Follow Up Friday: Smells like Teen Spirit?

Follow Up Friday:Smells like Teen Spirit?

O dear.

Yesterday's post had to do with No. 36: Find a Signature Scent.

Then this morning, thanks to the blog Life in the Boomer Lane, I was alerted to a study in the American Journal of Political Science.   The official title is "Assortive Mating Ideology Could Operate through Olfactory Clues".   (Huh?)

Basically a study was done that exposed people to the body odor of either "strong conservatives" or  "strong liberals".  People tended to love the smell of those that had the same political ideologies. And they were leery of those whose political beliefs did not jibe with their own.

Apparently this is not such a groundbreaking study after all.

Way back when:

Bizarre matchmaking: The article from a 1924 edition of Science and Invention magazine recommends smelling your partner's scent via a hosepipe attached to a capsule they are inside. If the smell isn't 'too objectionable', you're a perfect match!

So by choosing Ce Soir ou Jamais as my perfume, am I attracting someone like minded? Repelling people whom I might otherwise have a great deal in common? Attracting political crazies? Maybe this perfume has something to do with my recent neighborly interactions?

I may be meddling with biology here!  Consider the consequences. 

That perfume I wore back in the 80s? Is that why I am married to the person that I am married to? 

Yikes! I don't even remember what perfume I wore. I no longer wear it because I no longer like it. What are the implications? 

Could we alter someone's opinion of us just by switching fragrances? 

Maybe I should give up a signature perfume and find an assortment that I can wear depending on the occasion. 

What would a right wing conservative perfume be? 

And the "let's go smoke a few then tie dye some t shirts" perfume? 

Wonder what cologne Hitler wore? Ahh...according to this, he refused to wear cologne. Was that so his true political ideas could shine through? 

My mind is boggled. 

No. 36: Find a Signature Fragrance or Two

No. 36: Find a Signature Fragrance


Wow! This one was hard.

But I think I have it nailed.

I wrote about my reasons why I wanted a signature fragrance here.

It's about power as much as smelling lovely.


I tried a few for a while. Some I liked enough to hang onto the idea of at least.

CK One- very gender neutral and fresh and summery. Light.
Ralph Lauren's Romance.  I got good reviews on this one. People frequently told me I smelled good.
But after a bit, I tired of it.
I still have a thing for Jean Naté powder in the summer.

But the winner is Annick Goutal's Ce Soir Ou Jamais. It means "Tonight or Never" in French.  Right there, the name is the perfect reason to wear it.  Don't you love the idea? Tonight or never....the possibilities.

Ce Soir ou Jamais

It should have a ribbon and label but I've lost those in use. 

And it's odd. Tea rose based. Not a scent I ever thought I would take to. But I love it. There is something else there, also, but what? I don't know.

I've been wearing it all summer and can see it holding up just as easily in the cold weather. Maybe even better.

But the clincher?  After walking out of the post office one morning, my great mail lady dashed out behind me.
"Nancie, what perfume is that? It reminds me of a day at the beach."

A day at the beach? Sign me up!  
A scent that will make someone run out of a building to inquire about?
Again, sign me up.


I still want to visit the custom perfumer.

But for now. Ce Soir ou Jamais.

Numèro 36 est fait.

Happy Thursday

T.G.I.T.
Thank Goodness it's Thursday.

I confess. I got nothing. At least nothing new.

My challenges are getting to be more of a ...challenge.   They are time specific or place specific. And I'm not in the right time or place! 

But.
I do have a garden update.

It's starting to bloom!

Daffodils near the drive.  Sorry- didn't realize this pic was a bit blurred.

 Goodness. I thought I looked at these when I took them. Must not have had my glasses on.

Anyway, more daffs in the zoo/garden.

 Johnny Jump Ups!! Particularly exciting because there are a bunch of them and we didn't plant them.

Left over from the previous owner and they must have appreciated the fertilizer that was sprinkled about last fall.

 Even the Allium is trying to get in on the action.

Tulips and Grape Hyacinths.

The Grape Hyacinths are also volunteers. 

I wish I had seen these beds when the original owners were here.

I bet they were lovely.

However, those pesky vegetable seeds I planted aren't doing much. That would be No. 39: Grow a Vegetable.  Apparently I planted the most under achieving seeds ever. Especially those tomatoes. The green peppers are at least making an effort...

And outside the sugar snap peas have sprouted and totally surpassed the inside sprouts.

The slacker tomatoes. 

Honestly. They are no larger than they were a month ago.

The green peppers at least look more robust.

Still. Not much of a showing.

Another thing that I have been working on is No. 36: Find a Signature Fragrance. I have always had a thing for gardenias. Ask anyone who knew me in Mexico- there was a gardenia lotion available only there that I lived in.  And while since then I have never considered myself a "floral"scent person, guess what I realize I've been attracted to? Yep. Florals. 

This morning I read two different blogs that were espousing grown up versions of gardenia perfumes. Off to "The Perfumed Court" website and decants are on their way to me. Yay! It's an early Mother's Day present to myself. Maybe one of these will be "the one". Or at least "the one for right now".

(What did I order? Arquiste Boutonniere and Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion. I'll let you know…)

And Thursday is the last day to get in on the double give-away for a blanket from my new venture, Cherry Creek Co.  That's No. 10: Start a business.    Click here to enter. Or go here if you just want to see the lovelies and buy one flat out.  That's okay with me, too.

Have  a great weekend.  After this week, I need a break!