#1. Two screens helps. One screen has live thread update, the other backreading. It makes it easier to actually stay up to date with the live thread while reading. Skipping what seems mundane, trivial, or low effort, scanning for names you know or see often etc. There's also a lot of tips in the backreaders thread I just happened to link above your post lol
#2. I can see how that would be a fun endevour while having your hands tied lol
#3. Kitty Answer of the Day: Favorite smell? Hmm.

That probably depends, if I'm honest. Smells change so often, and we end up nose blind to those scents that we smell often. So depending on place, what I'm doing, how I feel it my "favorite" would change, as I like a lot of scents. I love the smell of food, for instance. But if as an example, say, because of where we are. I was mid sex act, foods going to be the last smell I'm going to notice, and maybe TMI but in that situation, my partners specific scent would be my "favorite" at that time. Maybe I over thought it, but you get the idea