as if I need more cleaning products.

Preface: I have a Dyson. I love my Dyson. I also have a hand vacuum. I use my hand vacuum to clean my Dyson. It’s a sickness really.

Since life here in Family Jobin is insane (see below re: floods, MRI, baby who won’t sleep, two full-time working parents, etc.) we've been reevaluating our time and process improving our routines. We thought long and hard about a housekeeping service and decided in the end that it was just way too much money. But we are thinking about getting a little robot friend to help the Dyson out.

the roomba.

now, imagine me singing that in the same style as the simpsons intro... the roooombaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !

With a dog who sheds more than a small rodent daily and a baby who is currently rolling all over the floor and about to start crawling, we’re going to have to increase the frequency of our vacuuming or get someone else to do it. I vote the latter. So I’ve been doing some research.

I have never been more amused by consumer reviews:

· “Pros: Cleans Willingly.”

o That’s just a weird thing to say about a cleaning product

· “As for teasing Helen, it's tempting to rearrange the furniture or put obstacles in his path while he's working, just to see how he copes.”

o Okay, one, you name your vacuum. That’s weird, but I do it too so I guess I understand. Two, you’re taunting your vacuum. That’s weirder. And why is your male robot named Helen?

· “Robbie even cleans up peanuts that my bird throws on the floor. I turned Robbie loose in Storm's Room (My Parrot) with almost 3" high of bird seed and he cleaned it all up with me only having to empty the Dust Bin once between "Electric Broom Mode" and Vacuum mode.”

o Again, naming the vacuum. More importantly, who has THREE INCHES of bird seed on their floor?! Take out a ruler and look at the 3” mark! That guy also went on to explain that he’s taking Storm and his roomba with him on vacation in his RV.

· “It Cleans while we sleep”

o Somehow that creeps me out a little, especially since that’s the entire review. That’s all the person wrote!

I think I uncovered a weird cult of roomba enthusiasts. They all name their vacuums and embrace them as family members. Hmmm, isn’t that what robots want you to do so they can proceed to take over the world?

Eh, whatever. All I know is I want one.