Short is a relative term, Feeling shorter on some days than others

[VirtualAndy]

So let's start with the facts. I am definitely a short man. In the morning I can't claim 5 ft 4, and in the evening I just about get over 5 ft 3, so if anyone asks i claim 5 ft 3 and a half! It doesn't bother me - perhaps it did a little when I was growing up (or not!), but never much - but it is a fact.

The point of this post is that sometimes I don't even think about it, other times it does occupy my mind.

Now obviously, it would be more prominent in my mind if people had made comments, but this doesn't often happen - I don't know why. Sometimes children will say something - I do some voluntary teaching within a brass band, and some of the children get quite excited as they grow closer and closer to my height. They never make derogatory or hurtful comments - it's almost like a running joke between us, and it never impinges on my authority as an adult. It seems to be the catching up that intrigues them - once they have overtaken me it becomes a non-issue.

Sometimes it depends where I have been and what I have been doing. Human nature I guess makes us notice the very short and very tall, or anyone who deviates from the norm. As a short person, I think the very short attract my attention more than the very tall (I guess because I'm used to everyone around me being taller, but it's quite unusual to see people shorter than me). For example, I was standing at the bar of a pub the other night with some friends, and amongst the crowd of (relative) giants, two ladies caught my eye - a barmaid who had no heels, and was probably just under my eye level (I'm guessing about 4 ft 9 or 10), and a punter who was very slightly taller but in significant heels (so I'm guessing about 4 ft 8 or so).

Now you might think this would make me feel tall - and perhaps initially it did (a quite unusual thing!). However, as time progressed, I think it just served to emphasis my shortness! Not to the point of it upsetting me, but just making it more prominent in my mind! I expect it will be forgotten tomorrow, and I'll be back to my normal state, which means that I barely even think about my height.

Well, having read this post, I'm not quite sure what point I'm trying to make! If anybody out there DOES know, or if you've anything to add, I'd love to read your comments. As an alternative, remember that this site has a chatroom - it used to be fairly well used!

from Little Andy

[Mantrashak]

Yeah... I'm not entirely sure what point you're trying to make either, except I also know exactly what point you're making too!

I'm a couple of inches taller. So I'm used to looking up to guys, and I'm about eye-to-eye with the average woman. When I'm standing next to someone who is well over 6 foot, I feel dwarfed. But when I'm standing next to someone under 5 foot, I feel quite tall!

I wonder what happened to some of the old regular posters (eg Nia and David)? Still lurking out there or moved on? I haven't been in the chatroom myself for a while... various projects vying for my time, but I take a peek now and then!

[lisa]

I'm probably just being paranoid, but I feel like everybody disappeared right around the time I came along!

[VirtualAndy]

Maybe it's a conspiracy - someone is visiting each poster in turn and putting their computer keyboards on a higher shelf...

[twente]

Lisa do you mean on this forum?

[lisa]

Yes. Probably coincidence but a few people disappeared right after I came along, and now I feel paranoid! Stupid as that sounds I worry - probably irrationally - that I annoyed or offended someone, somehow, perhaps through a different approach to matters? Hopefully just an attack of self-absorbed suspicion.

[twente]

well, I don't believe it has anything to do with you. Your the one who is posting most in here and it is always something some one can react on. And even if there was some one who went because of you (which is hard to believe) then it is still his or her choice to go an would had gone too sooner or later with another reason. By the way, I thought that I was the one who pushed people away.

and it is pretty quiet in here but it isn't dead yet.

[VirtualAndy]

Lisa, I can't imagine you've pushed people away. I think it's far more likely that the forum has just been going through a quiet patch. There could be a number of reasons. I used to post quite a lot, but then went through a busy period where I either didn't have time, or just got out of the habit!

Another possibility is that people just ran out of things to say! Maybe they'll return, or maybe we have to continue recruiting a new batch of shorties to keep things going!

Either way, so long as there are a few of us still here, the forum won't die.

[littlelegs]

Apparently people start off taller at the start of the day then gradually get shorter.To me it makes no difference i am short all day.I do get abit daunted being in crowds has i know that i am going to be the shortest.I am always looking to see if there is anyone else.I can only come up with children being my size.The youngest child was 7 years old and they were 4'8.I have also come across someone who was 13 and she was 4'7.
I know that when i walk down a street i feel people staring at me and when i look round they just turn their head quickly.

[little_one]

How tall are you littlelegs?
I walk past aload of school kids everyday, 90% are taller than me. Meh, whatever, even if i was average height then they'd still overtake me eventually (especially the boys). There is one girl who i notice every morning, she must be no younger than 12, she is about 4 inches shorter than me, so she's 4ft5ish i suppose, maybe 4ft7, i can't really work it out if they're shorter as i'm not used to it! Anyway, this is the one schoolkid out of about 20 that i walk past each morning that's shorter than me. I just try not to think about it haha. A girl i used to babysit for was 8 years old, she was shorter than me but she had bigger feet than i

Sorry if no one's welcomed you to the forum either, i havent used this in ages as i thought it had shut down!

Oh and you are probably imagining them staring at you, it's just paranoia, theyre probably not even thinking about your height, it's just in your imagination as you're constantly thinking about it

[VirtualAndy]

Haven't been around for ages!

Is there anyone still here???