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Shoes, Watches, Fragrance, Timeles Style; We Discuss it all this Thursday! Click here to get access - https://www.skool.com/bos/calendar?eid=db6746ede7e740d8bc1f390c658a608b

Week 1: Welcome to Shelf Control - Building the Joe Average Fragrance Library !! Hey guys, Joe A. here with another one for ya’! Welcome to the beginning of a new mini-series I’m calling "SHELF CONTROL"... because apparently, when you own enough fragrances, SELF-Control leaves the building and Shelving becomes the only responsible adult in the room!! For years, my bottles have been scattered around the house like some kind of aromatic scavenger hunt. A few in one room, a few in another, decants in drawers, boxes tucked away, and the occasional bottle showing up in a place that makes my family pause and question my life choices. At some point, you stop asking, “Where did I put that fragrance?” and start asking, “Do I need a floor directory?” Of course, no fragrance collection gets this out of hand without the family noticing! At first it’s cute: “Oh, you got another bottle?” Then it becomes curious: “Wait… didn’t a package come yesterday?” And eventually, the tone changes: “How many of these do you actually have?” Gentlemen, that is not a question. That's a warning shot!! That’s when I knew it was time... My goal is simple: gather my fragrances from around the house and organize them into one central location in my garage office. In theory, that sounds easy. In reality, it means building a real shelving system, making room for the collection I already have, leaving space for future arrivals (let’s not insult each other by pretending I’m done here) and creating something I can actually use. Over the next several weeks, I’ll be documenting the full process: the problem, the planning, the construction, the great bottle migration, the sorting, the rediscoveries, and finally, the big reveal of the Joe A. Fragrance Library! Because that’s the real issue... A large collection is fun, personal and full of stories. But when bottles are scattered, hidden, boxed up or buried behind other bottles, it stops feeling like a collection and starts feeling like inventory from a very confused warehouse.

I haven't talked about it much, but I've been working very hard on my remote pilot's certificate. I've been doing test flights, studying for the exam, and putting together a business plan to expand the services I offer. Today, I sat for the exam, and it was the culmination of everything I've been working on for the last 3 months. The pressure to pass was immense. So when I say that I passed, and passed with flying colors, you can imagine the joy and immense pride I have in the accomplishment. It opens up a whole new level of opportunity for me. In the 12 hours since I've passed my exam, I already have a half dozen gigs lined up. It has been a phenomenal day. My SOTD was 1989 from Theodore's Kalotinis. It's plum, pink pepper, and patchouli and makes me feel calm and confident. It was a perfect scent to wear for the test.

This has been an ongoing debate for a very long time. My bachelor's degrees are in International Studies with emphasis on the Far East and Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language. I spent 20 years working for Taiwanese and Japanese firms here in the United States overseeing shipments of materials from China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and far eastern Russia. When I was studying back in the early 90s, the topic of the word "Oriental" was already a big discussion, and we started shifting away from it. It was considered an anachronism. A holdover from a Eurocentric, colonialist, outdated mindset when Asia was considered an exotic and mysterious destination. Over the last 30 years, as the world has become a more global market, it just doesn't make sense anymore, so the term has largely been dropped in favor of more clear and descriptive terms. On the other side of the discussion, especially when it comes to perfume, the term is considered a compliment and does not poke fun at or insult anyone. It was born from the creation of Guerlain's Shalimar (which has recently seen a big resurgence in the market) in the 1920s, when "Oriental" was used to describe the exotic and mysterious blend of spices and resins used in its formulation. Over time, it became a category unto itself - not unlike the creation of "Blue" fragrances with Bleu de Chanel. It's not meant to poke fun of or minimize the vast and beautiful cultures of the Asian continent, but rather as a descriptor for the origin of the ingredients that make up the category. So if the category were to change, what should we use? I have a lot more to say about this, but would love to hear from you guys. What say you? And let's remember to keep the discussion civil and cordial. We are all brothers here, and this is meant to be food for thought.