Funny, I totally forgot about that MM!
I've learned a lot of the same lessons...amazing to look back and realize how quickly you learn and how you learn things the hard way.
I think all of us have some regrets about selling machines or trading for what seemed good at the time. Few years ago those $2k TAFs were everywhere...
And the HAVE IT NOW mentality will cost you, but there is a definite tradeoff. So you spend a little more...but you get to enjoy the pin for that much more time. The funny thing is that sometimes it's the opposite. What were Tron LE's when NIB? $5600 if I remember? Yeah...try finding that now. I passed up on a NIB one in 2012 for that price!
Still,a great story to read, and one I think many many of us can relate to!