Let's get clear about me. Ihat level of income is hypothetical.
I trade mornings only and try to get the high or low for the morning and ride it for as long as I can. If it is getting near lunchtime when I close I do not reenter. I rarely leave in the afternoons with a trade open with a stop on it but, sometimes, I do. I am an amateur and do take money out of the account for birthdays, holidays, etc. I use TA because I can't visualise, correctly, what is going on without it but, like you, I have very real suspicions about all drawn lines and averages and think that they are BS. I keep my textbooks to a minimum.
IMO the fewer trades, the better so (2) is my preference. However, getting that high/low is not achievable, all the time, by me, in one trade, which results in losses. Some mornings I miss it and do not trade at all.
In all politeness, I say to you that I do not like people asking too much about my method of trading, or criticising, because it might cause me to change course. I have a style that suits me and am happy with it, although other systems do get my interest from time to time.
As a trend follower I used to use averages and trendlines for entry but no longer. You are being lead, or told, what to do and it is far better to use one's own point of entry based on your own assessment. I do use the bars, though so am a TA user.