The Daily Bite

The Psychology of Candy

Those of you who know me, know that I keep a drawer of candy for anyone who needs a shot of the sweet stuff. Yesterday, Shmuel (once and for all, pronounced shmool), asked me, "Tina, why do you always have candy for everyone?". I quickly answered, "oh, it's in my genes. My mom always has candy out for her coworkers and my Grandma thrives on supplying the family with all the tooth-rotting pound-packing goodies she can." But I've thought this through a little more, I think there's a deeper answer behind the psychology of the candy. It's not as sweet and happy as it appears to be.

The real reasons that I push food:
1) I want everyone to be happy. I don't like to see people sad or angry. I do many things other than push food to try to ensure everyone's happiness as best I can. It stems from goings-on in my childhood and just seems to get worse (or better, depending on your perspective). At some point in my life, I took it on as my responsibility to make everyone around me happy. I'm not sure I fully understand it, but I can't seem to stop.

2) I want everyone to like me, ok, maybe even adore me. I really cannot deal with the idea of someone not liking me, so I try to "buy" everyone's love and admiration with candy and desserts.

We all know that everyone LOVES candy, hell, probably even NEEDS candy to get through the day, so I recognized it as an easy way to make others happy and to like me. There, it's out in the open now, my therapist would be proud. The more praise I get, the more likely I am to repeat. I found my niche as a food pusher and it makes me feel special, dammit.

I'm just surprised more people haven't realized the psychology of the candy and used it to their advantage. A few positive comments here or there and they could be swimming in homemade chocolate chip cookies. But don't try it now, I'll know you read my blog...

Whew, it feels good to get it all out in the open. Now I need a nap. Then I have to make Dirt for Tony's party...

The Gob is Gone

Yep, woke up this morning with a strange tickle in my mouth. My immediate reaction was to tongue the area of my stitch gob and, lo and behold, it wasn't there. Just a couple strange little bumps. I thought, ewww, gross, did I swallow it... but no, it was stuck on my retainer. I removed it, it is gone. This disgusting story line ends here. R.I.P. little stitch gob.