Chris, this is my source. It's a shot of the SpeedBrain timing curve that is supposed to be stock EEC IV. This is from September 2000
5.0 Mustang Page 50 "Ignition Timing Basics".
It shows total timing at 38 degrees BTDC under zero load. This would be at idle. The 60% or above load is what we should be interested in. Total timing is at 28 degrees. I don't know why I remember 20 degrees from initial. It's really 18. I suppose I have to raise my base to 16-18 to be in the range that TFS suggests.
As far as always running with 35 degrees of timing all of the time, the only problem I can see would be poor emissions at idle.