September 20, 2008

Fragrance.

I absolutely love this stuff! (And a certain highly favored commenter helped me discover that I did.)

***

As long as I'm recommending products -- and providing links which, if used, support this blog -- I just bought this expensive stool today, a Swopper. I'm expecting this thing to save me from my bad habit of getting locked into one position while working at the computer for hours on end. Also, I read that fidgeting burns a lot of calories over the course of the day, and I'm thinking the Swopper will promote fidgeting. You can bounce and wobble on it. And of course, with no back, it forces you to use some muscles to sit upright.

Now, one more thing, which I'd like to buy, but haven't bought yet, is a Jesper sit/stand desk. I've seen it in the store. It looks great, and it's motorized with a simple button to raise and lower the desk, so you can make it a standing desk to vary your position. I mentioned this thing the other day in the comments to that post about treadmills in front of desks, and somebody said they wanted more info. So this is the info.

Just some cool stuff that I recommend.

ADDED: I had to get out the receipt to check the name of the stool. I had guessed it was "swobble," but Googling turned up this Urban Dictionary entry. Oops. And here's a very interesting book about the history of the chair. You know, chairs seem so obvious to us, but it's not that natural to sit in chairs. And I'd like to say that I have that last chair pictured on the book cover. You can buy it here. Pic.

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

I own this one

john said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
john said...

I guess mid September is a good time to start dropping Christmas hints. Maybe some of us commentors can chip in on a nice perfume gift.

I'm in for $5.

Methadras said...

I've smelled the one you highlighted and it has a really calming effect on me. But the first perfume/parfume that I ever really like was Nude by Bill Blass. Everytime, I get a wiff of it, VaVa VOOM!

vbspurs said...

I just bought this expensive stool today, a Swopper.

That is so you, Ann. I mean that in a positive way.

Cheers,
Victoria

rhhardin said...

You need Stanley Cavell's analysis of chair, here.

George M. Spencer said...

What smell got guys most hot and bothered?

Pumpkin pie and lavender topped the charts, increasing penile blood flow and average of 40% compared to their base line state. Here are some of the other scents and how they measured up (taken from the [Smell & Taste Treatment Research] Foundation website):

Lavender and pumpkin pie: 40%
Doughnut and black licorice: 31.5%
Doughnut and cola: 12.5%
Lily of the valley: 11%
Buttered popcorn: 9%
Cranberry: 2%

In a study with female subjects pumpkin pie and lavender also made the grade, but other scents had a bigger impact on change in vaginal blood flow. A table from the study, which was published in the International Journal of Aromatherapy, lists the scents and the increase in vaginal blood flow:

Good 'n' Plenty candy and cucumber: 13%
Baby powder: 13%
Pumpkin pie and lavender: 11%
Baby powder and chocolate: 4%

"Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.”
-- St. Jerome

vbspurs said...

Ernie, nice.

I just bought this fragrance from Fresh.

I also have this.

Both have the crisp scent I favour to the flowery kind.

The very first one I ever received, which started me on my long road to my fragrance obsession is this.

In fact, a man wearing Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet is my idea of elegant masculinity.

Cheers,
Victoria

vbspurs said...

Lily of the valley: 11%

Woo! I am on the right track.

As for what gets women, specifically me, hot and bothered -- it's complicated.

On the one hand, no smell is the best. But as I mentioned, a musky cologne just oozes masculinity.

But then I also like the smell men have when they just finish washing a car. It's like a damp towel. Sexy.

Ne te laves pas. J'arrive!

Trooper York said...

"I just bought this expensive stool today"

See that's another differance between Madison and Brooklyn. In Brooklyn you don't have to pay for an expensive stool, if you walk for a few blocks you will step in one for free.

vbspurs said...

swobble

"To perform gay acts that involve or intergrate males around you."

Huh? Circle jerks?

I'm Full of Soup said...

Where is your patriotism? You could have used the money for taxes!

vbspurs said...

So you can't smell and pay taxes, AJ? The French do.

Ann Althouse said...

I paid sales tax...

Harwood said...

I read that fidgeting burns a lot of calories over the course of the day, and I'm thinking the Swopper will promote fidgeting.
----
For me, this thread promoted fidgeting.

Anonymous said...

This is one of my ultimate favorites.

Also this one and this one are as well.

I also own this one

I know, it's a guilty pleasure and somewhat of an obsession.

I worked at the cosmetics department of a certain upscale store in Miami (which will have to be left for people to guess) in 1995 when I first arrived in the US. It damaged me for life...lol.

vbspurs said...

Burdines in Dadeland! ;)

Seriously, though. I like the Amber & Lavender one, even though I'm sure most guys would wince at the name, choosing the Green Irish Tweed.

I hate Polo by Ralph Lauren. Bad memories of an ex.

vbspurs said...

I paid sales tax...

Get her. She thinks she's Betsy effing Ross!

Palladian said...

If you're interested in fragrance, I recommend this book of reviews by my friends Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez. It's smart and hilarious and free of the nonsense that usually plagues perfume "journalism".

Personal plug: I'm developing my own line of fragrances so I'll try to remember to keep you all posted on the launch date. Althouse has smelled one of them!

vbspurs said...

Wow, I have that book by Luca Turin on my Kindle! Please give him my regards.

Anonymous said...

vbspurs said...
Burdines in Dadeland! ;)

Seriously, though. I like the Amber & Lavender one, even though I'm sure most guys would wince at the name, choosing the Green Irish Tweed.

I hate Polo by Ralph Lauren. Bad memories of an ex.

8:08 PM


LOL, no, not Burdines, but I did date someone who lived right behind that mall. LOL...fun times, you just brough back a whole bunch of memories from 10 years ago.

The Jo Malone cologne is actually very masculine. People should give it a try.

Polo reminds me of my cantankerous, super opinionated, snotty, etc, etc, maternal uncle.

Oy...

Palladian said...

Here's some very good advice for men from Perfumes: The Guide:

"The last decade has seen the unfortunate flourishing of a dismal genre, the fragrance for men and women who do not like fragrance and suspect that none of their friends do either. The result has been a slew of apologetic, bloodless, gray, whippet-like, shivering little things that are probably impossible, and certainly pointless, to tell apart. All fragrances whose name involves the words energy, blue, sport, turbo, fresh, or acier in any order or combination belong to this genre. This is stuff for the generic guy wishing to meet a generic girl to have generic offspring. It has nothing to do with any other pleasure than that of merging with the crowd. My fondest hope is everyone will stop buying them and the genre will perish. Just say no."

vbspurs said...

Booty call behind Dadeland. Good times indeed.

Palladian said...

"Wow, I have that book by Luca Turin on my Kindle! Please give him my regards."

I shall.

Anonymous said...

vbspurs said...
Booty call behind Dadeland. Good times indeed.

8:19 PM


If that parking lot could talk!!

LOL


Palladian said...
If you're interested in fragrance, I recommend this book of reviews by my friends Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez. It's smart and hilarious and free of the nonsense that usually plagues perfume "journalism".

Personal plug: I'm developing my own line of fragrances so I'll try to remember to keep you all posted on the launch date. Althouse has smelled one of them!

8:12 PM


I shall make sure you have all the required information to send me my sample!

vbspurs said...

OT:

Fox News with a bio on Joe Biden right now. Remember Joe Biden?

The forgotten candidate. The only man ever chosen as a running mate to gain exactly one EC State -- Pennsylvania. Other than that, he brings bupkus to the ticket.

Anonymous said...

vbspurs said...
OT:

Fox News with a bio on Joe Biden right now. Remember Joe Biden?

The forgotten candidate. The only man ever chosen as a running mate to gain exactly one EC State -- Pennsylvania. Other than that, he brings bupkus to the ticket.

8:23 PM


Crazy Uncle Joe?

Is he still running??

George M. Spencer said...

A bad smell.

The language Joe Nocera uses in his NYT column tomorrow to describe the world's financial markets...

"complete chaos in the multitrillion-dollar market for credit-default swaps"

"an utter lack of confidence."

"Nobody understands who owes what to whom — or whether they have the ability to pay."

"The crisis continues because nobody knows what anything is worth."

Nobody knows what anything is worth?!?

vbspurs said...

You know, Ernie, I can't help but like Clueless Joe. Sure, his grin is creepier than even McCain's. He's one verbal slip away from Armaggedon at any time. And oy, those hairplugs.

But he's a'ight.

Jennifer said...

He is amazingly knowledgable about fragrances. He pushed me over the edge into actually trying out the Serge Lutens I was hearing so much underground buzz about. Glad you found a scent you love.

Ron said...

Vic! What do you want for Xmas? :)

Anonymous said...

Palladian said...
Here's some very good advice for men from Perfumes: The Guide:

"The last decade has seen the unfortunate flourishing of a dismal genre, the fragrance for men and women who do not like fragrance and suspect that none of their friends do either. The result has been a slew of apologetic, bloodless, gray, whippet-like, shivering little things that are probably impossible, and certainly pointless, to tell apart. All fragrances whose name involves the words energy, blue, sport, turbo, fresh, or acier in any order or combination belong to this genre. This is stuff for the generic guy wishing to meet a generic girl to have generic offspring. It has nothing to do with any other pleasure than that of merging with the crowd. My fondest hope is everyone will stop buying them and the genre will perish. Just say no."

8:18 PM


This is really true. That is why I did stopped buying them, and just said no.

vbspurs said...
You know, Ernie, I can't help but like Clueless Joe. Sure, his grin is creepier than even McCain's. He's one verbal slip away from Armaggedon at any time. And oy, those hairplugs.

But he's a'ight.

8:28 PM


Yup, same here.

Peter V. Bella said...

I can't help but like Clueless Joe

Hey, wasn't he the guy who played for the Red Sox back in the day? I think he was Shoeless Joe's brother; or sister, cousin, something like that.

blake said...

Booty call behind Dadeland
...the new fragrance from Calvin Klein?

Actually, what's probably most a'ight about Biden is the fact that he's being ignored. Would that the media treated everyone else the same way.

We don't have to hyperventilate because a Republican mentioned God or a Democrat suggested a tax raise. It's sorta what they do. Vote for it or agin' it, but don't get, you know, "hysterical".

Anonymous said...

I can't type today...I should have said "I did stop" instead of stopped...blah...

I'm Full of Soup said...

We are in a depression Ann. Put some money on my nighstand like when you leave in the morning!

vbspurs said...

Ron, my swain! Naughty Monkey red pumps, and I'll provide the lacy bra.

Ron said...

Done, and doubly done well, as the Bard would say to you, mi loca caliente Victoria

Ron said...

Aha! Yes, Vic, "Marching Orders", in red, is definitely for you!

Freeman Hunt said...

In college, I wore Joy almost everyday. Then I met my husband, who does not like perfume of any sort in any amount, so plenty of joy but no more Joy for me.

Al said...

$569 for an uncomfortable stool? And to think, my padded chair cost me $90.

Ron said...

If Althouse gets this stool, she has to put a camera behind her desk where has it, film it for a long time, make some time lapse speedup video of it, just for the intense swoggling factor!

Kirk Parker said...

"it's motorized with a simple button to raise and lower the desk"

It should be a hand crank, to increase the exercise value.

blake said...

My chiropractor has forbidden me from swoggling until the swelling goes down.

Chip Ahoy said...

Intergrate.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Don't you just love Urbandictionary? You know the dummkopf hasn't a clue what he's talking about. He provides three definitions and not a one of them makes any sense.

Sartorialist ran into Karl Lagerfeld presumably somewhere in Yurp and mentioned his was the most famous scent during his (Sartorialist) junior high school years. He said, "we weren't dressed very cool but we smelled great!" This caused me to buy a sample to see what the kids were all talking about way back then. Put some on. One single wet dot. Went to bed a few hours later. Thought I'd get sick from the lingering putridity of it all.

Spellchecker gives me a pass on putridity.

Anonymous said...

vbspurs I'm getting a tad old, so its Aqua Di Parma for me. Usually though, its just sandalwood soap. Roger Gallet. Years ago Jean Patou had a fragrance for men that every woman that smelled it on me loved. The cologne, not necessarily me. It had a good musk base and a spice note to it.
Wish I could find it again.

bettiwettiwoo said...

I love that it's called Jesper; such a Scandinavian name. We are all ikea now!