Thank you, Mr. Edison

My friend Tracey was home last week when her family smelled something burning. They thought it was some musical equipment, and while everyone was investigating the equipment, Tracey saw flames leaping up behind them. The dishwasher was on fire! The fire was quickly put out and everyone was fine. I have been jokingly telling Tracey that she has ruined my life because I now won't leave the house with the dishwasher running. How is it possible that something I didn't even own until about ten years ago has become so necessary to me that just using it slightly differently has caused me discomfort?

That got me thinking about inventions I wouldn't want to be without. This list could probably go on, so I'm looking for three. I'm making it even easier. You can have anything that was normal in homes thirty years ago: television, radio, stove, refrigerator, washer/dryer, lighting. So, that being said, here (I think) are my three:

1. Dishwasher: maybe it is because I went without for so many years, but I love my dishwasher. I've never been a fan of washing dishes, except on cold winter days when the hot water feels good. I love that it makes the dishes look so clean and that it's a place to store them when they're dirty. They're now making dishwashers in the standard size that have two drawers that you can pull out and load with dishes. That way you can wash half your dishes while you are loading the other half with dirty dishes. Genius.

2. My computer: the internet has opened up the world in such a life-changing way that I can barely remember a time when you couldn't answer pretty much every question you ever had. Not too long ago, when someone said, "What was the name of that movie with Burt Lancaster and Katherine Hepburn?" you would either know it or have to call your best trivia-minded friend. Now, a quick trip to IMDB and all questions are answered.

3. My Kitchen Aid stand mixer: this great love took me by surprise about twenty-eight years ago when my mother-in-law bought it for me as a thank you for doing her taxes. She was wise enough to know that we were too cheap to buy one for ourselves and that I would really use it. I have used it ever since and would replace it in a heartbeat if it ever broke.

Things that almost made the list: TiVo! My CD player, my DVD player, my microwave, digital camera.

Things that I have managed to live without so far: Cell phone, iPod

Something that I wish I could manage without: my car

So, what are your three inventions?