Or if you want durable coating, do a thick or hard anodize. It is less havoc on dimensions. is protective layer harder than the aluminum. Looks much more professional too. Harder to do it yourself at home than painting, though you'd probably have fun with it.
Personally, I'd let it stay the way it is, and let it gather random scratches that it would with regular use. What's the point of having something if it is too nice to enjoy?
And I do believe that stripping anodize is a fairly simple process too, wherein you soak the anodized object in a caustic solution. And then you take it out and wash off excess solution.