AMEN, SISTER!

The microwave at the beach house I stayed at smelled like popcorn--ALL WEEK. And we never made popcorn in it.

You know, that's the second time I've heard about this in a week. Is the problem that it makes people hungry, or that it's just so pervasive, or that people don't like the smell? I'm wondering.

As for me, I make microwave popcorn at my home office all the time (I work solo, of course). Recently, I learned that I don't have to buy the over-salted, over-priced, badly oiled stuff from the grocery. Just mix some popcorn with oil, drop into a paper lunch sack, seal with one staple and into the microwave it goes! It's not quite as good as the storebought (and I need to try some different brands of popcorn, probably), but it's cheap and easy, and perhaps most importantly -- I can control the portion size.

phil-
i think the smell itself is icky (kinda chemical-y and noxious), but more than that it has a way of getting into every nook and cranny in the building. there's no escape from it.

we have a full kitchen here at work, so people often cook things on the stove, but even the stinkiest of onion recipes doesn't wreak havoc on the office the way microwave popcorn does.

plus, for members of the dieting public, it is particularly torturous. there is a constant carb reminder hanging in the air, tempting us. for hours.

bah!!

When I was a lad, I worked at Duke Hospital doing research during summers and winters. It took a while, but I eventually caught on that people did *not* like me heating up my Filipino food (especially fish with vinegar sauce) in the cafeteria microwave.

Wow, I'll never feel the same about microwave popcorn again. How do you feel about regular popcorn?

There's something odd about writing this comment while looking at a bigger-than-life-size picture of your foot. Maybe I *will* never have popcorn again.... :)

they make microwave popcorn AT MY DENTIST'S OFFICE.
this is just wrong.

joe-
i LOVE regular popcorn. i crave it at the movies, and at home i make it on the stovetop with bacon grease. (it's da bomb!) microwave popcorn tastes (and smells) weird in comparison. i just can't tolerate it.

and blackbird-
that is SO wrong!

I agree completely. I can't even stand the sound of people eating it.

(and when they burn it, they should be drawn and quartered)

For me it's the chemical-ish smell of the microwave popcorn that I hate. Plus, when it burns even the slightest bit, the smell is much, much worse, and hangs around even longer. I have imagined installing a red "no" slash sticker over the Popcorn button on the work microwave, but I haven't done it. Yet.

Phil's comment reminded me of a place i used to work ... apparently before I started there one of the Filipino guys decided he was going to heat up some of his fertilized duck eggs in the microwave ... except they exploded. Everyone decided to just throw the microwave away rather than clean it up.

You've thrown a popcorn craving on me now, Christa ...

Microwave popcorn is the worst smell I can think of. It makes me physically ill and people who make it in the office (especially when they've been told how bad it is) should be fired!

I hate the smell and sound of people eating microwave popcorn. It is definitely the chemicals that they use and the oils and preservatives. Remember, these packs do not contain any real butter, so it is a combination of crappy, hydrogenated oils and chemical-induced buttery flavors that make it stink so bad. There is a reason that microwave popcorn smells bad to people - because it is bad for people.

Also, I shouldn't be able to hear my co-worker chomping her popcorn from 25 feet away. That's disgusting.

I submit that the people who generally eat microwave popcorn think that it is a healthy snack because places like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers have told them that it doesn't count very many points and because it is full of fiber it fills them up. But popcorn has the nutrition of a piece of cardboard, plus all the additives are poisoning you.

It's gross, just gross and you might as well just go out and have some McDonald's french fries because they are just about equals.