Tall Girl in Mexico (Bueno!)

I did it! I went to Mexico and was successfully the tallest person in Puerta Vallarta (well…on the Marina anyways…I actually did meet some tall boys downtown so I suppose I can’t declare myself the Tallest Tourist).  What an amazing and wonderful trip!  Let me first start out by saying that I don’t speak any Spanish.  I know the words for beer, bathrooms, hello, and thank you.  Honestly, that’s it.  But the Mexicans were so kind and most were bilingual.  The ones that weren’t bilingual, we did the head nod dance but usually figured out what we were talking about.

Ridiculous, silly, funny, smart, talented, beautiful, loyal and downright amazing…that’s the awesomeness that I’m surrounded with here ( Melissa, Michelle, Me, & Robyn)

I went to Mexico with 3 girls that I’ve known forever and will know forever.  I won’t let them go and they won’t let me go.  We usually plan something once a year (or try really hard) and since this year there are 2 of us turning 40, Mexico seemed like the perfect ‘girls’ trip.  We zip-lined (pictured above), snorkeled, tasted a lot of good and bad tequila, played with monkeys & Mexican raccoons (true story), laughed copious amounts, got tan, and enjoyed each others company.  The world feels right when you are with good friends and that’s how my week went.  So many funny stories….

First and foremost, I caught up with my girls.  We all live so far away from each other and life gets in the way of phone calls and emails (Seattle, Denver, & Madison) so I feel like we are connected again.  I feel more centered myself because I connected with my ladies, I definitely was overdue.

Our last night in Mexico…and we didn’t sing karaoke. BUT we did drink beer while laughing and talking on the beach. Way more important!

I will say that my height was of definite ‘interest’ while in Mexico.  I’m not even sure of how many pictures I took with shorter people or even of how many times it was our opening conversation piece but we don’t care, we use it to our advantage.  There were so many free drinks that I’m almost embarrassed to try to guess how many, but it’s vacation so it’s to be expected, right?

Oh, and I should mention: The Timeshare Presentation.  We did it and got some free stuff along with an amazing room upgrade but it was brutal.  The original 90 minutes promised was really more like 4 hours.  However, we brought vodka (again, true story) and we made frequent bathroom trips so our presentation almost seemed silly by the time we were done.  In case you were wondering, we didn’t sign up to own a timeshare.

There were a couple of things that really stood out for me.  Zip-lining was huge.  I’m terrified of heights but by the time I was done, upside-down and spinning is how I careened over the 500 foot ravines.  All while screaming with bloody delight!  And I had a blast on one of our downtown nights as well.  Sometimes you just meet the right people/person at the exact right time and the fun simply begins….oh, and when you get a lap dance on your snorkeling cruise, that kinda makes your day too.

My favorite night out! Met fun people, had fun times….oh to do it again!

If I had a ton of time (and an ‘A’ on my keyboard…long story but one of the cats clipped it with his nail and now I’m short an ‘A’) I’d write about almost all of my adventures.  Some are dear and can’t be shared, some may and most likely will make me cry, and all are precious.   But suffice to say the trip was AMAZING!

I think our next trip is a back packing and possibly Spa adventure.  I’ve decided I need a goal to help whip my butt into shape and Mount St. Helen’s is a perfect hiking opportunity (not gonna lie, I also dearly miss the NW and this is a way for me to get back in a meaningful manner).  This fall may find 4 of the most fun, fearless, hilariously awesome chicks hiking up the NW’s most prized volcano.

So to recap, Mexicans are short and I am tall.  ‘Nuff said?

So you wanna start a Tall Club, eh?

You’re tall.  You feel like you hang out with a lot of tall people.  You think it would be fun to start a tall club.  So you talk to your other tall friends and everyone seems to think it would be fun and a great idea.  Now what?  Well, that’s what I’m here for!  I’ve got the inside info on how you can start your very own tall club and also how you too can become affiliated with Tall Clubs International.

The basic requirements:

1. Men must be a minimum of 6’2″ and women must be a minimum of 5’10”.
2. All members must be at least 21 years of age.
3. Start-up clubs should be active for 6 months prior to application for membership
4. Minimum membership prior to application for membership is 15 members.
5. TCI annual dues are $3 per member, minimum of $45, due in January of each year.

The basic steps

1. Name your club and elect officers
2. Publicize your club (Facebook, Twitter, Meet-Up, etc)
3. Begin having regular meetings and social events to attract more members
4. Write your bylaws (samples available)
5. Open a bank account and start collecting dues to fund events
6. Once you have 15 members it’s time to apply for members ship!  (you must have authorization by a majority vote of your members directing the club president to seek membership through TCI)
7. Contact TCI’s Vice President of Membership (tci-membership@tall.org) at least 60 days prior to the annual convention (usually the last weekend in June) to submit your application for membership.  You will need:

• Letter of Application from your Club President
• Letter of Sponsorship from another TCI club in good standing (find one that’s close in proximity to you or perhaps make friends with someone in a club OR contact me and I’ll direct you to someone close to you)
• Send a check for 1/2 of the annual dues (minimum $22.50 for 15 members)
• List of founding members (Include: names, officially measured height barefoot, zip code, and email address)

If all is in order, your new club will be nominated for membership at the annual Delegates meeting during Convention.

Some of my tall club members at Convention in Las Vegas in 2009 when I won Miss Tall International.

Why should I become affiliated with Tall Clubs International (TCI)?

• Charity–TCI is affiliated with several charities so your funds go to some great charities such as Marfan Syndrome and Habitat for Humanity.
• Parents–TCI is a little like your parent.  You have your local club and then TCI above your local club.  It’s a great dynamic.
• Parties–do you like to party?  Yeah, me too.  And so do many of the TCI members.
• Tall People–do you like to party with tall people?  Yeah, me too…..see where I’m going with this?
• Tall Stores–what better place to swap stories about tall stores or even better swap clothes.  Or how about this, many tall stores offer discounts to members of TCI!!!
• Miss Tall International–Are you single, female, and always wanted to wear a crown and a sash?  Perhaps you should consider running for Miss Tall International.
• Ummmm…FUN–I don’t think I need to expand on this

Me and my tall friend Jan. This was taken at a Tall Christmas party!

Now, if you’d like to start a tall club please do!  If you would like more information on this please feel free to contact TCI Vice President (currently Genie Williamson) at tci-membership@tall.org.

I can also assist if you would like to contact me at misstallgirlramblings@gmail.com.  I can direct you to clubs near you or directly to TCI for further assistance.

Update: Tall Woman searching for Tall Man

If you know me, I tend to be wordy so if you want the short version: I’ve not found Mr. Tall Right. In fact I’ve not even gone on a single date yet!

For those of you that want the tall version, read on…

I have not found Mr. Mantastic yet…I’m sure he’s out there but….

So if you remember I uploaded my profile onto Match.com with baited breath, crossing my fingers, and hoping for the best all the while keeping my expectations very low.  I’m SO glad I’ve kept my expectations at an all time low.  I’ve received many winks which have sparked no interest in me and I’ve received 1 email.  Okay, technically I’ve received 3 but 2 of those emails are from my friends, Dave and Jeff, so those don’t really count 🙂 (sorry guys).

I went into my profile this morning thinking maybe it’s too long.  So I deleted a couple of things to shorten it up and resubmitted it.  I personally think my profile is kinda funny, explains who I am, but isn’t terribly long so whomever reads it isn’t bored by the end.  But I’m simply not getting noticed OR I’m just too tall OR I’m not as funny as I think I am OR…the list is endless.

The Match Profile is like the resume of dating and I’m failing at this first step in the process.  I’ve actually used a professional resume service to beef up my professional resume so I’m wondering do I need that for my profile?  I met my last boyfriend randomly at a Portland Skyliner tall club event so do I need to hang around tall clubs?  What’s a tall girl to do?

I was also Miss Tall Portland once upon a time. What a fun time that was!

This whole dating thing is really no fun for me.  BUT, I can’t just hide myself away….I’m such a catch.  (Please read this dripping with sarcasm as that’s how it’s being written.  And a further disclaimer: please don’t feel the need to stroke my ego with compliments, I’m truly not fishing for any, I simply like to be sarcastic sometimes)

Wish me luck!

Amazingly Funny Tall Interview

I am so excited to find this Tall interview with Chris Clapham (6’9″) on youtube because once you watch this, you will completely understand my excitement! But let me back up for a second.

I’m always on the lookout for something to write about.  Now I personally always have something to discuss but it’s much more fun when I come across something like this.  This is an interview with a guy who is 6’9″ and he talks of his daily life of simply being tall.

I’m dying to write more but I don’t want to spoil it.  Please enjoy the video:  Interview with Chris Clapham

An Interview with Joy Dawson, Miss Tall International 2010

Me crowning Joy as Miss TI 2010.

I nabbed it!  That’s right, the exclusive interview with Tall Clubs International reigning queen, Miss Tall International® 2010, Joy Dawson.  The wonderful part of conducting an interview with someone that you know (and like!) is that it’s fun and makes my writing pastime even more enjoyable for me.  This interview is extremely special to me because I was the outgoing queen who crowned Joy as the incoming queen.  Typically in a situation like this it can be a little bittersweet but from my perspective I was incredibly excited to pass the torch.  All of the candidates in the 2010 pageant were truly amazing women, but Joy stood out amongst the group.  So today I get to tell you a little bit more about her, in her own words, and what makes her so special.  I’m also going to give you some information regarding the next Tall Pageant so if you are interest in attending, you’ll know the 4-1-1 and who to contact.

Without further ado, let’s talk about Joy!

___________________________

Height: 6′ 2″ barefoot

Local Tall Club:  Tall Club of Greater Washington, DC

Advantages of Being Tall:  When you find an item of clothing that
fits, it looks fantastic.  Even a simple piece looks elegant and
dramatic on a tall person.

Disadvantages: Sometimes you have to go to go as far as Canada or
England to find something that fits!  Shipping charges are a bear.

What is a day in the life of Miss TI:  I get dressed and go to work
just like everyone else.  However, I am referred to as “Your
Highness” in the places I frequent, which is hilarious.  When I go
somewhere wearing the crown and sash and someone says, “Oh…who are
you?”  I smile and tell them my name is Joy…feigning as if I were
not wearing a sparkly crown and a regal sash.  The person laughs and
it starts a conversation about Tall Clubs and what we are about.

If I may talk a bit about my life as Miss TI when I am doing publicity and
raising awareness, I am so honored that I have been able to bring
attention to my platform, which is bullying.  My platform is
height-related, as is expected of Miss TI.  I was 6′ tall in middle
school and kept growing.  Because of it, I was ridiculed and harassed
mercilessly.  Plus, I didn’t play basketball.  If I had, it might have
taken some of the pressure off me because people would have seen me
using my height to my advantage.  It would have earned me some
respect.  However, I had to be who I was.  I was not going to let
anyone else decide what was best for me just because only fit into one
acceptable, ideal box in the minds of the public.  I have noticed that
tall young people, before they figure out who they are, are always
singled out.  I wanted to use my experiences to help them and other
unique young people.  I have been traveling the country doing speeches
in middle schools.  Why did I wait until I was crowned?  Because few
things make people pay attention like a crown.  And when I wear it and
my fiercest pumps, I look about 6′ 7.”  With that and my message, I
have kept the attention of huge crowds of children for an hour at a
time.  It is energizing.  I only hope that I was able to help someone
and provide some encouragement.

Any favorite moments as Miss TI:  It is hard to choose, but a day
after I was crowned in New Orleans, I got to ride a police horse!!  I
was not going to let the fact that I was wearing a long gown and high
heels keep me from riding this horse.  The dark beauty was eighteen
hands high (gigantic for a horse).  I knew that perhaps I would never
again have a chance to ride a horse that was tall enough for me.  So I
hiked up my dress and hoisted myself up.  However, it
was one of the most beautiful moments of my entire life.  I giggled
like a twelve-year-old the whole time.

Joy atop a NOPD horse!

Where do you buy your clothes?: I am probably Long Elegant Legs’, Long
Legs’, and Long Tall Sally’s most popular customer.  I am becoming a
frequent shopper with Simply Tall, too.  I have noticed that the
selection has really improved in the last decade.  Now I can get
clothes in colors other than black, brown, navy, and white.  Also,
smaller sizes are more readily available.  I really appreciate that.
You may be aware that pretty much all of the storefront locations of
the tall women’s specialty shops have closed down in the last couple
of years.  Long Elegant Legs has a warehouse sale twice a year in
Hillsborough, NJ.  I drive up there every year for at least one sale.
It makes me feel like everyone else for a change.  I think women of
average height can not understand what it is like to never be able to
walk into a store and buy clothes.  I am sure it would be a rude
awakening for anyone if one day he or she walked through an entire
mall and only bought a magazine and cup of coffee because nothing else
will ever fit.  We must frequent the businesses I mentioned so that we
statuesque ladies can engage in retail therapy at the mall just like
everyone else.

Any funny moments as a tall woman: Forgive the personal nature of
this story, but I think it’s hilarious.  I was in a very, very old
building.  You know how much shorter people were a hundred years ago,
right?  Well, nature called and I went to the ladies room.  With the
size of the stall, the height of the bowl, and the length of my legs,
let’s just say I had to choose between sitting down or being able to
close the stall door for some privacy!  Actually, it’s only hilarious
on hindsight.

I would like to close with a few things people/children have exclaimed
upon seeing me.  Sometimes I had on my crown and sash, sometimes I did
not.

“Now that’s a tall, COOL drink of water!” (It was the “cool” part that
made me laugh).
“Look at that tall little girl!”
“Look!  It’s Princess Tiana!”
“Oh!  I thought you were a mannequin!”

___________________________

A HUGE Thank YOU to Joy for helping to make this interview happen.  Being Miss Tall International has lots of responsibilities on top of your daily life so I appreciate the time Joy took out of her busy schedule to make this happen.

The 2011 Tall Clubs International Convention will be held in Seattle, WA beginning June 27th through July 2nd.  The Miss Tall International Pageant will be held on Wednesday, June 29th.  Details can be found at the Miss TI Blogspot or Tall Clubs International (TCI) website.