6-29-97

Hail,

Well, I just finished watching "Esteemsters".  Since the last episode I watched was, well, the last episode, I noticed the change in style that's already happened as Daria has continued.  This is, IMO, a good thing.  They're breaking away from a more B&B type style, and developing their own.  The voices have changed a bit, as well as animation style, although I do miss the student flinches as Mr DiMartino speaks.  Anyone else notice that Hellen has a third alter-ego in the end credits for this show?   That means all the main characters have three, except Jake (admittedly, they haven't used him much yet.  Mostly he sits there and reads the paper).

Onwards.  A recent set of e-mails on the subject have convinced me to start yet another portion of my page (you won't see it yet).  There seems to be quite an interest in Daria fanfic, so I will have a section for any and all Daria fanfic as soon as I get a submission.  Or until I write my own, whichever comes first.  Get those stories coming (I know of at least two people who have started writing something).

On another note, I've held several interesting conversations on IRC recently concerning Daria.  I, of course, am trying to badger everyone I normally talk to into watching the show, which, I must admit, has lead to some rather interesting comments.  One person thought Daria's voice was boring...  I assume he meant monotone.  I don't believe he heard her singing 'Row your boat' in "Esteemsters" however ;)  Anyway, back to topic.  Daria's voice isn't an expressionless monotone (to me anyway).  I speak in much the same tones.  Now, I've heard some monotones, but she isn't one of them.
 The second interesting comment was, well, more interesting.  I was told "I like the show, but she [Daria] is just so listlessly dead".  This got me thinking.  Either the writers and voice actor over-did the 'cool' bit, or they're trying to hint that Daria is a bit depressed (with a family and town like that, who wouldn't be?).  This may be something to watch for in future shows.

Now, response from my last Rambling was rather less than I expected (not sure if that's a good thing or not...)  The biggest argument against a male version of Daria is as follows [I'm paraphrasing some here]:
"There could never be a male version of Daria! Guys that age are just too obbsessed with sex to be like that! Daria never thinks about sex!"
My response was pretty much "Aren't all girls that age obsessed with shopping?"
Well, this did get an interesting counter "Shopping is cultural, sex is biological"
I responded with "Saying all teenage boys are obsessed with sex is like saying all thirty-something (I think that's when a woman's sexual peak is, correct me if I'm wrong)  women are obsessed with sex.  Everyone matures at a different rate (physically and otherwise).  It's not beyond belief..."
Now, leave off this point-counterpoint for a bit (I'll think of a great, witty, brilliant remark as soon as it's too late to matter), to another problem with the original statement... we have no proof that she never thinks about sex, and she does act weird around Trent.  So, she's at least thinking of a relationship of some sort.
One last note about this:  Most high-schoolers I've know have had trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time... what makes anyone think they can obsess about sex and walk at the same time? ;)

I've got quite a few projects planned for this page, whenever I get a chance to get around to them, so keep an eye out.  Unfortunately, I have a family reunion happening in about a week, so I probably won't get much updating done then (I will get some great material for a Daria plot however... Her family has got to be as screwed up as mine...).

Well, that's about it for this one.  New episode in a few hours, but I'll probably wait until late this week to put up a new Rambling (probably).

Wraith