Oh no – the robots are coming!

Just kidding … sort of.

The robots are actually already here. This little guy in the picture is a Robo Vacum made by Hog Wild Toys, though it is not, actually, a toy. My Robo Guy (as I call him because I haven’t thought of a name for him yet; if you come up with one, let me know.) is a mini vacuum. I picked him up when I dropped into the Robot Café in Port Dover, Ontario recently. It’s a really fun store (attached to a guitar store) that sells all kinds of toys, comic books and old record albums.

You know, whenever I see a new product on the market, one question always jumps to mind: what problem does it solve. If it doesn’t solve a real problem, then why would I buy it? Ditto if it doesn’t solve the problem well. So, I asked myself that exact question when I examined Robo Guy. Well, I just couldn’t think of a good answer. What can Robo Guy do that a damp cloth doesn’t do better? Well, it picks up crumbs (like a cloth). It’s quite the conversation piece (unlike a cloth). Robo Guy is not automated; but that’s a good thing. I’d hate to have to stand sentinel making sure it doesn’t tumble headlong off the edge of the table. After giving it some thought, one thing became perfectly clear: none of that mattered. It was cute, and I wanted it. Now, I feel like I have to justify having bought it. To that end, I share with you one of my crumbiest (in the best possible way) cookie recipes. These oatmeal cookies taste amazing, but you can’t eat them clandestinely. The trail of crumbs will give you away.