I am ready.
-Washed my hair
-Waxed my legs
-Applied scrub on my body
-Cleaned my ears
-Cut my fingernails
-Toes and fingers vernished ( soft french manicure for discrete appearance )
-Applied cream on my body ( chocolate orange from Body Shop, don't search for it, it was an exclusive one shot 6 years ago, still have half of the jar, because applying cream bores me AND I save this cream for very special occasions. ) (... it doesn't smell the same as 6 years ago...)
-Applied cream on my face
-Opened Dior anti-rides sample ( ...that I was saving for my Mum, she will forgive. ) and applied it around my eyes
-Prepared my lunch for tomorrow in small boxes and put them inside a Firmenich bag :)
-Put my clothes for tomorrow on the sofa ( including stockings and underwear )
-Drank milk ( so that I would sleep earlier than usual - casue I have to wake up much earlier than usual. )
-Put the alarm at 7:01 ( I hate symmetry, usually wake up at 01, or 47 and recently started to like 59 too, for the "early bird" effect :)
-Prayed
-Sitting in my bed waiting for getting sleepy
What can go wrong on my first day?
- I ignore the alarm
- The alarm will not work
- The alarm will work but I put my phone mute
- I burn my toasts for breakfast
- I burn myself while making my toasts
- I burn the house while making toasts
- I leave the house late
- I don't find the keys for the car
- I don't find my car
- I don't find my way to work
- My stockings will hole
- Nobody will wait for me when I arrive
- I do not get an office for myself
- I forget my name when being introduced to my colleagues ( happened already, have to say it the most handsome young perfumer of our time! )
- They tell me to go home, they have changed their minds and chosen my japanese classmate instead of me
- My colleagues hate me directly
- I forget to put my lunch to the fridge
- I sit alone for lunch
- Nobody talks to me the whole day because...
- I stink
- I forget to wash my teeth and will have pieces of thyme and salad stuck on them
- Nobody kindly reminds me that I have pieces of thyme and salad stuch on my teeth
- They blind test me on the natural raw materials and I fail
- I waste too much raw material when weighting formulas
- I get a stomach flu from my lunch
- My boss shouts at me
- I cry in the lady's room because my boss shouted at me
- The boss of my boss finds me in the lady's room crying and decides I am not strong enough for this company, so, she fires me
- They force me to work with estragon, hence I puke
- I have no access to bulgarian rose oil
...I could go on with this list but I am going to force myself to sleep now!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A day in Cannes - and in extasy
Today I was in Cannes with a friend I recently became to closer to. I asked him to come with me to deal with some administrational issues, among others I needed to get my piercing changed. Yes, it's in my Nose...
I felt weird these last days, as I mentioned in an earlier post, was rather scared about my new challenges. Lacking of motivation. Already frustrated to wake up earlier.
And then I was in Cannes, Rue Antibes, the place to go for shopping. And the street was full with people. And full of fragrances. I couldn't withhold myself turning my head, following the smell track as much as I can without breaking my neck. I got high. Something in the exact middle of my brain started lightning, there was no turning back, I was hardly listening to my friend, I didn't mind if it was a question he asked or it I just needed to nod, I was thirsty for smelling, I couldn't care less talking.
Like a drog addict, who got his dose finally after waiting too long, I was sniffing deeply and strongly around and started trembling from joy when something specially aroused my nose's interest. ( My friend was becoming rather embarrassed. )
It wasn't simply perfumes, it was people. With their perfumes, with their skin, with their hair, with their dirt, with their attitude on. There was one fine smell I remember particularly. It was a men passing next to me who smelled like straight up "sex" to me. .. It was a mixture of noble woods, with powerfull but fine ambery notes, hinted with slightly vanilla smelling baby-powder. And something unidentifiable, something warm and mysterious that made me wanting to follow him for the rest of my life.
But I didn't even turn my head. I didn't want a real face to my fantasy.
And there were elegant smelling women who I wanted to congratulate, and a long red haired young woman who smelled as pure, fresh and revitalizing as a snowdrop early March.
Strangely, going to a perfume shop and smell all kind of juices doesn't fill my apetite anymore.
I need the whole package. I need to smell the whole piece of art. I feel like I am in a hospital when smelling perfumes in a shop. It is too clean. It is missing tones, it is missing shades, you just know that this is not COMPLETE yet. I love to smell people. With or without perfumes.
I went to Cannes but I ended up in heaven. I tasted again that euphoriac state of mind that made me want to become a perfumer.
As much as I was enjoying... I don't think my new friend will ever call again!
I felt weird these last days, as I mentioned in an earlier post, was rather scared about my new challenges. Lacking of motivation. Already frustrated to wake up earlier.
And then I was in Cannes, Rue Antibes, the place to go for shopping. And the street was full with people. And full of fragrances. I couldn't withhold myself turning my head, following the smell track as much as I can without breaking my neck. I got high. Something in the exact middle of my brain started lightning, there was no turning back, I was hardly listening to my friend, I didn't mind if it was a question he asked or it I just needed to nod, I was thirsty for smelling, I couldn't care less talking.
Like a drog addict, who got his dose finally after waiting too long, I was sniffing deeply and strongly around and started trembling from joy when something specially aroused my nose's interest. ( My friend was becoming rather embarrassed. )
It wasn't simply perfumes, it was people. With their perfumes, with their skin, with their hair, with their dirt, with their attitude on. There was one fine smell I remember particularly. It was a men passing next to me who smelled like straight up "sex" to me. .. It was a mixture of noble woods, with powerfull but fine ambery notes, hinted with slightly vanilla smelling baby-powder. And something unidentifiable, something warm and mysterious that made me wanting to follow him for the rest of my life.
But I didn't even turn my head. I didn't want a real face to my fantasy.
And there were elegant smelling women who I wanted to congratulate, and a long red haired young woman who smelled as pure, fresh and revitalizing as a snowdrop early March.
Strangely, going to a perfume shop and smell all kind of juices doesn't fill my apetite anymore.
I need the whole package. I need to smell the whole piece of art. I feel like I am in a hospital when smelling perfumes in a shop. It is too clean. It is missing tones, it is missing shades, you just know that this is not COMPLETE yet. I love to smell people. With or without perfumes.
I went to Cannes but I ended up in heaven. I tasted again that euphoriac state of mind that made me want to become a perfumer.
As much as I was enjoying... I don't think my new friend will ever call again!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Starting next week...
I have this lazy week before I start working on Monday for a perfume creating company. Honestly, I am more scared than happy.
The problem is that I have these communication issues with the senior perfumer who I will probably work the most with. He used to be my teacher, and I have been with him for the summer internship too, so I had time to get used to him, but still.... The source of all tension between us is that I am probably the bluntest, most direct person ever while he is probably the most ambiguous diplomat in this world. So asking his feedback on any of my creation is like trying to catch a rat. ( He wouldn't be happy if he knew what a great metaphore I found...)
I never heard him saying "this smells like merde, start from scratch again!" Although, I did smell all of my classmates creations too and I have to say, not all of us will end up as the next Jean Claude Ellena. ( Hopefully, some of us will not end up in perfumery at all. )
The problem is that I have these communication issues with the senior perfumer who I will probably work the most with. He used to be my teacher, and I have been with him for the summer internship too, so I had time to get used to him, but still.... The source of all tension between us is that I am probably the bluntest, most direct person ever while he is probably the most ambiguous diplomat in this world. So asking his feedback on any of my creation is like trying to catch a rat. ( He wouldn't be happy if he knew what a great metaphore I found...)
I never heard him saying "this smells like merde, start from scratch again!" Although, I did smell all of my classmates creations too and I have to say, not all of us will end up as the next Jean Claude Ellena. ( Hopefully, some of us will not end up in perfumery at all. )
And of course, I do remember my own first creations too, they are the sum of infinite technical mistakes... He just kept on saying "yes, hm, interesting" on and on and on.
This said, he is a very competent perfumer. He was a major help in the year end project when we needed to create a perfume for a Firmenich - brief. And he is able to help us to correct our mistakes. However, after all there is a level, where there are no technical issues, the correction is only due to the differences of our tastes.
The other thing I have to digest in connection with my future work, is my status. Before I made the decision to quit my well paid job and go for learning perfumery in Grasse, I used to have influence, used to bring decisions, after all I was a manager. Well next week on, I am not even allowed to eat at the same table with any managers. Or with my senior perfumer. Or anybody who earns more than half of what I used to earn......
....Before following my dreams :))))
This said, he is a very competent perfumer. He was a major help in the year end project when we needed to create a perfume for a Firmenich - brief. And he is able to help us to correct our mistakes. However, after all there is a level, where there are no technical issues, the correction is only due to the differences of our tastes.
The other thing I have to digest in connection with my future work, is my status. Before I made the decision to quit my well paid job and go for learning perfumery in Grasse, I used to have influence, used to bring decisions, after all I was a manager. Well next week on, I am not even allowed to eat at the same table with any managers. Or with my senior perfumer. Or anybody who earns more than half of what I used to earn......
....Before following my dreams :))))
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Happy New Year! - and a list of my favorite perfumers
Yes, typical of me!
Creating a blog, taking one big step to make my dreams come true, softly mopping up tears from the corner of my eyes when thinking of how far I came already in life despite my young age ( just turned 28, and YES, IT IS YOUNG! ), imagining people en mass from everywhere in the world getting obsessed with reading my blog, etc, etc... and forgetting the password to update the blog....
Anyways, getting more organised is one of my main resolution for 2010. I even insisted on being more organised in the way of taking resolutions! I prioritized them, like e.g. "Mastering French language" has higher rank than "No more stealing of slippers from close family members and my own pair finally to be found!" At the end of the row of resolutions, there is "Make the forward split" - haven't ever managed to do it, even at the age of 7...- which is just after "Socialize with people who have nothing to do with the perfume industry".
Everybody has to do with perfumes who is living in Grasse. My best friends are perfumers. My best friends outside school are either perfumers or working for perfume companies. My best friends' best friends are professional perfume raw material buyers. My neighbour is the son of a well known perfumer. His girlfriend is a perfumer. Believe me, I could go on and on forever!!!
The wildest experience I had outside this milieu was an adventure of getting to talk to a young man who works in the flavouring industry, his job is to test different flavours for chocolats.
( Best.job.ever! I wanted to marry him. He didn't want to. )
When you live in Grasse, where the number of perfumers per square meter is the highest on the earth, your discussion topics are pretty limited:
Usually you talk non-stop in perfume language.
This is exactly what I did with a friend from school who was the first that I have met since my arrival back to Grasse after winter holidays.
We again - for the 100th time - asked each other the question "Who is your favorite perfumer?" The question comes back once per week in average in such "perfumed" company, mostly only the ranking is changing among the 10 most known perfumers. But to justify the ranking, we have always new ideas!
My favorites - as per today:
- I admire JC Ellena for the purity he gives to his accord. Strangely enough, I feel that the dynamics of his creations are always the same, although I know that he is a real trend setter.
- I understand every day better and better the creations of Olivier Cresp, appreciating more and more the creativity of his flower- and hearthless ( in the technical meaning ) creation of Angel.
- I love Kurkdjian because he dares. He takes strong decisions. He choses a theme and than pushes it to the edge. Like he did with Gaultier2 - who else would make a perfume smell like a cookie overwhelmed with butter? I don't like wearing Gaultier2 , but I think that nowadays, when good results in extensive olfactive testing among potential customers around the world is a main criteria for launching new perfumes, a product which is created NOT to be liked by everybody deserves appreciation!
-I thank Roudnitska for the voyage he invites me to every time I sniff from his juices. Though I don't especially like his perfumes, I sense the presence of a genious behind all his creations. I lately smelled Diorella again, and I am not exaggerating, this is the naughtiest sexy perfume of all time!!! The pure, raw animalic notes taking over the perfume from the first second made me feel the same way as if my lover was whispering to my ears, blowing hot air on my neck. Not many perfumes can do that...
After discussing our all time favorite question and the most important launches too, I went back home. And my friend went back to the restaurant where we met to call me because she didn't find her mobile phone and asked if i took it by any chance. She put a lot of effort on not making me look like a thief in that case... Later she found it on the street, on her way home. It was on the side, so it only caught her attention because it was ringing - her husband called.
And this takes us back to my resolution: If this happened in 2009, there would have been 99 % chance that I am the one who is loosing her phone on the street, not anybody else.
I wish a Happy Well-Organised New Year to myself!
Creating a blog, taking one big step to make my dreams come true, softly mopping up tears from the corner of my eyes when thinking of how far I came already in life despite my young age ( just turned 28, and YES, IT IS YOUNG! ), imagining people en mass from everywhere in the world getting obsessed with reading my blog, etc, etc... and forgetting the password to update the blog....
Anyways, getting more organised is one of my main resolution for 2010. I even insisted on being more organised in the way of taking resolutions! I prioritized them, like e.g. "Mastering French language" has higher rank than "No more stealing of slippers from close family members and my own pair finally to be found!" At the end of the row of resolutions, there is "Make the forward split" - haven't ever managed to do it, even at the age of 7...- which is just after "Socialize with people who have nothing to do with the perfume industry".
Everybody has to do with perfumes who is living in Grasse. My best friends are perfumers. My best friends outside school are either perfumers or working for perfume companies. My best friends' best friends are professional perfume raw material buyers. My neighbour is the son of a well known perfumer. His girlfriend is a perfumer. Believe me, I could go on and on forever!!!
The wildest experience I had outside this milieu was an adventure of getting to talk to a young man who works in the flavouring industry, his job is to test different flavours for chocolats.
( Best.job.ever! I wanted to marry him. He didn't want to. )
When you live in Grasse, where the number of perfumers per square meter is the highest on the earth, your discussion topics are pretty limited:
Usually you talk non-stop in perfume language.
This is exactly what I did with a friend from school who was the first that I have met since my arrival back to Grasse after winter holidays.
We again - for the 100th time - asked each other the question "Who is your favorite perfumer?" The question comes back once per week in average in such "perfumed" company, mostly only the ranking is changing among the 10 most known perfumers. But to justify the ranking, we have always new ideas!
My favorites - as per today:
- I admire JC Ellena for the purity he gives to his accord. Strangely enough, I feel that the dynamics of his creations are always the same, although I know that he is a real trend setter.
- I understand every day better and better the creations of Olivier Cresp, appreciating more and more the creativity of his flower- and hearthless ( in the technical meaning ) creation of Angel.
- I love Kurkdjian because he dares. He takes strong decisions. He choses a theme and than pushes it to the edge. Like he did with Gaultier2 - who else would make a perfume smell like a cookie overwhelmed with butter? I don't like wearing Gaultier2 , but I think that nowadays, when good results in extensive olfactive testing among potential customers around the world is a main criteria for launching new perfumes, a product which is created NOT to be liked by everybody deserves appreciation!
-I thank Roudnitska for the voyage he invites me to every time I sniff from his juices. Though I don't especially like his perfumes, I sense the presence of a genious behind all his creations. I lately smelled Diorella again, and I am not exaggerating, this is the naughtiest sexy perfume of all time!!! The pure, raw animalic notes taking over the perfume from the first second made me feel the same way as if my lover was whispering to my ears, blowing hot air on my neck. Not many perfumes can do that...
After discussing our all time favorite question and the most important launches too, I went back home. And my friend went back to the restaurant where we met to call me because she didn't find her mobile phone and asked if i took it by any chance. She put a lot of effort on not making me look like a thief in that case... Later she found it on the street, on her way home. It was on the side, so it only caught her attention because it was ringing - her husband called.
And this takes us back to my resolution: If this happened in 2009, there would have been 99 % chance that I am the one who is loosing her phone on the street, not anybody else.
I wish a Happy Well-Organised New Year to myself!
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