" The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide."

As of posting time these items may have a slim chance of still being on the shelf so for those in hot pursuit of the reverse reverse shoplifting task, good luck.

Usually when I'm cooking up a plate of mac and cheese I'm not expecting much out of the experience. Kind of like a heated up version of white bread. I was hoping to improve on that situation for someone else and when expectations are low, you've got nowhere to go but up, or at least sideways.

Now, anyone who's hoping for a hot, somewhat nutritious meal may experience a variety of feelings when they see their nice box of Organic Mac&Cheese has transmogrified into something less than caloric. Whichever emotion the hungry consumer may arrive at first I was hoping to twist a consulation into the event for them, I was not hoping to anger or really upset them just twist the moment. I'm also hoping that an organic minded consumer is more intersted in this than your neighborhood Kraft fan.

This is the best prose I know of for the situation:


When I compare
What I have lost with what I have gained,
What I have missed with what attained,
Little room do I find for pride.

I am aware
How many days have been idly spent;
How like an arrow the good intent
Has fallen short or been turned aside.

But who shall dare
To measure loss and gain in this wise?
Defeat may be victory in disguise;
The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.

Cheers to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, thanks dude.

BOX #1

I printed, laminated and cut each line of this poem into a pasta sized pice of literary jewlery. Then I applied each line to a piece of mostaccioli and strung them together into a poetry necklace which I attached each end of to the insides of the box. I also built in a false bottom filled with more mostaccioli so the box would give the appropriate weight and accoustic response one expects when shaking a box of Mac&Cheese. I also left an anti business card inside attached to the George Washington of a $1 bill just in case anyones really pissed their $1.09 dinner just turned into paper and ink.
When the box is opened and emptied the necklace falls out but remains connected and dangling from the box while the money and business card probably fall into a pot of boiling water. I set up and included an anonymous email account to see if any interesting dialogue might begin out of all this, time will tell.

BOX#2
Poker anyone? I added a set of George Bush playing cards, you know? the ones with the 52 most wanted members of the administration on them along with a list of their dirty deeds written out on each one. I left Cheney on top. More mostaccioli and its off to the shelves my pretties!

Shelving back at Trader Joes was beyond easy, now its time to see if anyone writes me in search of their lost din din....