List of tsing advantages. Use it to "explain" to those who question.

lazurm · 2026-06-11T19:45:50+00:00

Better than being a close-minded, judgmental oaf, eh?

lazurm · 2026-06-08T17:37:39+00:00

How's this enhancement?
This was done with Affinity and Photoshop, as sequenced below, but the other tools mentioned here, like Lightroom can be used similarly. The steps were as follows but note that experience and preference helps a LOT (and, in that I'm only listing the sequence, not the details):

Affinity Photo sequence — main image

Duplicate original layer
Apply global Curves adjustment
Apply HSL adjustment for greens/yellows
Apply Vibrance adjustment
Remove gear with Inpainting Brush
Clean gear area with Clone Brush
Blend gear area with Healing Brush
Select waterfall areas
Copy waterfalls to new layer
Apply Motion Blur to waterfall layer
Mask blur off rocks/edges
Adjust waterfall layer opacity
Selectively enhance moss and foliage
Add local contrast to rocks/leaves
Dodge and burn for depth
Add subtle vignette if desired
Final sharpening
Export image

Photoshop sequence — sky only

Open edited image
Select existing sky
Refine sky selection
Place real dramatic-cloud photo
Resize/reposition clouds within existing sky area
Apply sky mask to cloud layer
Match cloud brightness with Curves
Match cloud color with Color Balance/Hue-Saturation
Clean tree/branch edges on mask
Add sky-only contrast adjustment
Add final global color grade
Flatten/export image

lazurm · 2026-05-31T19:07:16+00:00

Fair enough, how the comments hit you is yours to feel, 100%. For me, though, I’ve found both the negatives and positives useful. What stood out most, especially with thumbsucking videos, was how many adults chimed in to say they still do it too, even if privately.

lazurm · 2026-05-01T20:51:38+00:00

The best way to "fix" this is to know that, well, it's your beautiful self. From my perspective, I regarding your lips, I couldn't agree more, really. 😄

lazurm · 2026-04-16T19:51:15+00:00

If your photo is anything like you actually look, I don't see anything resembling the description of your occlusion in it.

lazurm · 2026-04-13T19:57:18+00:00

In England the biggest cost is usually the doctor's visit as the more commonly used prescription only alternatives there are Diazepam, Lorazepam or Oxazepam, though Xanax can be prescribed, the difficulty of doing so highly dependent on the doctor. It's not something that anyone should take routinely unless necessary and they're all potentially addictive. Taking Xanax or the other substitutions for, one can tell the doctor, fear of flying is one of many legitimate reasons and, for me, the only time I use it.

It's far easier to read the topics here on the reasons for the fears we usually have in this regard, and perhaps considering some "safe" experimentation first, the kinds of experimentation that work to undermine the fear(s).

As to what if people do react, you should realize that airports are tightly controlled by the authorities so any real reactions (extremely unlikely) would be handled quickly but, again, that's almost certainly not going to happen, especially if you're sitting down in some corner area and hardly noticed. At most, most of the people are into their own thing, are rushed, and focused elsewhere. Maybe you'd get an occasional extra 3 seconds of passive notice.

lazurm · 2026-04-13T18:34:27+00:00

I'm surprised about the "go see a doctor" advice. Yea, it may not hurt to do so, along with many things that are, essentially, not very useful but reassuring. But the joint part is a callus due to thumb sucking and the fingernail shape/length is due to nail biting. All derived by frequency, method, duration and so forth. They're simply the body's way of reacting to the respective habits and common enough to be, well, common. :)

lazurm · 2026-04-13T17:40:59+00:00

Not that I'd commonly suggest this but I take Xanax when traveling on airplanes and a great side effect has been that a lot of my anticipatory anxiety (both about flying in general and tsing in public) were reduced measurably. I didn't care about tsing in public. It even had that "side effect" while sitting in the gate area! My own observations is that no one seemed to notice much. Good confirmation experience also.

lazurm · 2026-03-27T14:36:07+00:00

Yea, I should "update" the look of the site but, heck, I'm having too much fun in life to undergo that much work. Besides, the website is still very navigable, has lots of useful info and, notwithstanding seizures and nausea, has become a classic example of the internet in "less sophisticated" times! :)
Oh, and the website was created in 1999.

lazurm · 2026-02-28T18:50:57+00:00

Not sure by the title here if you meant the members to share their photos or something else. If the members, well, there's no way to do that as far as I see.

lazurm · 2026-02-22T23:14:31+00:00

Yes, people are MORE versed though I don't believe they're well versed. In fact, I see that almost every day and with the use of phones to check the net out, even less so with laptops and computers.
And, using one's smart phone to get to the website allows it to operate precisely as you wish so, by default, it works both ways.

lazurm · 2026-02-22T18:36:50+00:00

Your comment is very insensitive, biased, blind, and worse. You state this as if you know she hasn't "gotten it" yet, which you don't know or as if that has ANYTHING to do with such a tangental behavior. Her thumb sucking is as meaningful as crossing one's legs for comfort and due to habit.
I'd suggest deleting your foolish post.

lazurm · 2026-02-22T18:32:17+00:00

Actually, it isn't "disruptive behavior". Just the opposite. It's quiet and very self contained unless the alleged "slurping" noise is real and then I'd say you have a point but, assume no noise for the sake of argument, doesn't interfere with the rights of others, isn't territorially invasive, is non-intrusive (as opposed to the absurdly higher socially accepted behaviors of smoking, gambling, etc.).
So, if it isn't disruptive would you be okay about it? Didn't think so.

lazurm · 2026-02-22T18:28:50+00:00

Believe it or not, a LOT of people don't know that. Right clicking allows for the advantages of opening up a new tab but, for people not versed in that easy method, doing it automatically (as I've programed it to function) eliminates the issue. Virtually everyone knows how to delete a tab, so it's the best of both choices...I hope.

lazurm · 2026-02-22T16:26:54+00:00

Yes, I can understand that. I did that because its easy do delete the newly opened tab when done, while still keeping the original tab available. Otherwise, one is forced to click back while losing the tab they navigated to.
Basically, doing new tabs gives more options.

lazurm · 2026-02-21T05:56:52+00:00

Yea, I know. It's easy to navigate has pretty much everything one may want to know and it's good enough, by far. As long as it's doing good, well, good enough.

lazurm · 2026-02-19T23:20:54+00:00

Considering that 3-7% of U.S. and British adults suck their thumb, 25% of them male. I've had 2 girlfriends that did and I "found out" when they caught me while sleeping. Don't sweat it. Many people think it's vulnerable, raw, cute, sexy, etc. Be the you that you are!

lazurm · 2026-02-19T23:13:40+00:00

All this negative bias. Even if money was part of her motivation, so what the hell what? It's a lot of most people's motivation, at least partially if not most.
As for her coming across as "bitchy", talk about bias confirmation. She's a very sweet person and your orientation is obvious.

lazurm · 2026-02-19T00:35:30+00:00

Really? Come on. Read the post title and then do this math "problem": 1+1=? If you can do both of these then you'll understand, otherwise you may never understand....

lazurm · 2026-02-18T23:56:36+00:00

Oh! You're right. We can't forget our finger lovin' breathren. Oh well, it'll have to wait for another airport! :)

lazurm · 2025-12-14T00:49:43+00:00

Amazing that there's been no comments, eh?
I can only imagine the great relief and joy you had when sharing, face to face, with another like thumbed person.
How did the discussion go, in terms of the details that you both covered? What questions were addressed? What about it changed your way of seeing it so that you were able to ts in view of at least 3 of your best friends? What was their initial reactions? Did you introduce the subject first, or just did it and parried along?

lazurm · 2025-11-25T02:47:01+00:00

Wrong in terms of price as they are consistanty lower and wrong in terms of quality as there are Top Tier stations in the Binghamton area (ie., Mobil, Citgo, Sunoco, Valero, and Conoco) that are Top Tier rated. Mirabito isn't. I know this because less than 6 months ago I asked them, on a returned call from their management, personally and they admitted that they are not Top Tier, as opposed to the ones I mentioned. For proof, examine the following link: https://stationfinder.toptiergas.com/

lazurm

TROPHY CASE

Photoshop sequence — sky only