"The Weiss Family" wrote
Admittedly, I only have about 65 hours (PP-ASEL), but I've yet to have a
flight where something "unusual" didn't happen.

At 65 hours, everything is unusual. Really. See, there's an
important difference between the typical 65 hour automobile driver
(that would be what - 3000 miles, maybe a few months driving
experience at best) and 65 hour airplane pilot. The driver has
probably hundreds of hours sitting in the right seat of a car,
observing. He has a pretty fair idea of what is unusual and what
isn't long before he gets that learner's permit. On top of that, the
new driver is young - learns faster, reacts faster.

Ever seen what happens when someone comes to the US from a country
where automobile ownership is rare and few people drive, in middle
age, and immediately starts learning to drive? I have. It's not
pretty, and most new pilots are like that.

So here you are, no real experience, trying to figure out what is
normal. With time, you will. With time, you will also discover that
most of the unusual things are not only usual but predictable.

Also, admittedly, half of the time, it's something dumb I've done (forgot to
turn my transponder to ALT, etc).

Conversation between me and a controller, a few weeks ago:
ATC: Are you about 7 miles South-Southeast of Sugarland moving North?
Me: Affirm
ATC: RADAR contact, primary target only. Check your transponder.
Me: Oh, sorry. Transponder works better in Oscan-November mode.

I have over 20 times as many hours as you do, and I'm an ATP. Feel
better?

We all make dumb mistakes. It happens. We're all human. Corollary -
try not to put yourself in too many situations where one dumb mistake
will kill you. Odds will catch up with you eventually. Limit your
checklists to items that can kill you - the more items on the
checklist, the more chance of skipping one, so keep them as short as
possible - but no shorter. If you must put yourself in a situation
where one dumb mistake will kill you, know which mistake it is - and
don't make it. Be aware.

However, the other half isn't.

Yes - the other half is something dumb I've done. Or whoever else is
around. Or something funky with the weather. Or something doesn't
work right.

On the way back, on short final (about 300 or 400 AGL) the gulfstream that
was inching passed the hold short line decided he wanted to take the runway.
I did a 360 and heard a comment on the radio that he must be on the wrong
radio frequency.
Wasn't that big of a deal, but is it just me?

Nah. He didn't see you, he may have been on the wrong frequency, or
had the wrong radio selected, or had the audio panel misconfigured, or
he just missed your radio call. It happens. BTDT. So you did a 360
and landed. No harm, no foul.

When was the last time you had to slow down a bit because someone
changed lanes and didn't see you? How many times did you change lanes
and discover a car in your rearview mirror you didn't realize was
there?

Michael