> 2) How do you deal with dust, and how do you store and protect your lenses?
I buy foam lined hard cases for all my gear (photo, video and audio) and cut them to match the gear. Store them in there, label the outside and you know where everything is. They travel well (especially flying), are pretty dust proof due to the seal made by the foam and you can tell if somethings missing by the gap in the foam. Which reminds me I must cut a hole in the camera case for the Optio...