I come from enterprising stock. Growing up, I learned that there’s no shame in work, and that a mix of crafty frugality and willingness to do just about anything that pays will see you through most hard times. I’ve already filled you in on my weekend job at a vintage clothing boutique. Now I’d like to tell you about some of the other ways I’ve earned money over the past four weeks while I look for a job, and the perfume I’ve chosen along the way. I hope you’ll help me choose a few scents to make it through the next few weeks, too.

Femme à tout faire, Busy Corner Café: The Busy Corner was a lot less busy before a party of 35 people came for lunch and the dishwasher broke. Fortunately, the owners are easygoing, and while they cooked Spanish-inspired food for lunch, I kept an eye on their three-year old daughter, chopped onions, ran to another restaurant to pick up baguettes, and — yes — did more dishes than I’d seen in a long time. I chose L’Artisan Piment Brûlant to wear because I thought it would blend with the Dahlia brand paprika sprinkled on the tapas…

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A little before noon I arrive for work at Xtabay, a vintage clothing store in my neighborhood, and go to the bar next door to get the key. My main source of income has dried up for an unknown number of weeks, but by chance, Liz, Xtabay’s proprietress, needed someone to work weekends. I lug the sale rack out to front of the store, put out the sandwich board, light a few scented candles, and cue up the Brazilian music.

The first customers of the day are a high school girl and her father who drove in from a farming community west of town to find a dress for the girl’s homecoming dance. She looks about fifteen, wears jeans, a fleece hoodie, and glasses, and has her hair pulled back severely. No makeup. When I ask her what sort of dress she has in mind, she’s vague. “Oh, something fun. You know, semi-formal. Maybe something bright.” She flips through the racks while her father waits patiently by the door. I see her fingering silk, décolleté cocktail dresses, trying on the idea of womanhood. I think she’d be happy with the lilies and musk of Narciso Rodriguez…

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