the world through my eyes
i feel rather miniscule today.
when i was 23, i dated someone who was taller than i was. no surprise there, considering he was 6'3. or considering that all of my boyfriends have been taller than i am. it's not that hard to be taller than i am. have i mentioned i'm 5'2?
well once, when i was looking for something in the kitchen cupboard, this particular boyfriend came up behind me and crouched down. when i asked him what on earth he was doing, he told me he was trying to see what things looked like from my perspective, height-wise. he said it was weird for him to realize that when i look into cabinets and shelves, things aren't on eye-level. i always have to look up and crane my neck, stand on my toes, or get a step stool. since it's always been the case, i never gave the issue much thought before my boyfriend did this, but now i'm aware that my perspective on the world around me is different from that of my taller friends. i'm reminded when i go to the grocery store, library, or bookstores. often, someone tall will pass by and offer to help me get something down off of the top shelf. or i ask. no big deal.
but i recently saw a tv segment about advertising and how products are marketed, esp. to children. did you know that expensive items are often placed at eye-level in stores? manufacturers know you're more likely to buy products you can easily see versus those you have to search for. think about it for a minute. the next time you're at the store, go to the soup aisle. the most popular soups, like tomato, or chicken noodle, or mushroom, are usually on the bottom shelf. at eye level, you'll find the fancier flavors. clam chowder, green pea, cream of asparagus. furthermore, sweet sugary cereals are often strategically placed at child eye-level. [pretty sneaky--check out this article]! i wonder if little people get taken advantage of by advertisers in this way. do we get ripped off and tricked into buying more expensive or sugar-laden stuff than our tall friends?
why the random train of thought tonight?
well not only am i the newest employee at work... i'm also the littlest! i'm setting up my office and ergonomic work station and it's pretty much good to go. however, my boss thinks i may need a new chair because my feet dangle when i sit in it! also, we have these tall file cabinets to file case notes in. she said she assigned me the lower drawers because of my height. also, the tall handsome seattleite known as amishboy got me thinking about height last night. {and hey, if you haven't checked him out yet, you're all missing out on some good laughs and fun reads}!
