Hi, tacodude!
Thank you for sharing your experiences! Myself, personally, I have only ever worked with Salvia to a limited degree. Your comparisons and descriptions provide a wealth of imagery to others.
Sometimes, the replies you need will come after a bit of patience; we have lots of dedicated members who comb the forums, so, please note for the future, a double post is unnecessary.
Welcome!
Some things will come easy, some will be a test