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Dive. Relax. Your gas consumption will improve the more you do. Everyone's (well, almost everyone) a hoover when they start. One thing to try is slowing down. Do things almost exaggeratedly slowly underwater.

Put me down as a "possible".

When I was a DMC (I suppose I still technically am), I would change the order to BWARF -- and suggest students remember to "bwarf" before getting in the water. I found it really helped it stick for those who had trouble with the usual version. Another mnemonic I remember hearing was...

I regularly dive a 7mm jumpsuit in 50-60 degree water. (I've done low 40s in the same suit, but that was no fun at all...) I don't see too many 5mm suits up here around the Great -- or not-so-great -- Lakes; it's either 7mm or dry. Be advised that you're going to need lead, and a lot of it...

Since no one's said it yet: The way to make $60,000 a year in the dive business is to start with $120,000 a year.

Single bottles, yes at most shops. Never seem to have to when I get doubles filled.

What are you planning to dive? I'm going to be in Marquette that weekend.

Never say never. ;)

HP100s, but I'm only five-seven.

Look at the Tusa TUL-300. Should be right around that price from Scubatoys. I've carried one for a couple of years now and have been very pleased. It's all but replaced my PT Shockwave LED as a primary. Very bright, nice beam, feels good in your hand. Do tie a bolt snap on the end of it; you...

Where?

Sensible? Yes, indubitably. Practical? Depends on how much nitrox you dive. It's quite rational to have an oxygen analyzer, particularly if you're like me and re-analyze every fill before diving it. It doesn't change once it's blended, but lug a bunch of similar bottles around with others...

Gah. Forgot to mention this one, and it's right on the shelf behind me with the Airspeed Press books. That's another book worth its weight in silver.

SS washers or a stack thereof are one way, but it's a bit slapdash. I just needed to shorten the (new) bolts on my HP100s, so I cut them. If you pay attention to what you're doing, you won't screw up the threads (pun intended). Even if you do, they can be salvaged without too much effort...

Dive Rite? HOG? We must have differing opinions of what "no-name bottom of the line" means. Yes, but most regs don't need the "annual service" that keeping that "for life" business requires. Yes, they're quite reasonable. Are they easy to get if you service your own regs? No. Many...

I'd start with three books from Airspeed Press, if you haven't already, to wit: SCUBA Regulator Maintenance and Repair, Vance Harlow The Oxygen Hacker's Companion, Vance Harlow Wetsuit and Drysuit Maintenance and Repair, Steven Lindblom As I understand it, most manufacturers want you to be...

Nothing. There are no pockets on my harnesses (either the one-piece or the Deep Outdoors), and the pockets on the jacket BC I have -- but rarely wear -- are a pain to get into with gloves on. I do have a pocket (OMS, I think) that's supposed to attach to one's waist belt, with an elastic strap...

As I remember it, the DM exam isn't one big honkin' test. It's broken up into half a dozen or so individual multiple-choice exams which can be (and usually are) taken at separate sittings. You've got what you need in the DM package, so: 1. Do the knowledge reviews in the DM manual (the...

I didn't think it would fit either. It does (eventually!), and the comp is flush all the way around. Hell's own job getting it in there, though. Keep trying.

Do take note that there are two sizes of yoke o-rings, commonly referred to as "thin" and "fat". Keep a few of each on hand. If you're renting cylinders, it's almost dead certain that if you only carry one size of spares, the bottles you've rented will have the other. I've saved a lot of folks'...