Growing Up Super Tall

I will write this out better someday, but someday is not now. I'm inspired by the following article:

http://thetallblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/what-its-really-like-being-64-and-a-women/

But I feel like she misses some points:

1. She wasn't tall until high school. I was 6'4" in 8th grade. I haven't grown a bit since. While I may have been popular in one sense, I felt extremely unpopular. People called me sasquatch in elementary school and junior high, boys asked me out as jokes and then laughed when I said okay, the popular girls didn't see me as anything like them...I felt like a complete outsider.

2. My height as a young child meant that I had to act older - always. When I was 5 people thought I was 8, when I was 10 people thought I was 13, when I was 12 local high school seniors asked me out. I had to grow up a little too quickly for my own my good, without the experience and emotional maturity to face the issues presented to me. I ended up dating older men, which probably also screwed with my head.

3. I was never a girl. I was always a tomboy. I had tons of guy friends who never saw me as girly. I had girlfriends but could never enjoy the things they enjoyed (shopping, shoes, crushes on boys taller than me, etc.).

Now, I embrace my height. I LOVE it. But there are still problems:

4. I have to order every pant I've ever owned. And then I have to tailor it. These pants are expensive. When I was broke and working in nonprofits, I couldn't do a damn thing to further myself. Now I have great pants, but when they wear out I have to replace them and it's a bitch. I have to order a bunch of pants, pay for shipping (and there's no such thing as a pair of pants in my inseam for less than $80), try them on, return the ones that down work, pay for shipping again. Yes, I know that shop you love has tall sizes. No, they are not tall enough for me. I have to use sites like longtallsally and longelegantlegs...both of which tailor by height, not style, which means I get maybe one or two pairs of pants per season that work for me. Thank god I even have a style choice now.

5. I have to order shoes. They are not always cute. Sometimes they suck. When I find a pair I love, I buy multiples. I have 4 pairs of the beautiful Nine West black pumps I found specially made for barefoottess.com. I prefer heels. Heels in my height tend to be very very low, or so high they are really meant for trannies. (Nothing against the trannies...lots of love here.)

6. In a bar, at a party, I have to sit if I want to hear the conversation. Unless I'm in a group of tall guys...which again, makes me one of the guys rather than part of the girl conversation.

7. My thighs will ALWAYS be bigger than my date's thighs. Even if he's a rockstar. In fact, I BRIEFLY dated an ex pro football player who was 6'9", and my thighs were still bigger than his. And I was not in a fat phase.

8. I will never ever be anonymous. Never. I can't get away with anything. People remember me. You know how you forget someone's name and you can play it off? I can't...they always remember that I met them and tell me so. Shit.

9. I can never go on a peaceful walk in the city. Someone will always stop me. Most days this is okay. Some days I enjoy it. But some days, you just want to be left the eff alone. Those days, I can't be.

10. Beds are too short, airplanes are too cramped, cars don't have enough room. I just don't fit in this world.

Now for the good:

11. I am always noticed. I always get attention.

12. People feel a connection to me because I offer a non-threatening way to approach me.

13. I'm actually okay at basketball. :)

14. I never have trouble reaching ANYTHING.

15. I am a goddess in developing countries.

16. I am seen as older and more powerful than I am in the workplace.

17. I can carry my own shit without needing help.

18. Being a freak has forced me to embrace who I am. I love me, and I'm so thankful I am me. I just wish maybe I could get better clothes and shoes. :)