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dinosaur body pillow is the best pillow

three dollar comfort

I spent a bit of time last week making a heating pad out of two $1 bandanas (one for a pillow case), half of a $2 bag of rice, and some chamomile and mint teas that no one was drinking. If you are poor and cold a lot, THERE IS NO REASON YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE ONE OF THESE. Here are the instructions I used (although I segmented the bag and added some tea to make it smell nice), here are some instructions to make one out of an old sock. If you do make one, make sure not to use instant rice or wash the rice bag.

Ananth and I are in New York City right now -- we just came back from the second Scott Pilgrim book release shindig, and we'll be at New York Comic Con (as attendees) on Saturday. I should also note that we will both ALSO be at Katsucon next weekend (Valentine's day weekend >_o ). There is a chance that myself, Ananth, Conrad, and maybe-maybe-possibly John will be there at the same time. But no promises.

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http://twitter.com/radiomaru/status/1178957406

^ That makes me jealous of you in ways that are indescribable.

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Help! I am in a pocket!

what is going on

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Quick, find a loose penny and start digging

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Sweet. I am now incredibly happy I bought my tickets to comic con...except I have no idea what you guys look like and would be to embarrassed to say anything if I did and happened to see you anyway...
Right so i will be the fat guy next to the Superman cosplayer that actually looks like superman (its creepy and if you see him you will understand)see you there!

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Aw, dude, you should say hey if you see us! Yuko and I look remarkably like the way she draws us, and we might have J*W prints to give away, so there's a little incentive. ;)

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Chill. Now I might actually talk to you or at least drool near you.

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Down here they all seem to be made with wheat grains. They're called wheatbags. I wonder if it works with all cereal grains, then?

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It is possible! I was originally used to ones made of buckwheat, but rice works just as well. Someone commented below saying it works with beans! I had no idea.

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dried beans are a good substitute.

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That's crazy! I wish I'd known that, beans are cheaper than rice. XD And we have a bag of lentils no one is using.

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Field corn(big kernels), buckwheat and sand work as well. I've made a bunch of these pillows for people, usually just making a tube out of whatever crap fabric is laying around. You can even make one out of a towel, just sew the two long sides of the pillow together, and then close an end somehow, then fill and close the other end.

*Making largish ones are great for soothing joint and muscle pain
*Buckwheat Hulls and seeds can be found on many of the links here: http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/faculty/bjorkman/buck/Buckhulls.html

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You can just put dried rice in a microwave for ninety seconds and it'll be warm? I'm amazed.

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Not sure if its your art style or my eyes....but to me it kinda looks like you got a haircut

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Actually, I did!

I didn't mean to, but I guess it came across. XD I've been trying to sweep my hair to one side to help me not get mistaken for a boy.

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You are the coolest.

Just saying.

Call me if you get a chance this evening, or any evening- I want to hear about stuffs!!!

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OKAY! :DDD

Sorry for being hard to get ahold of, I've been in NYC since Tuesday.

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I must've been the only one who drank that mint tea.

I bought some of my own after you guys left. It is delicious.

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try it with cherrystones :) at first it will smell a lil' from the cherries, but that goes away after a couple of times.

greetz,

me ;)

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I never thought of that -- wouldn't that mean you'd have to eat a lot of cherries, though? I can't imagine you can buy them in bulk.

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I WILL EAT THEM FOR YOU

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a few years back when natural gas went sky high we got a corn burner. it could burn corn, wood pellets, nut shells, and cherry pits. in our area the pellets and corn was much cheaper and easier to get but i figure the companies that make cherry stuff.

on a side note i normally sleep with a window open yr round. only time i closed it this winter was the 3 days it dropped to -30. =D

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Lol watch me walk around as a volunteer and then suddenly see u guys and randomly say your name out loud xD hmm I don't know what Jon and Conrad looks like... soo I'll see them somehow lol

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When you see them, you'll be surprised at how easily Yuko's drawings translate! They look remarkably like their comic counterparts. ;)

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I was at the Rocketship release "party" (mob?) too! Bryan Lee O'Malley drew a picture of Wallace disparaging me on my poster. *swoon*

I am very inspired by your rice bag/heating pad. I think I know what I'll be doing this weekend (besides attending the con).

I love your comic!

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Oh crazy! We probably saw each other! XD

I just read through your archives, I love it! I'll definitely be checking back. :D And good luck on the heating pad! They are super nice to have.

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Oh, thank you so much! That means a lot to me, as I absolutely _love_ your comic. Have fun at the NYC Con. Rumor has it it will be even more insane then usual.

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I am so making one of these! I'm always cold! :|

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Hooray!

I am also always cold, mine has been allowing me to wean off all those hot caffeinated that I've gotten myself addicted to. They make my hands shake. :/

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Good idea. I might try making one (though I suck at sewing) Nice work. :D

Good luck at the cons, be safe!

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Curse my lack of a microwave. This would have been perfect. I was just complaining today about how ridiculously cold it is in here.

Hope to run into you guts at NYCC!

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Someone mentioned dried beans up above. I thought I'd add that deer corn is another great option that's profoundly cheap ($5 or so for a 40lb bag - makes 20 good sized heating bags) and hold heat longer than rice. Not sure how corn compares to beans for heating though since I haven't given beans a try.

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Oh hey, I think I have that exact same body pillow XD Blue with green and purple blue dinosaurs all over it.

This is a FANTASTIC idea :D Thanks!

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It's totally the same pillow...

:< I miss it.

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I have one of those filled with buckwheat and I agree, they are truly awesome! A heating pillow + tea makes for near perfect comfort in winter. Plus, unlike an electric pad you can sleep with those.

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That's gotta be the coolest thing I've never heard of! But I wonder, how long do you heat the bag for? Because over kill is what I'm good at when it comes to nuking things... *coughs*
^__^

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I can't wait until I someday stop working, so I can reappear in the comics. XD

Also: remember how Katsucon is on Valentines day? Not gonna make it, sorry kids. :( Send me email, as I will miss you all very much!

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We have one of those neck warmer things, too, except ours is shaped like a bunny, and has lavender inside with the rice. :)

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You guys going to be at the San Diego Comic Con by chance?

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I will be there for sure, and there is a very good chance Yuko, John and Conrad will be there as well. :) We won't have a table - we'll be walking around - but we'll try to set up a place where readers can meet us if they like!

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This would be awesome..

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Ah those are great for sore muscles and or getting a stinger in the neck. Ah good ole remedies... i wonder if adding a little bit of coffee to them would add a nice smell... have several kinds depending on what kinda coffee mood your into. I could really go for some Banana Hazelnut when waking up in the morning or trying to sleep at night.

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My friend has one of those, except she likes to call it a "kitty" since it's slightly fuzzy and keeps her warm. :) They're really are nice to have and you can make them from so many different kinds of material.

Good luck with all the cons, hope you have fun!

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Before common folk could afford Vick's Vapor Rub- corn meal was heated up in an iron skillet. Just pour it in the pan stir it around to keep it from burning to bottom. When hot put it in an kitchen towel or pillow slip. Laying this on your chest will break up the deepest congestion. I wonder which substance retains heat the longest? I haven't tried heating up corn meal in the microwave..sounds like a guy thing to try..I will try the rice. It's a lot cheaper here!

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I'm jealous of your dinosaur body pillow! Where'd you find one?!

And as much as I'd love to make a rice-bag-warmer, I unfortunately have no problems keeping warm in AZ. I think it only got slightly below freezing one night this winter? Ergh.

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I know how much you guys <3 Scott Pilgrim... So... Here: http://www.cubeecraft.com/cubee/scott-pilgrim

Go. Make them. They are awesome.

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I absolutely love the art style on this, and the name has a certain pull to me xD
I read Applegeeks almost religiously and I saw the link up there a while back and had to check it out, and I've been addicted ever since ^^
Looking forward to reading more of this wonderful comic =D

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Aw, this made me wish I still lived in D.C. But I have returned to the 'homeland' of Texas. I miss you Katsucon and Otakon! T^T Seriously, all the fun was up there. I miss the metro and being packed like a sardine. xD

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My mum has made me two of those for Christmas! They're also really good for period cramps. :o

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This weekend I made one of these. It was excellent.

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My moms been using a similar thing forever, but it's even easier to make.

Put the rice in a long sock and tie it off. Presto

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