Hello stator vane:
My compliments on one of the most cogent, accurate, and professional posts on this thread. I think your comment …”so that is why I am always right there with knowing what I want it to do and making sure the airplane does what I want” ... should be tattooed on the inside of every pilot’s eyelids – so that is what they see every time they blink!
I posted a comment earlier on this thread where I described a comment I’ve often made to students … but I’m not sure that your version of it isn’t more professional … What I posted says … “I’ve often told relatively new pilots that if you remove the A/P Engage switch-light cover, and look on the back of it, it DOES NOT SAY – Pilot Disengage.