Into to the Kotatsu

It is extremely cold in Chicago. It is time to whip out the kotatsu, a heated table with blankets to contain the warmth and holy goodness.

Chiaki of "Nodame Cantabile" believes that the kotatsu is the evil of the world, because it leads to laziness and procrastination. Being no stranger to either of these things, and in fact best friends with them, I, like Nodame, embrace and endorse the use of a kotatsu during the winter. But Chiaki is right--one tends not to want to leave the kotatsu, things (both useful and garbage) tend to accumulate on and around it, and one tends to start using back-scratchers, pens, and so on, to reach for things slightly far away. In the photo above, you'll notice Frege lying at the corner (he's not allowed in, mostly because he's a hater and he poses a fire hazard inside), some other books and notebooks on the other side, garbage gathering behind my computer, an old can of Coke, some old tea, chocolate, and my DS. You can see where my head goes, where the pillows are. Here is how I nest:

Here is the inside--some people are afraid of getting burnt, but I assure you there is nothing but love inside:

It keeps you warm, it heals your illnesses, it makes no moral judgments about you and your behavior, and therefore genuinely loves you for everything you are.