Finally

The streak is broken: A man today asked me how tall i was. I think i jinxed it with my post yesterday.

But anyway, I think he was only asking because he needed a way to get close to my car to wash my windshield while i pumped my gas. I hate this, because I'm sure that I make less money than he does, and i have to pay for something i don't want (my wipers do just fine).

But here's the kicker, he said to me,

"What are you, 5'9 or 5'10?"

Needless to say, I tipped him.

Nicen-Up Chicago

My Nicen-Up Chicago Action Plan.

My ideas for a non-profit organization dedicated to making the city a friendlier place to live. This is the code by which we should live by. If successful, we will wave this in the face of New Yorkers (who are not nice) and all cities in Texas (who brag about being nice).

• If anyone lets you into their lane of traffic, you MUST do the little wave. It can be a simple one-two wave, to the beat of “thank-you,” but it must be visible. Out the window is a plus, wiggling fingers preferred. (Salutes acceptable)
• Smiling at complete strangers is required after eye contact, saying hello is optional. This is no longer simply a way to pick up chicks/dudes. Although, this is still encouraged.
• If you're really dedicated, say hello to everyone you see. At first, people may mistake you for a crazy murderer, but it will pay off eventually. Here's a great reader’s digest (don’t judge me) article about what happens if you do: http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/what-if-you-said-hello-to-everyone-in-your-path-for-a-month/article107782.html
• Tip well. Treat your waiter/waitress as your friend, not your indentured servant or subordinate. Also, stick a please on the beginning of your order, and a thank you at the end.
• [For waiters, instead of spitting in it, sprinkle a little home-made love into soup]
• Pretend that workers (construction, maintenance, retail) are people. Oh wait. They are. Be friendly and ask them [genuinely] how they're doing.
• If someone does something nice for you, pay it forward.
• Reserve honking for very serious situations. These include someone has almost killed you, hit a pedestrian, or cut you off so terribly that you have to get out and check to see if your bumper is still attached.
• Do random acts of kindness, like baking your garbageman and mailman Christmas cookies. Don't poison them if you are unhappy with said man.
• Meet your neighbors.
• Hold open doors.
• Smile at babies and things on leashes. (my neighbor has a cat on a leash, so I'm not discriminating)

If you have any more ideas, let me know. We’ll write up something for the mayor.

The Big City

I recently moved to the big city (Chicago), and somehow, SOME WAY, not one person has asked me how tall I am. I realized this today, and was pleasantly shocked. When I lived in rural Indiana, someone asked me this question every time I showed my face in public.

So, what factors are at work here? It could be that:

1) people are much less friendly here. I hate this about cities and make it a point to be obnoxiously nice to anyone who holds a door open for me/serves me food/glances in my general direction.

2) people don't notice my height. (not likely: the times I look tallest are when i am standing in a crowd and my head sticks out like a ping pong ball in a punchbowl)

3) i am shrinking? (it's true, i haven't been measured recently. only the doctors office this summer where the "incident" occured: http://ahigherpointofview.blogspot.com/2010/09/today-at-doctors-office-nurse-just.html)

4) i can't remember what 4 is

All signs point to #1. I think this means that instead of finding a real job, I will start a non-profit called, "Nicen-Up Chicago." Stay tuned for my action plan.

Feet

You'd think that people who notice my height would always look straight up at my head, measure me up, and get over it. "You TALL!" they'd say, and then keep moseying down the sidewalk.

But usually, they look at my head and then down at my feet. Huh? I'm hypothesizing as to why this happens:

- To see if I'm wearing heels (to explain how i could possible be so enormous)

- To see what size shoe I wear (to explain how i possibly stay standing)

When I wear flat shoes, they look back at me with wide eyes. Yep, I'm tall. But here's the kicker- usually, If I'm wearing heels, they look away and figure that that's why I'm so tall.

So here's my idea- if I always wear heels, will people just say "ah, that's why she's so tall," and leave me alone? Doubtful. But it's a thought.