Comma Query Regarding a Long, Descriptive Sentence

SnarfHow is that comma after "joyously"? Does it make it too choppy?

Far too many commas, and it is too choppy anyway. Recast a bit:

He grabs at the rocks, crushing them, and laughs to himself joyously in the fiery sunshine beating down on his neck light years away from home.

You wouldn't put a comma between neck and light?!

SnarfYou wouldn't put a comma between neck and light?!

I certainly would not! 'Light years away from home' is restrictive.

So there's no pause after neck, given "light years away from home" is additional information?

I see and say none.

Interesting. So a sentence like this, I guess, definitely doesn't need a comma, then:

He ran as fast as he could deeper and deeper into the cave.

SnarfSo a sentence like this, I guess, definitely doesn't need a comma, then:He ran as fast as he could deeper and deeper into the cave.

No, none is necessary at all.

Okay. Speaking of commas, as I often do...

She walks in wearing a short tight dress.

I used to think an adjectival comma is necessary there after "short," but then I started thinking otherwise, and now I'm confused. In this case, it's probably just a matter of taste, right? In terms of the "and" test, a comma does not belong, since it doesn't s

Snarfit's probably just a matter of taste, right? In terms of the "and" test, a comma does not belong,

I agree.

Snarfit doesn't sound natural, at least not to me, to say, "...short and tight dress.

I agree.

I would not write this sentence in this manner. My best rewrite effort:

As he grabs the rocks, crushing them while laughing to himself joyously, he feels the sun's burning heat, coming from light years away, penetrate the skin on the back of his neck.

I personally don't like my rewrite, but I tried to stay as true to the original as possible.