coping mechanism: fuel cafe

i feel so accomplished now that after a mere 37 years of existence that i've finally realized what one of my major coping mechanisms are. going back to the previous post that blended tradition with technology, one of the mechanisms i use to dissipate excess stress energy/entropy is that i become phenominally tired and just want to sleep. i believe it is my mind's way of trying to shut down so that i don't have to deal with the incomming stressors. this then forms the basis of my caffeine cravings.

i think it's funny that the effects of caffeine on my can be so varied that it sometimes seems that i am not injesting the same substance. there are occassions where one half-cup of regular coffee keeps me up all day; and then there are days when i am still so drowsy even after 3 espresso shots, two soy lattes, a soy mocha, and tea. actually, 'funny' isn't the right term. 'irritating-as-shit' comes closer to encapsulating my feelings on the matter.

however, i am fortunate that there is a place relativly close to where i live where i can satisfy my caffeine cravings, fuel cafe.

i was a bit intrigued by the idea of the place, a 'motorcycle and espresso cafe'. after all, i don't have a motorcycle (nor do i see myself having one in the near future), and i have more than a few negative connotations attached to motorcycle riders. but i was so desperate to find a cafe that actually could extract a proper espresso, that i was willing to try it out. (the swill they serve at starbucks is so underextracted that they do everything they can to hide it in a cloak of fat and sugar, and they take no pride in trying to properly foam their milk; utter excrement).

upon entering, i was surprised at the rather mod decor; remarkably swank for this geriatric part of the country. and i was quite surprised to find another asian here in this homogenous town. dex owns the place and was remarkably pleasant to me. being the coffee elitist that i am, i immediately put him to my 'single shot pulled short' espresso test. he did better than i expected; not the best shot i've ever had, but good enough to come back for future reference. and the free wifi is always a nice touch, plus they have regular soy milk (why do all these other "cafes" insist upon using flavored soy milk? is everyone addicted to processed sugar?).

as i started to spend more and more time there, i got to know dex. he definitely makes the place interesting. raised in thailand, did a bit of modeling, became a professional ballet dancer, and then a professional motorcycle racer, and then a cafe owner because he burnt out on dancing (although his wife still is still with a professional ballet company). now, he basically is the heart of the tiny cycle-riding subculture around here. fascinating guy. that's rare to find around here.

there is also a rather odd blend of people that patronize the place. most of them, i don't care too much for, but they leave me alone to work so i don't mind them. they did pretty much smash my stereotypes of a biker though. many of them are just nerds, but nerds for bikes. and, unfortunately, only a scant few are even remotely attractive (easily enumerated by the first few prime numbers); oh well, i go there primarily to read and write anyway.

when i replace my camera, i'll post a few pictures of the place. it's actually quite nice.


so enough about the cafe, i need to learn how to use this knowledge of this particular coping mechanism to my benefit, which will take a lot longer to figure out. oh the burden...