October 18, 2012

The metamorphosis is complete.  Am talking about my body odor of course.  I mentioned a few weeks ago that I have noticed a change in the scent of my body odor and attributed it to the change in diet.  With the heat and humidity, it hasn't been hard to notice as the sweat is literally streaming down my back just going down to the mailbox.  The second factor that has completed the chage in the way I smell is that I have run out of the deodorant that I brought with me from the States.  I coulda sworn I shipped a year's supply, but it is nowhere to be found.  I've been exclusively using Mennen Speed Stick regular scent since I started using deodorant, so that's got to be about 30 years.  The local pharmacies don't carry it, so have been sniffing around for a replacement and purchased this.

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It's called Nivea Cool Kick.  Nivea is a brand I remember my mom having in the house (so figured they must be doing something right), and this one stresses the fact of it keeping one "cool".  It was either this or Axe.  Axe has got to be only for 20-somethings and think it must only smell good when worn with Abercrombie and Fitch apparel.  It is my opinion that you shouldn't be able to smell a guy unless you are getting busy with him, are his doctor, or are a professional wrestler, and so look for a deodorant that doesn't advertise your smell from across the room. 

This new brand seems OK, but Betty has been on the road since the switch and will need her final opinion.  I haven't made close enough friends here yet that will tell me that it isn't working properly.  True friends are those that will tell you that you're fat or when your fashion choices make you look ridiculous.  The smell it gives off in conjunction with my own pH doesn't seem offensive to me, but changing ones scent after 30 years, it still bumps me everytime I lift my arms up to put the towels away on the high shelf. 

Another difference I wasn't expecting was the change from a stick to spray.  Applying with a stick is pretty simple, but you have to pay attention with a spray as you aren't always in your most lucid state when it's time to put it on.  This morning, pre-Coffee, in the dark, I went to shoot it under there, and miss-fired...unlike Johnson's Baby Shampoo, it was definitely not a "No More Tears" formula.

I am learning more and more about the mechanics of cooking Asian style, so am sure I will discover the specific ingredients that contribute to a change in body chemistry, but one thing that is certain and is likely a cause is the liberal use of garlic.  As a lover of Italian food, am not a stranger to its wonderous properties, but what I did not know is that garlic is native to Asia.  Am surprised that my Chinese friends don't belabor me with that info as they do the facts that both pasta and fireworks were Chinese inventions (to which I reply in my best Janet Jackson, What have you done for me lately?) 

Not only do I see it added into almost everything, but they often offer it up as its own side dish.  This is a snap from the baseball game where you not only get the sweeeeet sausage on a stick, but as many huge chunks off garlic that you want. 

This is a snap of the crispy chicken joint a few yards from our place (taken with the stupid iPhone), and you can see that garlic is shown on the signage

We absolutely adore the crispy chicken from this guy...it comes either plain, with garlic, or spicy (I get the garlic/spicy combo). It has about the amount of chicken in a 6 piece McNugget, and is served in one of those little bags along with basil and again, a bunch of big chunks of garlic.  All for only US$1.25.  You take a little stick, skewer a piece of chicken, some basil and a piece of garlic and you feel like you're in heaven.  Open Tuesday - Sunday from 5PM to 11PM (or while supplies last) .