We way too long for light roasts" - man, I gotta disagree with that barista. I've been pulling light roasts for years and my pre-infusion is usually 8-12 seconds. Light beans are dense, they need that extra time to saturate before you hit full pressure. If you go too short you get channeling and sour shots every time. I'd say try both ways side by side and see what your taste buds tell you. That barista might be onto something for their specific setup, but blanket rules like that rarely work across different machines and grinders. Trust your own results more than some random shop advice.

Man I can't believe you actually made it 40 feet before the boot leaked. That's practically a miracle in my book. I had a pair last me three whole dives before the left one started feeling like a wet sock. At this point I'm convinced built-in boots are just a scam to sell you a whole new suit every time your heel gets a little worn down. Separate boots for the win, cheaper and you don't have to explain to your dive buddy why you smell like damp neoprene on the boat ride back.

Yeah, zara_hunt is right about the priming thing. I had the same problem with a pricey PVA that was supposed to be the best, and it turned my book cloth into a mess. What worked for me was using a thin layer of wheat paste as a size on the cloth first. Let it dry, then apply your PVA. That stopped the soak-through dead in its tracks and kept the cloth flexible. Have you tried anything like that yet?

Same thing happened to me at a comic shop once. Guy pointed out my brush strokes and said they looked confident, totally made my week.

Picture of your personal stuff" - that's pretty much what happens when you bujo in public though...