7/30-8/5: Cool Like Dat!

It's amazing how many people know the summer pillow trick. You know, when it's too hot to sleep, you flip your pillow and it's all cool on the other side. There should be a word for that sensation. But that can't be the only way to cool off on a hot day or night -- what's your favorite? A long Gin & Tonic on the porch? A naked swim in the nearest river? Pay $7 to sit in an air-conditioned movie theater?

Here's what Tripod members had to say:

Bigbossman: I lie in (on) my bed and imagine that I am in my childhood home in central Wisconsin, it is winter and I can hear the wind whistling around the frame house. This usually gives me the chills and, as unlikely as it sounds, this helps to cool me down.

bpeabody: i take a really really cold shower. nothing is better right before you go to bed on a hot night.

lisaish: I live in Austin, TX., just inches above the subtropical climate zone, and my oh my, the summers (the springs and the falls) can get might sticky down heah. And that ain't all. This slippery southern heat usually doesn't abate by nightfall, or even by October, for that matter. When the lakes are as warm as your baby's bathwater and the public pools are awash in youthful urine, there really is only one solution; Barton Springs. A natural spring fed into a naturally formed, soft, giant limestone basin (clearly the next best thing to a mountain stream), Bartons stays a chilly 65 degrees whether its 0 or 110 outside. Sure beats sweatin' on the sofa!

andreamer: Last summer, I tried this:
I went to the corner store and bought a bag of ice. I constructed a thing of cardboard and plastic garbage bags, that was kind of like a mini bookshelf, with drip holes on each shelf. I put that on top of a tray, poured ice into each shelf, and put my fan behind it, blowing across the ice.
It didn't work very well, but wasn't it creative?

kely: Mountain biking on the Great Divide or skiing the headwall at the International Ski Camp outside Red Lodge, Montana...what better way to cool off!

elora: I sit in front of a fan.

mindriot: I buy large amounts of slush puppies, pour them in an old car and drive around with the windows open while sitting in the slushie covered seats. And I play lots of Soundgarden too, just because.

JennieK: Twenty eight celsius, here in Glasgow, is too damn hot for me, and makes me ill - I always get anaemic and lose weight during the summer, despite all my efforts to stay healthy. I'm just under eight stone right now and it's worrying me. I just try to stay indoors when possible, and keep the curtains closed to keep out the sun; luckily my flat has big stone rooms which are relatively easy to keep cool.

Jaynee: My favorite way to cool off on a hot day is to turn up the air conditioner, get out a huge fan, pour a 32 oz. glass of orange juice, and watch all of my Christmas videos. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Kimmy: Since it's usually my feet that are boiling, I take Body Shop peppermint foot lotion and slather it on my footsies, stuff them into plastic bags for a few minutes (I'm not sure what this adds to the process, but it feels all scwooshy, like when I was little and my rubber boots had holes so mom put bread bags on my feet before the boots to keep me dry) and then take the bags off and ... voila! ... my feet feel all tingly and minty, and not nearly so boiling hot.

kewl1: i am naturally kewl

DHildebrand: I get naked and lie on top of my bed, or go in front of a fan.

Bebox: Hot shower before going to bed is the best way to cool off! Many of you may think its nuts, but it really works!!

heide: i fill my bathtub with dunkin' donuts iced coffee, and kick back with a good book and a big straw. yummm.

cyberqueer: If you have a waterbed, turn off the heater. It'll suck the body heat right out of you.

Wonders: Drink a load of Gatorade or stay in the pool for a while

rolly: I live very close to Surabaya were we have year around temperature of 32C. I love it.

parin: Summers in Bombay, India are very hot. Temperatures are more than 35Celcius. The easiest way to keep cool is drink plenty of water, melon juice or eat watermelons whenever one is exposed outside to the heat... I also drink a lot of water... Keeps cool !!!

Siobhan: My favorite way to keep cool is to open my deep freezer and soak up the cool air.

Twinfinity: Hop in the Toyota at around 10:45 p.m., crank open all the windows and the sunroof, pick up your best friend across town and drive around the inadequately-lit suburban North Jersey streets blasting the Miami Vice soundtrack, trying against all odds to catch a glimpse of that girl you've never had the nerve to ask out -- catch her eye, spark her interest. Mission unaccomplished, end up swinging idly on the jungle gym at the elementary school playground, pondering the inequities of life and love, staring at the stars while he smokes his Players. The last ember fades into the blackness. Run for the car again, jump in the open window, and forge on into the night, aimless, windblown, innocent, free.

No, wait, excuse me -- that was ten years ago. Sorry. I use the air conditioner.

AWosnick: I find I love sitting out in the warm sun, the breezy air blowing through my air. After I have gotten baked for a while, I come inside to my nice, air-conditioned house, get a drink or some ice cream... and then repeat the process!

corgi: blade up the tallest hill around just to catch the downward breeze

BillP: Move to northern California in the foothills...three digit degrees during the day, but 55 - 65 at night (and with minimal humidity).

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