Happy Birthday, Darcy! May All Your Dreams Come True
Some of you know her as EB, some of you know her as Darcy, and most of you know she’s a special lady. She is the one who makes sure that everyone who writes gets an answer, every order gets filled, and everyone with a computer problem who has a Cloudeight Direct service key gets scheduled.
Without her, Cloudeight would not be around anymore.
She’s a fighter and she really cares. She’s the one who takes the ideas I come up with and makes them work. My head’s always in the clouds — which is why we are called Cloudeight…not really. She makes this our business and our site work. And she comes up with some great ideas too – like Cloudeight Direct, just to mention one.
Her birthday is July 30th. What I wish the most for her birthday is that all her dreams come true.
You don’t know this, but she used to own a bar, and that’s where I met her – in a bar. The bar was called Michigan^Tavern. Honest! I stumbled into her bar and started fighting with her right way (and that is the TRUTH!).
For some reason, despite my arrogance and contentiousness, she became my friend. I was a helpless nerd who knew almost nothing about computers back then. My son was in a rock and roll band — and I made him the world’s worst website, but I was proud of it.
I showed it to Darcy. Rather than telling me that it looked like a pile of garbage she redid the entire site for me— she took the time to make the first website I ever made look great! This was back when she barely knew me and didn’t know my son at all. What she did with the junky-looking website was amazing — yet she never took any credit for re-doing it and making it look nice.
The year was 1997 and the bar Michigan^Tavern was virtual — it was a chatroom that EB and some of her friends had created. So, we met in a virtual saloon, and it was there that Cloudeight was born.
In 1998, after she took me under her wing and taught me a lot about making websites and creating graphics… we collaborated on and created the first Cloudeight site. It was called “Thundercloud and Eightball’s Christmas Graphics and you can still see it here.
Above: A screenshot of Eightball & Thundercloud’s Christmas Graphics created Autumn 1998. This was the beginning of Cloudeight
We both worked other jobs back then. Every day whoever got home first would check the visitor counter on the website to see how many people had visited that day. I can remember the day we got fifty visits and we were sure we were on our way to Web stardom — ha! But there’s something beautiful about naivete. The excitement of having fifty visitors encouraged us, kept us going, and we kept us working together.
Then one fateful day, Darcy sent me an email with a scrolling background — and it had music playing. I thought she was magic! “How did you do that?”, I asked.
It did not take long, and we figured it out and we started designing and making stationery. It was then we created Cloudeight Stationery and it became wildly popular — at our peak, we were getting three million visitors a year and our stationery became the most famous stationery on the Web.
Above… a screenshot of Cloudeight Stationery, May 8, 1999.
Above: The Cloudeight Stationery “Visions” Stationery Collection for Outlook Express – October 18, 1999.
We loved our new business, and we were so excited when we were working together on a new stationery collection. We’d show each other what we had designed and couldn’t wait to release it to our subscribers and website visitors. Cloudeight Stationery grew and grew – and Cloudeight became a business and our life’s work too.
In 2002 we started Information Avenue and later InfoAve Premium to pass along some of the computer tricks and tips we had learned over the years. It’s a good thing we did because when Microsoft introduced Windows 7, it had no email program and therefore Windows 7 users couldn’t use our scrolling-musical stationery. We could see the future and it didn’t look bright. Scrolling, musical stationery was our bread and butter. We had to completely reinvent Cloudeight and trying to keep our small business afloat became (and still is) a continuous struggle.
I do not doubt that if it weren’t for Darcy’s kindness and caring, we’d have gone belly-up many years ago. But she never gave up and we came up with some other ideas and. as you can see, we’re still around.
Cloudeight Direct Computer Care was her idea, not mine, and it really has helped us keep our small business going. And just as importantly it has helped us get to know many of the folks who helped us through some very dark days.
Whether you know her as Darcy or EB, she’s quite a lady and I’ve always felt lucky that, despite my cantankerous, contentious, and sometimes belligerent nature, she has always been able to see beyond all of that and saw a different part of me — the part I never show the world — the compassionate, generous, gentle part.
We’ve been friends since I walked into her virtual saloon and I’m a better person for it. And any of you who have had the chance to know her are blessed too. She’s one in a billion.
Darcy and I have had our difficulties. We’ve been partners for over two decades. She’s always been the one I’ve counted on when things weren’t going so well.
She is my partner, she is my friend – and if you’ve ever had any dealings with Darcy, then, no doubt, she’s your friend too.
She’s the best partner and friend anyone could have. I poke fun at her in many of our newsletters, and she laughs along with everyone else. I am incredibly lucky to have her as my partner, but I’m even luckier to have her as my friend
Help me wish Darcy a very Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday, Darcy! May all your dreams come true…
Happy Birthday Darcy! Have a Great Day and do something fun. what a great story of your relationship and so glad you started cloudeight as I check it everyday and have learned so much from you and you have helped me with my computer more times than I can count.
thank you Martha 🙂
Happy Birthday to you! We have the same birthday so are proud Leos. Cloudeight has been my go to for computers for many years and hopefully for many more. Take the day off and enjoy your day!
Thanks Dayle and Happy Birthday to you too!!
Darcy
Hane a good birthday Darcy.
thank you Maureen!
have a great birthday and God Bless You for all your hard work
Thanks so much Sharon!
Darcy
Well Darcy I didn’t wish ya a Happy Birthday BECAUSE I was SURE you no longer want them to exist…..they DO seem to come around a bit too often and ya just KNOW it was only yesterday the same event occurred just last week!!!! So instead how about Happy REVOLUTIONS AROUND THE SUN….sounds a bit less age wise (whatever it is for you).
Ha!! Yes, I like those revolutions!!
Thank you, Darcy
Happy birthday Darcy Hope your day is a very blessed day Thank you for always being here for us and I really appreciate you and what you have done to make Cloudeight what it is today Thank you to T C It has been such a pleasure to be able to visit your site ever since I found it on the web. I cannot remember what year it was when I found your site but it was in the 90’s and I have loved every minute I spend on here with you both. God bless you both
Thank you Sue and thanks for being with us the past couple of decades!
Darcy
Happy Birthday Darcy. Just look at it this way, you’re one year more beautiful!!! Have a great day and relax. You deserve a little pampering on this special day.
Doug
Why, thanks so much Doug!!! I will get some pampering today for sure… my family are all coming today 🙂
Darcy
I wish you a great birthday, Darcy. You are a very special woman – not just for helping us all these years but for putting up with TC. The two of you are so special, in a very good way! Thanks again and may your next year be full of good heath, success and happiness.
Thanks Leslie..well, someone has to put with OLD TC!
Darcy
Oh my goodness Darcy, love it… you paid him back! TC, that is 🤣
I sincerely hope you had an amazing birthday with your family. The best kind.
Lagging behind in my emails so that is why I missed your special day but, today can be another special day for you. That is my wish for you.💟
Blessings,
Margaret
Happy Birthday Darcy. I hope it is a blessed day and your dreams come true
Thank you Karen!
Darcy
Happy, happy birthday, Darcy! I hope you do have a day and year ahead of your dreams. I’m so very glad to read how TC truly feels about you.
LOL.. he admits it every so often! Thankyou 🙂
Darcy
Happy Birthday, Darcy. I hope this is a great one and that you have many more just like it. I agree with TC in wishing all your dreams come true.
I hope you have the most awesome celebration of your fabulousness that you’ve ever had.. I have been a huge fan almost from the start of Cloudeight, and feel so blessed that I stumbled across you. Whether you know it or not, you have saved my bacon so many times over the years thanks to the excellent e-books of tips and tricks, and the amazing weekly newsletters. I would have been lost without you. I have learned so much and am grateful that you stayed true to your ethics and never sold out to make a fast buck. You really are the best. You are deserving of every great thing that can be sent your way. Happy Birthday!
Big birthday wishes to you, Darcy. Cloudeight is the place that home users like me can go for reliable information and service about our computers without an ulterior motive lurking behind that supposed “help.” You and TB have kept us little people from falling into the dark abyss, and you did it without compromising your souls. Thank you ever so much.
Young Miss Darcy, I wish only the best that God can give you. May your blessings be the greatest. I love all of you Guys and appreciate the help you give to so many of us followers. I working on 88 years in about 6 weeks and still doing pretty good for an old Codger in Alabama. May God Bless! Jim Sparks
Birthday blessings to you, Darcy. You are so appreciated for your skills and patience with us folk.
Happy Birthday Darcy,
I sincerely wish you the best. God bless you and I have loved your stationery for years. Thanks for all the help over the years.
Rose
A very happy birthday to you Darcy, I have been with you since Eightball & Thunder cloud, I wish you the best of health and happiness, you are one very special lady 🎂🎂🥰🥰
Happy Birthday, Darcy…and when those dreams come true may they be better than you hoped for!
Happy Birthday, Darcy. I wish for you a day filled with laughter and good friends. I thank you for all the help you and EB have given all of us for so many wonderful years.
Betsy
Happy Birthday Darcy😍😍. Have a wonderful day. You may be another year older but just think you are starting a new year where you will be meeting and helping new friends through Cloudeight. Those new friends are going to be so happy they wandered into Cloudeight. They will be in your good hands to help when needed, guide when in the dark and teach when they are hungry to learn. What a wonderful year you will be starting on July 31. 😘
George Wooden
July 29, 2021
Happy Birthday, Darcy, T.C. did a fine job of describing all your Talents, and computer knowledge, however, he never hinted as to how you were able to put up with a no skills nerd for all these many years.
Yes, over time you have built an amazing reputation for solving all the glitches, and mistakes we made over the years, and you managed to get us almost computer literate. For this, you get our thanks and admiration♥. Some day we would love to hear your response as to how the success actually occurred over these many years (there are always two sides to each coin).
Just make sure he spoils you rightly tomorrow. God Bless you both.
To the Birthday girl,
May your worries be less
Your happiness more
And nothing but prosperity
Come through your door.l
Thank you for all the help to one and all over the years and between the two of you with your strengths and weaknesses you have achieved wondrous things together. Congratulations, good luck, take care and stay safe.
Kindest regards,
Maggie.
Happy, birthday Darcy and every best wish for today and all your tomorrows. Hope all your dreams come true and with TC by your side I’m sure they will.
Very best and warm regards,
Hazel.
Happy Birthday, Darcy and many more, and may they all be blessed.
T.C, You tease poor Darcy unmercifully sometimes but is always with humor. I don’t know why but I have a sneaking feeling that you would pull her hair if you sat behind her in elementary school once upon a time. 😊 I don’t remember the exact year, but it was between 1999 and 2005(?) when I discovered Cloudeight by searching for stationary. I bought a premium Infoave lifetime subscription and practically everything you two put out for us because no matter what I know I could trust you. My husband doesn’t read your newsletter, but since I often tell him something you said about the pc, he often says “Ask your computer folks..” knowing you’re my trusted info.
Best Wishes,
Judy
Happy Birthday Darcy. Hope you have a wonderful day and may all your dreams come true. I have been with Cloudeight ever since you started. You are the only ones I come too to fix my problems. I so glad to have known all these years and you know you can’t be all bad, because my youngest daughters birthday is also today. That means I know you are wonderful like she is. Again Happy Birthday
Happy birthday Darcy, and many more of them
✨🎈🎆🎇
WHAT A GREAT friend to have, Happy Birthday and many more!
Happy Birthday Darcy, many more in good health, happiness and prosperity.
Happy Birthday Darcy! TC’s history of your part in Cloudeight’s beginnings and it’s continued success had me in tears – it was beautiful! I don’t remember when (or how) I found you two and your beautiful stationery, but I fell in love with it. Used it for many years, too, when I had lots of email buddies. The ones who I’ve outlived have now all either died off or gone to Facebook or such and email is not the end-all it used to be. But you two have persevered and grown successfully – and been SUCH a great help to so many of us in so many ways. Thank you for your years of hard work – I will forever be grateful.
Respectfully,
Virginia
Happy Birthday Darcy! You’re the best.
Sincerely,
Robert
Happy Birthday Darcy! What a beautiful tribute!
Happy Birthday Darcy,
hope your birthday is great for you, go out and enjoy the day
Marie
Have a great Happy Birthday Darcy and lots more to come
Happy Birthday Darcy!!!!
I hope this is one of the best birthdays so far; you deserve it. I don’t know what I would do without the help you and that guy have given me over the years and as long as I am above the daisies I will no doubt be asking/needing your help. Thanks for being you!
Gail
Darcy, I pray that you have a very Happy Birthday, today. Thanks to you and TC for doing so much to help so many, many people throughout the world. You’ve helped me many times throughout the years. Most of those times were unknown to you, but God and I knew. Love and Best Wishes on your very special day. Happy Birthday, Darcy. (Chase)
Happy Birthday Darcy! One of my first sites after all the “boards” when I started on the computer. You and TC are the greatest. I wish you a million more!!
Many, many returns to you Darcy, and may The Wind always be at your back!!! 🎊🎉🎈
Happy birthday, Darcy! Wishing you all that makes you happy. Cake and ice cream are on that list, I am sure…eat some for me!
What a great tribute to Darcy! i’ve been with you guys since the 1990’s, and I’m a Booster. You have helped me so much with your newsletters and qestions I have submitted. I have recommened you to several friends. Good luck to you both in the coming years. Many more happy birthdays, Darcy. Ole man from Godfrey, IL.
Happy Birthday, Darcy!! Hope you are having a blessed day
Happy Birthday Darcy, Hope your day is wonderful !!
Wishing you a very, very happy birthday!!
I have followed you guys since I got my first computer in 1999 and several times you have helped me out of a dilemma not to mention all of the things I’ve learned from your newsletters!
Thank you so much for your service. Now go celebrate that birthday!!
Pearl
Happy Birthday Darcy.
May your blessings many and your troubles be few…..Mildred
Happy Birthday, Darcy! Have a wonderfully blessed day! … Marie
Happy Birthday Darcy, wishing you many more and much happiness. You are the best.
My very best wishes to you Darcy for a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY and may there be many more to come. As one of your many long-time supporters I am exttremely grateful that I was introduced to you both and to your wonderful support. As an older computer user I rely on your knowledge and skills when things go wrong for me and you have always been so gracious and caring. It was great to read TC’s essay and know that, despite his teasing, he too has a heart of gold. May God Bless you both and keep you with us for many years to come.
Rona
Happy birthday Darcy
Wishing you the happiness that you give to us all.
Alleyne
🌸🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
🎈🎈🎈Happy Birthday Darcy🎈🎈🎈
Have a great day!
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
Happy Birthday !!!
Happy Birthday Darcy! I can only add my blessings to all the lovely posts already sent to you today. We all are so happy to have the two of you helping us every day with your emails and tips and at the ready to get us out of trouble when needed. Congratulations and enjoy your special day, and a big thank you for the years of service you both have given us all.
Happy Birthday Darcy!! I hope you had a wonderful day. Such a wonderful tribute from your partner. I’ve been a fan/reader for a few years now, I used the stationary often. Through all of the changes in this world, you and TC are a constant. Thank you for always being here, for me and the rest of your readers.
I hope you had a Happy Birthday!😊
Happy Birthday Darcy!!
Hi Darcy,
Wishing for you a Happy Birthday and many more in the future.
You are the WizzQueen of computer use, management, tips and tricks, plus the super-half of the whole of CloudEight alongside TC.
Thank you for the many years of Cloudie.
Kind Regards,
JonInOz and Family.
Happy Belated Birthday Darcy! I’m always late to the party, LOL, but I wanted to make sure I sent my wishes for the best year ever for you.
TY for everything you have done over the years & continue to still do for us. May the blessings come back to you tenfold!
Happy Birthday Darcy and hope you have many more.
I guess I can say I was with you from the start because I remember all the things in this story. The Christmas graphics were and are still beautiful. You two are for sure 100% the best. You have always help me when I needed help. I am honored to be a member of the wonderful, awesome website that you and TC started. God bless you both and have
a wonderful, blessed, and safe birthday. Happy Birthday, Darcy ‘Eightball’ ‘EB’.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Darcy! Been on vacation and just got a chance to read my Cloudeight news site. I know I am a day late, but did not want to pass up a chance to say Happy Birthday. Through the years with Cloudeight I have grown to depend on you and TC for ALL my computer questions and computer fixes. You have NEVER failed me yet. You even helped me get my grand daughter through college by fixing her computer. She is now in her second year of med school. Just wanted to say thank you, I don’t know what we would ever do without you and TC. I truly hope your day was as special to you as you are to us.
Happy Birthday and many more…D.
Happy Belated Birthday Darcy! I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating and having fun…..
Belated Birthday Greetings to you, Darcy!
Sorry to be late but I just got around to reading the latest Newsletter. I also wanted to inform you that my Granddaughter shares your special day. She just turned 23. This fall she’ll be attending University to begin her Master’s Degree. We are all very proud of her.
As I’m a bit late, I hope your day was wonderful.
Continued happiness and good health.
Terry Bell