Question of the Day

It occurred to me yesterday, when I arrived at home and inhaled, that I've got a bit of a weird obsession.

I was smelling one of the new pumpkin candles I got over the weekend. Actually, I should say, one of the new pumpkin candles that I added to the stockpile. See, pumpkin stuff only comes out during this time of the year... a little bit before Halloween, and a little while into November, before we're completely smothered with Christmas. And if you like pumpkin candles, you've got to stock up so you don't run out before January rolls around.

And I like pumpkins.

I mean, I really like them. It's a little silly how much I like them. And it's more than just liking pumpkins themselves... I mean... I even find their basic shape very aesthetically pleasing and comforting. They're the perfect shade of orange, my favorite color. Not that brash Florida oranges orange, but a soothing autumn mellow orange. (Autumn is my favorite time of year, in case you couldn't tell.) They even look cool when they're growing, with their curly vines and whatnot. Strolling through a pumpkin patch is so autumn-y, I can barely stand it. I've actually considered getting a little pot of dirt and trying to grow one pumpkin on our porch.

Pumpkin pie? So delicious, I could eat nothing else for the rest of my life. Pumpkin soup, pumpkin sauces, pumpkin ravioli, baked pumpkin with brown sugar... gimmie gimmie gimmie. I can eat an entire bag of pumpkin seeds in one sitting. I bought a pumpkin cookbook, even though the husband hates the taste of pumpkin and squash and I'll probably never make anything out of it.

Jack O'Lanterns. How cool are they? Nothing else so perfectly encapsulates the greatest holiday ever, Halloween. And how can you not simply love that smell a jack o'lantern emits when the candle inside is lightly cooking the pumpkin lid? Confession: I once actually considered buying a jack o'lantern beanie baby. I've bought jack o'lantern toys for the dog, just because *I* wanted to see her play with them.

Hell, I even like the way the word "pumpkin" sounds.

Have I embarrassed myself enough yet? Obviously, I need help. Lots and lots of help. In the meantime, I'm going to burn my pumpkin candles, eat a pumpkin muffin, drink some pumpkin coffee, and say "pumpkin" until my eyes cross and I pass out.

So, what about you? Are there any weird little all-encompassing obsessions you have? Or am I alone here? Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? *tap tap tap*