{"id":2652,"date":"2025-12-06T08:49:30","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T13:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/?p=2652"},"modified":"2025-12-06T08:49:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T13:49:30","slug":"lots-of-coffee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/lots-of-coffee\/","title":{"rendered":"Lots of coffee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">December 5, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m sitting here at the Woodlands coffee house on Lake Joy rd. I am in a holding position while I wait on my field trippers. I took the academic trivia team from Langston elementary to the brain bowl competition at Mossy Creek middle school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m told that it is an elimination style event and the length of the trip is contingent on the success of the team. I wonder how long my team will last. Will they reign supreme? I hope I get all the hours today. I\u2019d like to get a full 40 this week. Times are tight for me. The holidays don\u2019t make things easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6aa0c69d4851a&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6aa0c69d4851a\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4919-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"Woodlands coffee house\" class=\"wp-image-2649\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4919-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4919-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4919-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4919-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4919-scaled.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s the Christmas season and the weather is gloomy today. It\u2019s rainy and kinda cold. Despite the chilly weather I chose an iced latte with a pump of brown sugar, yum. I\u2019ve found the brown sugar syrup to be quite delicious. I\u2019m not prepared to say it\u2019s my favorite, but it is in the running. I don\u2019t get fancy coffee very often, so it\u2019s not easy to really say definitively. But it has been my go to the last few iced brews I\u2019ve enjoyed. I wonder how it does in hot coffee? I may just have to splurge and find out. I think a nice coffee high on Friday could be in line for me today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s rare I spend so much on coffee. It\u2019s a little silly to me that it costs $8 for a beverage. I suppose it\u2019s in line with the $3-4 fountain drinks one gets at public establishments these days. I don\u2019t go to bars enough to know how much cocktails are, but beers are like $8 too. I suppose there is a little bit of creative work involved on cocktails and coffee. I suppose it warrants the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m getting old. Complaining about the cost of things. I didn\u2019t bring up how it used to be, but did think it. Such a cliche. I\u2019m cringing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6aa0c69d48a50&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6aa0c69d48a50\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4921-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"Woodlands coffee house\" class=\"wp-image-2651\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4921-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4921-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4921-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4921-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4921-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The world isn\u2019t kind to the aged in many ways. Then again it isn\u2019t kind to the young either. Each have distinct advantages and disadvantages. Then there is poor to rich ratio to add into the equation. That seems like a PHD dissertation possibility. Heh I have so many thoughts and questions that could be the focus of more thought, but the questions usually fade away before the answers have a chance to be born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As I sit here sipping my drink it occurs to me the high price of a coffee has at least a little to do with sitting here taking up space in this establishment. This particular place is particularly busy. There have been many people go through the line and very few tables that have opened up. I feel a bit guilty at this point. I think I\u2019m gonna get a Waffle<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ok got a waffle coming and some regular drip coffee with you guessed it brown sugar. It\u2019s time to test the hot coffee with brown sugar experiment. I expect it will be good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oh my I probably don\u2019t need more coffee. I\u2019m already amped up. Bam zoom to the moon, minus the domestic violence. It\u2019s crazy to me how domestic violence against women used to be a more or less accepted fact of life. That\u2019s a different paragraph I guess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paragraphs. I have a hard time with paragraphs. My thoughts flow from one thing to another very easily and quickly. It\u2019s so very hard to keep paragraphs on the same thought. Just how strictly should one keep paragraphs on the same subject? Does the type of writing dictate the strictness of paragraph discipline? I suppose it would. News for example would need pretty strict paragraph discipline. Novels, literature books in general would need good paragraph discipline, but they presumably go through many edits with multiple editors in some cases I\u2019d imagine. But whatever I\u2019m doing here, what does convention require? I guess you\u2019d call this stream of consciousness. And should that have been a new paragraph? I don\u2019t think so obviously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I just met a girl at the coffee shop named Dianna. I\u2019m writing that down so I don\u2019t forget it. She worked at WMAZ. I know because she had a WMAZ jacket on. She did marketing production. Apparently was downsized, but doesn\u2019t seem too upset about it. She was cool. I learned a little about who I still know there and some goings on. Apparently they are looking at selling off to Nexstar. I\u2019m glad I\u2019m not there anymore. Fuck Nexstar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wow I guess my trippers are doing well for themselves. It\u2019s been a little while over two hours since I dropped them. They must have made it to the second round. Good for them. it\u2019s good to see kids excited about knowledge. They have some time before the pressures of the world start looking down on smart kids. Hopefully they can continue to be lifelong learners. I sort of regret getting messed up and sidetracked from my intellectual curiosity as a teen. Being smart wasn\u2019t cool and I tried to be not smart for social approval. I suppose it worked. I was a fool. But I got lazy and stagnant. It\u2019s easy to dumb and incurious. That was exacerbated by my unfortunate relationship with Mary Jane. She was sweet but also sour in a lot of ways. That\u2019s a whole other story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I finally left Woodlands. The waffle was good. I\u2019m not sure one waffle is all that different from another. It was kinda sweet dough, so I know Dad wouldn\u2019t like it. It was Belgian style, or really thick. I think that\u2019s Belgian style. I\u2019m gonna google it real quick. And yes thick is an attribute of Belgian style waffles. Also, they have a light fluffy interior due to the use of egg whites. I suppose the insides were particularly light and fluffy, setting them apart from Waffle House style waffles. I\u2019m not sure they taste any different really though. Slather them in butter and syrup and I can\u2019t really tell any difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6aa0c69d48fbd&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6aa0c69d48fbd\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4920-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"Woodlands coffee house\" class=\"wp-image-2650\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4920-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4920-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4920-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4920-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4920-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had a hot coffee with a pump of brown sugar and cream. It was very good. I like their beans \ud83e\uded8. Good flavor besides the brown sugar. I\u2019m pretty amped at this point, lol. I can hardly believe I\u2019ve typed all this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is pretty much how mind works a lot of the time. Yes it\u2019s often quiet too. It\u2019s quite when watching tv or a movie that has engaged my interest. Not all of them do though, and my mind is likely to wander.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Heh. I just used the little ai thing to try and find a synonym for a word. It gave me an entirely new sentence. I reverted to the original. AI is something else. I kinda like it, but it scares the hell out of me. It\u2019s hard for me to imagine just how much stuff is no longer made by humans. Sometimes it\u2019s easy to differentiate between AI and real. And is that even fair to say AI isn\u2019t real? What a mind fuck. I wonder just how weak it\u2019s going to make humans in general. Even kids inclined to be curious about the world like our little field trippers at the academic bowl right now are likely going to have most of their academic works done mostly by AI. It\u2019s pretty messed up. But why wouldn\u2019t they take the easy route? That\u2019s what a smart person would do, even if it\u2019s not wise. The young are inherently unwise in my opinion and experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking of unwise\u2026 I\u2019m considering put this screed on my blog. I think I will. Like I say in the description, I\u2019m likely to post anything. Now I\u2019m internally debating if I should proofread at all. I just looked back and fixed a few typos already. I\u2019m sure this is riddled with typos. But it\u2019s a whole lot of words that don\u2019t really say much. There definitely isn\u2019t any cohesive theme developed. Just a stream of thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019d be very surprised if anyone will ever read this. Probably the only reason I\u2019d read it is to do a little proofreading. A person would have to be pretty bored to care what I think, I think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oh well. I\u2019m pretty bored and have nothing better to do. I\u2019d be thinking like this even if I wasn\u2019t writing what I was thinking about. I may as well write. I\u2019m not hurting anyone except maybe myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I like to think this is one of the first of many stream of consciousness writings I create. I kinda like the idea of having long and pointless conversations with God and myself. I\u2019m a little crazy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">December 6, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quick addendum. I did a read through of what I wrote yesterday. There were a lot less typos than I expected. I barely changed anything. Some things could have been done better, but I\u2019m not worried about that here. This is just an exercise mostly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I wanted to add that the field trippers did exceptionally well. They were the last team to leave the building. As I sat and wondered what they were doing as all the other teams left, I realized they must have been winners. They were winners. Apparently they are going to the state competition next.I wish them luck. They seemed like good kids in the short time I was exposed to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s Saturday and I have a lot of things that need done. Laundry and general household chores. I\u2019m not going to spend more time on my thoughts for display. I wish you a good day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>December 5, 2025 I\u2019m sitting here at the Woodlands coffee house on Lake Joy rd. I am in a holding position while I wait on my field trippers. I took the academic trivia team from Langston elementary to the brain bowl competition at Mossy Creek middle school. I\u2019m told that it is an elimination style [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2649,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[42],"class_list":["post-2652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-random-thoughts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2652"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2652\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2653,"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2652\/revisions\/2653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carterpix.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}