Remote smelling

[darryl]

Terrible title, but I'm going with it for now. I was just watching a 'build your own bandsaw' video. Part of the process was cleaning up and de-rusting the pair of brake drums that would be carrying the blade. As I watched the guy with the angle grinder wire wheel the surface rust, I could smell the rust cloud. Then as he banged the drum on the table, releasing a cloud of rust dust, I could smell it again. As I'm typing this, visualizing the process of banging the drum on the table, I smell it again.

Since I've had experience doing similar de-rusting, I know what it smells like and how intense it can be. Perhaps my self-defense mechanisms were twigged by watching this video, and invoked the smell by manipulating memories. It is of no consequence- obviously I'm not there as it's happening, so how could it have any effect on me- but it's interesting that I had the experience at all.

[welderskelter]

you would probably make a good drug dog. Ha I suppose it can happen

[darryl]

Ha ha. By the way, I'm not on drugs or alcohol. I was quite interested in the bandsaw project as I have amassed most of what I need to build my own, and do plan to build it one day. I have an existing bandsaw, so I'm not in a great hurry to build another. But perhaps the 'tweak' from watching some of that video enhanced my senses to some extent. Perhaps my good sense to avoid brake dust, coupled with a self-protection algorithm rose to conciousness, and that's what evoked it out of me.

[10KPete]

Many smells and sounds of long past activities become real to me when I see those visual stimulations. Sometimes sound! Grinding, welding, burning, solvents, etc. most of my life and I'm surprised that these smells come back like that.

[BCRider]

The interwebz can be thanked for many things. But thankfully online Smell-O-Vision isn't one of them. Strictly the power of suggestion.... speaking of which since we know you're weak in this regard look deep into the screen.... Deeeepppp.... Send me your machine toooooooollllzzzzz... You want to send BCRider your macheeeeeeen tooooooolzzzzzzz.......

[RB211]

Just your brain doing brain things

[Beazld]

Smell is one of our most powerful senses.

[Doozer]

You had an olfactory hallucination.
Very rare. Your wires are no doubt
crossed up somewhere. God bless
you sir.

-Doozer

[I make chips]

Many of us got drunk and horked on Southern Comfort when a teen. 50 years later if I smell it I want to gag.
If I see someone pouring it I want to gag. Aversion therapy I guess.

[mklotz]

Sounds like a variant of synesthesia...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia#Notable_cases

[lynnl]

Smell is one of our most powerful senses.

It is certainly one of the most indelible!

Many years ago, when I was in about the 3rd or 4th grade, a young guy (18 or 19) from my little community who was AWOL from the Navy and distraught over being taken away from the love of his life, committed suicide. He shot himself with a shotgun in a grove of pine trees after setting fire to the pine needles and underbrush around him. .

This happened during the school day, and was right along my path to/from school. All my life since I've gotten the same sense of anxiety I experienced walking home that day, every time I smell pine needles burning.

[Black Forest]

It is certainly one of the most indelible!

Many years ago, when I was in about the 3rd or 4th grade, a young guy (18 or 19) from my little community who was AWOL from the Navy and distraught over being taken away from the love of his life, committed suicide. He shot himself with a shotgun in a grove of pine trees after setting fire to the pine needles and underbrush around him. .

This happened during the school day, and was right along my path to/from school. All my life since I've gotten the same sense of anxiety I experienced walking home that day, every time I smell pine needles burning.

That is a totally different reaction to what the OP is talking about. I have some of those reactions also when I smell certain things.

Now to the OP's situation, I wish that would happen when I watch cooking shows. Just imagine how immersive the whole experience would be if that happened!

[sid pileski]

Smell y vision!!!!

[JRouche]

As I watched the guy with the angle grinder wire wheel the surface rust, I could smell the rust cloud. Then as he banged the drum on the table, releasing a cloud of rust dust, I could smell it again.

Kinda neat. I wonder how many times that has happened to some of us and we didnt even register it was happening. That memory must be a very strong one for you.. I also used to swim in red grinding dust. Come home from a 10hr shift every day and everything was permeated with the smell of rust dust. Oddly enough I now like that smell. JR

[Mcostello]

I can smell the rust also, after all it is just very fine particles in the air.