Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for April 17, 2019

Now Mom should walk in and scare the hiccups away.

Hobbes is really enjoying this. Hey, don’t we all?

Whats next, holding your breath (which never EVER works by the way)

Calvin, just bite Hobbes on the tail, that will get rid of the hiccups.

I used to do that, and it did work. So does holding my breath for about 30 seconds. But spoonfuls of sugar in water (drunk in the normal manner) would also work sometimes. Never tried the head in the paper bag routine.

One way to help someone else get rid of their hiccups is to ask them a very off the wall question. Like "When is the last time you seen a white Elephant?’ Then get very insistent, "C’mon tell me. It’s not a tough question. C’mon when was the last time you seen a white elephant?’ The hiccup can me mental. The person becomes so fixed on “Why is this idiot asking about elephants?” that they forget about hiccuping. Works about 50% of the time, and it only works once.

With friends like Hobbes, one does need patience, and doesn’t need enemies!

The one I remember is drinking water while holding your hands over your ears. And without someone else holding the glass for you.

I have noticed that friends can get away with doing things to us that we would punch an enemy for. Usually, they do it for a laugh too.

Good observation, Hobbes…

We are definitely amused Hobbes.

Hiccups go away by themselves, which is why all of these cures seem to work. Sit down and read a book for a few minutes.

Maybe it’s age, but I can’t remember having hiccoughs for decades.

Hiccoughs starts as a nervous tic, than becomes a stress cycle: The hic causes the stress that pushes the hic that causes the hic… Taking the mind off the hic releases the stress. Training in yoga, meditation or karate gives you the breath control to do it consciously.

Go Hobbes!

You know, I can’t remember the last time I got the hiccups.

I think Hobbes is right in the last panel.

I drink hot water to help calm the spams, fortunate I do not get many hiccups.

This was before the invention of Calvinball so Calvin should have known how Hobbes would prove to be more imaginative than he was in making up the rules.

This cure really works and it’s tasty also. Take a tablespoon full of sugar and dump it as far in the back of your mouth as you can and swallow it as quickly as possible. Bingo!

An unexpected gut punch usually does the trick.

Leo Bloom: I’m in pain and I’m wet and I’m still hysterical!

Frightening someone seems to be the most successful method I’ve used. At our office, Jennifer frequently got hiccups. One time I happened to just get one of those videos that shows some serene calm situation that draws you in and then suddenly an ugly face pops up instantly, screaming. I asked Jennifer to come over and look at this, she watched intently, still with hiccups, when the face popped up she literally jumped….end of hiccups, she wasn’t happy with me for the scare, but hey it worked.

Wrong, the right technique works almost always….take deep, moderately slow breaths while counting to ten, hold the last inhale, count to ten and slowly exhale……go about your business……

If you concentrate you may be able to consciously stop the spasms.

Some (including me) say you get hiccups when someone is remembering you. I just give a call to whoever is most likely to remember me at the time and voila! hiccups gone! As it turns out my mom has the most hiccup-inducing-remembrance of me :)

Slowly eating a big spoonful of peanut butter is a sure cure.

Drinking out of the wrong side of the glass always works for me!

A tea spoon of sugar, with nothing else, quickly. Or, controlled deep breathing. Keep at it and they will go away.

I like the vicious smile on Hobbes.