Taylor anywhere near the mice, though. We'd like them to stop running once they reach the finish line.

On a more serious note, it was fifty years ago today that Martin Luther King, Jr., made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. An excellent speech from a great man.

Fanfic Update!

• 86 Bottles of Beer: Hacking into the Antisocial Network, by Kristen Bealer (COMPLETE!): "She gasped. 'It must be Bobby Stuart!' Kevin nodded. 'I think you might be right. Do you know what this means?' 'Yes!' she cried. 'I found my secret admirer!'"


• BFCA, by PrecambrianStudios (COMPLETE!): "Resting on one of the tables was a note reading: Push the button beneath and await screening. Beneath? Lifting the paper revealed a small blue button. Daria pushed it."


• Credence, by Astrocar82 (part 2): "'I'm sorry, could you go back to that part about "realizing your actuality"?' Quinn asked. She had decided to go to self-esteem class after all and had decided to take it seriously. 'I think I didn't understand you on that.'"


• Daria and Quinn React to "Quinn the Psychopath" (IC: Daria reacts to fanfic), by SinisterExaggerator (COMPLETE!): "QUINN: Take a look at this! Apparently some guy who thinks he's so holy wrote a fanfic about me!"


• Daria and Jane Talk about a Certain Fanfic (IC: Daria reacts to fanfic), by DIsaac (COMPLETE!): "JANE: So what are you doing? DARIA: Reading the tons of fanfics out there."


• Dylan, by J-D (part 26): "Dylan raised his head with a scrutinising gaze as he gave voice to his thoughts. 'Dad taking an interest. Warning sign. Or he's looking to get away from Kris.'"


• First Drink, by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "A small redheaded boy of about six years of age sat down on the edge of an isolated dock on Lake Mohawksin, he had slipped out of his shirt and shoes due to the heat and kicked a foot on the surface of the water, relishing the coolness on his toes."


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (parts 8 and 9): "They set off towards Daria's house, but noticed something wrong as they approached. 'Hey, isn't that fire truck outside your house?' Ashley asked." (Part 9)


• I'm an Artist, Dammit! (Iron Chef: My Dad, the director), by deneich (part 1): "'Girls, I know it's frustrating having to start over – again – at a new school; however, better that than the alternative.' The Lady stated, in as convincing a voice as possible under the circumstances, to her two daughters as she navigated the red, late-modal, high-end S.U.V to their stated destination. 'Quinn, Daria, you do understand why this was necessary?'"


• Li's Science Substitute (IC: DeMartino has Barch Arrested), by Shiva (part 2): "'You know it's a pity that I'm not taking Barch's old class.' Jane said to Daria with a sigh in the comfort and safety of Jane's bedroom."


• A New Direction (Iron Chef: My Dad, the director), by peetz5050 (part 7b and 8): "Helen sighed sadly and Jane had an insight into what the family had gained and lost with Jake's success. 'Jammy will take you home and check out your house just to be safe and Daria will give you a ride to school all this week at least.' Helen added." (Part 8)


• Night Witches, by Panzerfaust150 (part 6): "At that moment, a feeling like a cool breeze went up Brittany's spine, and she shuddered involuntarily. Something wasn't normal." (SFMB)


• Penance, by ashk09 (COMPLETE!): "Quinn knew that she wasn't really supposed to come in here, but if her parents knew that she entered Daria's room night after night, they weren't saying anything."


• Quinn the Psychopath, by SacredDust (parts 1 - 4): "Quinn peered up warily over the edge of the book. 'You really shouldn't poke fun at me, Daria. It might be dangerous. I'm a psychopath, you know.'" (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)


• Sweet Dreams, by RLobinske (part 3): "'Wow, I'm sure Paula and Sammi will have something to talk about when we see them tomorrow?' 'Oh?' Daria showed him the phone. The news headline read, 'Defense of Marriage Act Repealed."


• Unnamed story (IC: Awkward/WTF Endings), by SinisterExaggerator (COMPLETE!): "'And so, Jane,' Daria declared, pulling a gram of cocaine out of her pocket, 'I found that out of all the suspects, only one had tentacles which fit your description, which I must say I determined through some, uh, rather regrettable practices. That in mind, the rapist is...'"


• Unnamed story (IC: Daria reacts to fanfic), by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): "(Helen comes into the living room to find Daria with an Ipad in hand and several bottles of gin on the table - one already empty and a second half-gone.)"


• Unnamed story (IC: Daria reacts to fanfic), by peetz5050 (COMPLETE!): "'Jane! Where are you going?' 'Manchester, England, gonna strangle me a snake!'"


• Unnamed story (IC: Daria reacts to fanfic), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "Outside of the Landon's imitation mansion a passing mailman heard two shots ring out."


• Unnamed story (iC: Good Questions. Silly Snarky Answers), by SinisterExaggerator (COMPLETE!): "Brittany could feel the ground shake beneath her as she walked out of the girls' locker room bathroom. It was almost like that Irish thingy she had heard before, meeting the rising road in May or something."


• What if Scarlett reacted to fanfic? (IC: Daria reacts to fanfic), by Aloysius (COMPLETE!): "Scarlett walked into the Pizza King and saw Tananda and Angel sitting in one of the booths, a small pile of paper split up between the two of them. 'Hey, guys,' she said. 'What's up?'"

As Long as It's Not "Mad Dog" Morgendorffer

Happy National Dog Day, dog lovers! Leary the third (or whatever version the Yeagers are on by now) is enjoying his holiday, and hopefully that bulldog that Daria narrowly missed running over is having a similarly happy day.

Today is also Women's Equality Day, as it was on this day in 1920 that women were granted the right to vote. Hooray for equal rights!

Fandom News!

• LadieTAG wants to know if anyone else is going to Dragoncon this year.


• Where is Highland located? Vote in the poll and discuss your choice!


• Name your least favorite Daria episode (aside from "Depth Takes a Holiday").


• When did you realize that you liked Daria? Tell everyone your story.


• ognawk is looking for contestants for the second round of the game Only Connect.


• Have you ever dreamed about Daria? SacredDust wants to hear about your stories.


• Talk about original characters that you've created for any fandom.

From Cold War to Cold-Blooded Killer

On this day in 1954, the Communist Control Act was signed into law. It essentially made Communism in the United States illegal, which means Melody Powers probably celebrates it as a national holiday. Jake is ready for anything now that his spiffy new bomb shelter is ready...but could someone hand him a can opener, just in case?

Fanfic Update!

• 86 Bottles of Beer: Hacking into the Antisocial Network, by Kristen Bealer (parts 1 and 2): "After a moment, the Chief took a deep breath and calmed down. Slightly. 'I'm afraid so, Agent 86. It would appear that CONTROL's entire network has been hacked. Signs and countersigns have been changed by unknown parties, sensitive information has been accessed, and I can't log on to Facebook!'" (Part 2)


• Abattoir Blues (2)- The Killing Moon, by LongSnakeMoan (part 1): "For weeks afterwards it haunted my dreams, horribly detailed nightmares of me walking into the house to find MacDonald waiting for me, gun pointed at my heart and Anthony dead at his feet, blood spilling from him and then spilling from me as I was shot, filling the room until I was choking and gasping until I drowned in it."


• Glasses and Lipstick (chapter 4), by oni (part 1): "She sat there wondering how she felt joining them like this; a part of her wanting to leave because of her past association with her sister and the rest of the fashion club, while the other part of her-the bigger part- wanted to stay because of the way things are now. And the fact that she isn't the only one adjusting to the truth."


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (parts 6 and 7): "That Saturday, Tom and Ashley were driving to Casa Lane in Ashley's Vexxer to pick up Jane and Daria for their trip to the movies." (Part 7)


• Jane's Crazy Thought (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "Jane: 'I just had a crazy thought.'"


• Kick Ass 2: Balls to the Lawndale (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Charles RB (COMPLETE!): "(The villains gather behind The Motherlover (Upchuck); Kick-Ass (Kevin) and Hit-Girl (Quinn) stand firm)"


• A Modern Day Daria... (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "As everyone in Lawndale slipped into the hipster look, with it's oversized glasses, clothes, and pretty much everything from other eras that could be made oversized. Daria found herself in a pickle."


• Northbank Diaries #1: A Tale Of Three Suburbs, by ognawk (part 1): "He carried on 'But we are here to begin realising your actuality, and when we do...' Jane looked up from the paper she was writing on for the moment and smirked. I wonder if he even knows what this garbage actually means, she thought, as she went back to her writing."


• Operation Glitterberries: Chapter 12, by BF110C4 (part 2): "Melody knew that whatever was going on in this town was centered in one way or another in Lawndale High School and therefore it was her duty to scout and uncover the secrets hidden there. However as in many things in life such an objective was easier said than done."


• Out of Place, by PrecambrianStudios (part 2): "For some deluded reasons, the PPMB mods had retained their same ages, while all the other members had reverted to tenth-graders. This proved advantageous, as it allowed the mods to legally rent the boarding house in which all the members now resided, because (somehow) their credit cards still worked."


• A Crashing Encounter (IC: Daria wrecks a car), by ashk09 (part 1): "Daria only realised something was wrong when the car was spinning through air after having collided with the embankment; a sense of numb horror gripped her, but it was nothing compared with knowledge that she should not even have been driving in the first place."


• The Writing on the Wall, by SinisterExaggerator (part 1): "'I should allow you to do what?' asked a very bemused Daria. For her, college couldn't come soon enough, and sitting in front of her were two of the reasons why."


• You Said Too Much, by ST91 (COMPLETE!): "'Well Brittany I'm happy because now I have so much free time as I dropped many extracurricular activities,' she said with a smile. 'I don't think it's just that,' interjected Angie, 'come on Jodie, don't be precious, you have a new boyfriend, don't you?'"

"Oh, go dance on the head of a pin."

Better be on your best behavior today--it's Be an Angel Day! Make sure you tell everyone to have the raspberry vinaigrette dressing...but I'd avoid groping anyone. Helen's always on the lookout for a good lawsuit.

For a very touching story about the Morgendorffer family's guardian angel, read Mike Xeno's excellent fanfic Guardian. If you're already read it, reread it. It's totally worth it.

Fandom News!

• Find out more about the incoming coronal mass ejection. Just think of the fanfic potential!


• Share your advice and/or horror stories about wisdom teeth with Shiva.


• aqualeap muses about BFAC and the f-word.


• Discuss a recent controversy involving One Direction and The Who in a new thread.


• Two new Iron Chefs have been posted in Creative Writing: Vukodlak's Evil Trent and Shiva's Daria wrecks a car.


• Payul shares an article with the fan artists: 5 Fundamental Skills Every Artist Should Master.

"It's lame DJs, Charlie Brown!"

Heeeeey, blog readers! Are you ready to par-tay crazy? Because today is National Radio Day! Now, who wants a free t-shirt?

For those of you out there who appreciate radio but not wacky DJs, here's Free Radio Lawndale, written by Ken Tremberth and Erin Mills. Read all the broadcasts, and then pester the authors for moar.

Fanfic Update!

• Daria and Jane Chat about Game of Thrones (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "'You know,' Daria said to Jane after looking up from a book, 'The more I read the Game of Thrones series, the more it looks like high school with swords.'"


• Death Comes to Another Lawndale, by PrecambrianStudios (part 6): "Trent Lane screamed in agony. The infection had already taken his legs from him, and now he could feel it seeping into his groin."


• Dreaming of What Once Was (Cleaning out old files), by minx (COMPLETE!): "Every time he closed his eyes he saw her."


• Dominick Morgendorffer, by macross (part 8): "Veronica 'Ronnie' Morgendorffer was having a fairly enjoyable time in her fourth-grade art class."


• Dylan, by J-D (part 25b): "Dylan and Tierney had not succeeded in finding a joke shop on Dega Street, nor had any of Tierney's other ideas recommended themselves to Dylan. He found himself repeatedly having to point out that gifts such as incense, scented candles, retro clothing, and new guitars were all better suited to Tierney herself than to Rod."


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (parts 4 and 5): "'Just a couple of interesting people, eh Tom?' she teased. 'I may have met a girl who was very interesting.' He replied with a slight smile. 'Slumming it with some town girl, huh?' Elsie replied in an overly haughty voice." (Part 5)


• Great Professor Dario Ch. 1 A fresh start, by ST91 (part 3): "After driving a few minutes, he spotted someone on the sidewalk. Dario saw a woman who was walking in the rain with only the shelter of a handbag. She was soaking wet."


• Laissez Faire (Cleaning out old files), by minx (COMPLETE!): "She was wasting time and she knew it. She wasn't one to take leisurely strolls, contemplating the meaning of life; she already knew the answer to that question."


• Lane Dividers, by macross (parts 1 - 3): "Across town Jake and Helen Morgendorffer were sitting at the bar of McGrundys enjoying their drinks while they waited for the Harpies to set up. Helen was enjoying a Rum and Coke when she spotted Monique Harper heading over to the bar; with her was a young man with a shaved head and a pieced nose." (Part 2) (Part 3)


• A New Direction (Iron Chef: My Dad, the director), by peetz5050 (part 7a): "'Daria?' 'Mmmm.' 'Ross Lynch... is he a good dancer?' 'Pretty good, yeah... wait... what?' Daria's eyes narrowed."


• Operation Glitterberries: Chapter 12, by BF110C4 (part 1): "Melody's afternoon was spend on a normal café sitting on a corner, killing time while waiting for the regular activities of Lawndale High to end and trying to make sense of the diary she had retrieved from the Morgendorffer's house while drinking a cup of black tea."


• Shades of Black, by thatLONERchick (COMPLETE!): "The ceiling was shrouded in darkness, shadows hiding even the less interesting cracks from her view. Daria stared dispassionately upward as the day grew old around her."


• Trent Point Blank (IC: Evil Trent), by Cap (COMPLETE!): "'This is where I grew up,' Maggie answered. 'And I never really liked Baltimore all that much. My girls are grown and moved away so there was nothing to keep me there.' 'Especially with the Old Man dead,' he said."


• Trent's Catch, by SinisterExaggerator (COMPLETE!): " It was so sudden, so unexpected, but he definitely should have seen it coming. The girl had finally mustered up the courage to ask him out."


• Trent's Meal (IC: Evil Trent), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "Over and over again that little girl on the trike would go up and down the streets, without any reason or parental supervision. A move that her parents would live to regret."


• Unnamed story (IC: Evil Trent), by PrecambrianStudios (COMPLETE!): "James Lane awoke to the sound of scurrying feet and a loud banging noise. His mother barged into his bedroom and turned on the lights. Panting, she knelt in front of her seven-year old son and grasped his shoulders. 'He's here,' she said."


• Victim Complex (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by SacredDust (COMPLETE!): "A dim, smoldering spark lit in the corner of Daria's eye. Jane noticed, leaned over and shook her head frantically. No. Not here."

Well...At Least It Rhymes

Happy Bad Poetry Day, poetry lovers! I considered asking Jeffy to perform another dramatic reading of Quinn's classic "greasy fry" poem, but instead decided that Quinn herself will favor us with a recitation of one of her early works:

A model's what I'd like to be
Looking good comes naturally
Da da da da, da da, me.

Sort of brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?

Today is also the anniversary of "Jane's Addition," which aired on this day in 1999. It was the first appearance of Tom, and the beginning of a long string of fandom controversies. But on the bright side, he didn't recite any inane poems about modeling.

Fandom News!

• Heard any stupid questions lately? Share your stories!


• Speculate about Daria character heights in a new discussion.


• Read the 23 Signs You Are Actually Daria Morgendorffer and tell everyone how many apply to you!


• Kara Wild shares a new blog post: Enough With the Nudity.


• Ranger Thorne has a new discussion topic: Monique Lane.


• peapotmaster posted a new Iron Chef in Creative Writing: Daria/The Replacements.


• Robyn has a request for fanart.

I Wonder What Eric Will Think of This One

Happy birthday to Madonna, who was born on this day in 1958. Helen's doing a pretty good impression of the singer, although I don't think she's likely to impress any of the partners with her professionalism. Then again, she could have gone with the metal bra instead.

This is also a good place to share Kemical Reaxion's fanart The Ten Faces Of Madonna. Ten Daria characters, ten Madonna looks.

Fanfic Update!

• Daria, 38MMM, by Shiva (part 5): "The next morning Daria was sitting on an examination table, the paper that was used to keep it 'sanitary' crinkled under her jeans as she shifted position, trying to get a bit more comfortable."


• Dominick Morgendorffer, by macross (part 7): "As she opened she saw a younger girl dancing; her body's fluid movements fascinated the young artist who promptly pulled out her sketchbook and a charcoal pencil and began sketching the dancer's movements."


• Dylan, by J-D (part 25a): "'A mother-daughter fashion show', said Dylan. 'At least that's one school fund-raiser this family can't get roped into.' Behind him, he heard Kris speaking to their father. 'So Annie, Allie, and—uh—Amy are all going to be in this mother-daughter fashion show, and they all think I should be the emcee.' 'I spoke too soon', said Dylan."


• Evening, by JPAGC (part 2a): "At the stove, wearing an apron, Jake Morgendorffer took his eyes momentarily from the pots to greet his daughter and her friend: 'Hello, kids! Do you know what I am doing?'"


• The Great And The Good, by ognawk (part 3): "'So, Thomas, ready for another evening with Cassidy?' Elsie asked. 'Yeah. We're going bowling and then grabbing a bite to eat. Nothing fancy, just hanging out.' He replied."


• Helen's Law: A Beginning of a Beautiful Partnership, by DIsaac (parts 1 and 2): "'Helen should have been partner for a long time now. That woman has more drive than any lawyer I have ever seen in my career, but Davis and his no-ball-having self and those damn Schrecters, who couldn't handle having a woman outdoing them, voted down that partnership deal. I say damn them! That is why I've asked you here, gentlemen,' Jim continued." (Part 2)


• Jane Morgendorffer 2: The Middle School Years, by LadieTAG (part 8): "Spring arrived and for Trent, so did thoughts of the junior prom. Despite the fact that he and Charity had been dating for a while, he still had to gather his nerves to ask her."


• Name Pending (It has been ten years since "all natural behavior" so...), by BF110C4 (part 2): "Anne used the next two days to get more familiar with Daria Morgendorffer, digging a bit longer on her high school's social networks and -mostly- reading the rest of her website's stories. And right now she could certainly say that Mary was wrong about something. The story their supplicant did for the Lawndale Café had more than enough potential to incite a riot on a bunch of brainless football maniacs."


• A New Beginning, by LadieTAG (part 9): "Friday morning Quinn was getting ready for school when she heard a familiar knock. The red-head ran downstairs and threw open the door to find her favorite aunt on the other side. The two hugged and as they broke, tears could be seen on both faces."


• Night Witches, by Panzerfaust150 (part 5): "Quinn Morgendorffer had seen a lot in her 24 years...or at least she thought she had. She'd never seen a major city in the throes of panic. New York City was in a collective nervous breakdown." (Part 5 on SFMB)


• Operation Glitterberries: Interlude II, by BF110C4 (part 2): "'Trent Lane? I'm Captain Jeffrey Burns. Could we take this inside?' 'A Captain? This is no good.' He said as he moved aside and left the entire entourage in."


• The Punk and the Snark, by Shiva (part 13): "The next day was more of a letdown, since it was a return to school and the petty, corrupt, power-games of their fellow students, and Ms. Li."


• A Rose In The Thorns, by breitasparrow (prologue and part 1): "The baby opened her eyes for a moment before drifting back to sleep, sucking on her bottom lip. Her eyes were the exact color of Adam's, Belle realized. His eyes were what she had loved most about his appearance, the one trait she could recognize that night he became human again." (Part 1)


• Something (Slightly) Wicked Ch2, by macross (part 10): "Daria and Charles reentered the house as several girls Daria recognized from school finished setting up their equipment in a corner of the Taylor's living room. As they began tuning and adjusting their instruments, Daria began trying to place names to faces."


• Suburban Fury, by welltemperedclavier (parts 1 - 6): "Trouble and opportunity go hand in hand. Hal knew he'd be getting both as he watched the goons, Patrick and Barry, cut through the quad like a pair of sharks in polo shirts." (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6)


• Tom Sloane, Lax Bro, by Shiva (part 14): "Ok, before I tell you bout my latest adventures I've gotta fess up to something... You see, ever since I hooked up with that hot black-haired chick (or was she a brunette?)"


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Daria Morgendorffer's Flying Circus), by Greystar (COMPLETE!): "JANE: (o.s.) Sandi!! SANDI: WHAT!? JANE: Your line!! SANDI glares off screen, and then into the camera. SANDI: (through clenched teeth) It's... Cut to the Liberty Bell March (covered by Splendora)"


• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Shiva (COMPLETE!): "'Ok so we all have super powers and we can travel through a multiverse seemingly dedicated to myself...' Daria drawled while playing with a small fireball."


• Unnamed story (Scenes No Daria Fan-Fic Should Have: Why, oh God WHY?!), by Silver (COMPLETE!): "'Okay, Trent. I get that you were a little pissed off about losing your Comp. I understand that.' Jane crossed her arms, the gauntlet computer feeling a little more weighty than normal."