Oh man, I feel your pain. I've had people argue with me for twenty minutes that their keyboard is fine before I finally convince them to just check the caps lock key.

Trust the guys who have been doing this longer than you've been alive." Solid advice.

Had a buddy who went through the same thing, but with coffee syrups. His girlfriend made him cut down from 12 to 4 and he said the first week was depressing but now he actually appreciates each flavor more. Did you find the same thing with your soaps?

...and that's exactly how my old man taught me to do it. He'd say "if you're sanding everything between coats, you're just making extra work and breathing in more dust than you gotta." Took me way too long to realize he was right. I used to sand the whole thing like I was prepping for a mirror finish between every coat. Now I just knock down the high spots with a knife or a light sanding sponge, hit it with a quick wipe, and move on. The last coat is the one that gets all the attention. Saved me probably an hour per room easy.

That whole situation is creepy but honestly not that uncommon. I had a neighbor who was burying old trophies and medals out back because he said they "carried bad energy" from his high school days. Called it "putting the past to rest." Your best bet is to just keep your distance and maybe install a motion light facing his yard. Gary sounds like he might be harmless but you don't want to find out the hard way. If he starts leaving toys on your porch or talking to them through the fence, then it's time to call the non-emergency line.