Leaning Curve: Magic Ring / Circle

As you may know, I hadn’t done any crocheting for a few years and the learning curve has had its moments of challenges - with the Magic ring being one of them. 

On my first few days, I tried to remember how I held the yarn and wrapped it around my fingers to get things started. I finally gave up and moved on. 

Today, I went to start an amigurumi creation and, without thought, the magic ring “magically” just happened! 

DISCLAIMER: This may not be the right way but it is how I do it and it works for me.
———- 

1. Wrap the yarn around two fingers twice, wrapping from behind

2. Hold yarn with index finger, as usual
3. Put hook under wrapped yarn and “pull yarn through” and make a SC stitch. 
4. Usually, the next step is to repeat until there are 6 sc on the loop
5. Lightly pull the beginning end of the yarn to see which wrapped loop starts to move, to tighten.
6. Pull on this loop to bring circle/ring together, forming a tight centre 
7. Pull on beginning end of the yarn again to tighten second loop.
8. Tada!! That’s it.

NOTE to self: Now, Debbie, don’t forget again!
Or better yet - keep crocheting!
- Debbie 

As an addition to this "learning curve" tutorial .. so I don't forget AGAIN, this is how I count my stitches when I'm creating a circular pattern:

I use my MULTIPLICATION TABLE ! 
Each circular row, on a typical circle, increases from “2 increases per stitch” (=12), to an increase and 1 sc (=18), to an increase and 2 sc (=24), to an increase and 3 sc (=30), and so on. 

To keep track of how many stitches I have completed for the row, I count by multiples of2’s, and then by 3's and then by 4's, and then by 5's and so on.  This way, if I'm supposed to have 18 stitches in the row, for example, my multiples of 3's will get me there and I will know when I've reached the end of my row. 18 √ 

Also, I put the increases at the first of the set [sc, INC], instead of the typical end as described in most patterns [INC, sc] , so that I always remember to do the increase. 

Confused? I was, too, as I tried to remember and explain this to my daughter. 
Let's try a visual: 

I'd love to know any tips/tricks that you use to not lose track of where you are!
Thanks in advance,
Debbie