Checklist exchange

Your checklist omits a number of important items and actually

What I presented here wasn't a complete operating instruction, nor was it
a complete checklist that I use. For example, I omitted the whole section
on the pre-flight performed outside the cockpit, or any of the emergency
checklists.

You seem to love to switch fuel selectors all over (see below)

Not at all. The idea is to have both "left" and "right" fuel paths working
individually for some time to make sure there's nothing in the way. So,
I taxi on one tank and do runup on the other. There's still enough time
between when I last touch the selector and the takeoff to see if there's any
problems on "both".

You take the key out before you fly? Odd. My checklist says "make sure

I take the key out after I'm done with the "inside" pre-flight, and put it
on top of the panel in plain view. I have a habit of glancing over to see
it there before touching the prop during the "outside" pre-flight.

4. landing light check
Check how?

When you turn the light on, ammeter's needle shows increase in discharge
rate. If the bulb has burnt out, there's no discharge.

10. all lights verify off
Huh? What difference does it make if the master is off.

If I forgot to turn off the panel lights after a night flight, for example,
I'm not going to see that they're still on next day, since it'll be
daylight, and they'll wind up being on all day. Those little bulbs
burn out pretty quickly. Besides, it's always good to leave the plane
in a known state.

Actually, I leave the beacon on all the time. Makes it handy

Yes, I do that, too. I don't include beacon in "all lights". Again, checklist
is a reminder, not a comprehensive operating instruction.

19. lights on
What lights? You already turned them on a few steps earlier?

That were nav lights and beacon. Here I take care of any other lights I
might need for the flight -- panel lights, adjusting brightness of radio
panel lights etc.

6. alt static/VSI check
Check? How about saying what you are checking for.

When you pull alt static, there's a momentary fluctuation in
VSI, after which it's supposed to return to zero. When the
engine is running and there's some slipstream around the cabin,
pressure inside is slightly lower than outside, so if you pull
alt static, VSI will show a momentary climb. It's just to check
that static system is not blocked and your VSI is not frozen.

7. comm 1,2 check
Gosh I hope you're not one of those guys who chews up the UNICOM

No. I check comms by using them normally. I simply make a point of
using both comms while still on the ground. I may use one for getting
atis and the other one for ground. That's checking at least that I
can receive, squelch is working, volume knob has good contact etc.

9. transponder test
10. vor 1,2 test
11. adf test

How so?

Transponder has "self-test" position: the light should illuminate.
VORs I check by tuning them to the localizer freq of my airport:
I get the id checked and proper deflection of the needle. In some
radiostacks VORs have self-test position. ADF also has a self-test
position (the needle starts to turn around).

1. nose straight
Nose straight isn't important, into the wind might help

If nosewheel is not straight when you stopped, it'll be difficult
to verify full travel of the rudder.