Jeri Smith-Ready: Be cool

Monday, July 31, 2006

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

4 Comments:

Yeah I know. I'm doing all my computer stuff now in the very early morning before the sun comes up. After sunrise I will turn off all but one of the lamps. They make heat after all. Then I will spend the rest of the day just reading and watching some tv. And I intend to wet my hair down many times today. I HATE summer.

Posted by: Kathy at 8/01/2006 5:23 AM

Good for you, Kathy. To top it all off, we're having our plumbing replaced today, which means no running water for several hours. Ha!

Hey, y'think maybe I'll stand a chance at selling my global warming-themed novel one day soon?

Posted by: Jeri at 8/01/2006 7:44 AM

Wow that makes it worse. You can't even take a cool shower to cool off. You have my sympathy. As for your book, well if the popularity of Al Gore's documentary is anything to go by, it would sell well. I'd buy it.:-)

Posted by: Kathy at 8/01/2006 8:50 AM

Thanks for the extra heads up. I will be at my "other" job so my kids have been instructed to stay in, stay kewl, and stay safe.

And HYDRATE!

Do not forget the liquids!

;)

moon

Posted by: moonhart at 8/01/2006 5:07 PM