Keeping warm

As the weather finally begins to turn cooler we tend to forget the horrid humidity of the summer and start wondering how we're going to stay warm.

I asked some friends to give me their notions of happiness and contentment. One said she believed that feeling warm and cozy was one of life's sublime pleasures.

Some of you like the cold. I don't know who you are, but logic says that someone out there must like it. People ski and skate and snowmobile. And that's all good, but at some point you have to come inside and dry off and warm up. Have some hot chocolate or coffee. Bundle up in a wool blanket with a pair of wool socks on your chilly feet. And sit down in front of a fire. A classic winter activity.

Because of the aesthetic value of a roaring fire in a brick or stone hearth, it scores higher on the happiness scale than sitting around a smelly kerosene space heater or leaning against one of those old metal water radiators. And those directional ceramic heaters--you know the ones, they singe your hair as you walk by them at Costco--are so hot that your wool blanket could catch fire. Not recommended for relaxation.

For your viewing and aural pleasure, the Happiness Notebook is providing the best virtual fire we could find on YouTube. You can't see the fireplace in this one, so I recommend you stack bricks around your monitor or your laptop for a more authentic feel. It also provides no heat, so, if you can fit it inside, microwave your monitor on high for one minute. For each inch in screen size above 15, add ten seconds. This should add the warm ambience that you're seeking.

Enjoy.