...Thanks for sharing, DutchSniffer. Well, you have a plan and use perfumes as a distraction, in order to keep thinking about food. Distraction works. The principle of Natural Childbirth works like that. The brain processes certain things, one at a time. So labor pains are mitigated with focusing on something else, a song, and with skillful breathing techniques, the body has it easier. Painless it is not, I can assure you that, but here I digress ... Well, driving requires a lot of concentration and effort, the fight or flight adrenaline is flowing in the adrenaline direction and I cannot imagine enjoying a meal while driving. Or while typing on this here keyboard. The grey matter brain cells take over, the stimulus of any good piece of food in the mouth is lost. Or watching the TV, the food is barely tasted. Mindless eating. Munching popcorn. I just don't get it how exactly you are using the enthusiasm and the penchant for perfumes as an actual distraction from mindless eating. Do you sniff and sit down to write about it all day long ? Then, you are actually typing and wordprocessing.How exactly does the sensory input from perfume replace the sensory input from food ?Please share in more detail, if you want to.

...Well, I am busy posting on both the German site and the International site. It happens that vivid and almost violent discussions ensue when the topic is religion or politics.Other Forums forbid those discussions because too many different opinions will be expressed and invariably somebody's feelings will be insulted. In the most recent stormy exchange on the German site, Management quickly stepped in and fixed it. A troll was banned. But he was not the only cause for strife, it was the general attitude of quickly attacking instead of listening to other opinions. This morning the attitude and policy of Parfumo was published, after the storm was settled, to show us "the way". That is much better than simply deleting the topic as it has happened countless times in Fragrantica, leaving the crowd baffled, haplessly angry, and members quitting in disgust.I appreciate the attitude of Parfumo to let us know what the climate should be.

...Eat to live. Live to eat. Well, I have to elaborate on this. My son is into fitness and how can I stand by and not be touched. For a long while, I just ate what was convenient, accompanied by lots of cups of coffee. Get through the day. Work on a project. Drive the car to destination, food "fast food" through the window. Now that I don't have to work anymore, there is no excuse not to eat right and to eat good. In comes some effort to change course. There is the food pyramid that the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has established. Nice, really good, at least I have something to look at. But, better still is the same pyramid for the Mediterranean Diet. Italian food has pleased my palate best for as long as I can remember. So, cut out the canoli and the sweets, and focus on fish, with lots of vegetables, and a little pasta. A blown-up poster of the Mediterranean Diet is pasted on the kitchen cabinet. As a reminder of what to shop and what to put into your mouth. Into your body, as is said "your kingdom".For the last 4 days, it worked. To make it work, I keep records. Not really counting calories, but portion sizes. 3 full meals during the day, an afternoon snack. All this is just the beginning, hence the new found enthusiasm. When I was pregnant, I did it for the baby. Now, well ... just to stay healthy. It feels good ...There may be other diets or eating patterns that work. To keep the weight down and to promote health. Your stories ?

...There is no nicer compliment. "What is it ?" Do I want to reveal ... Most of the time, yes and it may lead into a perfume conversation.I am fairly certain that the public only perceives a perfume by the sillage it radiates. Therefore, it could be one that THEY like and which could be sitting on my skin like an adornment, an extra, not really a magnification of my own skin scent. It really depends which "scent of the day" I put on. Sometimes that compliment is a surprise. Why is the scent not just pleasing to me ? Because I sniff it up close.Well, if it were not pleasant, I would not have put it on in the first place. Except, sometimes for testing reasons. Close to the skin scents can be very pleasing to the wearer but are not radiating very far. Cozy for cuddle time, or gentle for office wear. Moreover, an extract blooms fully narrow to the skin and tenaciously holds on but does not throw out a soft mist of sillage very far. They may become ugly when applied in great volume. I prefer scents that start with a cloud and then dry down softly.There are others that are strong and oily and when applied with a Q-tip make their statement. Each perfumista experiments without stopping and hopes to find THE scent. There is no such Holy Grail Scent but there are a few gems.This is just a little ramble ... the field makes for rambling, it is so large ...

...Young perfumers sometimes struggle for years to put it together and then, a breakthrough.Can you think of stories of how your favorite perfumers started ?Let me start:Ellen Covey experimented and came up with a line of scents that sometimes resemble places and sometimes can be worn. She posted on Fragrantica and even had a few members evaluate her novice scents. Now she has a business OLYMPIC ORCHIDS and my favorite scents of hers are: "Golden Cattleya" and "Olympic Amber". Juliet Stewart had a perfume created for herself and was constantly asked, "What is it you are wearing?". She decided to commission it again and do it commercially for the public. Hence we have her gentle Eau de Parfum "Juliet" and the gorgeous extract with the same name. Andy Tauer was a chemist and a computer specialist. He experimented with scents and launched them in his friend's book store in Zurich. The enigmatic and refreshing cologne "L/'Air du Desert Marocain" was widely praised and still to this day.There are lots of beginner's stories, can you tell ? And, are those of your favorites perfumes ?

...It seems to be human nature to congregate in groups. Like souls bond with like pals. With the facility of communicating via the keyboards from your cozy home computer corner to wherever your fancy takes you, there is opportunity to connect where you want to be. Others feel the same way, and that is, theoretically, a great big mish-mash. But no, not so fast. When entering a discussion group, you enter into an already existing group climate. That climate changes, as new members step in. It changes even more when the group becomes massive. Here I am thinking of both Basenotes and Fragrantica.There is a lack of control and topics escalate. Even on the smaller, more contained Parfumo stage, the German site is larger and has not only more life, but also more strife. So it seems we cannot have a perfect Forum, a perfect group, a perfect world. Either apply strict rules and that kills all spontaneity, or hang around with loose rules which tolerate nonsense and bla bla. I am happy about the perfume interaction and the blog article feature.

...What I like best is the personal space to write a blog type article. Sometimes when a topic is discussed, a few side thoughts emerge and that would clutter or hi-jack the general discussion. So, then say what you want, more personally and more eloquently, on your personal blog space. In turn, members can reply to your prose, and a little side discussion follows which eventually trickles out.I love the reply feature on the perfume reviews, too.All this makes for easy and direct interaction on various levels.Even the PinnWall entries provide a nice little chain of greetings.The more members join, the more the forum discussions will grow, it takes time.

...There is a momentum to everything. If too many businesses experience losses with these restrictions, then either the businesses find a way around it (a conspiracy - hear Sherapop) or the rules get mitigated or abolished if they become damaging to economic growth.I am still puzzled as to why and how this all started.Screaming in frustration is one thing, to come up with a workable solution is another. Ideas ?

...This shot could be a nice new Facebook Home Profile Page update.

...Dolby, you mentioned the theory of shapes.An article published in The Perfume Magazine on Nov., 2011 came to my mind. The Author is Francesc Montejo Torrell and the title is "The Holy Grail of the Olfactory Code". Torrell starts with shapes, lock and key theory and goes on to scientific explanations which I was unable to follow. That "Synaptic Glittering" theory, is that the vibration theory you mentioned? It is not often that I cannot follow what is written, but here my brain hooked out. Either it is too much chemistry for me, or the author did not put it into well enough understandable layman language.

...Sherapop:Pipette:The whole thing is so incongruous, ridiculous and blown out of proportion. The plane itself carries tons of Diesel fuel making the machine itself hazardous in flight, ha ha ha - I would laugh if it were not so pathetic.Excellent point! 8) Yep. But I did not have that point first. It was AromiErotici in that other thread about the same topic.http://www.parfumo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=888&highlight= So, how can Rules about tiny bottles be made that important ? Beats me.

...After I went through various experiences as a teenager, which episodes were highlighted with perfume purchases, nothing is as important as my first bottle of Shalimar. It was my companion throughout my young marriage and many years in adulthood. It will always have a special place in my memories.Today my collection is big. My outlook is different. Various scents accompany various activities/goals. No bottle is center piece.

...Dalmajen:I think we will have to see, just how bad it's going to affect all the online businesses, and ebay sellers etc. Once the penny drops, as just how much things will be affected, then there may be an adjustment of some kind. I have no idea what kind of adjustment, but I do feel there will be a lot of complaints from all sectors, so...maybe there may be a change of some sort? (here's me, trying to be optimistic! :roll:I think you said it well. "Once the penny drops ..." I am just surprised that the penny has not already dropped ! TauerPerfumes is a small business and he made adjustments, as followers of his blog can read by updates.Fedex and the new Shipwire may get more business, charging rates that the businesses either can afford, or not. I believe that more could be accomplished if some PROTECTIVE WRAPPER were invented and then uniquely used for perfumes as "inflammable" hazardous goods and then they are "safely shipped".The whole thing is so incongruous, ridiculous and blown out of proportion. The plane itself carries tons of Diesel fuel making the machine itself hazardous in flight, ha ha ha - I would laugh if it were not so pathetic.So, who is affected the most by these new enforced air traffic Rules ?Small businesses that ship to many international customers. "Gone with the wind" was a movie where old traditions were blown away by the winds of change. Here too, the recently enforced Rules will shake the material like a sieve, and the best remains while the rest falls through.

...Usually I choose a fragrance based upon my own smell. It happened that way after many years of testing and playing with possibilities.Like a well chosen scent should magnify the own pleasant smell. I mean that odor of a healthy person, eating well, not indulging into too many bad eating habits. Sherapop wrote (somewhere) that people often just add a perfume like an adornment. Then that perfume sits superficially on top of the skin, AND the person.With Dolby's article, I became aware that there really is something about radiating the own smells, but beautified with a well chosen scent picked from many. Does not the Guerlinade or other leitmotiv strings amoung Houses agree with some tastes, and not with others ?Here we are again at the much discussed subject of "skin chemistry".

...DutchSniffer:Sorry about touching a nerve Cryptic, that was not the intention. It is not the same obviously but the the mindset is similar. Not re the goal, but the mindset of people who are 'only doing their work' w/o thinking why they do it and if they would actually stand up, they would get in big trouble.. so they just do it. Hi,DutchSniffer, who exactly do you mean "should stand up" and protest ?The postal clerk accepting the package is supposed to ask the question: "Is there anything flammable in there, like perfume ?" This is routinely asked at the U.S. post office windows. They want to keep their job and get the paycheck and pay the rent.

...It may become a new trend for the perfume industry to imbibe new creations with that ingredient.And make a whole new advertising campaign out of it. Like, "Go natural, sniff, recognize, choose ... "One of many things that the perfume industry could capitalize on, like the current oud trend.Anything new and novel - to sell - to stay ahead of the competition. Actually, instinctively partners have chosen their partners by nose. It just not has always been analyzed and documented, why.

...A bag is a little bit of a private compartment of what a woman carries around. For different functions, we carry a different bag. Like with a dressy outfit, going to just one place, I mean the place of festivity, a small bag is good, just with lipstick, perfume, change, credit card, mirror and comb, keys.Going shopping, a large tote is good, just stuff everything inside, more can be added, and items stick out on top, like the long stick of bread you just bought.Going to work, well, we need the water bottle, a sandwich, and the usual lifesaver items, cellphone, you name it.Going on a trip - here is where "shrinkage" comes in. Take a nice size bag for the carry-on plan, and big enough to be useful when sightseeing with maps, camera, water bottle, the thing you just bought.Going to the beach ...Well, girls, fill it in. A bag for every situation. A woman "wears many hats" and carries many bags.I love a soft leather bag pouch style that one can sling over the shoulder and actually hug it. My favorite hugable bag. I have one like that.

..."Sombre Negra" by Yosh and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPqlOucsrpo

..."Juliet" by Juliet Stewart and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJPZ-mu-Ts&list=FLA9ZygI58OCI8DciyuJcvHg&index=172

..."Ma Liberte" by Jean Patou and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=221UWotqwdo