Yes, this Blog has been percolating away, like Jake's coffee pot, for one year as of today. As Daria said about Quinn's "A" in English, we admit to being "proud, as in stunned."

James the founder, a.k.a. CincGreen, will have his own notes when he returns from his holiday travels. I'll note for now that it's been an utter pleasure working with him for the past five of these twelve months. That he so readily let someone else take part, with only a year of being even a lurker in this fandom, speaks highly of his generosity of spirit. I want to thank him once again for it.

I admit, in more general terms, to being surprised, even a bit stunned, about "Daria" fandom. Most of all, that there's so much of it, nearly four years after the last original show was cablecast. I was a latecomer, first watching it at length through the sliced-up versions on an unnamed (N)etwork starting 18 months ago. (My low opinion of MTV had never let me get past being bemused by a few scenes and some alter-egos, in passing, during the original series run.)

I quite frankly hadn't thought there'd be much of a fandom, once again forgetting about the possibilities of the Net to concentrate interest. A blaze of activity with the last show that had held me captivated this much, "My So-Called Life," had declined steadily over most of a decade to just one, now very quiet Website.

So I didn't do much to seek out fan ferment about "Daria." And I didn't know what I had missed! Sometimes brilliant, occasionally infuriating, often inspiring, always articulate people. A rich tapestry of fan fiction and fan art. Completing my episode {ahem} collection, which I value. Discussion foils, acquaintances, and new friends that I value far more.

Several months of lurking led me, partly through the very links at left in this Blog, to many adept and near-heroic fan Website efforts. I've had my spare Web and reading time largely consumed since, as I know many of you have for years longer.

Kudos to everyone in this fandom who's kept the focus going on these versatile, sharply limned, satirically potent, and highly malleable characters ... their stories both as first told, and as newly re-created. A heartfelt thanks to Glenn Eichler and his associates, for the rarity of creating characters and stories of such intelligent, vivid, comic texture -- itself a modern media miracle.

And thanks to those of you who read and have appreciated our efforts here. This Blog is about you, the fans, and your creativity makes our reporting and commenting worthwhile.