Creativity is great, but plagiarism is faster

There are many things I care about:

1. The deep, deep well that is my printer cartridge

2. The whirling source of fresh, stirred air--my Target fan

3. The soft, felt key cleaner that sits next to my laptop

I love and cherish these things for their convenience, but when they stop working, replacing them becomes a dull, frustrating chore.

Another thing I could add to the list is my bed pillow. It's a delicate balance between rock-hard slab and amorphous blob. The case matches the sheets which go with the comforter.

Everything was perfect, until this weekend when I took my pillow on an overnight sail. I've taken this pillow on many trips, never encountering any problems, but this time, in the rush to get the boat cleaned, I left it in the cabin.

By the time I realized it, I was back at my apartment. I resolved to find a pillow and a case for under $10. By the time I got to Target, it was getting late, and I was fading quickly. I found the right aisle, and began searching. Twenty minutes later, I set my pillow and two case set (they didn't have singles) on the checkout conveyor belt. The lady rang them up, and my jaw dropped.

It cost me $25 for an uncomfortable pillow with two cases that feel like astro-turf and don't match my sheets.