Workout for your bread

I'm developing a workout routine to take your bread from this... to this...

Joking aside, this was the type of bread I set out to make back in February. Specifically, red bean buns. Growing up in the Far East, I had a very different exposure to bread--soft, fluffy, highly enriched, mostly white, as occasional treats. Never had sourdough, crusty bread or pizza for that matter until much later in life. Where I live now, I literally have to drive across state line (to Portland) to buy these Asian breads. Or I could learn to make them.

On the left was my first attempt, where I microwaved the yeast solution and wondered why the dough did not rise. Refusing to be defeated by a couple of butter rolls, I tried and tried until I was happy with the results. Branching out a bit now, so much to learn. Amazed at what complex flavors can be evoked from such simple ingredients. In BBA I was happy to read the words "use only as much yeast as it takes to get the job done and no more" as I had developed this intuition through much trial and error. Measuring to the gram is nothing new because I already do that with my coffee. I love the hands-on nature of bread making, enjoy learning the science behind each stage, and happily devour even the less-than-desirable outcome. And I made sure I kept up with my running...

What kind of breads do you like to make? What aspects of the process do you most enjoy?