Antibiotics, Assumptions, OCD and Perfume by Patrick Suskind

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

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Val the Cookie Queen

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Good day APJ Readers!

Antibiotics, Assumptions, OCD

The Joy Of Medication

Seriously. After nearly a month of swollen eyes and a slightly puffy face you´d have thought I´d have realized something was wrong. I took
steamy baths, put iced eye masks on, eye drops, a variety of concealers, and hung myself upside down to encourage drainage. Some stuff
drizzled out the corners of my eyes probably brain fluid. I was still completing menial tasks, shopping, baking and packing 500 cookies, but
needing three hour naps to get over the exertion. I finally hauled my sorry ass to the doctor and am the proud owner of a sinus infection, my first.
Rattling around with pretty blue antibiotics is now doing the trick.

Preconceived Ideas

I received “Perfume. The Story of a Murderer.” by Patrick Süskind for my birthday. I´ve been asked countless times if I have read it
to which I always replied “Absolutely not.” I never wanted to read it. All I knew was it had to do with murdering virgins for their innocence and
I´m like, nope, not for me. I mean for years I have skirted around this book and needless to say the film. But true to form my partner-in-crime,
cognitive behaviour therapist and BFF, Dr. Fox suggested I read it as though it was a text book that I HAD to read, being that it was perfume related.
I couldn´t put it down. Enthralling, astonishing, quite bizarre, and it is on the reading syllabuses in school in Germany as it comes under the
German literature category. I loved the book so much I have no intention of seeing the film. Not because of preconceived ideas, just the fact I
prefer to keep a book I so enjoyed in my mind. A film seldom matches my imagination.

Slightly Obsessive Behaviour

An extremely dear friend gave me “Perfume. The Story of a Murderer.” for my birthday. Uhm, two copies. The first copy he bought, that is the
one on the right-hand side of the photo was a secondhand copy, which he didn´t notice at the time of purchase. Giving a secondhand gift is
so far out of his comfort zone that he went into another book store and bought the one of the left, a brand new copy. I love secondhand books,
and also prefer the cover on that one, as indeed he did too. So you dearest APJ readers one of you gets the chance to receive my brand new copy.

Innocent Perfumed Bussis
CQ

giveaway hemodernhome

A Literary GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week there will be 1 winner who will receive:
1 x Brand New Book: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please share any of your own experiences in being proved wrong because of a preconceived or stubborn idea that you held onto firmly in
your head, but then were proved wrong. I´ll get one of my family to pull a name out of my dead armadillo basket and pop the book into the post
to the lucky winner.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 26th January 2017 10pm Australian EdsT and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by getting one of my family to pull a name out of my dead armadillo basket
The winner will have till Sunday 29th January 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

31 thoughts on “Antibiotics, Assumptions, OCD and Perfume by Patrick Suskind”

  1. Oh I’ve been stubborn about not reading THAT book too, but now I really want to! I’m often stubborn and have pre-conceived ideas about things and so I guess I’m often proved wrong. One thing that stands out was drinking Lewak Coffee – I mean seriously – who would drink poo coffee and why? So I went to the little coffee farm with my sister who really wanted to try it, and after hearing about the process, I figured out I was less likely to die drinking that than I was not washing my hands after handling money in Bali. It was DELICIOUS and if you’ve not tried it YOU MUST! I follow via email and also on Facebook. 🙂

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    • Hi Jo! I think we are all like that in one way or another! Lewak coffee? Off to Google. If it has caffeine in it I´ll drink it. 🙂

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  2. Glad you went to the doc in the end. Sometimes only antibiotics will do.
    I’ve read Perfume so no need to enter me, thanks. Good to hear you enjoyed it so much. The bit in the mountain bored me to tears but there was a lot to like about it. I’m the same about not wanting to spoil my memory of the book by seeing the film if I enjoyed it that much.
    The cover of the second-hand copy is gorgeous!

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    • All-in-all, a very strange book, but I am so glad I´ve read it, and ,right well read it again at some point. xxx

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  3. I never read the book but I did see the movie. Disturbing. Haunting.

    I follow via email and Facebook.

    As I grow older and am proven wrong, I have learned to be gracious. I tell people that I am an imperfect daughter, friend, employee, partner. If I were perfect. I would be god. Since I am not, I make mistakes. That’s the state of being human. Acceptance is the key. Learn and move on. Don’t be defensive. But, again, it is HOW you are proven wrong. Does the person confronting you do it with respect and grace or accusation and a demeaning attitude. Often, people love to prove others wrong because it makes them right.

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  4. Loved the book, and the film! I think I gave you a second hand book, hehe, albeit it was geographically pertinent. Your squeamishness around the topic of this book amused me as I am too really. And yet I seem to have an endless appetite for what my ex used to term ‘forensic prostitute’ programmes.

    Hope you shake that infection off soon good and proper!

    Hope you

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    • I`ve always loved secondhand books. The fact that someone read it already thrills me. I mean why only have a book that is only ever read once? I like lots of second hand things. xxx

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  5. Dear Val – sorry to hear about your sinus infection! as for preconceived ideas: mostly I have them about people, where I judge a book by its cover ( I realllllly try not to be as judgmental as I was, but still) and then they turn out to be totally different (usually for the better).
    One small question: are you possibly related somehow to Jenny Lawson? The dead armadillo somehow makes me think of her 😉 cheerswendy

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    • I assume you mean Jenny Lawson, the blogger that I have never heard of until now because I just Googled her? Nope. Not related as far as I know!! That s the problem with judging on something we know nothing about, preconceived ideas …….. mostly a negative outcome I would say. You are in the basket! xxx

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  6. DNEM as I have read the book several times. First time back then in, I think, 1985 when it was published. I’ve studied German language and literature and I had to have it. It is an amazing book as it focuses on the sense of smell and perfume and obsession (we all know how it feels, don’t we?) and I always recommend it to others. Only my mum found it repulsive, no one else.
    I loved the book too much to go and spoil my idea of the story with the movie, but then I watched it some years ago and I must say, it’s very good! I won’t say anything more. So I suggest, take your time as long as you need but watch the movie some day :-)…and get well soon.

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    • So basically you are saying no preconceived ideas about a film I haven´t watched, right? 😉 Ok. I will at some point. I love John Hurt …….. I am gonna read it in German though. Soon. Will grab a cookie sometime over the next couple of weeks. xxx

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  7. I love that book! I read it long ago, long before the film cane out, as I was still studying in Germany. In fact I remember a famous German film producer made a film about a film producer trying to procure the rights to film a book ( which everyone knew to be Das Parfum). I have no idea where my copy went, and I wanted to get it again, still in German though, so no need to enter me 🙂 I hope you get well fast.

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    • I am much better Asali, but it tok four weeks. Was an interesting learning curve. I need to slow myself down a bit. No need to be a chipmunk-on-crack anymore. Yep, Das Parfum. As I said above, I will read it in German next . xxxxx

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  8. I follow by email. Its a good thing to see a doctor and get medication when something lasts as long as your infection did. I’m glad its clearing up. I’ve never read the book and saw the movie a long time ago. I have been occasionally wrong about people, usually for the worse.

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    • I didn´t know I had a bloody sinus infection. I always thought those things hurt. It was uncomfortable, and my brain felt like cotton wool, and I couldn´t hear much, and my eyes were swollen – but no pain. Anyway, I am finally on the mend and double thankful for it too! xxx

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  9. I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t want to see the film after reading the book! I made that mistake with the Harry Potter series, and was disappointed by the films.

    I read “Perfume” when it first came out, and loved it. Another interesting short book by Susskind is “Die Taube”. I don’t know if it’s been translated into English, but it probably has.

    DNEM, just wanted to comment and say that I’m glad you’re feeling better and hope that you’re 100% well soon!

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    • Ellen! Always good to see you and I love it that you take time to read APJ. So cool. 🙂 I saw the first Harry Potter film and was not happy with it and never went to any of the others. I loved every single book – but there was no way they could be put onto film. Yeah, I have know of The Taube and will see if I can get that when I buy Das Parfum …. Time to brush up on my reading German. I really should do it more often. Love to all your crew. xxxx

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  10. Hi Val,
    I’m glad the antibiotics are working for you! DNEM as that book is around here somewhere – still unread. Maybe I will dig it out – or not 😀!
    Gail xxx

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    • Hahahahahahaha. In your own time dear. I guess the antibiotics worked. It has all been so slow. But I am back in the gym as of yesterday albeit very slowly, so I certainly am on my way …… xxxxxxxxxxx

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  11. Wowee, Val how brave you are… I’d have been at the docs by day three!!! DNEM because I don’t read books. The secondhand book’s cover looks so much better

    Glad you are on the mend.

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    • There was no reason to go on day three because I was quite happily sick at home and reading my book. It was a fortnight on when I felt so crap that I knew something was up!! Nice of you to drop in! xxxxx

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  12. Hi Val!
    You have to swear to all of us that you’ll finish the complete course of your antibiotics! And get well soon. That’s an order! 🙂

    I’ve also read this book back when it just came out – long before I knew there ever will be anything beyond my own fascination with perfumes. I absolutely loved it! So I decided not even to bother with the movie. But for a while I was obsessed with Mugler’s Le Parfum Coffret. Luckily, it has never been available in the U.S.

    DNEM

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    • Oh my gosh. Must Google the Mugler Coffret and then contact Thomas! hahahahaha. Yes I took all my tablets. And am getting well and slowing myself down a bit. I needed to learn that. Me at 50% is probably like a normal person and I would so love to be normal. 😉 Hugs. xxxx

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  13. Hi Val
    I am glad you finally went to the Dr as sinus infection is Totally shithouse!..I have seen the film and it freaked me out a bit lol, but as you know the books are always better than the film I will have to read it someday…..both book covers are nice! Here’s to your sinus free state 😎🎼

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    • As I said above, I don´t believe it was a sinus infection as one reads about. That sounds so incredibly painful and this wasn´t. But it still sucked bigtime. I am sure the film is freaky, the book is too really. How does anyone even come up with a story like that? Hmmmm. xxxxxx

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  14. Shame on me, I haven’t read that book either although I have it. It was a birthday gift also. 🙂
    My thoughts on it were basically similar to yours so now I see it’s a must, I’ll put it on top of my TBR pile.

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    • Try it! Thing is with books is you can stop anytime. I had never had a copy and I guess it came along at the right time. I guess in a way it is a must fro perfumistas. Good to see you here. Hugs. xxxx

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  15. I was getting the idea designer perfumes are doomed but now I am thinking the designer perfumes on the average are producing a better track record than niche.

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