The trouble with being stylish

The problem with being an International Trend Setter and Style Guru is that people tend to latch onto your interests, and thus make them expensive.

For instance, I have been searching and searching on eBay for a cool set of fireplace tools, and suddenly they're a hot commodity. It's probably because it's winter, but you used to not be able to GIVE these away.

(I'm not talking the corny brass ye-olde-colonial crappe, but a really smart set that looks good against a modernist brick fireplace.)

The same is true of fiberglass bullet planters, TV lamps, Interesting Toasters, and countless other things.

It's just a cross I have to bear, I suppose.