Unusual things you associate with sneezing

[Heathcliff]

Something today made me think about this question: is there anything you associate with sneezing, even though it's not directly related to sneezing?

Let me explain what I mean - there are things like pollen, dust, and handkerchiefs which I associate directly with sneezing. We all know about those. But do you have anything from a memory, a fantasy, or similar that is not a sneeze-related thing but makes you think of sneezing? Let me give you an example of mine:

Australian accents:  I've never been to Australia, and I've not known that many people from there - but one or two Australian guys I've known were sneezy men.

One was my PhD supervisor, who I have written about many times on this forum (and has been in my sneeze-related thoughts many times). He had these very vocal, and very loud sneezes - I used to feel very awkward if he had to sneeze when I was talking to him in his office. He also used handkerchiefs, which is something I like.

I also knew another Australian guy a few years later, who also used handkerchiefs and was sometimes a bit sneezy - not as sneezy as my supervisor, but he sometimes would get fits of several forceful-sounding sneezes which he would muffle into his handkerchief.

Because of these guys, I now associate Australian accents with sneezy people in a weird way. If I hear an Australian person talking, something in the back of my mind thinks "Do they have hayfever? Do they need to sneeze?"

Does anyone have any other examples?

[DenverB]

I noticed that many people in France, both men and women, tend to hold all their sneezes in, even in cases when they are having a long sneezing fit. I'm not saying everyone does it but when I was around groups of French people I noticed that the vast majority of them stifle their sneezes. They make them very quiet or silent by pinching their noses closed. I've heard it's because French people like to keep their sneezes very discreet and they view it as a way of being classy and more socially acceptable. I can relate to it very much because I also hold in all my sneezes by pinching my nose. So I sorta started associating French people with stifled sneezes, even though I know there are people from all different ethnicities who stifle.

[Mr Sneezy]

On 5/8/2023 at 1:18 AM, Heathcliff said:

Something today made me think about this question: is there anything you associate with sneezing, even though it's not directly related to sneezing?

Let me explain what I mean - there are things like pollen, dust, and handkerchiefs which I associate directly with sneezing. We all know about those. But do you have anything from a memory, a fantasy, or similar that is not a sneeze-related thing but makes you think of sneezing? Let me give you an example of mine:

Australian accents:  I've never been to Australia, and I've not known that many people from there - but one or two Australian guys I've known were sneezy men.

One was my PhD supervisor, who I have written about many times on this forum (and has been in my sneeze-related thoughts many times). He had these very vocal, and very loud sneezes - I used to feel very awkward if he had to sneeze when I was talking to him in his office. He also used handkerchiefs, which is something I like.

I also knew another Australian guy a few years later, who also used handkerchiefs and was sometimes a bit sneezy - not as sneezy as my supervisor, but he sometimes would get fits of several forceful-sounding sneezes which he would muffle into his handkerchief.

Because of these guys, I now associate Australian accents with sneezy people in a weird way. If I hear an Australian person talking, something in the back of my mind thinks "Do they have hayfever? Do they need to sneeze?"

Does anyone have any other examples?

Well I'm Australian and I wouldn't say I was overly sneezy. However, if you'd been with me a month ago when I had a particularly serious and bronchial cold, I may have piqued your interest.

[RosieB]

On 5/8/2023 at 2:44 AM, DenverB said:

I noticed that many people in France, both men and women, tend to hold all their sneezes in, even in cases when they are having a long sneezing fit. I'm not saying everyone does it but when I was around groups of French people I noticed that the vast majority of them stifle their sneezes. They make them very quiet or silent by pinching their noses closed. I've heard it's because French people like to keep their sneezes very discreet and they view it as a way of being classy and more socially acceptable. I can relate to it very much because I also hold in all my sneezes by pinching my nose. So I sorta started associating French people with stifled sneezes, even though I know there are people from all different ethnicities who stifle.

Seems France would be a device place to live for sneeze fetishists