A Cool Tool!

I am forever explaining to my husband that his tools are different from my tools. Generally speaking, his are actual tools (like drills, hammers, screwdrivers, etc.) that are needed to complete some sort of specific task. For example, the last time King Richard repaired my Subaru, he informed me that our jack stands were unsafe for the job because they were too short. I saw his point and accompanied him to Sears where we purchased new and taller jack stands.

My tools, on the other hand, are appliances, organizational aids, electronic devices, and software that streamline work and make it possible for my forty-six-year-old brain to remember all the details of managing a home. However, unlike the obvious safe-unsafe criteria in the previous example, it is sometimes a bit more difficult to convince my husband of the need for my new tools. Case in point, about two weeks ago, we finally purchased a new refrigerator because the old one was, frankly, decrepit. Food froze in the back of the main compartment; items in the front of the freezer would partially thaw; the lower shelf was so difficult for me to reach when my sacroiliac joint flared up that science experiments would often materialize there. As I told a friend of mine, I reached a point where I disliked the appliance so much, I didn’t even want to open it to take food out or put food in. The grill on the bottom was secured on one side by high-pressure tape; the door gasket was split in a few places; plus, the door itself wouldn’t shut completely unless you pushed it gently with your foot. The need for a replacement seemed pretty obvious...to me. Yet, it still took a year (or more) to convince my hubby a new tool was in order.

Which brings me to my latest desire: the SmartShopperTM Voice-Activated Grocery List. Here is a description from the Sharper Image website:

Save time on errands and at the market with an up-to-date, alphabetical list that’s arranged according to errands and groceries. Press Record, say the places to go (such as Bank, Post Office or Dry Cleaners) and the items you need (such as Apples, Paper Towels, Wheat Bread and even brand names), click Print and the compact SmartShopperTM produces a printout, organized into errands and groupings such as Produce and Frozen Foods.

Specify quantities, add or delete items anytime using the library of 2,500 items, and enter your own custom items. The voice recognition software is state-of-the art, the thermal printer doesn’t require ink cartridges, and the LCD is bright and easy to read. Mount on the wall, stick on the refrigerator with built-in magnets, or place on a kitchen countertop. Includes two rolls of paper. Uses 4 AA batteries (order separately), measures 7 1/4” x 4 1/2” x 1 1/2” and weighs 1- 1/2 oz. One-year warranty.

Does this not look and sound like an awesome work assistant?! Ownership of this little gem would definitely streamline my planning routine and, therefore, my housework. It would also keep my brain on track. I could attach the device to my refrigerator and just tell it what I want it to know when I think of it, without leaving my other tasks. Plus it would save on paper! I wouldn’t be writing all the other lists I now pen just trying to remember everything I need to do or purchase.

King Richard, if you are reading this blog entry, please make note --- this tool is on my Christmas list. :-)

Note: Lest some of the women out there think I have no mind of my own, please be advised that I do not consult my husband on every purchase in our home. However, after twenty-two years of marriage, we have learned to consult each other on major purchases like appliances and auto maintenance hardware.