Jeri Smith-Ready

Be cool

More on RWA tomorrow, but for now, try to enjoy this Public Service Announcement:

If you live in the East, look out for heat indices in the 110-115 degree range tomorrow. Even at night, the heat index will be around 100. It's like going outside and getting punched in the face.

This is serious business, folks. Whenever the heat index goes above normal human body temperature, it becomes very difficult to cool off. Hundreds of people have already died in California and the Midwest this week. At the risk of sounding gruesome, I'm sure this is a fraction of the final death tool, as many more bodies will be found in homes during the coming days.

Do your fellow humans a favor: cut back on power usage as much as you can to help prevent grids from overloading and browning out. We're all counting on each other not to be energy hogs.

• Set your thermostat as high as you can stand it. 80, 82, 85 degrees. How high can you go? Have a contest with your neighbors.
• When you come home from work, hang out in your basement. Sleep there if you have to.
• Bring home takeout (sushi, anyone?) so you don't have to use the stove.
• Let the laundry wait until the weekend. The dishwasher, too.
  
• Have a mint julep, or at least a margarita.
• Eat spicy foods--it'll make you sweat, thus cooling you down.
• Two words: sponge bath. Two more words: frequent. ly.
  
• Sit around saying, "hooo-weee!" Trust me, it will work.

• posted by Jeri @ 6:26 PM
• 4 comments