Day 1 - Meat Purchasing Day

Went to Shaw's on a meat hunt. As with previous Stinkymeat projects, we were looking for our meat to have the following qualities:

- Freshness
- Price
- Texture

For our experiment, one additional characteristic was necessary:

- Timed odor release

Although throwing a raw fish into the ceiling may at first seem like a good idea, we realized that its strong and immediate odor would cause residents to become suspicious too quickly. No, we were looking for something that will begin with a negligible scent and work its way up as days pass. Our scientific hypothesis is that with a slow increase in scent, residents will "adapt" to the smell as it evolves. If our theory is correct, they will be entering the bathroom so frequently that they will become desensitized to the smell, and hence not immediately search for its source.

Started off with the classic: ground beef, .90 pounds' worth. By far the most nasty piece of meat from Mahlon Smith's First Stinkymeat Project.

Estimated half-life: 5-6 days
Stink potential: High
Total cost: $3.41

These fresh pork chops were right next to the ground beef. Mahlon's projects did not include pig, so this could be interesting.

Estimated half-life: 7-8 days
Stink potential: Medium
Total cost: $1.93

A Cornish game hen, small enough that it would only take up a quarter of the plate. Few things stink worse than rotting chicken. Seemed too good to pass up.

Predicted half-life: 5-6 days
Stink potential: Very high
Total cost: $3.12

Nabbed a breakfast favorite. Bacon smells great when it's being cooked. We're very curious to see if this will change after a week of incubation.

Predicted half-life: 6-7 days
Stink potential: High
Total cost: $3.69

After the tragic disappearance of the dog food plate early in Mahlon's Second Stinkymeat Project, we felt obligated to give it a second try. The cat food can seemed to come in a more ideal size, so we swiped one of those instead.

Predicted half-life: 4-5 days
Stink potential: Medium
Total cost: $.55

Hefty Serve 'n Store. Durable, tall sides, and large handles. All characteristics that will hopefully keep the meat on the plate and off our fingers while handling it.

Total cost: $2.00

And here it is!

Total cost: $14.70 with Shaw's discount card

Got home and placed each item carefully onto the plate. No real smell yet from anything other than the cat food. I hadn't eaten in a while, and I must admit that the aroma emanating from the "Grilled, Tender Beef and Liver Feast in Gravy" was actually quite appealing. It was with some difficulty that I restrained myself from tasting it.

The meat rests peacefully in my friend's fridge. Tonight we go and plant it in the ceiling tiles above the shower...

Continue to Day 2