The mysteries of Motion Paths

Well-documented and complained about is the grueling experience of trying to select motion paths without moving objects around and/or hiding objects that are in the way. I can see from the discussion history that this has been going on for years so apparently nothing will be done about that. More puzzling is the fact that there's no way to simply select a motion path from a drop down when the owning object is highlighted. SMDH.

But apart from that, I have a few questions of some mysterious choices in how motion paths work that I figure there must be some logic to, but from my perspective, it's just something I need to constantly work around. Perhaps someone can explain why this works the way it does, so that I can stop SingMDH about it.

1. Why is it that choosing a direction from the Path Options menu automatically changes the path's length? I ask you, what are the odds that the default length it changes it to is exactly the length I want?? It even does this when I have already entered the length I want. It's just an unnecessary extra step I have to remember to do every time. What's really awful is when I change the direction, Storyline changes the length on me, and I didn't remember what the original length was supposed to be. 

2. Why is it that creating a Motion Path automatically adds a trigger when the timeline starts which makes use of that new Motion Path? Again, what are the odds that's what I want? What inevitably happens is: a) I create the motion path, b) I set up a trigger to use it the way I want, c) I preview the slide, and the object immediately moves d) I curse, and go back in and remove the motion path that Storyline took it upon itself to make for me. I just don't get it.

3) Why are the easing options for Motion Paths listed under a menu called....Direction??? And yet... there are also actual menu options under the header Direction which actually do manipulate the path's direction? How about calling that menu, I don't know, Easing, maybe?

4) Why is there a settings called Duration, and another setting called Speed? 

Thanks, sorry for the rant, it's just very frustrating though.