Paul,
I got certified almost 10 years after you, my card reads the same and the duration of the course was the same. Took up most of a summer. The amount of time and drilling in that course makes me wonder about the short day or two courses that here about these days
nitroxdiver009,
Your far better off practicing and refining your buoyancy control and reducing your weight than overweighting for any reason. If you have a buddy going into an out of control ascent, you don't need to be weighted enough to sink them, you just need to be able to slow the ascent to a safe rate. And that just takes some extra drag wich you will be able to supply without the extra lead
Also your photography will get better with better control as oposed to extra lead. It just takes practice...and that means more diving
