Yeah, I feel that. I had the same problem with fresh tomatoes last year. Ended up with sauce that looked more like tomato soup. My wife still brings it up.

Did you try having him just write a list of scenes he wanted to happen instead of a full outline? That's what worked for me when I got stuck, just a bullet list of cool moments to hit. No order, no rules, just the fun stuff.

Wait, does the frozen cube change the texture or make the coffee watery as it melts? I used to do the same thing with buttermilk but switched to just buying the tiny cartons since @laura_white99 mentioned it, they're like 50 cents more but way easier. Pro tip though, if you freeze them, pop the cubes out after theyre solid and toss em in a ziploc bag so they dont soak up freezer smells. I did the tablespoon trick for years and it works fine as long as you stir it quick enough.

Same here, my phone died on a backroad and that old map in my glovebox got me to a gas station.

Honestly, isn't this just the same pattern you see everywhere with anything that's supposed to "save time"? Like people swear by meal prepping or using a slow cooker or whatever, but eventually the routine feels like a chore and you're back to figuring out what to make at 5pm. I've noticed with my own stuff that the real trick isn't picking one way forever, it's mixing it up based on how your week feels. Some weeks you're burnt out and need the prepped food, other weeks you've got energy to chop stuff fresh. The problem is everyone acts like one method is the "right" way when really it's just whatever works for your current life situation.