My totally Unbiased Encounter with Lady Gaga FAME

A.K.A not judging a book by it's cover (or in this case, perfume by it's bottle).

I like to smell things.
I like to smell other people.
I like to smell nice or at least interesting.

Every few years or so I like to buy myself a nice perfume. Overseas travel affords the perfect foil for my sweet plans. I get to sniff wafts of delightful fragrances for the best part of an hour whilst not being rushed or having the feeling of needing to be anywhere other than standing glazey-eyed in the midst of gorgeously scented bottles. Of course there are some bad eggs but that's where the sales assistant comes in -they know their stuff and I resist all urges to say "nah, nah just looking" when they offer to guide my selection.

This time I was looking for something special.

6:30am and I couldn't smell anything like what I had in my nose brain. We tried heaps of different ones... some I instantly rejected wondering who would even douse their enemies in the stuff, some I lingered over undecidedly (typical!). My arms were dripping and my fingers clutching an assortment of stinky cards. I felt bad that I looked like I wasn't going to buy anything especially as she was pregnant and it can't be easy on your feet chasing round after fussys like me. I had passed the point of no return -I had to buy something.

I found one that seemed to be the best but when it came down to it I just couldn't part with money for something in an angular yellow bottle. I couldn't stand the thought of that ugly thing sitting on my dresser. Sure, it might smell nice...

I cast around for an excuse not to buy it. "Do you haaave anyyything else?" I implored. To which she turned around and squirted something on a little card. "I love it!" I couldn't believe I'd finally found it; this was what my nose was telling me I wanted.

Apparently it contains "tears of belladonna, crushed heart of tiger orchidea with a black veil of incense, pulverized apricot and the combinative essences of saffron and honey drops" 

Then she showed me the bottle... Basically a black egg.

(Just as well I didn't know about the stupid gold alien claw til I got it home)

"Yes, this is FAME the first fragrance by Lady Gaga. It utilises special technology enabling the black fluid to turn clear when it is sprayed..."

Black fluid. Can I get a "gimmicky?"


Sarah is not impressed.


Now,  it's no secret that I'm not that into pop music (unless it's in another language) which is the broad category I'd put Lady Gaga in (am I right? Just guessing here) and I'm definitely not into slavishly following trends. Turned out that my nose was able to overcome my wish to avoid associations with pop industry, especially a singer I don't particularly admire. What's more, the poster I'd seen but not registered as selling a perfume was absolutely hideous. The worse version of that. So creepy and dark (not at all like the perfume)

I freely admit that I'm led by my eyes and I never would've picked up a black perfume by a pop star, let alone bought it but I'm so glad I did.

Now if only we could apply this lesson to our life somehow?