Great post and I must agree with Tran, Essen and Norma, and can appreciate what
Tran is striving for. There are many on this forum I'm sure traveling that same road whether stated or not, myself included.
Tran you really hit me on the head with the "wow" moment reference. I now realize that is what drives me: Anxiously awaiting the next wow moment while being motivated by the last.
In no way am I a senior member (except age wise) but I have achieved a very satisfactory crust. More than once. But not now. That is because, like perfection, satisfaction is relative and a moving target. Each wow brings new knowledge and raises the experience and pizza up a level.
How many pizzas to reach a very satisfactory crust? Maybe it's more like how many to reach a repeatable wow. When I began chasing NY style I mixed up 4 diff batches of dough and baked 16 pizzas in a single week. Still took 9 weeks and prob just south of 100 pies to hit that first wow. I was thrilled beyond satisfied only it didn't last. How could it? Dang this forum and all the fantastic pies, recipes, theories and knowledge! Now after over a year (not continuously) of working on a Det style I hit the wow. Satisfied? You better believe it. But I already decided to walk away and start another project, which is my pattern, and now I now why. To enjoy the results and savor the wow for as long as I can. I will return to this style, and all others I have tried, which is also my pattern. No prob, this leap frogging back and forth has always ended with a wow, more knowledge, and an improved pie. So it's all good and at least I have a better understanding of my pizza psyche.
Good journey on your quest Tran and as Red Green says, I'm rootin' for ya, we're all in this together.