Hey there,
I'm just learning myself (activated my second book earlier, with what I think was a fair bit of success) but I'll try to help as best as I can.
1. I experience the same thing. The blip page came to me so easily, I wondered whether I was doing something wrong, say crossing my eyes but that wasn't the case - I'm younger than most people (16 earlier this year) so I suspect maybe that the old hard focused reading paradigm isn't quite as hammered in to me. Who knows? I'm just grateful it comes easily. Anyway, the blip size fluctuates for me as well but I myself don't see it as a problem. If you perceive it consciously as a problem, maybe it will become one...
2. That is correct. Your post-view should also contain a survey, as in the Preview step in 3rd edition.
3. I read in a hypnosis book that your own words are more likely to have an impact on yourself. So long as you formulate your affirmations properly (present tense and well encompassing), they will probably be more powerful.
Now, I like your first suggestion for the 5th edition but I feel it kinda contradicts your second one. Letting go of habits and trusting in yourself is great, but you've got to let yourself experiment. Getting someone to tell you exactly how to Photoread in every different situation is not going to allow that experimentation.
There's a great post on Alex's blog which may be of help to you:
http://www.phoenixquest.com.au/alexk/I'm referring to the 'Confused? Could You Just for Now - Let Go?' post.
Good luck!
