Scent Alarm, Side-Eye, and Dear Abby

Coffee-scented wake-up calls? We start with a quirky hotel experiment rolling out across Asia Pacific: an alarm clock that swaps buzzers for breakfast aromas like coffee, bacon, blueberry muffins, and regional picks. It’s playful and a little provocative—can a smell actually make mornings better, or is it just smart hospitality designed to nudge us toward the free buffet? We unpack the psychology of scent, the realities of travel routines, and why gentle cues can shift a mood even if they don’t fix jet lag.

From there, we pivot to the hard stuff: how to handle ageist comments with grace and backbone. When neighbors take shots at a 54-year-old for wearing color or riding a mountain bike, the real issue isn’t years—it’s respect. We workshop clean, dignified replies that shut down the jab without lighting a fire, and talk about choosing your energy wisely in elevators, lobbies, and any other shared space where classless jokes try to find an audience.

We also wade into relationship waters where humor crosses the line. What do you do when a partner “jokes” about you in public—calling you dangerous, a shoplifter, or too sensitive? We map a calm, clear boundary plan, why follow-through matters more than a perfect clapback, and when a neutral third party can reset patterns. Finally, we step onto the dance floor: managing jealousy, drunk intrusions, and spotlight partners with simple team signals that keep connection strong and drama low. We wrap by sharing our own first-date story—a two-and-a-half-hour drive for diner stools and grilled greatness—and invite yours.

If this mix of travel quirks, social courage, and real relationship tools hits home, follow the show, share it with a friend, and drop your first-date story in a comment or review. Your stories help others feel seen—and they might just inspire our next episode.

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Liberty Line each week on Sunday, look for topics on my X file @americanistblog and submit your 1-3 audio opinions to anamericanistblog@gmail.com and you'll be featured on the podcast. 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Setting a Lighter Tone
• 0:59 Scented Alarm Clock Story
• 2:49 Do Smells Improve Sleep
• 4:59 Regional Trial and Marketing Spin
• 7:34 Pivot to Dear Abby Segment
• 8:59 Ageism at 54
• 11:59 Public Teasing in Marriage

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:15

Well, folks, it's gonna be a dear Abbey day because I could not find anything to talk about today on the New York Post site. Uh I did find one story and it's kind of cute, I guess. I don't know. You know, I want to do something different. I I'm trying to not be so heavy and gross and icky on this podcast. I try to find some interesting stories that you may have not heard of and you're not going to hear on the mainstream media. Today, though, uh here's the title from the New York Post Wake Up and Smell the Free Breakfast. Holiday in Express adds scent-based alarm clocks to the rooms. Okay. Who uses the alarm clocks in a hotel room anymore? You have your phone, first of all. So does the scent happen when the alarm goes off? Or is it just is it just a plug-in that's behind the alarm clock? I mean, what is this? Let's find out. Holiday in Express by IHG is launching a world-first hotel experience with a scent-based alarm clock in an effort to improve guests' sleep and mornings. How is it going to improve your sleep? How is an alarm clock, a scented alarm clock, going to improve your sleep? Somebody explain that to me. Beeps and buzzers be gone. The Holiday Inn Express breakfast alarm clock is a brand new device that wakes guests up with sweet and savory smells of breakfast instead. And they have a picture of this thing. I guess you can select which scent you want to wake up to. There's three of them in there. It has an alarm clock, and then there's like three little vials in this cut-out hole that's in the alarm clock. All Holiday In Express hotels across Australia and New Zealand, so you can't have it here in America yet. As well as participating hotels in Singapore, Thailand, and Japan will offer patrons the chance to trial the new experience. Guests will be able to pick the wake-up scent of their choice with options including coffee, bacon, and blueberry muffin in Australia and New Zealand, as well as Nashi Pear in Japan and Mango in Singapore and Thailand. Well, there you go. The alarm itself acts like a diffuser, releasing the delicious scent of your favorite breakfast item when it's time to wake up. I don't know how they do that. I don't know how that happens. The concept was inspired by research commissioned by Holiday and Express that found that 58% of travelers in the Asian Pacific said pleasant smell would help them feel better when they wake up, especially while traveling. Did they mean breakfast? You know from the research that travelers across Asia Pacific are struggling with sleep, and many skip breakfast when they travel sometimes to save money. Okay, so let's make them hungry with the smell so they'll spend money. Oh many kids sometimes save money. Uh okay. Respondents also shared which scents would help elevate their morning coffee or tea, baked goods, fresh fruit, and bacon and eggs in Australia. Okay. Waking up and maintaining a routine while traveling can be harder than it sounds, which is sometimes the research underscored for us. But we also know the power of scent, that first whiff of coffee or fresh croissant can work wonders, especially when it's free. Okay, so it's free. The breakfast alarm clock experience is available for a limited time starting October 20th in 2025. So if you're traveling to any of those regions of the world, there you go. You can wake up to the smells of breakfast and coffee in your room with your alarm clock. I know you couldn't live without that story, could you? Okay, we need to move on. We need to go to the dear Abby stories. Scrolling, scrolling, scrolling. Search bar. I know. Forgive me. I thought I had it ready. I'm terrible at this. Okay. Dear Abby. I don't know which one I want to select from. This one's dumb right here. I'll read this one. Dear Abby, I'm in my 50s and already facing ageism. Okay. I don't even know what this means. But here we go. Dear Abby, I'm 54 and already facing ageism. Some of my neighbors who are in their 30s and 40s make age statements aimed at me. She's only 54. That is not old. I hate to tell y'all that. Those people do not know me but happen to live in my building. One time I was wearing a brand new purple winter coat I loved. It was a gift from a close friend. A woman complimented me on my coat, followed by I didn't know you could wear something like that at your age. I was offended but remained silent and didn't react emotionally. The next incident occurred in front of a group of people in an elevator. I was going down with my new mountain bike, ready to take it out for a spin when a young couple got on. The man said, Nice bike, I didn't know people your age could still ride mountain bikes. His girlfriend covered her mouth with her hand and everyone collapsed into laughter. Again I chose not to react. Abby, it's getting to the point where I just pop on headphones and focus on my music when I'm in the elevator or common areas of my building. Are there any good comebacks to these Aegis barbs? I haven't reacted because my dignity is important to me. Personal growth to my personal growth and well being. It is best to remain silent. What do you suggest? Growing old gracefully. Okay, this is a made-up story. It has to be. The way it's written and everything. You you gotta write to dear Abby, you're 54 years old, to get advice on this. Shut your face. Alright, let's see what dear Abby, let's see if she comes with any let's see if she comes up with any comebacks. Because I don't know what I would do. I just probably hey yeah, that's right. I'd probably just laugh. Ha ha ha. Or say something dumb like, I didn't know people your age could you operate the elevator. Okay, uh, so here's what she says. Dear growing old. I'm sorry. All right, at 54, you aren't over the hill. I see people in their 70s and 80s who are active, vital, and attractive. You aren't going to teach class classless younger people any lessons, so keep your reaction good humored. When it happens again, and it may, smile and tell the youngster, you hope they are lucky enough to do this, wear this, etc. when they reach your age. Then keep on walking or biking and don't look back. Well, how about that? I mean, these things are these I don't know how they get away with this stuff made up. I need to start my own advice column and I just just make up crap. I mean, I'm gonna I dear Abby needs some competition. That's what she needs. Dear Carol, I think I'm gonna start something. All right, let's see what's up next. What other things can I do? Uh I did I read this one? I don't know. Dear Abby, my husband won't stop making fun of me in public. This sounds interesting. Dear Abby, I've been married for 49 years. 49 years and you're writing to dear Abby about your husband making fun of you? Oh, come on. Of course, we've had our ups and downs. My husband, Sid, said he was joking at the store the other day. When I talk, I gesture with my hands. A woman was coming down the aisle while I was talking, and Sid warned her, watch out, she's mean, she's violent. At another store he told the cashier, Watch out, she's dangerous. She'll steal something, she's a shoplifter. When we got back in the car, he said, Man, why did you buy more cookies? You've eaten that whole pack already. What in the world? This makes no sense. When I bring this up to him, he says, You're just like your mother, and I cry all the way home in the car the next day.

unknown: 8:38

What?

SPEAKER_00: 8:38

Oh in the car the next day. I told him how he hurts my feelings. His answer was You've always been too sensitive. You need to just get over it. I don't know how to respond to all of this poking at me. You've been married to the man for forty nine effing years. You're just now finding this out. Get off no. So she signs off No Fun in Florida. Let's see what dear Abby has to say. Dear no fun, your husband has a cruel streak and seems to get his kicks by embarrassing you in public. Dry those tears and the next time it happens, smile and calmly tell the cashier your husband is off his meds and delusional and to pay no attention to him. I don't mind I don't know why your husband is being passive aggressive and neither will you unless you talk with a marriage and family therapist. Uh please don't wait. Okay. I mean, come on. What else we got here? What else we got here? Uh let's read let's read this one and then I'll stop. Then I'll sign off with a question of the day. Dear Abby, my boyfriend is a dancer and women won't stay away from him. Huh. What kind of dancer is he? And what do you mean women won't stay away from him? Does he give dance lessons? I mean he has to dance with a woman. I guess he doesn't have to, but anyway, dear Abby, I'm in an eight month relationship with a man who is a sexy good dancer. I'm also a good dancer. My dilemma is he attracts a lot of female attention on the dance floor, and sometimes women aggressively come up and dance next to us, vying for his attention, which he usually ignore, which we usually ignore. Most of the time I pay them no attention, but it sometimes affects our enjoyment because I get annoyed. He says he knows why I feel this way with some and that I should deal with it however I'd like to. He doesn't actively pursue the advances, and I know we're in love, but I'd like your advice on how to handle it. I'm astonished at some women ignore boundaries when you're obviously in a relationship. Men don't do this, men don't do this to me. What? Bothered in the West. Okay. I have a few suggestions. First of all, you're eight months into a relationship. How do you know you're in love? That's not love. That is still lust at this point. Two, why are you still going out to bars and clubs with him as a date? You need to be doing different kinds of activities together, not going out to clubs. Unless you, I mean, I don't know. Uh then what was the other thing? Um What was the other thing? Okay, I forget what I was gonna what else I was gonna say. Let's see what dear Abby has to say. Dear bother, your boyfriend is already doing his best to ignore the advances he receives, unless you are ready to tell the business hussies. I'm sorry, unless you're ready to tell the hussies to back off, honey. It's he's mine. Follow his lead. Yes, some women are aggressive. Oh, that's what I was gonna say. Yes, they're drunk off their asses. That's why they're being aggressive. That's that was the other thing I wanted to say. Yes, some women are aggressive, tasteless, and seemingly desperate. You can't change them, and neither can I, but you can change the way you react to a situation you can't control. Well, there you go. There's your dear Abby's for the Friday. All right, let's see. What kind of a question do we have? Question of the day is Okay, since we were talking about relationships, what was the first date you and your wife went on? That's the question of the day. My first date with the gent, I'm gonna say, even though at the time I kept saying it wasn't a date, we he took me to lunch, and he took me to a lunch that was two and a half hours away from where we live, where the town that we both lived in. We live in Huntsville, Alabama, and he asked me to go to lunch, and he said, just prepare to take, you know, the whole day here because we're going somewhere far away. And so we he drove me to Abe's Grill in Corinth, Mississippi. And if you don't know what Abe's Grill is, you should look it up. Abe's Grill is like a little hole in the wall diner that has breakfast and lunch, and it's got like 17 stools. That's it. You sit at the counter, and you as soon as you open the door, it's bam right there. There's nowhere to walk around. You almost have to climb over people to get to, and yet they have a bathroom. And it's such a cool little place, and it the food is fantastic. And of course, they grill it right there in front of you. It's definitely a local favorite. I don't know, I forget how the gent found out about it, but he took me there and it was it was a really good time. And so we pass it every time we go to Tunica, you know, so it's really fun. That was our first date. I know I went over my time limit. Tell me about your first date with your significant other. Okay, I gotta go. Thanks for listening. Bye.