After The Brew: When Absent-Mindedness Cost Me a Conversation That Mattered

Darren records this episode in real time, working through frustration with himself after missing a scheduled conversation with Celeste Warren — a conversation he'd spent real time preparing for, with notes, quotes, and coffee in hand. He gets honest about what's shifted for him lately — reading and retention taking longer, needing to manage things differently than he used to — and shares a paraphrased quote from her book about the power of face-to-face conversation in a divided world. This isn't a polished episode. It's Darren thinking out loud, in real time, about what it means to fall short of his own expectations for something that actually mattered to him.After The Brew, Darren Watts, Afternoon Coffee Break, Celeste Warren, DEI, missed interview, absent-minded, self-accountability, ADHD, neurodivergent, frustration, honest reflection, podcast guest, real talk, Black podcast, June 2026, cognitive changes, face to face conversation, common ground, self-compassion,