@erwrow I wouldn’t recommend using the delay within the Processing code. The serial event is a call back function. It will return as soon as some data is present in its buffer. Checking for data integrity could be done in the arduino or in Processing. I recommend to do it in the Processing side as it is easier to debug. I see the arduino more of a hub between the sensors and the user: it relays the data without many modifications. This is my prefered concept but it is up to the designer of the code to do what he thinks is most convenient for his project.
Kf