Here on Persolaise.com, the ups and downs of the outside world have always been kept at arm’s length. This has been a place for all of us to enjoy the sensuous riches that life has to offer — not so much to escape from reality but to take the time to appreciate certain aspects of it that are all too easy to ignore amidst the demands of modern living. However, as nearly all of us are currently going through a situation the scale of which we have never experienced before, I feel compelled to lower the drawbridge and invite the globe’s worries into this site for just a moment.
In recent days, when I’ve had a few moments to think – which hasn’t happened often, as my attention has been absorbed by other pressing needs – I’ve wondered whether it’s right to keep publishing posts about perfume at a time like this. There have been occasions when I’ve told myself that nothing could be more inappropriate and insensitive.
However, I think I’m coming round to the conclusion that maybe this is precisely the time for me NOT to stop writing new posts. Inconsequential though they may be in the grand scheme of things, perhaps musings on the beauty of scent are the very thing we need to help us hit the Pause button for a couple of minutes now and then, and just raise our spirits.
So I hope you don’t mind, but for as long as I can, I intend to keep going with perfume-y content — both written reviews and videos. Maybe, in some tiny way, my efforts will help remind us that we’re all connected by our passions, and that we can all reach out to each other for support.
If you believe that my decision is entirely misplaced, then please feel free to tell me so — I’d love to hear from you. But I hope you’ll all take my intention to keep going in the spirit in which it’s intended.
Stay safe, look after yourselves and be kind,
Persolaise
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Thanks Persolaise. The things we love are still the things we love, and their preemptive disappearance would only make the things we don’t love harsher. I thought that as I put my perfume on this morning, with the sun shining. Your posts provide pleasure and beauty, so personally I hope they keep coming. May you and Madame remain in good health.
Thank you so much, Diane. Beautifully put. Yes, we must make an even greater effort to see the joys around us.
Perfume has always been my comfort and distraction, especially when life is a nightmare. Right now, with my daughter having a long difficult labour in the middle of a pandemic, and frail elderly parents 500 miles away, and living alone, and being the skeleton-staff skeleton, the one small bright spot of the day was a jiffy bag from Luckyscent. Apart from the sniffing joy, it reminded me that there is a world at the end of all this, a world where artists create beautiful things and people can take pleasure in their own bodily presence. So I’d be grateful if you’d keep writing and broadcasting to remind me of the beauty. Also to brighten me with your wit and self-deprecation…
But I’m aware that meny perfume lovers will be struggling to survive financially as well as physically, as the means of earning a living disappear. Perfume samples that were a treat before may no longer be within reach. I wonder if, at some stage, we might set up a swapmeet something like Now Smell This does in the US?
I’d also like to ask you and other readers a practical question. What do we do about perfume testers in stores? I’ve been paranoid about ATMs and supermarket touchscreens, but I found myself picking up a tester in a store without thinking. Then thinking. We shouldn’t do it, should we?
But on a brighter note, I must say that my M&S hand sanitiser smells wonderful, much nicer than the Cuticura one. I find myself standing next the supermarket trolley i’ve just returned, rubbing my hands and feeling that little glow of pleasure that comes from smelling something that you really like the smell of – and then laughing at myself. Scent is my saviour..
Be safe, all.
Christine
Christine, thank you so much for taking the time to write. I’m sending you and your daughter and parents all my very, very best wishes. I’m sure everyone else will join me in doing so.
Thanks also for the vote of confidence: I really appreciate it.
As for testers — I had to pop into my local Boots yesterday to pick up a prescription and I saw that all the perfume testers had been put away. I should imagine this was very sensible. And I guess that social distancing guidance means that we ought to avoid non-essential shopping trips anyway.
We should definitely organise some kind of swapmeet. And yes, let us spare a thought for the many, many people who are going to find the next few weeks and months extremely difficult financially.
Stay safe!
Yes, please do continue! Perfume is a balm on our souls, stressed to the hilt in this pandemic. We need to take refuge in the small pleasures that still bring joy to the soul.
Tara, thank you very much. Small pleasures become vitally important in times like this.
Agreed! It’s a good outlet to channel the scattered energies of anxiety, in a similar spirit as “virtual happy hours” for those of us fortunate enough to have jobs that we can maintain remotely. It’s more about what keeps people together in the spare moments where we are not dealing with the practical aspects of the situation.
“The scattered energies of anxiety” is a brilliant phrase. And so, so accurate.
Thanks for this. And yes, let’s keep together.
Keep writing and posting. I’m sure for many of us a retreat into our hobbies is a form of therapy. When we sit down to read your writing and watch you on screen we enter another world – we are drawn into an experience – we sense the community of like minded individuals. Without meaning to Trivialise, In my mind Therapists are almost a part of front line services now – only with anxiety under control will we have the forbearance and strength to continue to do the right thing no matter how hard that may be individually for the greater good. Every time you give us a chance to escape for a little while you help boost the psychic immunity of us all. Stay safe and well.
Thank you so much, Kenny. Very uplifting words.
You stay safe too!
I think we are all in need of whatever crutches we can find to help carry us over. Please keep at it. <3
Thank you, Brooke. Yes, we can all lean on each other 🙂
I had my evening sample prepared on the table yesterday. Then I listened to an especially worrying, scientific podcast and afterwards I was not on the mood at all to enjoy any beauty. But today is different again, and I’m looking forward to explore some scent after a day in the home office. Diving into the beloved perfume world with sampling, searching and reading is the kind of time out we wish and need even more these days. If you are happy to provide, we are even happier to receive!
Thank you.
We need to take things one day at a time!
Stay safe.
This is exactly the time to keep posting, Persolaise, as long as you have the wherewithal to keep doing so. I’m sure I speak for many people who appreciate your articles when I say I would miss them, & the content of the couple of other perfume-elated sites I go to, if you & they weren’t around. Both my husband & I feel very fortunate that we are retired, & don’t have to go to work at the moment – I’m more appreciative than him, I’ll admit, as I used to commute on public transport. Best wishes to you & your family, & to other Persolaise fans & perfume lovers, to stay safe & healthy during this time.
Carolyn,
I really appreciate this, thank you. I’ll do my best to keep going. And you look after yourself too.
My post yesterday – should of course have said ‘perfume-related’, although ‘perfume-elated’ doesn’t seem that incorrect at this point…my apologies for the typo anyway!
I absolutely love ‘perfume-elated’! You should copyright it.
My husband was highly amused when I told him about my typo & your response (for which thank you).
🙂
I have been wondering the same thing, as my flighty rants and fugues of state sometimes I know are rather ridiculous in the scheme of things; but then again everyone is stuck at home and all there is to read is about the coronabalona and people need escape. For me it is writing and Netflix (while doused in perfume). I think that as far as possible we need to obviously be aware of reality, but surf it at the same time, rather than get dragged under
Yes, I know what you mean. I’m just trying to take each day as it comes.
By the way… is this the first time the esteemed Narcissus has left a comment on the WordPress version of my blog??
I hope not!
If sure, I will ensure that the Rotting Narcissus leaves its unctuous and narcotic trail far more frequently
Make sure you do!
Persolaise: Please keep writing and recording the way you do. It brings us joy. And clearly, we need something to make us smile. I look forward to your posts. They are like a burst of sunshine on a gloomy day. My kids would roll their eyes and say that’s too corny but it’s my truth. Keep up the great work and be well.
That’s so kind, thank you. I really appreciate your words.
And you look after yourself too.
PS I’m partial to corny sometimes.
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