Thanks for following up on you experience after your earlier, July, posts. It is always helpful to find out how things turned outI'll have to see about doing that. They're just far enough away that it's an inconvenience to drop by. That and I'm sure they're going to hit me up about the OW course if I go in (I'm leaning towards going with another certifying agency)
A few questions / comments.
Is there a reason you are 'leaning towards going with another certifying agency' after (only) a Discover Scuba experience? Or, did you mean another shop, rather than agency? Just curious.
I can understand not driving all the way down to Morehead, just for another mask, if you live 'north of the border', and used Olympus. Mask fitting is a very personal thing, and sometimes you end up trying 2-3 models before finding what works for you. And, price isn't a particularly useful predictor, as you have apparently found out. For years, I have had the luxury of being able to use the absolutely least expensive mask (SeaDive Caribbean) sold in the shops I have been affiliated with, and I found out entirely by accident that the Caribbean mask works for me (bought one for a daughter - because it was inexpensive - and 'borrowed' it later on and found I loved it).
I can't tell from your description exactly what is going on with your ears. It may well be a one-time, or very intermittent, thing. There are quite a few threads on SB addressing treatment for swimmer's ear (e.g. How to treat swimmer's ear), which you might want to check out. Usually, the treatments involve solutions containing some ratio concentrations of vinegar and alcohol. I have a number of dive buddies who religiously treat themselves after each dive, and they seem to believe that it works.
You might also be experiencing some residual discomfort just from repetitive equalization, as a first-time diver. Over the years, I notice that my ears not infrequently feel 'funny' for a day or so after diving, or even swimming, but the sensation usually resolves in 24-36 hours, without any treatment. On three occasions i have developed outer, and middle, ear infections after quarry diving. But the ratio - # of times that has happened divided by the number of dives I have made - is so low that I don't consider it to be an issue.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the experience enough to consider pursuing certification.