become a regular

On my bucket list, I am crossing regularhood as done. Yes, Yes, I know that technically being a regular is a long process. And technically, I have not completely finished the process. However, I do have a regular place, Midnight Oil. I have a regular time of visiting, Saturday morning. I have a regular drink, mocha.

How much more regular can I be?

All that is left is for the people to actually realize that I am a regular! How hard can this be and am I asking for too much? The answers are: not very and no!

The next goal is actually selecting a goal from my list. I have been adding all kinds of things to my bucket list. Some are serious and some are silly. Some require a lot of money and some only require time.

Considering mochas are 5 dollars a cup…..my next endeavor will be free. But right now, I am off for a cup of Joe. Today is Saturday and Saturday is mocha day.

Be good to you….and go be a regular.

My quest of becoming a regular hit an iceberg. I cheated on my regular place, Midnight Oil. Yes, I visited its competition, The Underground. I feel guilty…terrible….smaller than small. I am not even a speck. Just call me speckless. I feel as if I should apologize to Midnight Oil.

So, Midnight Oil….I am sorry

Now, I feel better! Yet, what caused my fall?

The Underground has better patrons. For example today, I visited with my friend Marty. He is regular of the Underground, a certified regular. If coffee shops issued cards for regulars, Marty would have a gold plated card.

Also, Marty plays keyboards and he often plays at The Underground. I have been wanting to ask Marty to give me lessons on the piano. Along with regularhood, playing the piano is also on my life/bucket list.

The Underground is not cozy…..and the coffee is sub par. On contrast, the coffee at the Midnight Oil is the drink of god. If the Underground could ship its customers to Midnight Oil, I would have a PREFECT coffee shop.

With coffee at 5 bucks a cup, I can’t afford regularhood at both shops. My only hope in life is for The Underground to go bankrupt. No, I am not an evil man…..I wish for a very soft bankruptcy. You know…..for the employees to lose their jobs but find new jobs, new jobs at Midnight Oil!

I have decided on Midnight Oil and my quest to become a regular began today. Becoming a regular is not an easily endeavor. A person just can’t show up and say, ‘hello, I am a regular’ What fun is this?

The pleasure is the sport of becoming a regular!

Here is a list of accomplishments needed become a regular at a coffee shop.

1. The barista must know regular’s name. What fun is the title of ‘the anonymous regular?’

2. The barista must remember the regular’s drink of choice

3. During a long absence, the regular must be missed. For example upon returning , ‘Hey Joe, where have you been!’ must be uttered. Though my name is not Joe and your name might not be Joe, you get my point.

4. The regular might receive special treatment….maybe a drink on the house or an extra free zip in a drink. Please note the importance of the word ‘free.’

5. A regular might have a regular seat or place…this is opposed to the dangerous irregular seat.

I say that 3 out of 5 is a good ratio in proclaiming regularhood

I must decide!

Two coffee shops were in the running for “my regular” place. One shop is called Midnight Oil and the other is The Underground.

Out little town has another coffee shop at a bookstore. However this setting is too commercial.

I am torn! I love atmosphere of the Midnight Oil. It is cozy and tattered. The coffee shop is a small historic home in the down town area. The shop reeks mood and is close to the local college. However, the shop does not have a strong artistic following, Thus, a sandaled college kid playing a guitar on the deck is a rare event.

However, The Underground is much more artistically centered. The owner has local art on the wall and local bands. At one point, my art was in the shop. However the place is HUGE and open. It is more a cluttered warehouse than a cozy coffee shop.

What to do…what to do. I need a regular place! How can I become a regular without a regular place. The endeavor is impossible.

And becoming a regular in a healthy environment is a bit useless. Who wants to be regular at a gym? Or be a regular in a warm civic group for the betterment of mankind? (kidding…maybe a little) All good places take a few years off your life and caffeine adds texture to the soul.

I am leaning toward Midnight Oil. I must decide!

Warmth rests in the known and comfort grows with familiarity. Elderly shirt offers more than softness. An old shirt can offer a lingering intimacy which only comes with the passage of time So, an old comfortable shirt can become a spiritual item rather than a simple item of clothing.

The passing of time adds texture, and color to life. A friendship in its infancy might burn brightly yet it will not have the same romantic touch as a friendship spanning years.

Knowing the importance of time, I am going to become a regular. Maybe I will be a regular at a coffee shop or restaurant. Maybe will be a regular at a bookstore….maybe a regular member of a creative group or a regular visitor to a certain field. I have not decided on the method or place. Yet my intent is to gain important insights with can only come with the passage of time.

There’s this awesome coffee shop I go to about once a week called 3 Roots here in Tempe. I used to be a regular there and one of the barristas and I would chat and shoot the shit everytime I came in. Things got busy and I stopped going for a few months. When I got back the barrista didn’t seem to work there anymore. Time to start over again from square one…

Tiger tiger still and will always be my secret hideaway from work. Where Clare and Jackson are responsible for my well-being (i.e – waking up :P)

I’ve starting printing a lot of the things I shoot for them at the moment. Last week I noticed they ran out of business cards so I printed some mini-postcards for them.

I <3 Tigers ;)

A group of us occasionally meet to have shakes and burgers at Retro Betty’s. It’s a restaurant, however, you pay for your food at the counter and then wait for the food to come out – sort of like takeaway, but a little more pretentious! :P

Anyhow, one of friends, Brad, was not aware of this etiquitte – he asked the waiter who was clearing tables that he wanted a drink and gave her a $20 note. We started playing around with restaurant etiquitte in which we managed to get Brad to ask the waitress whether she was offended by his money-waving – she was sweet and just politely laughed it off.

Ever since that intial encounter, the girl always recognises us.

“2 BB burgers, 1 cosmo, 1 Rocket and a bowl of chips please!”

Hidden in our CBD, there is a quaint, cosy and very stylish cafe called Tiger Tiger where my partner and I have lunch before heading into the offices.

Ben started going there first – getting 2 long mach’s at least twice a day. I started going in for lunch recently in which 2 of the girls couldn’t figure out who had the sweeter face, me or Ben. ^__ – They now know who gets the other long mach! ;)

fun for all!