The Art of Coffee Brewing

The major differences in my methods, which were originally based on Internet searching but I have just gone with, are:

-Brew time: I do 7 minutes, but I tend to go longer because I either forget about it or forget to check the time when I start. I have done up to 10-15 minutes and haven't really noticed a significant effect on quality.

-Stirring: I stir my grind/water relentlessly. I don't like to see a bunch of the grind sitting at the surface of the water.

-Water temperature: I've checked the temperature after boiling and it drops pretty quick. I've read recommendations that it is brewed below boiling, but still 180-200 degrees. I use my water very quickly after removing from boil and haven't had a "burnt" taste.

-Coarseness: I set my Coffee Mate grinder to the coarsest setting, as the author says because I don't like the grind slipping through and getting into my drink. I've even started fingering out the fine grind that sticks to the front of the container so as to not get it in the french press.

-Beans: I recently started thinking it might be a good idea to try some more freshly roasted beans. I went to the local coffee shop and asked for popular beans that they go through a lot, and also tried a cup brewed at the shop (I normally get espresso-based drinks there). I just feel that my Trader Joe's Bolivian beans taste even fresher for some reason, even though they are probably roasted months before I buy them. Maybe the seal they do on the cans really does keep them fresh regardless of roast date? Still willing to try out other options.