Thank you for your thoughts on this. I very much appreciate people willing to share their experiences and insights on all of this, there is so much to account for and so many variables that can have impact.
After 15 yrs of being fairly “into” this hobby, my approach has evolved into essentially; read, watch and listen to others who have been here longer and have more experience than me, and try to learn from their (i.e. - your) experiences and apply those to my choices to see what I align with and “adds” to what I’m currently chasing.
I have found that in almost ALL cases (99.98%) the folks I have reached out to have been VERY generous and helpful with their willingness to share info, experiences and their earned knowledge.
It has become a very enjoyable part of my participation in the hobby.