Smelly

As much as I love television and the internet, it has two fundamental flaws (and many other small flaws that I will not be delving into in this particular blog post):

1. TV/Internet cannot capture or convey scents to our sense of smell.

2. TV/Internet cannot capture or convey tastes to our sense of taste.

Now I have a friend, the near and dear K-Rae, who is working on her thesis/dissertation dealing with the very issue of "taste" in art. All other senses (even smell and sound) have been tapped in contemporary artworks--due to the growing interest in and popularity of sound art, installation art, and performance art--but not taste, at least not to its fullest extent.

This is fascinating to me--as is the outrageous number of food-related shows that captivate audiences when we cannot really relate to what is happening on the screen because we cannot taste it. Don't get me wrong, I love food shows (See: Man Vs. Food). Top Chef is a favorite as well. But it irks me that I have to trust these judges and their palettes and it frustrates me that I cannot taste for myself.

So why all this talk of taste and smell?

This is my unbelievable roundabout way of getting to a list of my favorite smells.

Why?

Because I was in my kitchen today and it hit me! Nothing causes a more instant shift in mood and disposition like a particular scent.

Example: The smell of rotten eggs.

Now you may be one of those freaks (I mean that in the nicest way possible) out there that LOVES the smell of rotten eggs, and I say kudos to you! But I think I can speak for the majority when I say that this smell can instantly turn me from a happy camper into a sad camper. 

Example dos (Spanish for 'two'): The smell of coffee grounds.

This morning, in my kitchen, I opened our canister of Starbucks African Sumatra and just smiled and sighed. Mmmmm. Suddenly, I felt ready for the day. I hadn't had a drop of coffee to drink but the smell just made me feel calm, at peace with whatever the day would bring. It got me thinking, what other smells can so easily transport me from my mundane existence to a more pleasant version of living. Here's what I came up with:

Coffee grounds (as stated previously)

Not to be confused with coffee. Whole other smell, trust me.

Bacon

(which I'm not particularly fond of eating--unless I get a serious craving--but LOVE the smell of)

Chocolate Chip Cookies in the oven

Lavender

(yes, I like scents that aren't necessarily created by foods)

Old Spice

(instantly, I feel warmer and cozier when I smell this on Mark, or even strangers, for that matter)

Fresh-cut grass

(Though I'm allergic, I still can't help but take in a deep breath--through my nose before it gets clogged--and say, yes, this is a smell I love)

and last, but not least...

Burning wood, or campfires

(If you do not love this smell, then I just don't know what kind of human you are...)

So, for the sake of research, what are some smells you love? Do you hate some of the ones I've listed? I am very curious to see how scents vary between persons and to see if there are perhaps some universal "happy" smells. I'm secretly hoping there are.