Surfing and other balancing acts...

I watched, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and was reminded of the time I attempted to learn to surf when I was about 13 years old. This seemed like a good idea... but, no... it was not that great of an idea. My center of balance has never been great, and to pop up on that board (which by the way, seemed to shrink to about 6" wide the minute it was in the water) seemed impossible. I did manage to get up once or twice, but really, surfing was not my sport.

I know a lot of tall people who surf. I. am. not. one. of. them. Any sport requiring a very good center of balance (like surfing or gymnastics) pretty much didn't work out for me. But, I'm glad I tried them. Some tall people I know don't even try because they've been told they can't. I, personally, would rather try something and then figure out if it works for me. So... I tried surfing and gymnastics, and will try other things to.

So, what have you tried?? Maybe I'll get some ideas for new things to try.

Height and Weight

Did you know that a healthy weight for a 6'0" female is between 145 and 176? Did you know that the average height and weight of a model is 5'11"/110 lbs. That is quite a discrepancy, and absolutely unattainable if you are living a healthy life and getting all of the nutrients that you need. It scares me to see how thin some of the models out there are. They look sick... at least to me.

As a tall girl, I was always told that I should try modeling. I heard this a lot from some friends parents who wished their girls could get into modeling but they were too short. I never wanted to even try and go that route. It just never seemed appealing. Now, as an adult, I'm so happy I never went that route. It is not only a hard industry, but one that requires a tall girl to be unhealthy at the time that her physical body is changing and growing the most.

I'm thankful for my height, and thankful that I never used it to get into that industry. I must say that I'm happy to see some agencies and brands revolting against that ultra skinny (i.e. unhealthy) look and are starting to use women who look like women. This is a great change, and I do hope I see it become the norm instead of the obvious exception.

Stop Staring!

All you tall girls out there... I know you've experienced this... the STARE. People stare because we're tall, because we're wearing heels that make us even taller, because we're so much taller than the people we're walking beside. They stare, stare, stare... and it is freakin' annoying. So... I. stare. back.

The worst stare is from icky guys who don't just stare, they leer. They think they can, and I have had 'average height' friends confirm that I do get more of these stares than they do. One of these days, I swear, I'm going to go over and ask if they need a close up and then tell them off. It drives me nuts, and it happens a lot around the area I work (not with colleagues, with people outside the building). Same guys, day in and day out. I want to tell them, "yeah, I'm tall, I don't stare at you because you're short." But I never will.

I don't mind the usual 'looks', but the leering stares... just creep me out. At least I know I can take them down, if I need to.

Big Dog, Small Dog

We have two dogs. I wanted a big dog, and my husband wanted a mid to small dog. I always think tall girls with big dogs look cooler. Don't ask me why, I. Just. Do. So... found a great rescue, found a German Shepherd/Lab Mix and a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix at the same rescue. They were friends, and we brought them home. I thought for sure the big dog would be my dog and the smaller dog would be my husbands dog. I. Was. Wrong.

The small dog is completely my dog, and the big dog... well, the world is just not right until Dad gets home. I mean, it's okay with me around, but when she hears his car pull up... well, forget about it. I thought this turn of events would bum me out. But it doesn't. Both dogs are great, and the littel one and I hang out... he likes to lay next to me while I type away. I train the big one to at least have that bond and my husband trains the little one. It works out.

So, now I'm a tall girl who walks a small dog. Go figure. Never thought I'd see the day.

The Business of Being Tall

When I was in Jr. High in the 80's, there were no businesses that focused on tall women. Men had a few options, but even they were under represented. Now, there are many more options, but I think business catering to tall people is still in its infancy. Just look in my side bar to see some businesses I've called out. I'll continue adding more. One thing I have noticed is that the big department stores are starting to add 'long' or 'tall' sections to the clothing area for women. This is a great sign.

Clothing appears to be the most mature area for tall business, some other areas where I think there will be growth (and thus opportunity for anyone who may be interested in catering to tall people and women in particular):

• Auto: More headroom, extra leg room (front and back)
• Travel: More options for extra leg room on flights, more options for hotel rooms with higher shower heads and longer beds, bike rentals that include extra long seats and frames
• Home Items: Shower head extenders that look nice (for those who can't open their wall and re-do their shower), higher counter top options for bathrooms and kitchens, a way to make a doorway higher without taking away structural integrity
• Shoes: CUTE SHOES that are not 5 INCHES HIGH. I love heels, but do wish there was more to choose from in the 1.5 - 2" range. There must be some great shoe designers out there who can help a tall girl out.
  

Okay, I admit, the shoes are clothing, technically... but I don't really put them in the same category. :-)

This list is very short, but is a high level look an issue that I think will spawn many new business over the next 5-10 years. Especially as we are seeing the population get taller, in general.

What are some ideas you have about this? What things do you want in your daily life that you find it hard to get now?

Obama, "I love tall women"

Our President has admitted that he loves tall women. Why this is news, who knows. But I found it funny, and it was glaring at me while I read Politico.

As a tall woman, should I be offended that this is the first thing our President said to a tall woman, or should I think it is cool. Me, I'm shallow enough to say I think it is cool. I still do hope that he loves more about a tall woman than her height. I think his wife is proof positive that this he does. Standing at 5'10 3/4", Michelle Obama is in the 'tall woman' category and with her achievements and brains, she is clearly in the 'smart and ambitious woman' category as well.

So, all you tall girls out there, stand a little taller, we've got good word of mouth working in our favor these days.

Movies & Theaters

I saw Star Trek last night (and I am by no means a Trekkie!), and I loved it. Great action, great story line, fantastic writing. Everything that makes me love big Summer blockbusters. This really is my favorite time of year for movies because I get to let go of reality for a couple hours for pure entertainment. No thinking, no heavy message... just great fun!

If you have a chance to see Star Trek in the theater... do... the sound and effects are incredible and deserve the attention that a theater and big screen give.

Now, before you start saying, "Tallgirl, what on Earth does any of this have to do with being tall?" Well, let me tell you, theaters are a lot like airplanes. There are good seats, and there are horrible seats when it comes to leg length. As much as everyone will say the middle seats are best, for me, the aisle is best. Why? Because over the course of 2+ hours, I may actually want to cross, uncross and re-cross my legs so my feet don't fall asleep. To do this requires more than four inches of room, and I don't know about you, but I hate to have my seat kicked, especially while enjoying a movie, so I will do everything I can to Not. Kick. The. Seat.

Some theaters that are a little more pricey have started making comfy seats with lots of leg room... but I don't always have the opportunity to attend such a theater. This, and the fact that people seem to think that a theater is a great place to ANSWER THEIR CELL PHONE, TEXT FOR TWO HOURS or have an AUDIBLE CONVERSATION with the person next to them, is the reason that we generally watch movies at home. No screaming kids, no cell phones, and plenty of leg room on my couch to stretch out.

But, some movies must be seen in the theater... such as Star Trek. So... for those movies, I'm willing to contort my body for two hours. Why? Because a good movie, with a bag of popcorn with extra butter is something that still makes me smile.

Go see a movie... and remember to thank that tall person behind you doing everything they can to not kick your seat. :-)

Time for my Summer Hair Cut

I'm getting my hair cut this weekend... and will probably add some more wispy bangs or something fun for summer. I've always wanted to get a really short do, but the one time I did... ahem... in 7th grade... I learned very quickly that short, Does. Not. Work. For. Me. All I need to do to remind myself how bad it can be is pull out my 7th grade pictures. It makes me wince just thinking about it. Oh, what a sad time in hair that was for me... the Pat Benatar look just didn't work for me.

Now, that was about 20 years ago (yep, you now know I'm in my 30's), but the hair and height are the same. I know tall women who can pull of short hair... I. am. not. one. of. them. I've come to terms with this... so instead of going short I get more layers or bangs or go with a fun color.

I've learned to not fight the hair... the hair will always win.

Swimming and the suit...

Let's all take a moment and think about what is right around the corner... summer. What does this really mean? Time to start looking at swimsuits. It's hard enough as a woman, but when you have a torso that is the size of a small child, it is mission... impossible.

For me it becomes double hard, because I am a person who likes to get a 'lounge around' swimsuit a swimsuit for exercising. Two very different suits, which means at least double the frustration when buying a suit becomes necessary.

For my workouts, Speedo is the brand I choose. Check out their 'Ultraback Long Contemporary'.

For lounging, it's a bit harder as I like to try on lots of styles. I find that I almost always end up with a tankini. This allows me to get the bottom I want, the top I want and coverage I want. Can I just say... another tall. girl. miracle!

Here's a google search for tankini, should you want a LOT of options, as I always do. :-)

I'll post any good swimsuit finds I come across. What are some of your secrets for swimsuit shopping?

Stand Up Straight!

To make myself feel shorter, I used to slouch. My Mom would tell me not to, but as soon as she was out of the room, I'd be slouching. What a horrible habit I formed. This stopped as soon as I learned to embrace my height, but I still notice that I do it occasionally, usually when I'm tired, or sitting for a long time at my desk.

One thing I've found that really helps is low impact Yoga... usually Hatha yoga. The long stretches, the forced back work and really feeling what it is like to have my back straight all help. In fact, I think I'm a whole half inch or inch taller since starting to practice yoga a few years ago.

If you're looking to make your posture better, I highly recommend checking out the available Yoga classes in your city. Not only will you gain better posture, but the other side effects are fantastic as well. Things like not wanting to scream at every driver on the road next to you in rush hour traffic. :-)