Do you feel guilty?Maybe it’s my imagination, but it seems that the traffic on the perfume blogs and discussion forums has lessened in the last couple of weeks or so. It’s been a little difficult for me, to go on deconstructing scents while the wet sand is sliding out from under my feet, as the wave we’ve all been riding returns to the sea.
Something tells me I’m not the only one.
I work as a consumer counselor. I take calls from people who need advice on how to deal with crooked car dealerships or non-existent customer service – at least that’s what I used to do. A year or so ago, the foreclosure calls started. Now, it's people who’ve just retired, thought they’d be comfortable and are terrified. It’s tough and demanding work, but it feels good to help; still, there’s not much good advice I can give them right now.
So I come home and spritz up. Like some people would have a drink. (Well, yeah, okay, sometimes I do that too.) Try not to watch the endless bad-news drumbeat. (The 24-hour news channels are having a ball right now, as this is a ratings wet dream -- hey, media boys and girls, why don’t you take a little societal responsibility for a freaking change and stop scaring everybody to death – but who am I kidding?)Don’t touch that remote!)
I love perfume, and always have. This world, this gorgeous olfactory phantasmagoria, is where I live half the time. Of course, back in the day I didn’t know my cassie from my cinnamon, just that something smelled good or it didn’t. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to afford this passion, at least since I found out about decants and swaps, anyway. I haven’t added it all up yet – somebody over at Basenotes once wrote, “never, never, never add it all up, nev-ah!” and I think that’s pretty good advice. If I’m swanning around trailing clouds of Carnal Flower, it’s because I have an 8 ml decant. I’m like a bee that goes from flower to flower, joyfully promiscuous.
But now I’m having trouble writing about it. Somehow it’s the writing, not the wearing, that seems frivolous. Like more serious matters are afoot. There’s a bit of Marie Antoinette in the going on about the various tuberoses and/or has Serge lost it when things feel like they do right now.
I’m still a relative newbie at this, although I’ve learned a lot. After 9-1-1, we all got real serious (but wasn’t it amazing, how quickly we got over that?) “Go shopping,” our Fearless Leader said, and we did. I don’t believe there was much of a blogosphere yet then, certainly not a perfume blogging universe all those (7) years ago – please correct me if I’m wrong.
I’ll keep on doing this, because I love to do this, but sometimes my prose might seem a little forced, because it’s not coming real easy to me right now.
I know a few of you other bloggers out there read this. How is the current crisis affecting you? And what about perfume fans, how about you?
Is it just me?
