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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in
Darby's Blurty:
| Thursday, September 6th, 2007 | |
| 12:49 pm | This Sucks! So, Monday is the recommitment for the Leukemia & Lymphoma ride I am scheduled for with Team In Training. Since all my posts, and letters and emails and bulletins and blogs and phone calls have produced just $260 in donations, $80 of which I donated myself, I will be asked to commit to pay the remainder of the $4,400 that is not paid yet. What that means is that since I don't have the money to do that, I have to drop off the team and be happy that enough of you cared to at least help me raise that much. I appreciate all the nice notes saying how much you wished me luck, but without a donation of even $10. I think there were about 50 of those, which would translate to $500 or so. That would have been nice. To everyone who did donate, THANK YOU!!! We are able to provide enough for about 3 trips to chemotherapy treatment for a kid who would otherwise not be able to make it here to Houston without it. I still have until Monday officially, but it looks pretty grim. If I still used credit cards, I would use one for this. If I raise the funds by December then I get a reimbursement, but my debit card just can't support such an overdraft. So, if any of you have a bright idea then please let me know. I have posted and called and campaigned only to get more empty promises than I thought existed on the planet, and working full time and going to school full time doesn't afford much opportunity to campaign with weekend car washes and the other things people with real jobs get to do. I could do it, but at the cost of my grades. So this is a final plea at least for now to see if anyone has any ideas or generosity they wish to share. If not, then thanks for reading and go on and move to the next bulletin just like you have all the times before, or go to http://www.active.com/donate/tnttxgc/Dar -Darby Current Mood:  crushed |
| Thursday, August 23rd, 2007 | |
| 5:01 pm | Please Help! Hi everyone. I need your help for this. I have a recommitment for this event in just a couple of weeks. If my funds have not been at least half raised by that time, I have to promise to pay the remaining amount myself if they aren't raised by the ride date in order to continue to participate. This is because after this point, they will make the hotel reservations, arrange bicycle transport etc. Please help me. No matter what amount you can donate, it will mean the world to me and to those I am fighting for. On Saturday November 17, 2007, I will be cycling 108 miles on my bicycle in the First Magnus El Tour de Tucson XXV "Century Ride" in Tucson, AZ. I am cycling for a reason much more important than the personal challenge of completing a 100 mile bicycle race, though. I am inspired and committed to to complete this challenge and I need you to help me do it. Let me introduce you to the source of that inspiration. Her name is Emeri; she is 3 years old and on June 19, 2006 she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (A.L.L.). She is my Honored Teammate and the person who will keep me going mentally and physically during the toughest parts of the training and the race. By participating in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's TEAM IN TRAINING® program, I have made a pledge and commitment to train on Emeri's behalf to help raise money for leukemia research and patient assistance programs.  In 2006, an estimated 118,310 people in the United States were diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. New cases of leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma will account for nearly 8.5 percent of the 1,399,790 new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States this year. Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma will cause the deaths of an estimated 53,920 people in the U.S. this year. Every 10 minutes, another child or adult is expected to die from leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. That means that 148 people each day, or six people every hour die because of these diseases. Leukemias are the leading fatal cancers in young men and women under age 20, and leukemia kills more people between the ages two and fourteen than any other diseases. The number of afflicted adults is TEN TIMES that of children. After learning these facts, I went to an information meeting about TEAM IN TRAINING®, where I met Emeri and her amazing family. Then I chose to become involved with the TEAM IN TRAINING® local “Team-Cycle”. My goal (besides making it through the bike ride) is to raise $5,500 by Monday, September 3, 2007...but I can't do it without your help. That means that you can help pay for 1 potentially life-saving blood transfusion for each of the 100 miles my teammates and I ride. Although the cause of leukemia remains unknown, the effectiveness of recently developed treatment methods and advances in research bring us closer every day to finding a cure. Please support me in my mission to make a difference! Donations are 100% tax deductible. Ask your employer about contribution matching. I truly appreciate your willingness to help, and again, thank you for your generosity. Some examples of how your donation will help others like Emeri: •$25 could help for the cost of a patient's chemotherapy drug prescription co-payment. •$50 may assist with the cost of blood transfusions related to treatments. •$100 can help offset a patient's transportation costs associated with traveling to the Texas Medical Center for Treatment. •$500 can provide patient aid to a person with leukemia or a related cancer for one full year. To donate, please go to my fundraising page at: http://www.active.com/donate/tnttxgc/Dar Very Truly Yours, Darby Go Team! Current Mood:  hopeful |
| Monday, May 14th, 2007 | |
| 11:59 pm | Give Me Five... Okay folks. Please help me here? I have a new goal and I know you all will help me get there again. If I don't ask, then I won't be able to reach my goal, so thank you for reading this and helping if you so decide. I know a lot of you have helped me in the past and hope you can again. Whoever can, will you take five minutes to copy and paste this for me and send it to five people on your email list? So here it is, just cut and paste it in the email for me. Thanks in advance -Darby Hey there, my friend Darby is riding his road bicycle 108 miles in a day to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It's his first one for them, and he could use some help! So I am asking you to Gimme 5. 1. Gimme 5 minutes of your time - go to Darby's website at http://www.active.com/donate/tnttxgc/dar 2. Gimme $5 bucks - just donate online (at his site above): $5 for a great cause and hey, if you want to donate more...FANTASTIC! 3. Gimme 5 friends - send this to five friends and help spread the word! 4. 5 is the age of thousands of kids living with some form of Leukemia every day. 5. Every 5 minutes someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer - money for research is desperately needed - so donate now! Current Mood: hopeful |
| Monday, February 19th, 2007 | |
| 1:19 am | Food Porn People keep asking me about what kind of desserts I am making at
Three cookies, maple leaf of sugar and fresh mixed berries.
 Chocolate cone with raspberry sabayon, fresh raspberries and chocolate sticks; crème brule; strawberry and walnut tarte with pastry cream; chocolate mousse filled flourless chocolate cake napoleon with, chocolate meringue walls and ganache; brandy snap disc (base for freshly made caramel and cinnamon icecream); talso was finished with raspberry coulis sauced into heart shapes in hearts awaiting plating as ordered a la carte. (St. Valentines Day)
Bon Apetit! Oh by the way, sinc about a month a go I'm now on the pastry chef crew at the Four Star restaurant/Luxury AAA Five Diamond, St. Regis Hotel, Houston Texas. Woot!!! Come on down sometime. Our Best suite is only $10K a night or so. |
| Wednesday, December 20th, 2006 | |
| 5:05 pm | trill trill although i've never seen or heard of or met you thoughts of you of us the us we will be trill through me through my mind pellucid drip drip drip infiltrating the depth of my embattled soul like honey from the comb onto and into this hopeful yet truculent heart find me seek me so we can stop searching for us Unpublished work © 2006 Darby Collier |
| Sunday, October 8th, 2006 | |
| 6:24 pm | Austin LiveSTRONG Challenge 2006 Well after just under 6 hours ( alot quicker than I thought I would do it), I completed my first "century" (100 mile) bike ride today in the LiveSTRONG Challenge Austin. Actually it was my first organized ride of any kind. Wow did they have some monster hills or what!? Anyway, the Fuji Roubaix was fabulous. The only REAL challenges were the insanely huge hills that had a few of the others walking their bikes up. I just grunted through somehow and found a way to make it up them all, albeit many at a very slow pace with my pedals moving a gazillion rpm. I only had to shift to the third crank once all day though, so I think I hung in there okay considering all my training was here in Houston where it is ALL flats. I will start training for another century in the next couple of weeks, and I think in preparing for this one I am going to find a nice steep garage or something and do some hills and repeats. I definitely recommend that anyone doing one of these has a good training plan ahead of time. Now I am going to soak in the apartment complex hot tub for a bit. This was a great thing for me to do, having lost my stepfather and stepmother both to cancer, and watching my young neice get diagnosed at the age of 2 and have to go through treatments and lose all her beautiful hair for the next 2 years. She is a survivor and soon turning 8 years old. I am kind glad it was tough and kept with the name Livestrong CHALLENGE, because it made me appreciate it more. Let me give a special thanks to ALL those who donated time, money, prayers and encouragement, without whom I would have been sitting on my butt today. Special thanks to Jason M. for taking time to drive me to and from Austin, and wait for me as I rode and to his family for helping more than I could have ever imagined by helping me arrange a place to stay after my planned host backed out when their plans had to change. And Jen, thanks for offering to find a place for me with friends if I got in a crunch. God bless you all, and God bless Lance Armstrong! Current Mood:  accomplishedCurrent Music: Wideawake - "Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow" |
| Saturday, September 16th, 2006 | |
| 3:15 pm | Live..... If this doesn't work, then the link is: http://www.unikron.com/play/play_display.c PLEASE Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Lance Armstrong Foundation when I ride 100 miles in the LiveSTRONG Challenge October 6th. One dollar is better than nothing. We need your help. -Darby |
| Monday, September 4th, 2006 | |
| 10:24 pm | New Digs  Masraff's "Vintage Room" I am going to be leaving Houston Country Club to cook on the line at Masraff's on Post Oak Lane. I was given a personal reference by my baking and pastry instructor. He told me he was asked by the chef there to refer someone, and that he felt I was the one for the job. Based on his word, and a short interview, I was hired by the chef once a pay rate and schedule were agreed upon. He would have had me start sooner, but I find it only fair to my chef and crew to give a couple of weeks' notice. I told Chef Gitschner today and he did not seem very pleased, but accepted my resignation and wished me the best of luck. I have had a good learning experience there but it is time to move on even though I have been there but a few months. Research has taught me the owner's are active in cancer support and research, so I think there will be understanding about needing time off sometimes for my charity rides and races. Masraff's is a 160-200 seat fine dining restaurant with much better pay. Their website at www.masraffs.com is worth spending some time at to look around. Wish me luck, and the ability to absorb (and improve upon) what they have to offer to my gastronomic skill, knowledge, and networking. |
| Thursday, August 17th, 2006 | |
| 7:57 am | CAN! How much do we men love our daughters and sons? This much. Never say "can't" becase it just isn't true. "CAN!" Click Here! Don't Imagine......Love! Current Mood:  touched |
| Monday, August 14th, 2006 | |
| 11:04 pm | Time is ticking.... Click here and watch the video I made. Then, click here and donate to help me in my fight to help by raising money for my LiveSTRONG Challenge 100 mile bicycle ride. A few people have helped me so far, and many of you have said you would help later....well my friends, later is NOW and time is running out for me to make my minimum donation amount of $500.00 for the ride. Please help me, even if you can just afford $5.00 or even less if it is all you have. Thanks in advance. **************************************** Some systems do not support the use of links and therefore this link may not appear to work. If so, copy and paste the following into your browser: http://www.livestrongchallenge.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=153534&u=153534-129292018 **************************************** -Darby |
| Monday, August 7th, 2006 | |
| 2:50 pm | Finally...Pictures of the bicycle, post-crash     |
| Wednesday, July 26th, 2006 | |
| 12:44 pm | Bicycle Crash Update It has been all this time since the crash and I am broke and can't get my bike out of the shop because the guy who hit me says he was going on vacation. He never returned my calls or text messages while he was "gone" until today after I said I would file an insurance report and let our insurance companies sort it out. So he says he will still fix it, but hinted that he would like me to pay half, which I refused to do. He is even beginning to imply that it was me who hit him, despite the fact my wheel is now the shape of his bumper imprint. I will see whether he comes through or not. There was a Houston PD car nearby and he slowed, but kept going once he saw me stand up and go for my bike. I tried to go ahead and file a report today only to find out that I had to file the report within 10 days according to the laws of Texas. If he backs out on paying, then I am screwed because I can't afford to go get my bike from the LBS where it is waiting for me and have to ask for help getting it paid for. This is really frustrating. Just once, won't something work out for me without all the bullshit? Just once? |
| Thursday, July 13th, 2006 | |
| 9:51 pm | Cycle Training Log Ride Distance: 25 Miles/40.23 Kilometers Average Speed: 16.00 mph/25.75 kph Maximum Speed: 29.00 mph/46.67 kph Discipline: Road Cycling Ride Notes: Moderate Intensity Day (Zone 2) - Rode to Memorial Park via the Bike Routes again. Had a good Zone 2 ride and managed to hold 20.00 mph /32.19 kph for a couple of miles longer than usual. Jumping up to my first Moderate Intenisty week on my Century Training Plan certainly lets me know that I am actually making progress because I hurt much more this time. It is hard for me to remember not to go overboard and end up in Zone 3 (that is what I meant when I said I went "over male" one day during last week's training. It is much harder when the other riders at Memorial start going by me like they are on rails...downhill. My testosterone takes over and I have to pace myself back down to my scheduled training zone. It was good ride overall though, and I felt the burn as the lactose and oxygen and all the rest did their thing. I really would like to get a HRM, and a comp with cadence, but I simply can't afford it. I did see a Polar that had both those features in one, but it is waaay out of my budget. IN OTHER CYCLING NEWS: I got hit by a car on the way home today. I was in a marked and lined bicycle lane and making a right turn which I carefully signalled before making. As I cleared the route, and made eye contact with all the drivers that may cross my path, I started my turn and was met with a Toyota that I had no time to dodge in the midst of a turn. I felt the impact, fell to the ground and felt really pissed off. I jumped up, and without thinking about me, started looking around for my bike. It is in good shape, with the exception of my two week-old front wheel which now has a striking resemblance to a taco. The driver in question stopped and was very helpful. He said "I saw you over there, and I knew that you were there, but then this truck blocked my view of you and I couldn't tell anymore, so I didn't see you come by and assumed you had stopped. Then when I pulled in the lot, I just realized what was happeining and it was too late." He helped me pick up my computer and headlight (which was flashing my presence at the time of the collision), he helped me remove the taco from the forks, loaded the cycle in his car and drove me to my front door, givng me his card, telling me where he, and his wife are employed and promising to replace the wheel for me. I sure hope he follows through, because I simply can't afford to replace anything. I explained that this is also my transportation so it was a big deal for me, because I am not just a recreational rider. I explained that this cycle is my commuter as well as what I train on and intend to do my charity rides and races on. He assures me he will follow through. He is an alumnus of my school (another chef too) and even offered me work for his next catering gig. We'll see. As for me, I am physically okay. I mean I am skinned up on my shins and elbows some, but hey...that is cycling. My muscles hurt (good hurt) and I got on my cruiser and took a spin because I felt I was robbed of my full daily ride. Thanks to God for protecting me from all the other close calls today when I was moving much faster, and for keeping me safe on this crash. Keep your heads and eyes up cyclists, and be prepared for the crunch that I don't wish upon anyone, but that will probably happen anyway. Urban Cycling is just that way, we get hit sometimes. I had my brain bucket on, and my cycle is good. So....no problems. Now....if I could just get that dream bike..... P.S. Thanks, Saint Madonna del Ghisallo in case you helped. :) |
| Tuesday, July 11th, 2006 | |
| 11:45 pm | Cycle Training Log Ride Distance: 26.99 Miles/43.44 Kilometers Average Speed: 18.00 mph/28.97 kph Maximum Speed: 27.00 mph/43.45 kph Discipline: Road Cycling Ride Notes: Easy Day (Zone 1) ~ Rode to memorial via the Memorial Route ride as opposed to the Woodway Route again. I think I will stick with this one. Did a few miles there and then rode to the end of the Memorial paved trail and onto Blossom. Took Blossom up to the dead end and made my way to Heights/Waugh and rode around there awhile. Met Carrie at the Borders Books at the intersection of Alabama and Kirby. Rode home via Alabama to Weslayan, over to Richmond, cut through Unity Drive to Hillcroft and made my way back home. |
| Monday, July 10th, 2006 | |
| 11:23 pm | Cycle Training Log Ride Distance: 33.76 Miles/54.33 Kilometers Average Speed: 18.00 mph/28.97 kph Maximum Speed: 28.00 mph/45.06 kph Discipline: Road Cycling Ride Notes: Rode to and from school this morning. Then came home and rode to Memorial via the residential Bike Routes as opposed to the Woodway to Memorial Park route. The route leaves much less combat with traffic, as exhilirating as that can be I just didn't have it in me today. The mileage to the park is about the same and I come out at Woodway at a safe place designed for bikes to get to the park from Woodway (about a block). Rode home okay but ended up with a pinch-flat avoiding the idiots on San Felipe. I patched the tube and it held fine but when I had it mounted and started reinflating, the valve broke off. So, I found another tube and got it mounted and the valve was leaking as quickly as I put air into it so I had to go purchase another one. Good ZONE 2 ride though overall. Tough for me to remember it is an easy ZONE 1 day when I get to it and I need to slack off a little tomorrow to follow my training plan since I got a little over male today. |
| Saturday, July 8th, 2006 | |
| 10:00 pm | Cycle Training Log Ride Distance: 50.03 Miles/80.52 Kilometers Average Speed: 17.00 mph/27.36 kph Maximum Speed: 26 mph/41.84 kph Discipline: Road Cycling Ride Notes: Awoke at 04:50 got ready. At 05:00 rode to Hermann Park. At 07:30 participated in 17 mile Unity Day Bike Ride at a very slow pace. Rode around a bit there in town (see below) and then cycled home for the total miles. Had a pinch flat and inflated new tube but it was off the bead, so in frustration I walked the bike all the way from Montrose to Cycle Spectrum on Shepherd. Later I realized I had my presta to shrader valve adapter with me in my flat kit, and could have aired the tire up at any service station if I had dumped the kit out and looked for it. Great ride today, and nice to ride with all the kids and others. Learned about a few cycling clubs in the area as well, and about a ride called "Tour De Hood" that takes place here in town sometimes. I think I may get involved in some of that later so I can be more active in the community. Sore though. May take tomorrow completely off, not sure yet, though my body screams "BREAK!" Or is it "BRAKE"? |
| Friday, July 7th, 2006 | |
| 10:00 pm | Cycle Training Log Ride Distance: 57.75 Miles/92.94 Kilometers Average Speed: 16.00 mph/25.75kph Maximum Speed: 26 mph/41.84 kph Discipline: Road Cycling Ride Notes: Rode to Hermann Park and around that part of town so I would know where to go in the morning for the UNITY DAY HOUSTON ride. Rode from Hermann Park to Memorial Park for training ride afterward. |
| Thursday, July 6th, 2006 | |
| 10:00 pm | Cycle Training Log Ride Distance: 38.23 Miles/33.18 Kilometers Average Speed: 20 mph/32.19kph Maximum Speed: 26 mph/41.84 kph Discipline: Road Cycling Ride Notes: Average speed was 20mph/ today. I hung in with the vets for a little while, but then backed off when I realized they were just warming up...ugh. |
| Wednesday, July 5th, 2006 | |
| 10:00 pm | Cycle Training Log Ride Distance: 20.26 Miles/33.18 Kilometers Average Speed: 16 mph/25.75 kph Maximum Speed: 24 mph/38.62 kph Discipline: Road Cycling Ride Notes: Rode all over town today plus to Memorial Park via the normal route. The Memorial Park Criterion was happening so I left after about 4 miles and psycho metro cycled it, which is a rush and an extreme danger all at once. |
| Monday, July 3rd, 2006 | |
| 10:37 pm | Cycle Training Log Ride Distance: 16.46 Miles/26.49 Kilometers Average Speed: 16 mph/25.75 kph Maximum Speed: 24 mph/38.62 kph Discipline: Road Cycling Ride Notes: Memorial Park - Rode until I crashed and burned into a curb @ about 25 mph on a turn while "racing" another rider. Put a hole in my tire but changed the tube and booted the tire and it's okay. Helmet saved my noggin for sure, so Darby...wear it! |
