Comments on: Wednesday Writers Workshop: Employing the Proust Phenomenon

By: Wednesday Writers Workshop: Using Music to Amp Your Creativity | MidLifeBloggers

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:23:54 +0000

[...] doesn’t mean I don’t use my senses in my writing. I do, but I use them as prompts. I wrote about this with a smell a couple of weeks ago. Today, I’m listening to [...]

By: Maryl

Maryl — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:12:00 +0000

I know I’ve experienced this phenomenon many times but the one I remember more than the others is associating a Clairol hairspray, which I don’t use anymore, with vacationing with my family in Sorrento, Italy. I was in between a work assignment in Vienna and it was a particularly exciting and rewarding time of my life. And I think that had more to do with this rather odd smell sensation than the smell itself. The memory made me feel good but I can’t go back to hairspray!

By: Diane Beck

Diane Beck — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:33:00 +0000

One day I was cleaning out my kitchen cabinets and started organizing my spices. Many were in plastic bags and not all were sealed properly. I found myself in the midst of a swirl of different spices–cinnamon, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, bay leaves…such an intoxicating mix and it transported me instantaneously back to the mid-70s when I lived temporarily in Denver during a year off from college, had food stamps and would shop at the local food co-op. Even though I was in a lousy relationship and far from home, and had no money, I was preparing healthy food and open to anything–thus my love of their bulk spice section.

By: Joanna Jenkins

Joanna Jenkins — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:16:00 +0000

That’s fascinating. I’ve been in and at Cedars so many, many times in the past 20 years but I can’t recall that smell. The next time I’m there I’ll be sniffing to see if I can figure it out.
This is so interesting. The only time a certain smell has transported me anywhere is, dare I say, food.
jj

By: Kim Prince

Kim Prince — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:35:00 +0000

Here. http://www.kimtracyprince.com/2012/02/i-can-feel-it-coming/

By: Jane

Jane — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:54:00 +0000

Thanks, Jayne, but I bet you have had the experience. You’re just not remembering it now. And I bet it had something to do with horses and barns….

By: Jane

Jane — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:53:00 +0000

That’s why I tagged this post Sense Memory. I’m a Theatre major too, remember.

By: Jayne

Jayne — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:23:00 +0000

I can’t recall such an experience, but I thought you wrote about yours beautifully.