You are right, after you have been setting boards up for years and have it down to a science it does become a very Zen activity.
After you do have it down it is kind of satisfying to pass tip and tricks about setting up a board to younger skaters. For instance, last week I gave this 18 year old dude that lives in my building a deck, some wheels, and hardware that were in better shape then what he was riding.
While attempting to get the bearings out of his old wheels with a phillips head screw driver the kid ended up putting the screw driver right through his hand, in the palm, and out the back.
So, I showed him how to get the bearings in and out using the axles of his trucks. Then he was complaining that his bearings were all messed up and rolled slow, so I demonstrated how to clean them.