This could make great bulletin board material in some other format, but there's just too much here for that.
I started my reply by cutting and pasting the gems with my little follow-up, but quickly realized that would take all day. There just so much good stuff here. So instead I narrowed it down to just one:
Code is humans to read. ALWAYS. Optimization is what compilers do. So find a smarted way to explain what you're trying to do (in code) instead of using shorter words.
This really strikes a nerve because in 40 years of programming, most of my problems have not been with building code myself, but with trying to figure out what my predecessor had written. I bet I've wasted 20 years of my life refactoring the crap of others who would have benefited greatly by reading posts like this one first.
There's lots to think about. Lots to smile and agree with. And lots to disagree with (OP reminds me a little of myself, a caveman who often claims to know "the one right way" :-)
If you don't have time to read this now, bookmark it and come back later. One good idea from this can make a big difference.