Since it's Halloween . . .

I'll be honest -- I haven't been a huge fan of Halloween this year. The Halloween decorations came up about 1 hour before company arrived, I only bought enough candy to feed 2 or 3 trick-or-treaters (since I'm not eating candy this year, there's little point in buying a lot of it), and it was only in the hour before the ward party that I actually decided to wear a costume, which consisted of normal clothes anyway. Call me a scrooge, a grinch . . . I don't really care. Those are Christmas terms, anyway.

Despite my lack of holiday cheer, I still get excited for Halloween every year for one reason: Pop Rocks. Time to quote it to whoever happens to be in earshot (read: Kevin).

Since I have a blog, and since today is is the 7th anniversary of the poem's inception, I decided to share it with you, too. Enjoy!

The Pop Rocks

(Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”)

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I wandered weak and weary,

Over a many snow-capped lanes, wondering what’d be my last remains,

While I trudged the treacherous trail, hoping my searchings wouldn’t fail,

Walking through the sleet and hail, hail that through the head would bore,

Suddenly, I reached a door, and opened it, and did implore,

“D’you have candy? I need more!”

Ah, so vaguely, I remember, it was not in bleak December

But Hallow’s Eve, I trick-or-treated asking for the junk I needed

Eagerly in sly disguise, I begged from basement to high rise

The craving was so very strong that I would burst out into song,

And I would sing with vim and vigor, as I went from door to door,

“I need Pop Rocks, nothing more.”

Kisses, Starbursts, Bertie Botts, Rollos, Twizzlers, suckers, Dots

Laffy Taffys, jelly beans, in colors yellow, pink, and green,

Skittles, Milky Ways, and Twix, M&Ms and Pixi Stix

Mints and Tootsie Rolls and Snickers, Crunches, Reeses, scarecrow stickers,

But not the candy I loved best, not anywhere from door to door

Were there Pop Rocks anymore.

The night was long, and I was tired, but dreams of Pop Rocks kept me wired

Though ice had formed on every hair and my jacket was threadbare

And all my fingers were near frostbite and they’d turned off every streetlight

And my hands would not stop shaking and truly, I thought of forsaking!

But I knew I had to find them, though my body was so sore.

Weren't Pop Rocks still in a store?

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

I had to find them, or I’d die! -- so I looked with searching eye,

I knocked at every single dwelling, I’d ask all people, nearly yelling.

I’d rant and rave and make them wish they all had Pop Rocks in a dish.

But no one had them anymore, so I would long for days of yore

When I could get Pop Rocks galore.

My body weak, my spirit low, yet wishfully on I did go.

Determined I went on . . . but lo! Look at all those feet of snow!

I then ran home, so fast I ran: Life would be hard as a snowman

So into home I went to stay, then got online onto eBay

And typed in ‘Pop Rocks,’ sat, sat more, till came a phrase I hoped not for:

“This candy is sold nevermore.”

“Thing of evil!” I proclaimed. “Pop Rocks. Inc should be ashamed.

Depriving me of what I crave will surely lead to something grave.

The candy made was so exquisite that all the world must surely miss it.”

With that, I typed again the name, but the message was the same:

“This candy is sold nevermore.” Yes, that it said; it made me roar!

“This candy is sold nevermore.”

I typed in ‘Pop Rocks’ once again; there was a buzz and beep, and then

It said, “Your reference isn’t found. We’ll find it, though, so stick around.”

And, I am waiting, never flitting, still am sitting, still am sitting

Until the blessed, joyful day when Pop Rocks will be here–hooray!.

I’ll order thousands, tons galore! but seeing as they’re not in store,

I’ll stay here, moving nevermore.

Books!

So, I'm being a bit of a copycat in listing the books I read each month. I completely left off August (what with all the vacationing, I'm not sure I finished a single book or just read a few chapters here and there of some) and only have one book for September.

11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

So . . . yeah. I just don't read as much during the school year. Imagine that!

This isn't quite accurate, of course. I read good portions of Harry Potter 1, 2, 3, and 6. But the only one I made it the whole way through was 7.

And I didn't even read it cover to cover! Just . . . hmmm, let's start at the battle. Wait, what happens at the beginning? Where's the part where they're in the forest? I would read 3 or 4 chapters at a time. And before I knew it, I had finished the book in a week.

Not the best idea during the school year. But it was still good. Harry Potter is just as good as I remembered.

Wisdom Teeth

As you may know, last Friday I got my wisdom teeth removed. And it really wasn't too bad. On one hand, I'm always one for a good story; after all, pain is temporary but the story lasts forever! On the other hand, why wish for pain? Why not just sit back and enjoy everyone else's horror stories rather than trying to "top" them?

That being said, I've had enough pain and discomfort and I'm quite glad that I'm basically recovered for a number of reasons:

1) I can smile again! Those swollen cheeks and painful sockets no longer afflict me. I don't laugh and then hold my cheeks together and beg, "stop making me smile/laugh!!!" Since I can smile again, I'm in a better mood.

2) I don't have to take any more HUGE pills. I am not a pill-taker. I remember those days in 7th grade where I decided I needed to learn how to swallow pills. My mom suggested practicing with mini M&Ms, but we didn't have those so I just tore tiny pieces off of Hot Tamales. Hours later, I think I might have gotten a crumb or two down without chewing.

And it hasn't gotten any easier. Oh, there were times where I forgot that I didn't know how to take pills, but by senior year of high school my esophagus had basically closed up, with a lot of nudging to get where I am now (still a lousy pill taker).

Anyway, we got home from the oral surgeon's office and lo and behold there were pills upon pills I was supposed to take to alleviate pain and prevent infections. The first few were the easiest, ironically--I think it's because I forgot that swallowing pills was impossible in my slightly dazed state (though I was actually quite coherent after the surgery, to my relief and Kevin's disappointment [he was hoping for some funny quotes]) .

But then it didn't get any easier! Yes, my mind became more and more confident. There was precedent. I had done it before and could do it again. But my body became more and more adamant. "You don't want to try and swallow this," it said. "You could choke. It could scratch your throat. You want it to stay on your tongue forever." And then there was my mom's voice, coaching me with, "Swallow! Swallow! Swallow!" I can't remember if she ever actually coached me like that, but I wouldn't be too surprised. Of course, the trick was to forget that I was trying to swallow it, which only worked when I wasn't thinking about not thinking about it as well as not thinking about thinking about it.

Suffice it to say, I'm glad I got through all that. Those were big and nasty, but somehow I got them down. And I got incredibly hydrated in the process.

3. Food! Don't get me wrong. I like smoothies. I like jello. I like yogurt. I like soup. I love ice cream. But I also really like tortilla chips and pretzels and carrots and pizza. And it's good to have them back without fearing that I'll wreck my mouth each time I bite down.

4. I don't look like a chipmunk anymore. The "Hamster Dance" song is no longer in my head nonstop. Thank goodness.

Anyway, that's my wisdom tooth story. Come to think of it, it's not really about the surgery itself. It wasn't that interesting, anyway. IV in, Kyra out, Kyra awake, gauze in cheeks, going home. The end.