Candy Terrorism: The Jellybean Edition, Tolland High's 'Little Shop of Horrors,' Summer Camp

Good morning, Tolland! Today is Wednesday, March 6, 2013; there are 300 days left in the year.

Friends, I want to talk to you about candy terrorism.

I coined the phrase to mean having the expectation for something delicious based on a candy’s appearance, only to be surprised by another - far less palatable - flavor.

The example I’ve used in the past is when people put hard candies on a dish. Say, for example, you pull out a red disc, expecting to taste cherry or, at worst, strawberry, only to have your tongue explode with the taste of cinnamon.

That, my friends, is candy terrorism.

I want to add to the list of offenders: Brach’s.

Why they insist on putting licorice jelly beans in with the rest of the awesome flavors is beyond me. That they mix in purple to confuse us even further shows the depths of their depravity.

Yes, I recently pulled my annual “Hey, I’m going to eat this purple jelly bean... ZOMG I’M GOING TO BARF!” routine by plopping a black licorice egg in my mouth.

You may ask, “But Ted, why do you even buy that brand if you do that every year? Aren’t you an idiot?”

Because be quiet, that’s why. Leave me alone. This is about Brach’s, not me.

Here’s your Daily 5:

1. Little shop, little shop of horrors, bop, shoo, wop … anyone else have that song in their head now? The best way to get a song out of your head is to listen to it. Don’t have the Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack on your iPod? No worries, the Tolland High School Drama Club has you covered. The club will present the play this weekend at THS. Click on this link for more details and bop your way to a clear mind.

2. Despite the sunshine of recent days, March still reminds us that we’re not yet out of the winter woods. According to weather.com, it appears that a cold rain will start to fall early Wednesday afternoon with mixed precipitation coming into the area a few hours later. The snow and wind will remain throughout the day on Thursday and possibly into Friday. If you want to track the storm in real-time, remember to follow the local weather radar on Tolland Patch.

3. To nearly the opposite extreme, if you’re ready for summer, or at least preparing for the warmer months, this is a guide that you must-read if you have children. Patch has compiled a list of the summer camps in the Tolland County area and people are adding to it nearly daily. Take a look and see if your favorite camp is listed or peruse the list if you’re looking for options come June.

4. Still trying to work out your plan for how to get your body ready for summer and boost your energy for all those warm-weather activities. Check out this video, designed to help you get your butt in gear, literally

5. OK, maybe I jumped the gun a little with all this summer talk, but who can blame me? Anyway, to take a step back and return to March, I want to thank everyone who submitted a name of a favorite pub or other local establishment that you think is the best place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Don’t see your favorite on the list? You can add it directly to the map yourself. Sláinte!