I was just thinking of a few things that I prefer to avoid or not think about too much, because they are connected with an unpleasant memory. I’m guessing many of us have some of these, so let’s post them here.
You don’t have to say what the unpleasant association is, in fact, I think it’s probably best that we don’t.
So here are mine:
Campbell’s Cream of Asparagus soup
Meet the Fockers (or any of the movies of that franchise)
Dan Fogelberg’s “Longer Than”
Your turn.
Eckrich Polish sausage. Cream Soda.
Consumed a lot of both when I was laid off from a job I’d had for 18 years in 2001. It was a dark time, I didn’t think I’d ever work again. The smell/taste of either kinda bums me out for a second or two.
The theme songs of certain NPR programs kinda flashes me back to then, also.
The song “The Way” by Fastball.
Fondue.
It makes me sad that this is so since I remember it being so tasty, but it’s had harsh emotional connotations for almost a decade now. Jesus that’s a long time - I’m not even thirty! Perhaps I will try to break the association.
Residential stairs that change directions at 90 degrees a couple of times between 1 story.
“Aerith’s Theme” from Final Fantasy (and I’ve never played any of the games).
The old journal function at the Student Center Network website.
From an earlier dark time.
Heart’s* These Dreams*
**Mr. Mister’s **Kyria
Seeing a certain model of car in a certain color.
Does it have to make sense? I got beaten up in grade school by a big, nasty, ugly kid named “Cass.” Since then, I’ve hated the word “Casserole.”
The sound of young girls/teens giggling. I was teased a lot in middle school, and the sound of young girls giggling always brings back those memories.
The taste of a regular ice cream sandwich. I was eating one when I found out my fourth grade teacher had been shot. At the time I was a selfish brat, and was rejoiced at the news, since I wouldn’t have a mean teacher anymore. I’ve grown up a lot since then, and looking back on those memories make me sad for her and her family, ashamed and guilty of my thoughts, and of how me and the rest of the class made her last year as a teacher hell. There’s also a part of me that thinks she might be alive today if we hadn’t been such asses to her. So now eating an ice cream sandwich brings forth all those memories and thoughts.
Big white pickup trucks with the fenders that stick way out.
Apple Jacks cereal
Aramis cologne
Brut cologne
roses
men with beards
all thanks to an abusive ex-fiance.
[I should amend, I have no problem when awake with men with beards, it is if I am asleep and get awakened by a man with a beard, like a night nurse or attending doc in hospital waking me up for a blood draw or to give me meds.]
El Camino cars.
The Cat in the Hat.
Sunday nights as the sun goes down.
“Just Like Heaven” by The Cure and “Talking in Your Sleep” by The Romantics.
This is a poignant and interesting thread.
Ditto on Sunday evenings at sundown- the saddest time of the week. But I like Aramis cologne.
For me, the word “gadget,” since I found out that my exBF’s mother sexually molested him repeatedly when he was about 10. She would fondle him while he was in the shower and called his penis his “gadget.” God, even writing the word breaks my heart and makes me gag at the same time. That bitch died a couple of years ago. I never use that word.
Pizza Hut sausage pizza. I was eating some when I was told my dad had gotten in to a bad accident (due to his own DUI).
Yogi Bear imitations. Not too crazy about Yogi bear in general, but if anyone says “Hey, Boo-Boo” around me I cringe.
The smell of sunflower seeds being eaten in the shell. (Shells removed, in multigrain bread … wonderful, but "Spitz"being eaten and having the shells spit out…yuck)
The numbers 63 and 25
Also, February.
April 3rd
Desperado by the eagles
A car pulling up to the building.
Someone walking down the hall.
Roxy Music’s song “Avalon” and Van Morrison. Brings back memories of how my mom used to play those two records over and over and over, sitting drunk on the couch being depressed and angry at my dad right after their divorce.
Wine in food. Mom used adding wine to food as an excuse to open another bottle and down the rest of the bottle herself. Also, wine in food reminds me of how a drunk persons vomit smells. 
Public playgrounds. Although that association is breaking now that I go there with my toddler and we have fun.