Mind your scents
Hi Neighbours
Don't worry - this post is not about smelly socks or effluents. I'm only trying to raise some awareness regarding a very little-known and therefore often-ignored problem - being allergic to perfumes, fragrances, after-shaves, air fresheners and other good-smelling scents. My poor wife is suffering from that condition, and it has had quite an impact on our personal and social life.
At home we try to live fragrance-free, which is not as easy as it sounds, because there is not much choice when it comes to scent-free products. We can get most of what we need from ecostore, but in some areas there is just no suitable product available. For example we're still hunting for a fragrance-free shaving cream for myself, so that I don't have to leave our house for the next two hours after each shave, until the perfume wears off.
Shopping in stores and pharmacies with a perfume department or just being in rooms or spaces that use air freshener has become quite tough. Working with other people in a shared space, visiting with friends and neighbours, attending events or meetings, or going out for dinner or to the movies has also become a problem because unfortunately many people use scents quite liberally. Most perfumes are actually designed to be used sparingly, because they are quite potent, and only to be applied to certain areas of your skin, the so-called pulse points. But over time, as you become accustomed to your favourite scent, you might actually start using more and more of it, particularly if you measure the amount by or own ever-increasing threshold when you can smell it on yourself. You should only ever notice someone else's perfume when you're getting close to them, but many people are actually trailing a cloud of scent that you can still smell long after they've left or passed you. Here is a good article about how to apply perfume efficiently:
www.wikihow.com...
In some countries, like the United States and Canada, scent-related allergies are already well understood and recognised, but in New Zealand there seems to be very little understanding or sympathy for that kind of condition at present, because my wife is often facing astonishment, incomprehension, or even ignorance when she explains her problem. Hopefully this little article is helpful to increase people's awareness of it and maybe even prompts the odd person to become a bit more mindful of their scents and use of scented products.
Thanks for reading, and for those of you who are interested to learn a bit more, here is a collection of links to articles that show that I'm not making this stuff up:
www.stuff.co.nz...
www.womensweekly.co.nz...
www.nzherald.co.nz...
en.wikipedia.org...
Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?
What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?
-
30.8% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
-
69.2% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
Something we all seem to have forgotten
An Obituary to Common Sense printed in the London Times
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.
No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated valuable lessons like:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- And maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge)
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher
fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death;
-by his parents, Truth and Trust,
-by his wife, Discretion,
-by his daughter, Responsibility,
-and by his son, Reason
He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers;
- I Know My Rights,
- I Want It Now,
- Someone Else Is To Blame,
- I'm A Victim,
- Pay me for Doing Nothing
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing…
This is a modified version of a text that is originally attributed to Lori Borgman. However, it is more true today than it was when first written. It is not the version I remember, but it still gets the point across. Enjoy and remember.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Loading…
