Valentine Verdict

I have a great nose and really love sensational aromas. Hyacinths, peonies, lilies of the valley -- my favorite flowers all pack a punch to the nose in the olfactory sense! I really love fragrance. And, I tend to love what I love. I've worn my favorite perfume forever. And I would still continue to wear it, only -- it is no longer being manufactured. My husband found a bottle of it on-line several years ago and purchased it for me. But -- in reality, perfume shelf-life is not exactly eternal. Maybe I should have kept it in the freezer -- or Tupperware. At any rate, I need to make a new favorite and find a new me. Apparently my "New West" by Aramis era is officially over.

Recently, while Mr. and I were shopping in our local JC Penney's, I smelled something/someone fantastic! I accused the cashier of smelling divine, but she declared her innocence, blaming her colleague -- who had already walked away. I had to track her down! We found her at the front of the store to inquire.

"Oh, my goodness! What a sensational fragrance! -- Is that you? What are you wearing?" Perhaps I was a bit too exuberant in my quest. The poor woman looked embarrassed -- then confessed. She was wearing "Guilty" by Gucci. She stated the price -- available at Macy's.

I laughed with my husband on the way home that I would find a new fragrance that I loved with a price tag similar to a small starter home. That's the kind of nose I have. I'll wear second-hand clothes and tacky shoes, but I won't touch cheap fragrance!

You know how things smell different on different people? Later, at a Macy's I decided to play at the perfume counter. I found the "Guilty" party -- sprayed that around. Sprayed some other stuff, too. Hit both wrists, the sample cards -- who knows what else was compromised in my fragrance frenzy. I pretty much smelled like a traveling perfume counter by the time I was done -- either that or a 13 year old boy who had just discovered cologne. But -- things were getting a little murky. What exactly had I squirted where? Most of the sample cards were stamped with a different brand than the one I had doused on them. Which wrist had what? But mostly - -why, oh why didn't the oh-so-pricey "Guilty" smell like the JC Penney's experience? That's what I most wanted to know. It didn't even smell vaguely similar -- more deep and musky rather than light and floral. It couldn't possibly be the same fragrance. I started to wonder about the integrity of the JCP sales girl.

Ah well - I couldn't afford it anyway. I decided I really liked the Versace --- "Yellow Diamonds." That was fairly fantastic! I couldn't afford that either, I suppose. Hard to know, though -- since they lock those puppies up in the glass counter and don't exactly advertise the price. So tacky! As your mother said, "If you have to ask, then you probably can't afford it."

Later that week, while checking email, I found a shipping notice from Amazon that my order had shipped. What order? "Guilty" by Gucci was on its way. Only, I hadn't ordered it. I wasn't even really sure that I liked it. But -- with Valentine's Day on the horizon, I quickly deduced who had been ordering things on Amazon: the "guilty" party -- my favorite valentine -- my husband.

Now -- do you see the issue here? My husband had just spent who knows how much $$$ on a bottle of perfume that I like, but don't love. But -- is that not the sweetest thing in the whole world? He was with me on the whole scent quest in JC Penney's and immediately set out on a mission to make me happy.

So -- lean in close to your PC -- take a deep sniff -- you're certain to smell me because this stuff is potent! And if you're wondering: "What's that fragrance?" I'll tell you. It's love -- I smell like love!

Woody took this photo a few weeks back. I have to say, I rather like it. Is that kind of vain? Probably. But, the whole process was fascinating. He turned his room into a studio, hung a backdrop, and turned off the lights. Mr. helped man the camera and was in charge of holding the shutter open. Woody then threw flickering Christmas lights at me. I was in charge of holding the umbrella and standing still. I thought I'd add trying to look good to my list of responsibilities (note the pink scarf).

And -- I learned that leaving the shutter open allows the camera to capture every spot in the frame where the light touches. I guess it picks up movement, too. Apparently I fail at the standing still assignment. In my defense, the umbrella was flimsy and hard to handle when hit with a substantial wad of Christmas lights!

Part of what I love about this photo is remembering the experience: getting to help Woody create something fun (and complete his homework assignment), and learning something new from him about cameras, photography, shutters. The photo won a "professional" award in his photography class. He complained that I did not stand still -- making my image a bit blurry. I explained that at this point in life, I could use a little blur. Blur is actually quite flattering!