Thanks for the link to pjeby's video--I don't have time to check it out right now, but I will when I can. I forgot to mention that in my fourth sitting, I found that part easier (calling up mettā deliberately). I enjoy that part.

So were these thoughts in the background as you kept centered on your breath?

Sometimes. I would anchor on the breath and try to keep it there while thinking about other things. When I noticed that I was only thinking about the other things and had lost the breath, I would re-anchor, etc.

From your comment quoting Oshaberi:

I realized I could like any previously hated food just by trying.

Ha, I've almost done this. I remember trying a new kind of cheese some time in elementary school (I remember where I was physically), and noticing that it had a strong and different flavor. I recall thinking consciously, "I could either like this or hate this--may as well like it!" and liked it. But that's the only time I've been able to do it, and I think it's because I was on the cusp. I haven't been able to choose to like other foods on purpose when I didn't before. (I also seem to be a fairly strong taster, though, which gives me strong preferences against certain kinds of taste.)

I don't think it's so important to do now. Later on you might experiment with longer sittings and see what observing pain can teach you.

Sounds good. That was more or less my default plan: Keep doing the simple stuff while it's challenging, then try something harder when the simple stuff gets less challenging. There are a couple of regular group sittings in my area, and I think my short-term goal is to get comfy enough to try joining one of them, so I can get more feedback/discussion.