> The more code I've written, the less I care about code quality. .. - I minimize interdependencies (changing a line of code should not affect something un-related) - I go for abstractions later, only when I need them, rather than trying to think of the perfect abstraction/design pattern which will solve the problem in the most elegant or clever way

It's funny, but those points you are describing are measures of code quality to me. The less interdependencies the higher I value the code, same for abstractions, most of the time it is the simpler the better. Except in those cases where they are explicitly required.