Ready for July

After much debate about a few specifics of this pattern, I am finally ready to cast on.  Here were some of my talking points.
.

1.  Do I knit this in pieces or in the round?

Why not knit it in the round?  Seems like an easy modification.
.
2.  Is it important to do the twisted rib for the bottom ribbing?

Seems like more fuss than it’s worth
.
3.  Is it important to knit through the back loop all the time?

That’s a lot of knitting through the back loop
.
I have decided to knit the darn thing exactly as written.  Why make myself more crazy that I already am?

.
right?