I will essentially have a bag of cash but no W2 or desire to get a W2, so I'm likely going to go the hard-money route. 

1) I'll put the summarized list of MP activities at the end, but generally speaking the way to think about it is: "Is this activity/task essential for the operations of the STR?

Lots of good advice above- I think an active, professional network of pros that know and trust each other is essential.

I totally get where you’re coming from, but it seems like more hassle with essentially the same outcome.

You essentially nailed it.

YES, a job is essential and the sooner I land something, the sooner I'll get on my REI journey. thanks for the encouragement & advice. 

It is super important that you are very knowledgeable about your state landlord and tenant laws, to best prepare yourself for how to conduct your communications, and the essential do's and dont's that will save you in legal fee's if there is a simple mistake made. 

I asked if she could kindly advocate on my behalf now that she knows I am not a scammer and she said (in another very long message), essentially no.

Essentially, you get to experience real estate investing firsthand, with your tenants helping you cover the costs.Build Long-Term WealthAs your property appreciates in value and your mortgage is paid down by rental income, you’re building equity.

Quote from @Ashley Mierez: I'm considering getting into wholesaling, but from videos and some research I have done it seems like a lot of investors and agents don't like wholesalers?