187/165 would be 13%, ideally you'd be at 5-10% variance. Not the best, but it's an abused old motor, by the low standards Miata probably intended for it.
Bad rings lead to a clear-blue smoke while driving, and half-burned oil leads to white-blue smoke. Unburnt particulate oil is sooty black like gasoline. As mentioned before, it's probably some leaky exhaust valves or a slight leak from your turbine. That would lead to whitish oil after sitting for a while, since it would sloooowly leak out.
Just beware that moving to synthetic can make a plugged-up (sludgey) bad seal unplugged, and leak. Its very uncommon, but it can happen. It doesn't like to mix with impurities, and tends to sweep that sludge into the pan bottom. If you change oil regularly and don't have leaks now, you probably won't have them later.