I’ve always felt short. If I’m talking to a tall person, I feel short. If I’m talking to someone shorter than I am, I feel about as tall as they are. Generally speaking. Personality matters too — if they have a large personality, I also feel shorter than them, no matter how tall they are.
According to my American driver’s license, long expired, I am 5’11” tall, but I always thought that was fudged upwards a bit — when I originally got that license I was about 5′ 10″, I think, but figured I’d still grow some so added the extra inch.
A few weeks ago, I was at the American Embassy here to renew my daughter’s American passport. The form she filled out asked how tall she was. She asked the clerk for a calculator so we could do the conversion, and the clerk pointed out a thing on the wall? What would you call it, a strip of paper six inches wide with feet and inches marked off. My daughter stood up to it and we knew how tall she was.
For fun I stood up to it and it said I was 6’1″ tall. Minus an inch for my shoes (which are not really that high) and I would be at least 6′ tall.
In an instant, I went from feeling short to feeling, if not tall, at least taller. It was what could be called in German an Aha-Erlebnis. Which could be translated as an epiphany, although I would not be completely happy with that translation. Literally it would translate as “aha-experience”. Something that makes you say, “aha.”
I may have even said, “aha!” Or I may have said, “hey, I’m tall.”
Since then, I’ve been living in a different world. I had always envied people who were six feet tall, and now I am one of them! All thanks to that paper thing on the wall of the American Embassy!
I’m sure it was accurate: surely, the Embassy does not want people putting inaccurate information on their passports. So there is absolutely no need to ever again measure myself. I’m six feet tall. At least. Even taller in the mornings when my hair is standing straight up.
and you are SO much more sexy now.
now that you’re tall.
woohoo!
in my [short] case, i’m afraid that the 4 inches i need, to be my ideal height, will always elude me … [sigh]
i’ve always been considered quite tall given my age, gender and occupation (late 20s, woman, office geek).
being tall is a GOOD THING.
Yeah, 6 feet is a sexy height, isn’t it. Although somehow 5’11” sounds taller to me. Or at least, I had myself convinced it did until I grew.
I don’t know, j-a. I guess you’re right, being tall has certain advantages. It never makes any difference for me, though, in how I perceive other people. I’ve always been more interested in aspects of their personalities, such as, you know, Are they intelligent? Do they have a sense of humor? Are they interested in having sex with me? Are they buying me drinks?
I’m twenty-two feet tall. But I’m a poplar, so I still feel a bit on the shortish side. And my leaves quiver.
Six feet? How could you knot (poplar spelling variant) know? I forget how tall I am in centimeters, but it’s on a card. Wait…
I’m listed as 170 centimeters, which is, now that I do the conversion, 5’7″. I think I’m nearer 5’8″, which is still not very tall, but I don’t want to round up and lie about it, and I would feel stupid saying “I’m five feet seven and a half inches,” like a kid saying “I’m five years old, going on six.” So I probably told the woman at the passport office 5’7″. But maybe it’s grounds for deportation. They used to calculate our water bill by how many people lived in the apartment. Maybe height also counts? I washed an extra couple of centimeters every day, completely off the books, for years.
Hmmm…maybe there’s hope for my bathroom scale yet!
Honestly, I always add a half inch to my height whenever asked. I figure if I hold my shoulders up and keep my back straight like my mother tried to teach me to do oh so many years ago, I can stretch into it :)
I have always had aspirations for tallness. As of yet, however, they remain sadly unfulfilled.
so what is 190 cm in feet/inches?
And you’re skinny, too, aren’t you?
Grrrrrr…. from all us tubby little gnome-people.
One of the best things about living in Hong Kong was that I was finally tall — I could see over people on elevators and on the train. It was glorious. Then I moved back to the US, and my 5’5″ was distinctly average again. Sigh.
I was talking to a (genuinely tall, maybe 6 foot or more) friend yesterday, and we decided I was spiritually tall. By the puny measuring implements of so-called “science” I’m of average height, but in spirit and attitude, I’m at least 6 feet tall. And I look like Greta garbo (withouthe being dead part)
Oops, time to take my meds…..
I remember the day I measured myself against that wooden version of the paper thing at a friend’s medical practice and discovered I was 5′ 2 3/4″. Such pride. But every time I go to the doctor’s and they use that Metal Arm Thingie that’s attached to the Scale of Evil it says 5’2″.
Always a fan of contrasts, my bedpost notches refer mostly to men of 6’4″ stature. With big deathrock hair. And nasty drug habits. The 80s was a fun time to be a teenager, I tell you what. Sigh.
Anyway. I always knew you were 6’1″.
And the silver-y highlights in your hair? They add an inch all on their own.
So how tall is La Beta? I’m guessing 5’3″, 5’4″? And rising.
It depends whether she’s hitting me or not, Jessica.
Silver-y highlights? I like that. When my sister was here, she said to my wife something along the lines of, “jesus, his hair’s white!” which I guess is a little sister’s job.
Joeri: I suppose about 5’7″ or 5’8″…
Brian: not skinny yet. BUT I HAVE LOST 5 KILOGRAMS NOW!!! although I haven’t weighed myself since I ate a whole bag of pistachios last night… See, I’m giving myself a total makeover.
yeah right. 6’2 is more like it dude
length does matter, you know :)
Sorry, my mistake…
Being short is not fun.
Highlights
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