Smell and memory are closely connected. "A smell can bring on a flood of memories, influence people's moods and even affect their work performance. Because the olfactory bulb is part of the brain's limbic system, an area so closely associated with memory and feeling it's sometimes called the "emotional brain," smell can call up memories and powerful responses almost instantaneously....When you first smell a new scent, you link it to an event, a person, a thing or even a moment. Your brain forges a link between the smell and a memory -- associating the smell of chlorine with summers at the pool or lilies with a funeral. When you encounter the smell again, the link is already there, ready to elicit a memory or a mood. Chlorine might call up a specific pool-related memory or simply make you feel content. Lilies might agitate you without your knowing why. This is part of the reason why not everyone likes the same smells. " http://health.howstuffworks.com/smell3.htm

Is it possible that I would remember a whole lot more from my past if I could smell? I don't think so. I'm not a great storyteller for how events unfold or the order of a joke but I do remember quite a bit from my childhood and I have a great short-term memory (bonus for university exams). There have been studies done, however, showing that memory paired with smell evokes more emotion than other memories. I don't have a smell associated with childhood birthdays or high school lockers or camping. I remember them but could I be missing out on the feeling of them? Should I care? I don't really care because I've come to terms with not being able to smell but I think it's an interesting question. Am I a less emotional person because everytime I inhale, it's the same? Am I more able to deal with challenge or emtional events because I have one less thing that will trigger emotion?

My city is on strike...lots of services have been suspended and summer is not what it should be. The strike is not a garbage strike however understandably, garbage and daycare are the 2 hotbutton issues. So what does a garbage strike seem like for someone who cannot smell? It's basically about visual changes. The McDonald's cups lying on top of the sealed (and unsealed by the public) garbage bins. The rotting bags of garbage piled in temporary sites. The excessive amount of recycling taking up space in my apartment. To me the city and my own living spaces feel full. It is amazing how much we accumulate and get rid of in 2 weeks time and although I think it is a good eye opener for us to take a look at our consumption, I think that the frustrations of most will generally outweigh any positive benefits that we can get from taking a moment to think about what happens to our garbage and how much of it there is.

In another life, I could have been a garbage person. I have always thought about what kinds of jobs I would be really good at. Garbage person, sewage diver, maybe working somewhere with overpowering smells like the Zoo or a paint factory. I even posted a Craigslist ad last year asking the world how to put my 'talent' to better use. I got no replies. Maybe my life as a non-smelling income generator is not to be...but I haven't given up yet. Any ideas?