Let's get ready to ROOMBA!

"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest--a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." - Albert Einstein

I have to admit, when Aaron and I received a Roomba from his sister Sharrah for our new house at Chanukkah, I wasn't too happy about it. Not only did it freak me out because I initially felt like it was part of a secret clan of robots working on a covert mission to completely annihilate the human race (OK, maybe I still do), but I am one of the few people that actually enjoys vacuuming. I find it calming to focus on nothing more than cleaning the carpet. But that requires time, something I (among many) seem to have less of lately.

So when we moved into our townhome in the Woods and went out for our first spin to the local grocery store, we powered up the Roomba and watched it make concentric circles on the carpet while we turned off the lights and locked the front door. When we returned I was not only surprised that my pet rats hadn't been eaten and fridge wasn't completely empty ;) but the machine actually did a good job of vacuuming. It worked its way around every nook and cranny of the room to map out where it could and couldn't go to get the most effective cleaning done. Needless to say, I was impressed but still felt the need to be hesitant.

Now, a little more than two weeks later, I have vacuumed the upstairs rooms twice and roombad four times. I have to say, turning on the roomba before I go to sleep is nice. It is nice to know that I can sleep while the roomba is working. (Thank you roomba)

Lesson learned: Don't be scared to try new things. As long as you aren't letting go of your values, you open your mind and appreciate this great, big, world around you from different perspectives.

So now that I am a part of the technologically advanced society we have become thanks to our Roomba and my new crackberry Blackberry, here's something funny to share from the Internets. Enjoi!

"Jigsaw falling into place"

"There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle." -Deepak Chopra

When I was writing an e-mail to a friend the other day, I realized the best way to explain my current predicament-and the big move-is with a simile: Putting together all the pieces in a jigsaw puzzle is much like trying to square away getting settled into a house.

This may not make much sense at first, but once you look at all the details, there doesn't seem to be a more perfect explanation. When you move into a house, you first want to start with the essentials like furniture, kitchenware, clothes, also known as the side and corner pieces in puzzles. As the space in your home is filled from these essentials that you cannot live without, the outline comes together. It is at this point later in the move,or puzzle, that you begin to fill in the blanks and add more color with decor, also known as the middle pieces in puzzles.

In a dwelling, and with a puzzle, it is not "complete" until all of the pieces are filled in and you can finally call it "home." That said, be it the essentials or decor, everything is just as important as the other to lead a fulfilling life ... but very little is needed to have a happy life.

The video below made perfect sense with what I was talking about and it is a beautiful song, so I figured why not. I hope you enjoy it!