(no subject)

[wispfox]

So, while I was trying to fall asleep, my brain decided to wake me up by thinking about scent, and people's perception of it.

I tend to find that, at least to some extent, I can identify people by scent, especially if they are the type of people I hug.

A recent example of this was when I was visiting a friend, was cold because of the air conditioner, and was lent a sweatshirt.

I could tell, while putting it on, that it was my friend's, and not his wife's, entirely by scent. I was amused, and shared this fact. The first response was an apology - at which point I made note that it was not a *problem*, nor an unpleasant smell, but that it amused me. And actually, I tend to find most people whose natural scent I am familiar with pleasant - not even simply neutral.

I find it rather sad that people's first response to being told that they have a scent (note: I did *not* say that the shirt smelled) is an apology. Yes, I have a rather sensitive nose. Yes, I appreciate people bathing. But even freshly cleaned people have a scent all their own, unless they've somehow masked it with another scent.

Of course, most masking scents bother the heck out of me, partly because people tend to use too much.

I wonder if there is a difference in how sensitive people's senses of smell are, depending on where they grew up? Also, perhaps, on if they ever tried to differentiate the scents around themselves.

Like, for example, I can smell rain - frequently, immediately before it happens. And absolutely once it starts. (and MMMM! the feeling of impending lightning... but, oh, how annoying when it does not *happen*)

I can smell what I call 'green' - otherwise defined as whatever the general scent of plants is.

I don't *think*, but don't know if, I can track down clean water by scent. I've never tried. I doubt I can, though, because I suspect that the scent of green, generally being moist, would confuse my nose.

I can smell spring (wet and mud), and winter (cold), and heat. I can smell humid (different from impending rain), and tend to correct myself when I'm complaining about heat, but mean humid. I don't *like* humid much, at least not when it's enough to make me sweat in temperatures I would not otherwise be bothered by.

I seem to be babbling, and hungry, so I'm going to go find food, and perhaps try sleeping again. On the plus side, not being able to sleep is not as huge a problem when I don't have a job to go to tomorrow morning. :)

Comments

[kahoki.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing this - I know that my sense of smell is not what it could be when I do have some of the smell recognitions you describe, but not as often as I should.

I believe that smell is the most powerful sense for memory recognition, so it is neat to hear that you have this as your secret mutant power :P

[hawkegirl.livejournal.com]

I think it's genetic, like there are super tasters, there are varying degrees of how well someone smells.

Stop cutting your posts! :>

[yehoshua.livejournal.com]

I tend to find that, at least to some extent, I can identify people by scent, especially if they are the type of people I hug.

I find something similar, although with me it's more that I can tell when there have been major biochemical changes in a person I know well. That is to say, I could tell by her smell that a close friend was pregnant because suddenly I didn't find her as mind-bogglingly hot as normal. About 10 months later, once all her hormone levels went back to normal, she smelled sexy again.

Of course, most masking scents bother the heck out of me, partly because people tend to use too much.

Ah, yes... them. I used to work with a dynamic duo of thems, one of whom was a woman whose perfume scent preceded her by several ZIP codes, the other of whom was a particularly crusty (and I mean crusty) VAX admin who felt that soap was a tool for evil. Needless to say, my desk was midway between the two, and my fortunes literally changed with the winds.

[dietrich.livejournal.com]

I'm so with you on this. I often say I can smell snow coming, or that it "smells like Christmas" outside. One of my favorite smells is autumn - crisp cool air, dying leaves, punctuated by the occasional wood or leaf fire. It's best on a clear dry day.

I also can smell when people are sick, or exhausted, or depressed.

And I'm dating one of the sexiest smelling people on earth, I'm sure of it. Oddly, his natural scent (which drives me to distraction) seems strongest when he's just showered, and he washes with plain ol' Ivory soap. *swoon*

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

(stalk stalk stalk)

We should talk scent colors some time. Preferably when co-located as scents are hard to communicate by email.