I Go To The Supermarket

I Go To The Supermarket is a short animation presenting the habits of UK shoppers.

I Go To The Supermarket from Mundane Appreciation on Vimeo.

An image of mundane appreciation wins 3rd Prize in world famous photographic contest!

Tomasz Wiech, a Gazeta Wyborcza Krakow photographer based in Poland, has won the third prize of the Daily Life Singles category with this photo.

Personally, I like the expression of the office worker. Is he smiling out of embarrassment for his poor sandwich making skills? Was there no time to add cucumber, cheese slices, a thin layer of marmite or some hot mustard bombs? Or are his slightly glossed lips smiling in anticipation of his deliciously simple open ham panini?

Otherwise, nicely clean and tidy staff kitchen, with 2 kettles. I also like the yellow and blue colour scheme.
But what's in the plastic bag?

Hilarious Office Pranks!

When NBC invited fans of the US version of The Office to send in pictures of their places of work, they received thousands of photos. Many people decided to use the opportunity to send in photos of the pranks they'd played on their colleagues.
Here is a selection of some of my favourite photos.
There seems to be much use of jelly! Is there an office pranks manual that advocates sweet cherry flavoured moulds for office equipment?
I can't decide on my favourite, its between the elastic band phone and the peanut filled booth. one so joyous but very messy and the other sculptural but incredibly frustrating.
to view the whole selection click here

Out and About with Mundane Appreciation: A blood analysis cubicle. Mexico City

My daughter has caught a so far unidentified bug, throughout last week we were sent all over the city for all sorts of gruesome tests, made all the more difficult by my lack of fluency with the language as well as with the unfamiliar healthcare system. By friday, for her second lots of tests we headed for a nondescript clinic in San Angel. We drove, getting lost only twice in the lunch time rush. Once at the clinic I was handed more forms to fill out ( i used a black medium rollerball pen). We sat next to a water cooler with one broken flipper - tepid- hot and ice cold still worked.
Half an hour later we were ushered through a dark wood laminate door and told to wait. Inside the tiny room was the most brilliantly arranged table. We both immediately felt better, and had something to talk about other than illness. Which coloured blood vial we preferred? Which was our preferred stacking system? And what was the best angle from where to admire the table.

A brilliant ten minute wait!!

The joy of Mundane Appreciation has reached beyond the Watford Gap! - cue sound of cheers and the smooth swish of the unravelling of streamers!

Hello. A friend of mine called Adam suggested I send you this photo.
I live in rural Lancashire and like to get out into the countryside on my bicycle. At the weekend, I saw several signs that had appeared on the grass verges, with arrows pointing the way. Oddly, the signs said, "Eggs, chips and beans". They were pointing the same way as my route home and appeared to be directing people into a horse farm, where some kind of showjumping event appeared to be happening. Even more strangely, the final sign pointing up the drive of the farm read "fan belt". What can it all mean?
Regards,
Keg

Found! shopping lists

Earlier in the week, Mundane Appreciation received a fascinating email from Jane, she was kind enough to send in scanned images of shopping lists she had found abandoned on a trolley clip board.

"Found at Waitrose on 19th August 2008. One written on yellow post-it, other on plain white pad. Curious though that they had both crossed things out as they bought them? Or had got them elsewhere... I never do that. Enjoy!"
- and we will and do, thank you jane.

How to save your life!

I have just discovered this excellent list from the discovery channel, These are recomendations from the lovely, hotel hopping Bear Grylls.

The Top Ten Household Items That Could Save Your Life in the Wild!

10. Make-up mirror: Reflects the sun, signaling to airplanes.
9. Credit card: Can be used to cut or, if it includes a reflective hologram, can signal for help.
8. Bra: Serves as water filter.
7. Lipstick: Can be used to write SOS on the top of your car or neighboring rocks.
6. Tampon: Serves as tinder once broken up into fuzz.
5. Shoelace: Binds sticks and other items together to create shelter.
4. Sock: Can also filter water.
3. Wristwatch: Determine direction by pointing the hour hand at the sun and form an imaginary line through the center of the "wedge" created between the hour hand and 12 o'clock -- that is your north-south line.
2. Paper clip: When magnetized, makes a makeshift compass.
1. Battery: Cross with wire to generate a spark in order to start a fire.

Why not appreciate each object for their own perfect use instead of filling our heads with a fantasy survival? there is only so much timber that can be bound with a shoelace, maybe to serve as a hand shelter, but surely the most obvious question is how do you magnetise a paper clip?

Credit cards should only be used for shopping, lipstick for a night out and tampons should not be destroyed incase of a real emergency!