Yeah, I sent my A9 off for surgery - https://www.lifepixel.com/photography-gear/anti-aliasing-low-pass-filter-removal 😄
I think my initial "yuck" with the OM-1 was the 12-24 just taking bright landscape shots ... everything looked, muddy. Of course, a kit lens on a Sony wouldn't really shine either.
To be fair I did only give it a few days and then gave the whole lot of it to my dad who was shooting with my old FZ-1000.
And yes, with my 200-600G, monopod is a minimum, tripod if I know I'll be stationary. Handheld is practically never, but I have in a pinch and with sufficient bracing, and for just one subject (before it flies or runs away typically), I can manage. And I'm only 44 😄 ... hoping I can keep using it for another 10 years or so at least!
I only use that for wildlife though ... for the odd recital or what have you the boy has, I bring the 70-200G with the 2x TC.
100% agreed about "the one you're carrying", which is why I haven't actually put much money into anything lately - I do about 90% on my Xiaomi 13 Ultra, with a 1" sensor like was in my FZ-1000. I find I only use my big expensive gear when I actually go out to "do photography", which is pretty rare these days. My son is 14 now too, so there's way less recitals and games and events and such for me to shoot.
Groggy day today here for me, so a slightly rambley and discombobulated response, but, as I've typed it, I'd might as well post it now :-)
I seem to remember Trump referring to him as Leon at least once in his nonsensical ramblings ... I assumed it was a reference to that