I’ve noticed that, in writing, emotion is like perfume.
The fake stuff is ten a penny and you can spot it instantly. Those that use it apply it liberally. It announces its arrival achingly sincerely, but it's unsubtle and relentless. Bafflingly, people seem to like it. Perhaps they enjoy synthesised emotion shouted through a megaphone, over and over again.
You can keep it. I prefer the real thing: it’s unshowy and complex. It’s applied gently and cleverly, in just the right quantities to just the right places.
And sometimes its impact only truly hits you when you leave the room.
Pandora's Box
1 day ago
Posts
22 comments:
Achingly sincerely?
Nice.
You get cleverer....if there is such a word.. Sarah over at Secret Housewife
Not to mention the fact that fake perfumes have been found to contain antifreeze, bacteria and [cough] urine.
Hahaha. Nice.
I am resolutely non perfumed. Prefer the natural pong of reality, albeit freshly washed.
Very nice. I'm enjoying these.
really great post and very true. im trying to thing of a good 100 words for you to do.
ive come up with nothing.
hopefully other people will have come up with something.
look if you really cant think of any just do one on woman. i think all guys could write 100 words on woman its just if they can keep it at 100! xx
wrt perfume, less is more. and yes, one only feels the effects after leaving ~ sort of like sunbathing, isn't it? love this. (i still count 104 words, tho)
a new aspiration, then.
tinkerbell - My word count said 100. No doubt they have different attitudes to apostrophes.
Isn't that the point of the apostrophe, to reduce two words into one? I counted 100. Also, could you please do one on grammar and the abuses it suffers in the name of 'evolving language'? Thank you so much.
Don't be a fake one while commenting on this take
http://cynicalcymbals.blogspot.com/2010/02/bloggers-block-i-perfume.html
You're are such a brilliant writer (but I think I've said before?)
Ps:
I'm not quite sure exactly where we were in Paris, we just sort of wandered around, but mostly I think we were in the 18th, 10th, 11th, 3th, 4th...:-)
Great 100. I feel like I haven't stopped by for ages... glad I did today.
very true- I really worry that I can be over emotional when writing, which I am not at all in real life- quite the opposite. The thing is so far I find it easier to write about things that are touching or positive than complex or upsetting things- I'm sure I will get there though.
Hey, it's been a couple of days. We'd like some perfume please. :o)
Never underestimate the people's power to baffle. We have had generations of practice!
There's nothing like a faint whiff of a delicious scent in passing. Just a suggestion if you like, of aroma. The quality ones stand out for sure.
Remember when every 13 year girl had a bottle of "Charlie"? That stuff stank.
Me, these days I tend to have a faint whiff of lotion more than perfume, but if I'm going out I'll indulge in some fine fragrance. I'm still lamenting the passing of Floris' "Pink Grapefruit" which was my summer signature scent. Expensive and delightful and of course, because I loved it, discontinued. Those f*ckers.
Fab post. I'll be back to read more of your archives and stuff.
Write on.
These 100 word snippets present quite a contrast to your usual, lengthy posts. I enjoy both, for drastically different reasons. The 100 word essays are distilled; every word is carefully selected. But I could read your writing forever, and even with the longer posts I am always aching for more.
Thanks everybody who took the time to comment on this one. Just to respond on some of the things you all said:
MdF - You are indeed. But sometimes a little bit of fragrance is a good thing.
rebecca - As you wish!
Isabella - That strikes me as a bit too prescriptive a brief for me. I like grammar but I don’t think I’m enough of a purist to rail against that.
ida - You’ve listed some of my favourite arrondisements there. Glad you enjoyed it in Paris.
ED - Yes, long time no see. Hope you and Mec are well.
Rose - I’d like to read some of your more personal stuff sometime. But I don’t think you’re in any danger of adopting the fake viscera I see elsewhere.
VA - Kelly tried some “Charlie” on in Boots recently for a laugh. It’s very bad.
Teressa - I hope you do, let me know what you think.
Colleen - I have a nasty feeling a lot of people find the 100 Word ones too short and the others too long. Pfft.
Post a Comment