so when i am eating candy and there are four or five flavors or so - starburst would be an appropriate example here, not because i eat it all that often but because of the flavors and the fact that when i do eat it, i eat it in the manner soon to be described - i eat them in sets. i can't think of a better term; but i tried. what i mean is that (continuing with the four-flavor starburst example) i would eat four, one of each flavor, before eating a second of any one flavor.

it is not a strict rule. if someone else offers me a piece of candy, i don't take one of each, and i don't feel weird by not having one of each (as an ocd'er might). and there is no fixed order of flavors per set either. (..he said defensively.)

here's where it gets a bit deeper though. see, that system works fine when using a small package that has the same number of each flavor. but in those cases where even numbers are not assured, a little work must be done. i will make as many full sets as i can and put those back in the container. then i will make sets minus a flavor. and then again, until i'm left with however many extra of one flavor i have. i will then eat them in reverse order: singles, doubles, etc., saving full sets for last. it makes the first few days or week of the candy a little monotonous but such is my absurdity.

i know, crazy, right? but my reasoning is sound. you see, if you [i] eat too many of the same flavor then your [my] tongue gets lazy and they do not taste as good or as distinct. i'm sure not a lot of people do it but i'm not wearing a lab coat and my hair is not white and sticking up, so i think i'm still sane. odd, but sane.

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