i'm insane and i'm ok with that...

Ride for Kids 2009

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:18:00 +0000

This past Sunday I volunteered for the Ride for Kids, benefiting the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. The event was held at Jordan Lake in NC.

It was incredible - not only did I get to meet wonderful people and see gorgeous motorcycles, I also had the satisfaction of knowing that I participated in such a good cause. Some of the kids fighting for their lives were given the chance to ride on bikes or trikes in the hour (or so) ride around Chatham County.

And on top of it all, I even got to ride! Which was great! Definitely have to get me a motorcycle so I can ride on my own next year (I'll have to work on that one!)

But here are some pictures - hope you enjoy!

Another way to kill some time...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:53:00 +0000

this link was forwarded to me by a friend, and I must say, it's actually kind of amusing...

Wikipedia names your band

midlife crisis?

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 03:23:00 +0000

I think I may be in the midst of a midlife crisis...after all, I am 32...does that count?

I've decided that I don't care what other people think (well, I've thought that for a while) and I'm going through a second childhood - I've been reconnecting with old friends and am having a good time hanging out with them...

ok, so maybe not a full-blown midlife crisis, but if I could afford a sportscar (haha), I'd probably get one...

maybe I've realized life is short and I want to enjoy as much of it while I can...who knows...maybe it's the alcohol talking...beats me...

maybe I think way too much...

Just in time for Valentine's...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:14:00 +0000

A friend emailed me this, and while I know it's old news, it's still hilarious!

The following are entries to a contest by "The Washington Post," in which respondents had to write a two-line romantic poem ...except that the last line had to be unromantic--as unromantic as the first line was romantic.

1. My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife,
Marrying you screwed up my life.

2. I see your face when I am dreaming.
That's why I always wake up screaming.

3. Kind, intelligent, loving and hot,
This describes everything you are not.

4. Love may be beautiful, love may be bliss,
But I only slept with you because I was pissed.

5. I thought that I could love no other,
That is, until I met your brother.

6. Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you.
But the roses are wilting, the violets dead, the sugar bowl's empty, and so is your head.

7. I want to feel your sweet embrace,
But don't take that paper bag off your face.

8. I love your smile, your face, and your eyes.
Damn, I'm good at telling lies!

9. My love, you take my breath away.
What have you stepped in to smell this way?

10. My feelings for you no words can tell,
Except for maybe "Go to hell."

11. What inspired this amorous rhyme?
Two parts vodka, one part lime.

oxymoronic?

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:20:00 +0000

I am a member of Lifestyle Family Fitness (yeah, yeah...no family, but I still joined)...which I try to go to on a regular basis...

well, it just so happens that a friend of mine works there...so the other day, he convinced me to make him a cheesecake - which I did...a nice (hopefully) strawberry swirl one...

but the irony of the whole story is that I delivered it to him at work...hmmm, I take a cheesecake to the one place it should not exist - a gym...

in fact I'm baking another one right now for another friend - the one that has become my workout buddy...I encouraged her to join my gym and yet I'm making her a cheesecake...go figure...but I'm not sabotaging her - she asked for it...and sometimes I just can't say no...

another round of Idol auditions...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:14:00 +0000

all I can say is hilarious!

as shallow as this sounds, I love watching the auditions - it makes me feel better about my own singing abilities...at least I know my singing should remain within the walls of the shower!

Vince Offer strikes again!

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:42:00 +0000

The "Underground Comedy Movie", then ShamWow! spokesman...and now presenting: the Slap Chop (along with the Graty)...

I must admit - the infomercial has it's moments of hilarity...my personal favorites are "You're gonna love my nuts" and "...freduccine, linguine, martini, bikini..." - um, well, ok?

I've added the link for your viewing (hehe) pleasure...

Slap Chop Website

another one down...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 02:42:00 +0000

well, Christmas is almost over...technically...

and nothing is better than spending most of Christmas Day at the hospital...can you sense the sarcasm? at least I can say that I'm grateful to even have a holiday to spend with my family, but it does take a little more luster off of a holiday that I don't care too much about already when I have to take my mother to the emergency room at 2am...now, don't panic, she's doing well - nothing immediately life-threatening like a heart attack or anything....she was just running a high fever, which is bad for her in her condition....hence the hospital run...

but like I said, I am thankful for my family (even though they tend to drive me insane) even if it means sitting in a hospital room all day on Christmas...

it's about that time...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:52:00 +0000

Christmas is almost upon us...shopping crazies are out and about...family plans are being made...I'm so glad I'm not a big fan of this time of the year...

now don't get me wrong, I'm thankful and grateful and all that, but I'm just not that into the whole "season"....maybe I just have a bit of "bah humbug" in me, but I've been this way for a long long time - I think after I grew out of the Santa Claus phase, the time of the year from Thanksgiving through Christmas just isn't so important to me...I like to give gifts, but don't really want any myself...I'm not big on the whole family gathering deal...and while I still think the lights are kind of cool, I'm beyond the whole decorating thing...

but I am off to San Antonio for Christmas this year...I do hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

Something a little different...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:54:00 +0000

Normally when I bake - it's cakes, cookies, or pies...sweets for people...

Well, today I tried for the second time, something a little different - dog biscuits! I made some last year (I think it was last year) - anyway, sometime in the past and they seemed to be ok...no dogs were harmed in eating them that I know of...so I figured I'd make some for the dogs of my coworkers as doggie Christmas presents - but it's a different recipe since I can't find my old one...

yes I'm strange - when I get bored, I bake...when I can't sleep, I bake...when I'm upset, I bake...hey, it's either that or, well, I don't know...knit? but I can't knit - I can bake though...

and if I do say so myself, they did turn out kind of cute...I'm leaving the taste-testing to the dogs though!

Watch D.O.G.S.

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:10:00 +0000

just saw a great news article about this program, so I thought I'd share!
(click on the title to follow the link)

weekend baking party

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:19:00 +0000

consisting of just me...

I've gone crazy and baked like an insane woman over the last 2 days!

The result:
4 pecan pies
1 chocolate chess pie
2 pumpkin rolls
1 white wine cake
3 banana-cranberry nut bread loaves
4 dozen chocolate truffle cookies

I would have bake a few pumpkin pies, but I decided to quit for now...but sometime soon, I'll be making those, a sawdust pie, and perhaps a Boston cream pie as well...

And to think, everything (except 2 pecan pies) is being toted up to work for a chili cook-off tomorrow...it was either make chili or desserts, and since no one wanted to be on my team (we had to have teams of 3 to participate) I opted to bake...oh, my coworkers love to hate me, or hate to love me...whichever...but as I always say - calorie-free, fat-free, sugar-free...that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

The extra 2 pecan pies (and some of the cookies) were whipped up for some friends of mine & their families - hey, men & kids love pie and cookies!

another one ties the knot...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:23:00 +0000

well, chalk one more up to wedded bliss...

it's almost sad that I told myself I'd only be married once and well, I did that without a wedding or even a honeymoon - yes, how pathetic am I, since I'm now virtually divorced...never will I wear a wedding dress or have a ceremony or get to honeymoon in some distant tropical land...oh well, life experience is how I see it - and being single works for me...

anyway, I thought I'd share some lovely pictures from a wedding I attended this weekend - it was the daughter of friends/co-workers that really is a comical fairy-tale type romance...they met in college through a mutual friend, yet she was in a relationship...they remained friends and when her relationship fizzled, he asked her out and the rest is history (or is it the future?)!

the Fred Astaire and Katherine Hepburn look-a-likes are the bride's proud parents...

they make the cutest couple and are perfect for each other - they compliment each other completely! riding off into the sunset - oh, to be young again!

Election 2008 - finally almost over!

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:56:00 +0000

yes, yes - it's a historical event either way you look at it, but you know in all honesty, I'm just ready for it to all be done with...

I think I have been bombarded long enough with the television ad campaigns, and it feels like the only mail I've received in the past month has been bills (woohoo!) and political mailings...

I came, I saw, I voted, and now I (and the whole country) wait...

so...coffee, check...laptop, check...tv & remote, check...nothing left to do but sit back and watch the national color-by-(electoral vote)numbers map slowly fill in with red and blue...

for your viewing pleasure!

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 01:00:00 +0000

ok - so the cake came out actually pretty well...it's not by any means as good as a professional cake decorator, but I impressed myself - and everyone said it looked amazing and tasted great! Overall, I'm satisfied!

it's that time of the year...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:58:00 +0000

I forgot how much I really enjoyed baking - I made some brownie cupcakes tonight to test out new icing, which was actually pretty good - it was a light whipped icing, fairly sweet with a bit of a marshmallow taste...I tinted it orange in honor of Halloween!

I'm going to use it on a tiered classic white cake with strawberry filling decorated with flowers - it's a birthday cake for my friend's daughter's birthday party this weekend. I hope it turns out nice - I'm not very good at decorating, but I'll give it a shot...if it looks nice, I'll post some pictures!

and then it's the time of the year for holiday fattening-up! so next it'll be sweet potato, pumpkin, and pecan pies and cookies - maybe even a couple of cakes...Italian Cream Cake, maybe? My co-workers are going to love to hate me, or is it hate to love me?

yup - definitely missed baking and happy to start back up!

give a little bit...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:47:00 +0000

ah, yes - Supertramp said it so well...give a little bit...

just a little bit...but once you crack open that door, be prepared for it to be shoved wide open...and then what?

it's not "to be or not to be", but "to trust or not to trust"...I have trust issues - everyone that knows me will attest to that! and I don't just mean with the opposite sex - this applies to friends and family...I know, how sad to always be suspicious of everyone - but my "conspiracy theory" has proven true more times than not...paranoid? maybe...after all, at some point in your life, someone is really "out to get you"...and after the so-called "loved ones" I've had recently in my life, I have every right to trust no one! One was even childish enough to threaten to kill me (no worries, but *if* bad things start to happen to me or I do meet my demise mysteriously - we'll know where to look first!)...like I can honestly be to blame for his problems! Some people should really look inward when they can't get their crap together...

I think the root of my problem is I'm worried about being able to trust myself...kind of like if you can't love yourself, you can't love anyone else...well, mine is if I don't know myself, how can I know and trust anyone else? Sounds dumb, but the closest I can think of to compare it to is...well, remember the scene from Runaway Bride, where Richard Gere asks Julia Roberts what kind of eggs she likes and she can't answer because she's just always liked whatever the man in her life at that time liked...I can completely relate - I don't know what kind of eggs I like the best...silly analogy, but it's the best I can come up with...

I have learned some things in my short lifetime so far - once a cheat, does not means always a cheat (most of the time, but not always), but are you willing to be the one to test it? It's like being an experimental drug test subject - not all "guinea pigs" will have adverse side affects, but are the rewards worth the risks? Something to definitely consider - especially with relationships, romantic or otherwise - does the benefit outweigh the potential emotional heartache and betrayal...particularly if there is a history of it...too bad they don't make a risk-assessment program to load pros and cons and spit out a result...only in the movies!

ask yourself this - is it fair to you to constantly worry if someone will betray you, so much so that you can't enjoy being in their company without that nagging thought running in the back of your mind? goodness no - where is the pleasure in that?

here's my for instance, taken straight from the pages of my life - I thought I had made a non-local (ok, ok - an online) friend (and I don't make friends easily - something to do with not trusting people...go figure). This was someone to just talk to and learn more about...completely innocent...and yet, after some quite pleasant conversations about politics, friends, and travel, that particular person "disappeared off the face of the earth." Literally - email address is no longer valid, etc. My thoughts? well, I believe this was just someone pretending to be someone they are not, duh...reason - who the hell knows? it's not like I'm some highly important person or knows any confidential military secrets...I didn't reveal any deep, dark secrets other than I like to bake, but hell, they could have read this blog and found that out instead of going through all of that unnecessary effort...and of course, how mature can that person really be? maybe it was a (and yes, I'm going to be politically incorrect and stereotype) pimply-faced pre-pubescent teenage boy looking for some kicks or some middle-aged, mid-life crisis bound person (I'm thinking woman, since they were too well-spoken to be male - yes, yes, bad me for stereotyping - there *are* some well-versed men in the world) with nothing better to do than to kill some time in their lonely life...am I pissed off? just a wee bit (haha no pun intended)...but mainly because I broke my cardinal rule and actually started to trust a little bit - I figured this person was on the other side of the country and it was incredibly unlikely to ever meet in person, so what did it matter?...but I guess technically, this person could actually be in the same city I'm in...I'm mad at myself for being gullible because I KNEW something just didn't sit right, but at least I'm not as pathetic as the fake friend!

yes, I have trust issues - I always think people have a hidden agenda...is it normal? no... is it right? no... but it's just the way I am...don't pity me though - while the saying is "tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all," I'll stick to "trust no one"...and just give a little bit...

back to baking basics...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:21:00 +0000

well, after a baking hiatus due to personal situations, I think I'm back in the kitchen ready to start up the baking season - after all, the holidays are just ahead!

so to start it all off, I'm whipping up a birthday cake for a friend's daughter's birthday party - it's going to be a blast, since it's at the roller-skating rink! I'm imagining a classic white cake with strawberry filling (maybe even some lemon curd) and poor man's frosting (thanks goes out to a chef I used to know for clueing me in on that recipe)...simple yet classy - I think it will work well...

and then of course after that, I'll have to start on the classic pumpkin and pecan pies and Christmas cookies...oh, it's going to be a busy next couple of months! Maybe I'll even get lucky and acquire some more baking pointers from a friend's mom who normally visit this time of the year to escape the cold north!

baking, baking, baking - it's what I'm good at! (well, one thing...)

Friendship (a poem)

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:38:00 +0000

A good and true friend
May be difficult to find
Like searching a darkened cellar
For that perfect vintage wine

Loyal and honest friends
Are ones you ought to keep
Those that hold your hand
For the laughs and when you weep

We are a mirrored reflection
Of our circle of friends
Hold the worthy close to heart
From beginnings to the ends

Time for Some Campaignin'

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:17:00 +0000

I love JibJab!

They won me over with "This Land" four years ago, and this follow-up for 2008 is hilariously brilliant!

Time for Some Campaignin' | Funny Jokes at JibJab

Obsession

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:29:00 +0000

I received in the mail the other day a one-hour pre-release special edition of "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West."

Well, I had a plane ride to San Antonio, so I threw it in my computer bag and figured it would be something to watch on the plane...

I don't know why I was sent the DVD - whether it was sent via a bulk mailing list or if my name popped up on the mailing list due to one of the various lists I am already on...it came from The Clarion Fund, who claims to be "an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization devoted to educating the public about national security issues."

I must admit I was enthralled for the entire hour viewing - it was a very poignant documentary about Muslim extremists. I would recommend watching it yourself and coming to your own conclusions - but it is, in my opinion, a bit of a wake-up call that we probably all need...

priceless...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:35:00 +0000

Mastercard Commercial

this is absolutely great!

I am appalled...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:27:00 +0000

It never ceases to disgust me how cruel humans can be...

China flaying animals alive

Editor's Note: The descriptions and video of China's fur industry in this story will be disturbing to some readers.

think before you speak...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:18:00 +0000

With the impending elections, I find it interesting that some people are so quick to criticize others...when they should take a really good long look in the mirror.

People may say how unethical politicians are and how corrupt the government has become - bribes, thefts, affairs, DUI's, "shady" dealings....well, you know what? most of these "negatives" that politicians have are the same "negatives" most of us have...

Yes, we have an expectation that as leaders of our country, they should be "better" than the average person - but is this really realistic? After all, our elected officials do originate from the same selection pool we are all wading around in - once upon a time, they were "normal" people just like me and you. And is it fair? How can we pass judgement on others when we, collectively, are guilty of the same offenses? We all have "skeletons in the closet" that we may regret...

How can someone say "oh, what an awful person for having that affair" when they themselves have been unfaithful to their spouse? I know two wrongs don't make a right, but I have never understood how a person can justify being upset if their spouse cheats on them if they have done the same...

How many people can honestly admit that they have NEVER done something that may be construed as unethical or of conflicting interest? I doubt very many...let's accept it - we're not perfect...

"Should you become eager to mention another’s faults, recall your own."

the right to bear arms...

noreply@blogger.com (RoscoeP13) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 01:56:00 +0000

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

The 2nd Amendment - the right for Americans to keep and bear arms?

I believe that we have the right to physically protect ourselves by any means possible, when in fear for our lives. That being said, I do not believe we need sawed-off shotguns, automatic assault rifles, armor-piercing ammunition, etc. to accomplish this.

We should have the right to "bear arms" to protect ourselves, our families, and our property...but within limitations...what should those limitations be? Common-sense should be able to dictate that...yes, a quite difficult concept for most.

A .45 ACP or 9mm should be sufficient enough to deter any actions that could harm us. And yes, to possess these, one should be properly trained and mentally competent before handling them.

My personal interpretation of the amendment - we should all have the right to possess guns - if you don't believe you need a weapon for protection or don't want a gun, then don't own one...but don't take that choice away from those that feel they do...

Realistically though, besides for hunting or collectables, the "arms" we should be able to "keep and bear" should be the minimum needed to protect ourselves - anything beyond that is abusing the right and privilege.