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I have a hyper sensitive sense of smell. Sometimes useful, most often a nuisance.
At work the roof had small leak few years ago, I could smell the wet concrete several days before the water reached the ceiling of the upper floor office and became visible. I told my boss about the leak as soon as I had first smelled it and located the correct room. "There is no leak here, you're just imagining things" was the response after I showed the room to my boss. "There is and we shall see in a few days." After 4 or 5 days the ceiling started dripping water and I received an apology.
I've been able to mentally bypass most of the awful smells of the world and people around me as long as I can remember, so it isn't so bad. But after a few drinks the mental filter turns off and I can smell everything, including my own metabolized alcohol infused sweat. That is not fun at all.
On the internet, no one knows you're a dog
Are you like the person that posted they can smell ants? Dude was able to find a single ant by sense of smell.
I do not know. I have never actively tried to smell ants nor had them inside any apartments I've lived in. I shall test this when summer returns one day. But I do remember that the ant guy wrote about having some genetic quirk that ables him to register some compound that's out normal human range of smell.
Is my funniest mental image for today, thanks. Just some person outside creeping around the ground vigorously sniffing ants.
The ant-smelling trait is a genetic thing. I have a co-worker that can smell ants, but otherwise their sense of smell is unremarkable
Dude has the super sniffer
I was a super smeller but lost the sense during Covid. It still hasn't fully returned. I have good days where I'll surprise myself by picking up something subtle and off days where popcorn smells like vomit or skunks smell like brake dust. I was considering a sommelier course prior to this.
Yeah, Covid was a freaky experience. I got off easy, no fever or other symptoms, I just realized one day that I was unable to smell freshly cut grass. Then I realized that I did not smell anything at all.
My sense of smell started coming slowly back after a few days and I can't tell if it's diminished or not. But after Covid every brand of whiskey smells and tastes like vomit to me, so there was a price to pay. Also the smell of someone eating rice cakes became utterly disgusting, as well as yogurt. Before Covid I barely registered these two.
I would hate this superpower. Having grown up with brothers, I learned to breathe defensively without smelling, but it's also so nice to be able to use scented products and perfume without it hurting.
Perfumes or scented products are not a problem for me at all, unless of course someone uses way too much. Like I said, I kind of block all the unpleasant stuff unconsciously and focus on the good ones.
It's kind of like listening to radio, all the channels are broadcasting all the time, simultaneously, but you still tune in to listen only one at a time.
And when I'm intoxicated, theyre all blaring at the same time and cannot be silenced :(
https://youtu.be/ykiI4eaCZdk?t=110
I am fascinated by you. Please tell me you've written a book or long thread?
Also please don't get Covid
I don't usually bring this "gift" of mine up in real life, it tends to create pretty awkward and unpleasant situations.
"Oh, if you have such sharp sense of smell, then tell me what deodorant/lotion/perfume I'm using?" How the hell could I know the names of every hygienic/cosmetic product, especially when the reek of detergent, fabric softener and sweat is mixed with the scent I'm supposed to recognize?
Or people just laugh at me and call me a liar.
But my friends are aware of my talent, when someone is considering to buy an apartment they often ask me to accompany them for a presentation. I can tell almost instantly if there's water damage or mold. When I was buying my own apartment I found one spot under the stairs that had a very faint but odd smell, like wet cement mixed with the smell of a wet dog. There were no water pipes or sewers even near that wall, nor were there any signs of leaks from above. I called the seller to ask about this and he started laughing. The spot was their old dog's favourite place to curl up for a sleep after a walk in the rain. And it was years since the dog had passed away, they had even painted the wall once and renewed the floor laminate after that. So no worries, I bought the place.