Yah, I've definitely incorporated some new stuff, and had to go through the process of getting up to speed on all the new fitness ideas in order to figure out what worked for me. The strength training thread initiated by Abide was quite helpful, and it was good to think through the MAF, 180-cadence, minimalist, higher mileage, form, core, plank, and other issues / trends. I've felt very much at peace for the last few weeks. I think I know what kind of runner and lifter I am and what will work for me, and it's definitely better to be informed than to 'just run' as I had been doing. Ironically, this process has allowed to come back full circle to more of a 'just run' approach, with a slight upgrade in the actual running.
And no sweat about the tech post. If I lived in Oregon or Florida or California I'd probably continue in my Luddite ways. But I'm enjoying the challenge of running farther in sub-freezing temps, and since most people have agreed that one's feet stay warmer if you overdress your torso, it seems reasonable to look into the best way to do so. I agree with you though that so far the gains in moisture wicking haven't been commensurate to the extra expense, but I'm still finding my way via Sid, Dutchie, Skedaddle, and others' tutelage.