June 3, 2008; a late wake up at the Hostel in Beijing (Jason Skinner)

Here’s the deal with espresso: make sure, when ordering, you are paying for yourself and not yourself and your friend in the corner. Second, rainy days always call for a double shot. Here’s the deal with the double – the first shot is to wake up and the second shot is for the nap later in the day. Beware, because every third cup of coffee is a guarantee to make you sleepy. And finally, room temp espresso is always – always – stronger than the hot stuff; don’t ask me why.

I don’t know if it’s the rain or my beat-by-Beijing-to-a-pulp-body, but I have absolutely nothing on my mind. It’s kind of nice, except that on days such as these, especially when in Beijing, with plenty of time to kill, I would be expecting more motivation, and a more active imagination. That espresso should kick in soon; or maybe I need to order that toast.
The two-dollar pair of flip-flops I picked up in Alabama has served me well in China. The foam has completely depressed to the weight of my feet and is less than one centimeter thick in a few places; I’m keen in wearing these sandals until holes appear – then I’ll know I need to acquire a new pair. It is easy for me to purchase new footwear, wearing the soles thin, rendering them useless is the best part of knowing you got your money’s worth. When one pair bites the dust it is obviously time to get a new pair. I like to acquire my footwear on an as-needed basis; this way selection is easier because my options are always limited by what’s available.
The espresso is working its way into my blood now; still, I see a trip to Starbucks happening later today – and I do hope the rain continues to fall. While in China I’ve felt one rainstorm, seen lightening once, heard rain again and felt a drizzle twice. The storm at the Zhejiang Forestry University was nice, but as I have experienced, rain in China is not quite the same as rain in Minnesota or Wisconsin. The atmosphere, I predict, has the most to do with this phenomenon.
Anther reason I would like to find a coffee shop is this: the music this morning at the café in the hostel seriously sucks, and is too loud considering – in my opinion – the poor selection. I feel that extra shot kicking in, as the yawns are creeping up on me.