>> trying-to-look-as-casual-as-possible-without-looking-like-an-Eminem-poster

LOL! This is why I use my 1m stick at most sites. I got fed up of lugging my tripod up hills (it has a 400kg Manfrotto head on it that Thor himself would struggle to swing!) and also fed up with seeing myself in photos. Then, when I needed a shot with me at a site because it was deceptively big or small I got fed up with having left the tripod in the car. However I did lug it up to Bauraglanna last weekend only to find that when I recently changed camera bags I'd forgotten to put the snatch plate in it and couldn't use the bloody tripod after all!

>> so a few more goofy, awkward, trying-to-look-as-casual-as-possible-without-looking-like-an-Eminem-poster
>> self timer shots, and less eye-chafing colour explosions are in order.

I wouldn't say so. I'm perectly capable of doing the dull shots of Irish stones, but incapable of consistantly turning out great shots like yourself (not that I'm admitting to never having taken a great shot of course :-) Nor am I in at sites at sunset/sunrise as often as yourself.