Gents, it’s been a month since I last posted here—for good reason. I just finished a month-long perfume fast. I started collecting not too long ago, and everything was going great… until my wife “noticed” that everyone at home was having allergies. I knew it wasn’t the fragrances, but she kept insisting they were the culprit. So I proposed a deal: “Alright, no sprays for 30 days. If after that we’re fine, and then a fragrance sets us off, I’ll toss the entire collection.” She was aghast. Well, we did it. And during that no-fragrance period, allergies kept happening anyway—our daughters coughing at night, my wife with sore eyes and throat. I never missed a chance to joke: “Maybe we’re allergic to perfume bottles,” or “ah yes, scentless perfume strikes again.” Finally, she admitted it was just spring allergies (we’re in the southern hemisphere). Which means: I’m happily back to spraying my favorite fragrances without guilt.