To #3: It's been my experience -- and perhaps I have this opinion because I've been a 'ficcer for too long -- that characters are only as deep and compelling as we wish them to be, no matter what the canon says. Personally, I've always found the female characters to be the more interesting ones, and, no, it's not always because of the sex appeal and my maleness. (I'm not complaining, mind you, but sex appeal is not what one 'fics.)

To #15: I don't know why, but that resonates with me. ... If you're on my FL, and that's about me (which it probably isn't, but I'll go out on a limb here), it's okay, I live far away from just about everybody, and it rather sucks. :-(