Note to those who do not live in Massachusetts: It’s also incredibly humid around here. Which is to say that spritzing yourself with water doesn’t really accomplish much without the benefit of evaporation. You just become hot AND wet…
Barry
Go for a drive. The car probably has A/C, and if not, you can roll down all the windows.
My sister and I once spent a whole day in Circuit City, pretending to look at electronics, because the store still had A/C, while a hurricane had knocked out power to our house.
Move to Seattle. Not too many other places I have been where the daily highs average in the mid 70s in August.
Since moving isn’t an option I’d have to agree that fans and cold drinks are the best ways to cool off sans A/C.
Also, if you have two or more floors, stay downstairs. I moved my computer (where I spend a lot of time) from the upstairs to the downstairs and I’ve remained comfortable even when the temperature was near 100° F a couple weeks ago.
My bedroom window faces the east. This room stays cooler than my spare bedroom (former computer room) in the evening. The window faces west and every evening in the summer it would get uncomfortably hot in there. A room with a north-facing window would be good, too (assuming you are in the northern hemisphere).
TRIPLE FEATURE MOVIE DAY!!!
Note: I no way condone the action of purchasing a matinee movie ticket and staying at the theater until midnight.
Heh. The claw foot tub, filled with cool water, ice cubes, and a fabulous looking man. Add a side of martinis (this part is important!).
The whole scenario was so sexy that we ended up getting sweaty again anyway!
Last summer to keep cool I used to lightly mist my sheets and then throw them in the freezer. Right before bedtime I’d take them out and they’d be cold.
I’d do the “pretend you shop” @ grocery stores. I’d spend most of my time in the produce (because of the misters) and frozen food section.
I bought a kiddie pool last year that was like 20 bucks or something. It was about 7 feet long and a foot and a half deep. I’d keep a bucket of beer next to me. OOhh that was fun.
I’ve taken ice baths. VERY COLD.
I think there’s medication for that now.
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…
HA!
My apartment is air conditioned (a benefit of living in apartments in the humid Southeast), but my car - small, black and with a dark interior - is not air conditioned. I have not gone anywhere in it today because I neglected to put my window shield up when I got home last night, so I know that car is really an EZ-Bake oven right now.
But I grew up in the South and we didn’t have A/C. We handled it with trips to the public pool, many cold drinks and the ignorance of children who are going to play outside even if it’s 100 degrees with 98% humidity.
Wahahahah! I JUST DID THAT!
Works good for me. Also don’t eat or drink anything hot, always go with ice cold stuff…
If you can’t do the whole bathtub/swimming pool thing, soaking your feet in cold water isn’t bad. My a/c went out last year (it was 110 at midnight) and I got through the night with foot baths, wet washcloths and a strong fan. Keep your hair wet if you can, it helps.
This temperature change really was killing me.
An idea I had, scientifically speaking, was this:
Get black and white fabric. Stitch the fabric so one side is black and the other side is white… Cover the windows so no light comes in and darkness envelopes every room. The white side facing outwards. Black inwards. My thinking, and tell me if it’s completely stupid, is that white reflects sunlight. Black absorbs it. So by making the white face outwards, I could possibly get rid of direct sunlight heat into the house, and with the black facing inwards - I could perhaps have it ‘attract’ any errant sunlight heat that does get through.
Am I crazy? 
Seriously, I need to know more ways to cool myself off. Especially while I sleep. I keep waking up with a stuffed up nose. Dry throat.
Aargh, I had the worst time sleeping last night, because of the aforementioned Massachusetts humidity. I can’t help you out with any ideas of what to do WHILE sleeping, except multiple fans.
Another cool-off idea is to use a lotion with peppermint oil extract in it, and then place yourself in front of the fan.
I also find the small, reusable ice packs a great thing, because you can place them along your pulse points for a quick cooldown.
Chew icecubes. It’s what got me through 6 years in the tropics.
Chew icecubes. It’s what got me through 6 years in the tropics.
Actually the weather has been pretty decent. Not too hot, IMHO…of course it’s all in what you’re used to.
Try taking a couple of antihistamines (benadryl) about an hour before you turn in. Please read any cautions or warnings on all medications.
Take a cool shower, clean sheets w/ a little baby powder and a fan w/ a bowl of ice. You’ll be cool & knocked out by the time the diphehydramine kicks in. It’ll keep you from getting stuffed up which causes you to breath through your mouth. So your dry throat should get better.
Alcohol sponge bath in front of a fan is cool too.
Quincy weather
Updated: 11:54 AM EDT on July 08, 2003
Observed at East Milton, Massachusetts
Temperature 82 °F / 28 °C
HeatIndex 85 °F / 29 °C
Humidity 62%
Dew Point 68 °F / 20 °C
Wind West at 9 mph / 14.5 km/h
Wind Gust -
Pressure 29.85 in / 1010 hPa (Steady)
Conditions N/A
Visibility -
Max Temperature Normal: 82°F Record: 99°F (1937)
Min Temperature Normal: 65°F Record: 55°F (1909)
Conditions Nearby
City Temp Conditions Updated
» East Milton 82 °F / 28 °C N/A 11:54 AM EDT
Boston 90 °F / 32 °C Mostly Cloudy 11:54 AM EDT
Norwood 86 °F / 30 °C Mostly Cloudy 11:53 AM EDT
Bedford 88 °F / 31 °C Haze 11:56 AM EDT
East Texas
Conditions
Updated: 10:53 AM CDT on July 08, 2003
Observed at Tyler, Texas
Temperature 85 °F / 29 °C
HeatIndex 91 °F / 33 °C
Humidity 65%
Dew Point 72 °F / 22 °C
Wind SSW at 9 mph / 14.5 km/h
Wind Gust -
Pressure 30.17 in / 1021 hPa (Steady)
Conditions Scattered Clouds
Visibility 10 miles / 16 kilometers
Clouds
(Above Ground Level) Scattered Clouds (SCT) : 2800 ft / 855 m
Yesterday’s Maximum 91 °F / 33 °C approx.
Yesterday’s Minimum 73 °F / 23 °C approx.
Temps. in the 80’s and low 90’s…that’s cool 
Damn, I just remembered, I used to have a waterbed many years ago, before I had AC. If you had a waterbed you could p[artially drain it and refill it with cold water or even funnel a couple of bags of crushed ice into it. brrrr
Before I got the AC, at bedtime I used to shower (luke warm) then lay down still wet on a big bath towel I put on the bed. The ceiling fan was going and I’d air dry and fall asleep that way. It got me through all but the really nasty hot nights. Last year my SO moved in and brought his beautiful AC with him–lucky me!
Eat curry.
How do you think they survive the heat in India? Spices!
I grew up without air conditioning in St Louis, which has NASTY summers. AC was a new & rare thing back then. We got by pretty well with fans because that was all that we knew. No big thing.
110 at midnight??? Is this really possible? I couldnt cope with 110 in the daytime! Im struggling at nights at the moment and they’re probably about 18-22!!
I’m English…whaddya expect!!