I have paid attention to the smells around me from a young age. The honeysuckle at the edge where our yard ended and the woods beside my childhood home began; the smell of the grass just after it had been mowed and after a rain; dirt and mud- all these are smells in nature that I carry from childhood. My mother is a very good cook, and many childhood memories are tied to spending time in the kitchen with her and enjoying the aromas of whatever she was cooking at the time.

Years later, roughly coinciding with the time I began needing to shave, I became interested in fragrances. First came a few aftershaves I bought from the drugstore. Old Spice and Brut I am sure were the first two. Then I discovered one called Pinaud Clubman, which many American males will recognize from trips to the local barbershop for a haircut. This was my first experience with the power of our sense of smell. Smelling Clubman still transports me back to the barber chair as a child- a very fond memory, indeed.

In high school, one of my best friends came over to the house one day wearing a cologne. It was the original Polo by Ralph Lauren, and it smelled very good. I found out what it was and immediately and, in short order,  went out and bought a bottle. Thus began in earnest my interest in fragrances. It has been aided by web forums such as Basenotes and Badger & Blade. And I can always find people on Twitter to converse with about fragrances.

I am thinking about writing a few blogs about some of my favorite fragrances since this is a subject I spend a lot of time thinking and talking about. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts about what I write, or anything about fragrances in general. Take care, everyone.