Reminders are up all over about sending in nominations for the Booties fan-works awards. Use the link at left to avoid the year-end rush and the vagaries of memory about the first half of the year ... after all, can't "Daria" fen do better than the Academy does with the early Oscar-worthy films?

Deref, in Australia, had his stomach surgery on Wednesday and hopes to be back on line well before the end of the week. With about two weeks to sit around and write Dariafic, he says, while sipping his (zero-proof!) liquid diet. Send him ideas and best wishes on the "Last Supper" thread at PPMB or the get-well thread at SFMB.

At PPMB:

~ TAG's "Darkness" serial has concluded its allusion-fest after 13 parts. Fan art of one of his characters has already been created by Ranger Thorne, as well.

~ Revived interest in a "Haiku by Daria" thread.

~ Gregor Samsa posted "A Means to an Endgame: A Tragicomedy in Two Acts." (Or: "Waiting for Quinnot." Funnier than Beckett's concoctions, certainly.)

~ Gregor has also found for us the "uncut" version of Daria's graduation speech, if you can endure it!

~ Scissors' "Where's Mary Sue When You Need Her?" is up to Part 7.

~ A new Iron Chef crosses "Daria" with "The Incredibles." Ultra-sleeping powers, Jake?

~ New fan art for Greystar's "Daria: 3059" (by Ranchoth and RL, and I'll bet those ARE the same boots) and RLobinske's "Three" (by the author) has been posted.

~ A fairly intricate fan-art challenge asks for "Daria" cast to be interpreted as characters from the "Final Fantasy" hyperrealistic game series.

~ The Paperpusher site reached a milestone, of sorts, when it got a warning about having used 80 percent of its allotted amount of file traffic for July. Fortunately, this came on 30 July, so it still has some room to grow.

~ "The Ultimate 'Daria' Test," 30 questions about the series, has taken hold of dozens thus far. Personal ratings results, in five categories from clueless "Tiffany"s to informed "Daria"s, are posted in "Mass Distraction."

At SFMB:

~ Isa Yo-Jo has new art showing "Dhampir," a vampire in a fanfic by Sleepless.

~ Tafka's art challenges are generating considerable, sometimes heated, "side discussion."

~ Ranger Thorne designed a logo for his "Daria's Web" series.

And now, follow Daria's and Jane's lead to cool off in this heat. Wash some cars!



By Liliane Grenier, for "The Lost Seasons: All Washed Up"