Smell You Later

I smell everything

I don't mean that I just smell things as an automatic thing, just like seeing everything, yet not taking it in. Although, it is partly true. I mean that I really smell stuff.

I have a tendency to investigate things with my nose, a little too much for most people's comfort. I don't know why, but I do.

You'll catch me doing it often, usually smelling my hand or my fingers. And yes, sometimes that means there is something gross on my hand. But it just as often could be something nice.

A hint of perfume from someone I recently came into contact with. The scent of cut grass. My lunch. One can never tell.

It is yucky smells that catch the imagination sometimes though. What does that bug smell like that I just crushed? Let's find out. SNIFF

I'm rather sensitive to smells as well. Working where I do, doing what everyone does around me. There are often interesting smells.

Cutting of phenolic material generates a very unique smell. Acidic, and biting in my nose. I can smell it from hundreds of feet away sometimes. I've been told there is a lot of formaldehyde in it. But I don't recall what straight up formaldehyde smells like anymore, if I ever did. So I take them at their word.

Jet fuel is another big one around here. It is slightly different than kerosene, but in the same family. And it lingers. Boy, does it ever. You get some on your skin or clothing, and that stuff just hangs around and won't quit. Sometimes even after multiple washings of your skin or clothes. Some clothes you might as well throw away afterwards, hard to say what it will latch onto permanently.

There are a few smells I like at work. For no good reason, other than they are pleasant. I say it like that, because I shouldn't like them.

there is a particluar kind of Hysol two part epoxy that I love the smell of. I've actually stuck my nose into the can to get more of it occasionally. To me, it smells like sweet almonds. And yes, I know that isn't necessarily a good thing! But I like it just the same.

It's probably a good thing I don't work with it every day. I'd have more drain bramage than I already do most likely.

Certain smells remind me of things. And there is no telling when they will hit.

There is a certain mix of high octane fuel and exhaust smell that reminds me of when I was a kid, racing Quarter Midgets in Lansing. That is a good smell. Sometimes it wafts by and whisks me away to my youth. I like those kinds of smells.

I suppose being olfactory oriented isn't that unusual. I just wish I could turn it off sometimes. I mean, who wants to be put in a foul mood just because of a smell?

I'm glad I tend to live and work where I do. Being in the North Country, whether it's in Waaaay upstate NY, or in Northern Lower Michigan, means that the air quality is not half bad. Much better than in East Lansing area, where I grew up. Not to mention all the other places aviation could have taken me, such as Los Angeles, New York City, etc.

I'll just process all the smells I get, and see what images I get in my head from them. I hope for good mental visions, I can use all of those I can get.

Cheers, to smelling good, or bad, or anything at all.