I want to share an interesting party theme. It was an outdoor get-together not associated with any holiday or event. No food. Just beverages. Everybody already knows each other.

Everybody was suppose to bring something to show off, that has made their life easier - something they really really liked. Share the joy. The only rule was that the item you brought could not be something you were selling. (Mary Kay or Amway.)

The party was a smashing success. Everybody interacted.

Some of the things that were brought to show off:

A woven nylon/polyester garden hose. I had never seen one in use and neither did anyone else. It collapsed and rolled up into a tiny plastic reel that you could carry with your pinky. Everyone tried it out and was amazed at how lightweight it was to use and pull around the lawn and garden areas without pulling your shoulder out and having a heavy hose ripping out any plantings. It held as much water and force as a regular heavy rubber hose. It was one of those things I had sort of seen around but always thought it sounded too good to be true. I ran out the next day and bought one at Target. If I had never had the chance to try one out at the party I never would have. I love my new garden hose.

Microfiber cleaning cloths. Yes, I've read about them on the Cleaning Forum here but was skeptical. At the party I was dumbfounded when I saw the person use just a tiny bit of water and a cloth to clean built-up, outside dirt off of a glass patio table and make it sparkle. Everyone tried out the cloth and were impressed. Some people there had not even heard of the microfiber cloths before. I ran out to Target and bought a pack of them in the auto supply dept.

Cigarette roller. I've heard of them but thought they would be clumsy to use or not make decent cigarettes. With the price of cigarettes skyrocketing due to new state taxes rolling your own can save money if you are a person who chooses to smoke. The little plastic cig roller gets filled with tobacco and then a paper filtered tube is put on the end. Then you slide it back and voila! A perfectly formed filtered cigarette made from better tobacco than what commercial cigarettes are made from. Since almost everyone at the party smokes we all tried using the machine and found it not difficult to use. We smoked the cigarettes and found them to be better. The monetary savings from rolling your own meant we could roll for less than $2/pk rather than pay $8/pk at the store. I ran out to a cigar shop and bought one. I love it.

Shark steam mop. I liked being able to see one "in action" after reading mixed reviews on it in the Cleaning Forum. I'm not going to run out and buy one but a lot of the other women said they were impressed and were going to get one. (The hostess got her kitchen floors cleaned to boot. How many guests clean up after themselves that good. LOL)

One of those frosted glass nail files. I already have one but everyone who tried it loved it and wouldn't have thought to run out to try to buy one had they not tried one.

One of the guys brought something to do with fishing. I don't remember what it was. I'm not going to list everything here.

Maybe this party theme sounds dumb to y'all but it gave everyone something to do beside sit around eating chips and drinking pop, like bumps on a pickle. I really like the idea of seeing gadgets and widgets 'in action' and getting to try them out.