As Seen on TV

I've been in the closet about something for a long, long time, but I think I am finally ready to admit my deep, dark secret. I love infomercials. There, I said it. I really do. I am fascinated by many aspects about infomercials, mostly about how excruciating it must be to sit in the audience and applaud widely when the sandwich maker is opened up and reveals a family size breakfast prepared in 9 seconds with only canned apple pie filling and a piece of wonder bread. I also am continually amazed that the presenters of these infomercials can come up with so many ways to comment on how wonderful the rotisserie chicken is that they've just cooked from frozen to delicious in 4 1/2 minutes. (This is something that also amazes me about home shopping channels - how many ways can they say this ring is pretty? An awful lot, judging by these channels).

I love the eternal optimism of it all, and even though I am always skeptical of the claims made, somewhere in my heart I truly hope that they are true. I've been burned by this many times. I tried the steam vacuum which was going to pick up all the filth on my hardwood floors with just a gentle push of my hand and the power of steam (it didn't). I tried the apple pie filling thing in my sandwich maker (amazingly, it tasted like canned apple pie filling wrapped in wonder bread).


But now I have a new best friend. She's sleek, she's dark, she's reliable, and amazingly she tells the truth. I had seen this little vacuum on TV, and resisted the urge to buy one, as my other forays into such television promises had resulted in disappointment, recriminations, and a trip back to the store.

When we visited my sister-in-law (who keeps a really spiffy house) and saw this puppy in action (it picked up giant cupcake crumbs that her 1-year old had scattered everywhere after happily munching up his birthday cupcake) I picked one up at my local CVS. (I don't know about where you live, but for some reason by me you can't go 2 blocks without tripping over another CVS. Who's buying all these aspirin?) It works! Not only does it work, it works really well. I have a white kitchen. I have a black dog. My own hair seems to come out by the handful - why I'm not bald, I have no idea. I don't like to haul out my big vacuum. Sensing the problem here? My new little friend sucks up everything, fits in little spaces, and requires very little effort on my part (a prerequisite for any cleaning product in my house).

I now have a relatively clean floor, and a cute little vacuum to boot. Yay for optimism. Now I need to dig out my sandwich maker and that can of apple pie filling....