😂 Oh, well then, you are in for a treat! Unless you yourself are a Master Perfumer or niche perfume artist with years of training as a 'Nose,' with a keen understanding of raw materials, chemical formulation, and how scents evolve over time, you will learn more than you ever imagined you could endure - passively!
Also, I am a person who has always loved girly indulgence: getting dolled up, makeup, experimenting with my hair. I am almost 50 - half a century - years of practice. The other day, my boy child thoughtfully, generously saw a need for correction, it seems, and said, 'Mom, you're welcome to borrow my hair products. But you should know, if you want curl, NEVER use the texture powder. You'd want the sea salt spray and *maybe* a tiny bit of pomade, but no powder! If you want, I can help next time you try to do a style ...' 😂 😂
This is just part of their playbook!
(FYI: I'd be 100% unaffected if he were a more feminine boy, or if he were LGBTQ+/ adjacent, by the way. But he's not! He's a rough and tumble, sports-loving, messy, stereotypical hetero teen boy. And his hair products are out of control.)
My grandfather used Old Spice. My father used Old Spice. I use Old Spice with the exception of an unfortunate period when I tried Axe. It's better not spoken about.
Ah, a legacy line of Old Spicers... well, that does simplify things, I suppose. Although now Old Spice has a Sport line, a Wilderness line, and a Bespoke line with exciting scents like Kraken...I hope you've thoroughly evaluated the right profile for the right occasion and have adjusted accordingly! Because you better believe a 12-year-old will judge you if you show up to poker night, bringing in the brightness of a sea salt base instead of the smokiness of oakmoss, my friend.
Your description of the waft that wafts through the house upon a teenaged boy’s exit is spot on! Living through it too and tbh I’ll take these curated scents over some of the newfound purely biological ones of 15 years old.
Great story and such brilliant writing. Your take on subject that is so serious to your son and turn it into a great piece of humorous musing. I totally relate to the dilemma your son is having to face. For a long time ago when I was young male teen, I had a similar dilemma but not as complicated as what your son is having to deal with. I use to break out in cold sweats when I strolled into my favorite grocery not knowing if they carried my favorite scent of Ban Rollon. That was not the end of my dilemma. Deciding what kind of after shave lotion I was going to bath my once virgin face after I shaved for the first time. Was I going to pick my dad's all time favorite extra minty Agua Velva or pick what all my friends used when they started shaving which was Bruce Lee's secret weapon Hai Karate! Making that choice was going to be extremely stressful! What was I to do! Make the wrong choice, I would be scarred for life. All I can say is that I am still alive to tell my story!
the stress of it all is too much to bear!! I love this story, Tommy!
(i'd forgotten about roll on deodorant!! ha!)
when i was Whit's age, I'd never have been allowed cosmetics or anything alluring, and especially not something designer or expensive, so it never crossed my mind!
Very cute & well written-- thoroughly enjoyable! ... Ah yes, "Ars Flatulandi" ... brings back hilarous memories of college days long past-- you'll never laugh so hard until you see one "flatum incendere". Meanwhile...
Ça n'est jamais logique. Il faut que jeunesse se passe.
So so very true. I do try to help him understand the importance of being respectful, but honestly, I prefer laughter to getting offended by juvenile capers. I feel sorry cranky old people who can't laugh along with kids doing dumb kid things!
Ah, kids these days...back in the early 1960s, when I was Whit's age, our choice was simply between English Leather and British Sterling...eventually we found Canoe...so, more power to the olfactory middle-school mafia...WRT nsasl ingestion of substances, it's far safer & healthier to have an atomizer in your backpack than a pill crusher or a mirror & razor blade kit.
Recommended reading:
Perfume: A Sensory Journey Through Contemporary Scent (Brian Eno, co-editor)
Jitterbug Perfume (Tom Robbins)
Portrait of the Fartist as a Young Man*(James Joyce)
In Some Lost Place: The First Ascent* of Nanga Parbat's Mazeno Ridge (Sandy Allan)
*Had to throw in a couple of stinkers, sorry. But one does connect with Eno's 1974 album "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy. Title track here...the rest is much peppier. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDBLDPaYzVE
My oldest son turns 10 this summer, and I now have something unexpected to look forward to!
😂 Oh, well then, you are in for a treat! Unless you yourself are a Master Perfumer or niche perfume artist with years of training as a 'Nose,' with a keen understanding of raw materials, chemical formulation, and how scents evolve over time, you will learn more than you ever imagined you could endure - passively!
Also, I am a person who has always loved girly indulgence: getting dolled up, makeup, experimenting with my hair. I am almost 50 - half a century - years of practice. The other day, my boy child thoughtfully, generously saw a need for correction, it seems, and said, 'Mom, you're welcome to borrow my hair products. But you should know, if you want curl, NEVER use the texture powder. You'd want the sea salt spray and *maybe* a tiny bit of pomade, but no powder! If you want, I can help next time you try to do a style ...' 😂 😂
This is just part of their playbook!
(FYI: I'd be 100% unaffected if he were a more feminine boy, or if he were LGBTQ+/ adjacent, by the way. But he's not! He's a rough and tumble, sports-loving, messy, stereotypical hetero teen boy. And his hair products are out of control.)
Have fun!! 😂 😂
We are living in amazing times! I love so much of this
Excellent humorous take as always. Thanks!
My grandfather used Old Spice. My father used Old Spice. I use Old Spice with the exception of an unfortunate period when I tried Axe. It's better not spoken about.
Ah, a legacy line of Old Spicers... well, that does simplify things, I suppose. Although now Old Spice has a Sport line, a Wilderness line, and a Bespoke line with exciting scents like Kraken...I hope you've thoroughly evaluated the right profile for the right occasion and have adjusted accordingly! Because you better believe a 12-year-old will judge you if you show up to poker night, bringing in the brightness of a sea salt base instead of the smokiness of oakmoss, my friend.
Your description of the waft that wafts through the house upon a teenaged boy’s exit is spot on! Living through it too and tbh I’ll take these curated scents over some of the newfound purely biological ones of 15 years old.
I loved this. You capture moments like nobody else. ❤️
What a compliment, Nate! Thank you!! 🙏
Great story and such brilliant writing. Your take on subject that is so serious to your son and turn it into a great piece of humorous musing. I totally relate to the dilemma your son is having to face. For a long time ago when I was young male teen, I had a similar dilemma but not as complicated as what your son is having to deal with. I use to break out in cold sweats when I strolled into my favorite grocery not knowing if they carried my favorite scent of Ban Rollon. That was not the end of my dilemma. Deciding what kind of after shave lotion I was going to bath my once virgin face after I shaved for the first time. Was I going to pick my dad's all time favorite extra minty Agua Velva or pick what all my friends used when they started shaving which was Bruce Lee's secret weapon Hai Karate! Making that choice was going to be extremely stressful! What was I to do! Make the wrong choice, I would be scarred for life. All I can say is that I am still alive to tell my story!
the stress of it all is too much to bear!! I love this story, Tommy!
(i'd forgotten about roll on deodorant!! ha!)
when i was Whit's age, I'd never have been allowed cosmetics or anything alluring, and especially not something designer or expensive, so it never crossed my mind!
Performative Farting will always be in style!
I have declared it a serious fashion faux pas in my home!! 😂
Very cute & well written-- thoroughly enjoyable! ... Ah yes, "Ars Flatulandi" ... brings back hilarous memories of college days long past-- you'll never laugh so hard until you see one "flatum incendere". Meanwhile...
Ça n'est jamais logique. Il faut que jeunesse se passe.
So so very true. I do try to help him understand the importance of being respectful, but honestly, I prefer laughter to getting offended by juvenile capers. I feel sorry cranky old people who can't laugh along with kids doing dumb kid things!
Ah, kids these days...back in the early 1960s, when I was Whit's age, our choice was simply between English Leather and British Sterling...eventually we found Canoe...so, more power to the olfactory middle-school mafia...WRT nsasl ingestion of substances, it's far safer & healthier to have an atomizer in your backpack than a pill crusher or a mirror & razor blade kit.
Recommended reading:
Perfume: A Sensory Journey Through Contemporary Scent (Brian Eno, co-editor)
Jitterbug Perfume (Tom Robbins)
Portrait of the Fartist as a Young Man*(James Joyce)
In Some Lost Place: The First Ascent* of Nanga Parbat's Mazeno Ridge (Sandy Allan)
*Had to throw in a couple of stinkers, sorry. But one does connect with Eno's 1974 album "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy. Title track here...the rest is much peppier. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDBLDPaYzVE
Performative flatulence? This dude was the Elvis or Michael Jackson of his time Beaucoup de Francs. Le Petomane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0irSdNQknpY
oooh, Canoe! A throwback. All the teens in the 90s had Polo if they upgraded from Axe Body Spray...
And YES - atomizer over insufflation of powdered anything, please!! Glad this generation is so much healthier and safer than we were!
Perfume (Eno) - will check this out!
Love Tom Robbins and Jitterbug Perfume
Portrait - lol!! James Joyce is, sadly, too difficult for me to enjoyably get through...
In Some lost Place - ever heard of this - love the title - on my list now!
As always, thanks for the great links, Tyrone!
❤️❤️❤️ Notes tomorrow.
Do you let Whit watch Bridgerton, Jessica? They've teamed up with Dove on some new scents, but Bill Maher isn't on board.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Of7UMpQTbeM