Eeeeew, what's that smell?

I think that in some cases, certain smells are expected. Say you are out in farm country, well, the smell of say cows and manure would be ordinary. And so, too, is the smell at a gym or a work out facility. Sometimes it smells funky; I get that. But how and why is it that the thick aroma of perfume saturates a gym?

So here is my story ... I am working out at the YMCA, a new facility in my town. And it is nice: lots of new machines; a wide variety of classes, etc. So I'm on the Eliptical machine doing my thing with my music goin and an occasional glance at the television. People come and go past the machine I am on; no problem. Then two women walk by and I damn near fall off of the machine from the after-smell of someone's perfume. I don't know that I would feel better if it were my fav fragrance or not? Probably not, just too much of a good thing. This perfume reeked! It was like old lady stinky and floral perfume. Shameful.

The issues here are numerous:

• why do people slather on perfume before coming to the gym to work out? Will I be more offended by your true body funk than the overdose of fragance that you poured on ... ?


• Is there any consideration for those who might be allergic to fragrances?


• Could you use less of the perfume? And could it be a more aromatic fragrance ... ?

There is no way that I can get healthy in that kind of environment. Or just imagine that someone says to the fragrance offender: "You look good, but you stink?" Now, that wouldn't be nice and neither is the OD on the perfume.

**photo courtsey michelleannlincoln