Yesterday I learned that a coworker has lost her sense of smell. That got me thinking how tough that might be.
Here is my list of thirteen hazards and/or laments over a lost sense of smell. I’m sure I will miss some obvious things. Despite crummy sinuses, I’ve never been completely without this vital sense.
1. Loss of taste – kind of says it all, though a temporary condition would be nice to help me lose weight
2. Leather – sorry PETA
3. Cardamom and other savory spices – a favorite original character of mine smells like cardamom and the aforementioned leather in various balances (yum)
4. Not being able to detect the occasional odor that triggers pleasant recall; olfactory is one of the biggest bases for memory
5. Burning food without knowing it – I manage this with a working nose
6. I would fear not noticing something dangerous like gas or smoke in the air – this lady checks her running clothes dryer constantly
7. The carnations I walk by in the grocery store floral department would be longingly passed by without a good sniff
8. Obliviously breathing in exhaust fumes is a disgusting notion
9. Not having a clue that you have bad breath would be a bummer
10. I’d miss fabric softener, the one perk to doing laundry even if it’s nowhere near as nice as Grandma’s sheets on the backyard clothesline
11. The obnoxious smell of cat food breath would make kisses from my cat somehow less complete
12. Whenever I make a rare visit to the antique shops in a nearby village their attic smell would be a tragic loss
13. Some men’s colognes would be sorely missed, even if seeing mostly truck drivers through the workday makes this a mostly mute point
Well, there you go. I'd be curious to get any opinions. As a funny side note , the gal I spoke to yesterday was paranoid in the restroom, spraying air freshener like crazy. I couldn’t really relate to that. Mine smells like roses, after all…
Another great list! Very interesting - I don't think I focus on scent quite that much. Like #12 - I don't know if I would miss that even though I love antique shops. I know 4 people with this loss. One experienced #6 when he accidentally turned the gas stove on part way. Never knew about it until his wife came home. Two of them are concerned about not being able to tell if food has gone bad. I rely on that one a lot, since we waste almost nothing. Aside from the safety & health ones, #4 is a big one for me. I think food is equally about texture for me, so I'm guessing #1 wouldn't be too bad. The scent I would miss most is vanilla (seriously!). I suppose it would be easier to select shampoo and similar items if fragrance wasn't a factor. When they are out of my favorite, I wouldn't care.
ReplyDeleteOh, I caught the leopards at it again and updated the blog.
Oh, they are busy kitties. ~snort~ I'm so glad you liked my list. I had another idea in mind as I fell asleep last night. Maybe I'll remember it eventually.
ReplyDelete