you do not need to bind with every existing node. I run my node satisfied with 3 out 1 in connections and relaynode by Matt. I use github bitcoind with no conf change with <0.2s gbt latency (0.165s daily average just now, monthly average 0.188s) and github p2pool 15.0-11 keeping both in last version.
Good to know, thanks. Over the past 24ish hours I've seen it vary from 6 out, 0 in to 7 out, 1 in. No idea what drives that, but it sounds like those numbers are somewhat healthy.
The
http://ngspoe.carpenter-farms.us:9332/static/ page is confusing me a bit. As of this post, I've found 41 shares, 8 have been orphaned (which I kind of understand), but my payout should a block be found is forecasted at 0 btc? Shouldn't I expect to get some small payout (my shares/totalshares * BTC reward)

That figure is the fee payments that you would get... the expected earnings are listed further down the page against the coin address used by your miner(s)