The Mailroom: Land of Wonder

There's something about the mailroom; that secludedSticky Labels
area of the office which can serve as a refuge to theJust like the cathartic popping of bubble wrap: using
stressed worker; perfect for siphoning the oddand generally abusing sticky labels can also elicit the
envelope, sending a covert text message or maybeboundless joy of an infant within even the most aged
even catching up on some sleep if the night beforeof office drones. Drawing the obligatory flower, star,
hadn't been treated as a 'school night'!butterfly, thunderbolt and heart then peeling the label
Mailrooms tend to be a luxury reserved for the largeroff it's smooth backing paper before wandering what
offices and are the inner sanctum of procrastination,on earth you're going to do with it is a mail room
work shirking and general tomfoolery. The area itselftradition. Even more widespread is of course the
offers abundant opportunity for harmless wrongdoing,careful emblazoning of 'Kick Me' or a school
but better still are some of the items in there whichplayground inspired insult followed by the ninja-esque
present whole new realms of time-wasting andtask of affixing said label to an oblivious colleague.
outright silliness:Adhesive Tape
Bubble WrapWe're not talking about your standard sellotape here,
No-one can resist the rounded nodules of a sheet ofmy goodness no, the mail room is often home to that
virgin bubble wrap. The mere site of this instrument ofmost incredible of substances: ridiculously strong parcel
joy disguised as a packaging material brings the 5 yeartape. Uses for this at times malignant staple of parcel
old out in most of us. Although seemingly a prettywrapping include the binding of limbs, secure closure of
fruitless exercise, there is something deeply calmingthat which should not be securely closed and of
about disrupting the form or a plastic bubble with acourse the attachment of impressively cumbersome
satisfying pop- it must date back to our ancestors initems to other items, the wall or ceiling. Kudos goes to
some way. If the office supply of bubble wrap hasthose who have indulged in the pleasure of taping an
'mysteriously' been depleted by over-zealous pop-fansoffice chair to the ceiling, yes it's hard; but believe me-
or God forbid; used for packing something- thenit can be done.
padded envelopes offer a nice substitute.