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Decision at crunch time is tricky compromise
(by Christine Thome - November 05, 2008)
BEYOND MY CONTROL, BY CHRISTINE THOME
Decision at crunch time is tricky compromise
Last Thursday, the day before Halloween, I was combing the aisles of Costco, trying to determine what I kind of candy I should distribute the next night.
Staring at row after row of every kind of candy imaginable, I began to feel a headache coming on. Maybe it was the Costco samples of Red Bull, hot chocolate and cream puffs hitting my system all at once, but whatever caused it, it was going to be migraine proportion.
Pressing the palms of my hands to my eyes, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to find a friend who was also shopping for Halloween candy.
"You have that Costco daze," she said.
"I am so confused," I cried. "There are simply too many choices. I can't make up my mind!"
I glanced into her monstrous cart and saw three bags of the same kind of candy. She had her mind made up, and she clearly knew what she wanted. How could some people be so sure in their choice of candy, while others, like me, flip-flopped among the offerings?
Maybe it was the combination of the sugar samples and my migraine, but I suddenly had an epiphany. Choosing Halloween candy is like choosing a presidential candidate.
Do I go out on a limb and choose a new kind of candy -- something that promises a new taste and has bright-colored packaging and good marketing? Or do I go with what I've bought in the past -- something that is comforting and familiar to my taste buds?
How much candy should I buy? Do I only distribute candy to children who choose to participate in Halloween by dressing up or do I distribute it to every person who comes to my door, even if they are too old for trick-or-treating or refuse to dress up?
Is it OK for me to put a certain percentage of the candy I buy in my cupboard to nibble on when I need something sweet in the future, or do I have to give it all away and hope my children will share their hard-earned candy with me?
If I overindulge and gain too much weight, can I count on the candy maker to bail me out and pay for my diet pills and gym membership?
By the time you read this column, Halloween will be over, and the election will have been decided. The only signs of what transpired just a few days earlier will be discarded candy wrappers and stray campaign signs.
So what did I choose to distribute on Halloween?
Chips.
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