Wednesday, February 08, 2012

smell this


I recently heard a talk from an author who had written a book on how to be happy.  She said that using your sense of smell more often can make you happier. Then she proceeded to pass around little vials of perfumes that smelled like happy places. You know, like the beach or the garden.

I've been thinking about this idea. Sugar Daddy smells everything. And I mean everything.

Give him an orange- sniff then peel.
Give him a new book- sniff then read.
Give him a sharpie- sniff, sniff, sniff then write.
Give him a kid with a poopy diaper- yep. Sniff then change.

He literally smells anything you hand him. But the strange thing is that I rarely sniff anything and yet my sense of smell is way better than his. And I can't say he's a happier person than me. We are pretty much even in that department.

One thing that really interests me is what scents other people love.  The Sugar Daddy loves the faint scent of skunk. No, I'm not kidding.  He also likes pipe tobacco, cut grass and rubber sporting equipment.

Some of my favorite smells are freshly sharpened pencils, wet cement, tomato plant leafs, limes, baby lotion and towels from my grandmother's cupboard.

Here's what I don't like, no, not one bit: two poopy diapers, of varying crap smell, first thing each morning. The inhumanity! Also, I can't tolerate cold bath water smell, moldy laundry and seaweed on the beach.

When I think about the smells like like, they are all linked to memories. So I guess maybe this author maybe onto something. If I smell the things I like more often, then do I relive happy memories more often and thus become a happier person?

Meh. I don't know. I'm not totally buying it. But I'm going to try it anyway.

Today I'm smelling stuff.

I think I should also mention that this author of happiness also said that if you are tired during the day the only thing you have to do to regain your energy is to stand up, and hop up and down three times.

This was the point in which I quit giving any credence to what she had to say.

Hop up and down. Please. I need a big hit of caffeine, a bite of chocolate and a babysitter.



8 comments:

Laurie said...

I totally agree with that last night, coffee, choco and sitter, bring it on!!

Unknown said...

I hear you. I still don't buy into the hopping three times. Glad it works for her.

Tell me someone is coming to visit my war-torn home in 10 minutes, and my energy is miraculously restored!

lorie said...

Sister,
I love the smell of latex swimming caps mixed with chlorine. And how the desert smells after a big rainstorm.

Chelsea said...

I suppose she should should have just left her smelling theory alone and left out the hopping part.! hehehe
On a totally unrelated note and maybe an idea for a future blog post I was wondering where your favorite places to shop for clothes are???

Elizabeth said...

I've always thought of myself as a super-smeller -- I drive my kids crazy with my sniffing things. I'm laughing at your disdain for the writer of the book -- lately, I don't put much stock in people who sell books about parenting -- much less, happiness!

claire@farfromharmfarm said...

sometimes when out for a walk i'll smell the sweet smell of hay (i think) and it will transport me back to happy days as a kid playing on my uncle's farm. i'll try to sniff it again and I can't smell it...I wonder if it's my memory playing tricks, or if I really smelled it, but I know it makes me happy.

Miss P said...

Your husband would like my house right now. Faint skunk smell, and my daughter tells me it's stronger in the basement. I am NOT going downstairs.

I have a bit of a super smeller, and certain smells bother me (like syrup--can't stand the smell!). But Hubby can't tolerate sweet smells, like the candles I would burn to cover up the icky smells.

So, we try to keep things as smell free as possible.

Jody said...

The last line of this post is the best thing I've read all week! Love it!