The reason I didn't reply to the original message was because I didn't really know how to respond.
But you DID respond to it. You responded to the first and the second PM, but not over PM. I am not sure why I should believe the rest if you're going to lie to me.
Your posse does not seem to realize that people I interact with in RL have the ability to view the Gutter, and I have already had to give a "Yes, I could be a self denying bisexual, but I don't think so because of XYZ now can we drop it?" speech at my FNM a few months back, thanks to the Gutter.
Unless you're saying the people I know in RL are lieing to me about you responding.
But you DID respond to it. You responded to the first and the second PM, but not over PM. I am not sure why I should believe the rest if you're going to lie to me.
Your posse does not seem to realize that people I interact with in RL have the ability to view the Gutter, and I have already had to give a "Yes, I could be a self denying bisexual, but I don't think so because of XYZ now can we drop it?" speech at my FNM a few months back, thanks to the Gutter.
Unless you're saying the people I know in RL are lieing to me about you responding.
My responce to you is not me being part of a posse.. Its my hatred for your attention whoring crap you spew over the forum... if you really wanted things to stop you shut up about most of this crap, NOT post stupidity on purpose, and not run around posting about your personal life when no one cares. EVERYTHING that has happened is cause you bring it onto yourself.
Go to the mirror and yell at the person that deserves it.
My responce to you is not me being part of a posse.. Its my hatred for your attention whoring crap you spew over the forum... if you really wanted things to stop you shut up about most of this crap, NOT post stupidity on purpose, and not run around posting about your personal life when no one cares. EVERYTHING that has happened is cause you bring it onto yourself.
QFT
When I'm wrong about stuff and want people to forget about it, I stop posting, and y'know what?
@Howler: My mom really likes the show "Little People Big World", I don't know if you've seen it, but it's about a family in which both parents are little people. I watch it sometimes, and it's pretty inspiring how they strive to never let their size effect (affect?) how they live their lives. I notice one thing in particular that I wondered about you/your surroundings.
Do you live in a house where things are height adjusted to make your day to day a bit more convenient? If not, do you think that would be useful, or are you used to average height counters/tables and such.
BTW I think it's pretty cool that you answer peoples questions.
Oh, I just thought of something. You've been playing guitar for three years, but do you find it hard to play instruments? I know I sometimes find it hard to find the dexterity I need and I can't imagine it being any easier with smaller hands.
Oh, and in the Rock Band thread you talked about playing drums. Have you practiced at all with a real kit (as opposed to electric or Rock Band)? I'm about six foot and I still find it hard to find a configuration for my kit that is comfortable for me to reach everything with reasonable timing. How do you combat that?
@Howler: My mom really likes the show "Little People Big World", I don't know if you've seen it, but it's about a family in which both parents are little people. I watch it sometimes, and it's pretty inspiring how they strive to never let their size effect (affect?) how they live their lives. I notice one thing in particular that I wondered about you/your surroundings.
I started watching an episode once. After about 5 minutes I got bored and changed the channel. I'm guessing I'm not exactly the show's target demographic. The family actually doesn't live too far from me (an hour or two), but no, I've never met them.
Do you live in a house where things are height adjusted to make your day to day a bit more convenient? If not, do you think that would be useful, or are you used to average height counters/tables and such.
Nope, everything is regular sized. I do have a few strategicly-placed stepladders (in the kitchen and bathroom, mostly), but for the most part I just make do. Maybe it would be easier if things were shrunk, but my thinking is that things won't be that way out in the "real world," so I might as well get used to doing things that way.
Oh, I just thought of something. You've been playing guitar for three years, but do you find it hard to play instruments? I know I sometimes find it hard to find the dexterity I need and I can't imagine it being any easier with smaller hands.
I've actually been wondering how long before someone asked about that. Truth is, I use a "special" guitar; it's basically a regular acoustic, but half the size, perfectly to scale. I don't think it was made for LPs, but I was browsing a music shop one day, happened to notice it sitting on a rack, and it was the perfect size for me. It's a Fender, though I don't recall what model or anything (I've since lost all that paperwork and can't find it in/on the guitar itself). I've tried playing a regular-sized guitar, but it's really hard. Even with the mini-guitar, I still have some trouble with some chords; I usually can't play songs at full speed, I have to slow them down a bit. I can almost play Wonderwall at full tempo!
Oh, and in the Rock Band thread you talked about playing drums. Have you practiced at all with a real kit (as opposed to electric or Rock Band)? I'm about six foot and I still find it hard to find a configuration for my kit that is comfortable for me to reach everything with reasonable timing. How do you combat that?
No, I've never played on a real drum set before, only RB sets. But I'm not going to let that deter me; I've heard about other Dwarf drummers. They're no Neil Pert's or Keith Moon's (nor do I expect to ever be), but they manage.
Funny story time! I have a friend that started dating a girl that worked at a home repair store (like Home Depot or Lowe's). However, instead of simply introducing me to her (y'know, like normal people), we went to her work while she was on and had me wander around her department for awhile (I think lights. That was interesting). She eventually saw me and came over, smiling, and asked in that perky customer service tone if she could help me with anything. And I just went off on her. I was saying stuff like, "What, do I look like I need help? You just assume that because I'm a Little Person, I need help? You think I can't do anything myself?! 'Oh, look at the poor little man, he can't do anything on his own.'" Just when it seemed she was about to cry, my friend came up behind her and said to me, "Hey David." I smiled at him and waved. She looked at him, then back at me, then started beating the crap out of him. We all had good laugh about it later.
That is freaking hilarious
just wondering, do yous sleep in a normal sized (twin, queen, king) bed or one specially made for dwarfs?
And by the way, can you and taylor take your crap to the PMs? the reason I go to game forums is because it's pretty much the only place on the internet WITHOUT people razzing on each other 24-7
just wondering, do yous sleep in a normal sized (twin, queen, king) bed or one specially made for dwarfs?
Regular sized, I think it's a twin. Personally, I like big beds; something about being able to completely sprawl out on the mattress and not touch any of the sides is great. I almost can't do that with my current bed, I hope to move somewhere that I can get a queen to do that with. Excessive, sure, but I don't care.
Well, seeing as how this is now in a more public area, I finally got my butt into gear and did a bit of a compilation of questions in the second post; I did combine and modify some of them to be a bit more general, just to make them a bit easier to read (you can still see them in context in the thread). I look forward to more!
I don't have any questions, but as a fellow guitar player, I just wanted to inform you of an electric guitar I recently saw that might work out for you. It's called a mini-strat. I can't link it, because all the websites I found were buisnesses selling them, but they are easy to find if you just google it.
It's 3/4 size, so it might be unwieldy, but I imagine a capo could help to work around it.
I imagine that after playing an acoustic for a long time, it could be fun to get your hands on an electric.
I read your compilation and I'm still wondering why certain people immediately go from finding out you're a dwarf to weird sexual things. At least, weird to me.
Anyway, what you remind me of is a character of a book, You strike me as a humorous person who's made the best of live, despite being at a slight disadvantage. I'm reminded of Tyrion Lannister, someone who, like you, is a dwarf but still remains his wit. Then again, I don't know if you are called the Halfman or have a penchant for visiting prostitutes.
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I don't have any questions, but as a fellow guitar player, I just wanted to inform you of an electric guitar I recently saw that might work out for you. It's called a mini-strat. I can't link it, because all the websites I found were buisnesses selling them, but they are easy to find if you just google it.
It's 3/4 size, so it might be unwieldy, but I imagine a capo could help to work around it.
I imagine that after playing an acoustic for a long time, it could be fun to get your hands on an electric.
That's pretty cool, actually. Though, to be honest, I'm kinda losing interest in guitar. I still enjoy playing, but I feel almost like I've "capped" on how good I'll get. I think I'm going to start trying to focus more on the drums, and various things have recently piqued my interest in learning bass as well, so I may give that a shot at some point (I'm sure they have mini-basses as well). We'll see how far along I get on drums before size becomes an issue.
I read your compilation and I'm still wondering why certain people immediately go from finding out you're a dwarf to weird sexual things. At least, weird to me.
You and me both.
Anyway, what you remind me of is a character of a book, You strike me as a humorous person who's made the best of live, despite being at a slight disadvantage. I'm reminded of Tyrion Lannister, someone who, like you, is a dwarf but still remains his wit. Then again, I don't know if you are called the Halfman or have a penchant for visiting prostitutes.
Funny you should mention that; HBO has recently greenlighted a pilot for a TV show based on the A Game of Thrones books, and pretty much all indicators are that the role of Tyrion will be played by none other than Mr. Peter Dinklage (unofficially, so far). This actually kind of upsets me, simply because now I need to get HBO in order to see it. And I should probably read the books...
Yeah, I was actually thinking it might have something to do with that; in most relationships, the bigger person is the "top" or dominant one. So in a case where on is exceptionally bigger, the dynamic increases as well. Whatever.
I had someone PM me some questions, and I though I would post a couple of them here (not sure if they want to remain anonymous):
What is the LDS church's stance on Dwarfism?
I don't think they have a stance on Dwarfism specifically, but they do have an unofficial one on various physical and mental handicaps: God gave some people special challenges to overcome, sort of as a way to become stronger people and stand as an example to others. I've definitely seen that in my legless friend, the things he's accomplished in his life have gained him and the church alot of positive attention, something he may never have accomplished if he still had his legs. It's a concept that's a bit hard to put into words, but neither I nor the church believes those born with any sort of handicap are being "punished" by God; if anything, they're being blessed in a way.
What kind of clothes do you buy? Do you get kids' sizes, or are there retailers that cater especially to dwarfs?
Both. There are some things that I can and do get at the average department store, some in the children's area (such as socks), others adult (I wear adult small T-shirts). Other things, such as pants and shoes, I have to go to a specialty shop for. I can buy adult shorts and wear them as pants (usually with a belt), but then the crotch goes down to my knees, and I look like I'm trying to be "gansta."
I just read the first page, and I hope none of my questions is already asked in this thread.
I saw your banner, and it made me think.
Do you have a dwarf deck?
I would, if their were more good Dwarf cards. Sure, there's Dwarven Bloodboiler and Dwarven Recruiter, but they lack good, solid cards. I could probably throw one together pretty cheap, but it would likely suck. Sadness.
And a more broader question. Dwarves are a 'race' in many fantasy settings. could this be the reason why you are attracted to magic (or fantasy in general)?
Maybe a bit. I've just always liked swords, bows, magic, etc., as opposed to guns and bombs. It may be because some of the first video games I ever played were Spyro the Dragon, Gauntlet: Legends, Banjo-Kazooie, Final Fantasy IX... not all "fantasy" games in the traditional sense, but you see what I mean.
Dear howler,
I seen/read that you like to play video games, and i know you play on the xbox 360, sinc ei asked for your gamertag, how do you fair with the 360 controller? what about the older xbox controller? any controller you have a hard time to deal with? I know regular sized people even had a hard time with the old xbox controller, with it being so big.
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I don't mind that society has a special term for people like me, as long as it's accurate and isn't offensive. In my opinion, Little Person is neither (I am little, and I am a person),
-You've got your game down, Howler; I've got to give you that.
I has a question.
Such a thing is not a factor on message forums such as these, where physically we are each talking only 'to words', but one thing gets me anxious when interfacing with a short-statured person face-to-face, and persons in wheel chairs for the same reason.
I have above average height and so the requirement on me to decline my head is rather taxing for an extended conversation, physically but also self-consciously. I feel awkward and rude looking down when talking to someone, mostly I expect because (a) it is like I'm talking to a child, and (b) I am literally talking down to this person. They aren't separate anxieties, really, but I am bothered and I'm not sure if there's some better thing I could do to make everyone feel comfortable (other than sitting down, which isn't always an option).
I suppose I would also like to know how you view such exchanges generally so that I can improve my own comfort level with it.
Thanks for this thread, Howler.
(lol, Xbox controllers. I play a little piano and I can't get a grip on that thing. :confused2:)
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Awesome avatar provided by Krashbot @ [Epic Graphics].
-You've got your game down, Howler; I've got to give you that.
I has a question.
Such a thing is not a factor on message forums such as these, where physically we are each talking only 'to words', but one thing gets me anxious when interfacing with a short-statured person face-to-face, and persons in wheel chairs for the same reason.
I have above average height and so the requirement on me to decline my head is rather taxing for an extended conversation, physically but also self-consciously. I feel awkward and rude looking down when talking to someone, mostly I expect because (a) it is like I'm talking to a child, and (b) I am literally talking down to this person. They aren't separate anxieties, really, but I am bothered and I'm not sure if there's some better thing I could do to make everyone feel comfortable (other than sitting down, which isn't always an option).
I suppose I would also like to know how you view such exchanges generally so that I can improve my own comfort level with it.
Thanks for this thread, Howler.
(lol, Xbox controllers. I play a little piano and I can't get a grip on that thing. :confused2:)
Well, as a person who's among the shortest in most places he goes, I can tell you that you actually can't help your height. It doesn't matter if you have to talk down/up to somebody, that's just the way it is. It doesn't necessarily mean it's disrespectful or overly polite. It just is... in real life you'd definitely have to talk down to me and even if you take that as offensive, I wouldn't. When you're short, you're used to it, and you live with it. If you get offended because someone taller than you doesn't bow down in reverence, there's something wrong with you or with your self-esteem.
I hope this helps while Howler takes his time to answer this.:p
Dear howler,
I seen/read that you like to play video games, and i know you play on the xbox 360, sinc ei asked for your gamertag, how do you fair with the 360 controller? what about the older xbox controller? any controller you have a hard time to deal with? I know regular sized people even had a hard time with the old box controller, with it being so big.
I've had trouble with nearly all non-PS controllers (well, except the old-school NES, SNES, Genesis, etc). the N64 was fairly easy to cope with; I held the middle part regularly (where the analog stick and Z button were), and kept my right hand free to move about, more like at an arcade. It was still a bit awkward, and I only really put up with it for certain games (such as Banjo-Kazooie and Smash Bros).
Xbox was, to put it harshly, a *****. I couldn't hold it with only one hand, since I can't get my finger on the L-Stick and still be able to get the left shoulder button (and don't even bring up the D-pad), and if I used both hands to hold it, I was missing out on the R-Stick and the black and white buttons. And I still frequently would drop it. I could just set it down on my lap and play like that, but then getting the shoulder buttons was a pain, and those were fairly integral in alot of games. I very rarely tried to play the Xbox, which wasn't a problem since few of the exclusives interested me.
The PSX was the easiest, as it was so small, I could reach everything without much difficulty. The introduction of the Dualshock made things harder, but it was still smaller than the other options, and fortunately, the controller really hasn't changed much since then (the PS2 and PS3 controllers are nigh-identical), so I'm mostly just used to it by now. GameCube was much more manageable than the N64, as was the 360 compared to the Xbox. I am able to grip the 360 controller with one hand, but I still often sorta rest it on my lap, so I'm not holding up the whole weight.
I have above average height and so the requirement on me to decline my head is rather taxing for an extended conversation, physically but also self-consciously. I feel awkward and rude looking down when talking to someone, mostly I expect because (a) it is like I'm talking to a child, and (b) I am literally talking down to this person. They aren't separate anxieties, really, but I am bothered and I'm not sure if there's some better thing I could do to make everyone feel comfortable (other than sitting down, which isn't always an option).
I suppose I would also like to know how you view such exchanges generally so that I can improve my own comfort level with it.
Much like Edghyatt said, we (as short people) know how much of a strain it can be to be looking down during a conversation; it's not so easy to be looking up the whole time either! And we can usually pick up on your intent; if you kneel, sit, bend, etc. to get more eye-level because your neck is hurting, we will understand, and likely thank you in our minds for saving us the strain as well. If anyone (be they short, in a wheelchair, what have you) gets upset over this, again like Edghyatt said, they probably just have insecurities.
Do you have any favorite organizations that have helped you or that you recommend people looking to help dwarves make their donations (ala LPA)?
The only one I'm really aware of is LPA; I'm sure there are more out there, but that's the only one I've ever "encountered." If you really feel like donating, I'd recommend them. Or, you could just send a check directly to me. Either way is fine.
Also, where do you buy your dwarf-related clothing?
The name escapes me at the moment; it's someone's name, maybe Howard's Specialty Clothing Store (for Persons of Short Stature) or something like that. It's not a chain, as far as I know, just a little ma and pa store.
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But you DID respond to it. You responded to the first and the second PM, but not over PM. I am not sure why I should believe the rest if you're going to lie to me.
Your posse does not seem to realize that people I interact with in RL have the ability to view the Gutter, and I have already had to give a "Yes, I could be a self denying bisexual, but I don't think so because of XYZ now can we drop it?" speech at my FNM a few months back, thanks to the Gutter.
Unless you're saying the people I know in RL are lieing to me about you responding.
My responce to you is not me being part of a posse.. Its my hatred for your attention whoring crap you spew over the forum... if you really wanted things to stop you shut up about most of this crap, NOT post stupidity on purpose, and not run around posting about your personal life when no one cares. EVERYTHING that has happened is cause you bring it onto yourself.
Go to the mirror and yell at the person that deserves it.
They're probably lying to you about a bunch of stuff. Namely being your friend.
Trade thread!
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=556274
or
http://darjarri.com
QFT
When I'm wrong about stuff and want people to forget about it, I stop posting, and y'know what?
THEY ALWAYS FORGET
Seriously, I think it's just about time to put the saintskeith gambit into effect once more. Because it won't go away if people keep encouraging it.
And I'll repeat that again for the slow-learners amongst us:
It won't go away if people keep encouraging it.
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Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
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Do you live in a house where things are height adjusted to make your day to day a bit more convenient? If not, do you think that would be useful, or are you used to average height counters/tables and such.
BTW I think it's pretty cool that you answer peoples questions.
Thanks to spiderboy4 of High~Light Studios for the awesome banner and avatar!
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
Thanks to spiderboy4 of High~Light Studios for the awesome banner and avatar!
Nope, everything is regular sized. I do have a few strategicly-placed stepladders (in the kitchen and bathroom, mostly), but for the most part I just make do. Maybe it would be easier if things were shrunk, but my thinking is that things won't be that way out in the "real world," so I might as well get used to doing things that way.
I've actually been wondering how long before someone asked about that. Truth is, I use a "special" guitar; it's basically a regular acoustic, but half the size, perfectly to scale. I don't think it was made for LPs, but I was browsing a music shop one day, happened to notice it sitting on a rack, and it was the perfect size for me. It's a Fender, though I don't recall what model or anything (I've since lost all that paperwork and can't find it in/on the guitar itself). I've tried playing a regular-sized guitar, but it's really hard. Even with the mini-guitar, I still have some trouble with some chords; I usually can't play songs at full speed, I have to slow them down a bit. I can almost play Wonderwall at full tempo!
No, I've never played on a real drum set before, only RB sets. But I'm not going to let that deter me; I've heard about other Dwarf drummers. They're no Neil Pert's or Keith Moon's (nor do I expect to ever be), but they manage.
That is freaking hilarious
just wondering, do yous sleep in a normal sized (twin, queen, king) bed or one specially made for dwarfs?
And by the way, can you and taylor take your crap to the PMs? the reason I go to game forums is because it's pretty much the only place on the internet WITHOUT people razzing on each other 24-7
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Bart: Dad! Yous shot zombie Flanders!
Homer: He was a Zombie?
Not every post prior to his one is up to snuff, but we'll just consider this a blank slate from here on.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
It's 3/4 size, so it might be unwieldy, but I imagine a capo could help to work around it.
I imagine that after playing an acoustic for a long time, it could be fun to get your hands on an electric.
Anyway, what you remind me of is a character of a book, You strike me as a humorous person who's made the best of live, despite being at a slight disadvantage. I'm reminded of Tyrion Lannister, someone who, like you, is a dwarf but still remains his wit. Then again, I don't know if you are called the Halfman or have a penchant for visiting prostitutes.
You and me both.
Funny you should mention that; HBO has recently greenlighted a pilot for a TV show based on the A Game of Thrones books, and pretty much all indicators are that the role of Tyrion will be played by none other than Mr. Peter Dinklage (unofficially, so far). This actually kind of upsets me, simply because now I need to get HBO in order to see it. And I should probably read the books...
Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.
Individualities may form communities, but it is institutions alone that can create a nation.
Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success.
Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.
I had someone PM me some questions, and I though I would post a couple of them here (not sure if they want to remain anonymous):
I don't think they have a stance on Dwarfism specifically, but they do have an unofficial one on various physical and mental handicaps: God gave some people special challenges to overcome, sort of as a way to become stronger people and stand as an example to others. I've definitely seen that in my legless friend, the things he's accomplished in his life have gained him and the church alot of positive attention, something he may never have accomplished if he still had his legs. It's a concept that's a bit hard to put into words, but neither I nor the church believes those born with any sort of handicap are being "punished" by God; if anything, they're being blessed in a way.
Both. There are some things that I can and do get at the average department store, some in the children's area (such as socks), others adult (I wear adult small T-shirts). Other things, such as pants and shoes, I have to go to a specialty shop for. I can buy adult shorts and wear them as pants (usually with a belt), but then the crotch goes down to my knees, and I look like I'm trying to be "gansta."
Maybe a bit. I've just always liked swords, bows, magic, etc., as opposed to guns and bombs. It may be because some of the first video games I ever played were Spyro the Dragon, Gauntlet: Legends, Banjo-Kazooie, Final Fantasy IX... not all "fantasy" games in the traditional sense, but you see what I mean.
I seen/read that you like to play video games, and i know you play on the xbox 360, sinc ei asked for your gamertag, how do you fair with the 360 controller? what about the older xbox controller? any controller you have a hard time to deal with? I know regular sized people even had a hard time with the old xbox controller, with it being so big.
www.diestoremoval.com
A truly great petition
-You've got your game down, Howler; I've got to give you that.
I has a question.
Such a thing is not a factor on message forums such as these, where physically we are each talking only 'to words', but one thing gets me anxious when interfacing with a short-statured person face-to-face, and persons in wheel chairs for the same reason.
I have above average height and so the requirement on me to decline my head is rather taxing for an extended conversation, physically but also self-consciously. I feel awkward and rude looking down when talking to someone, mostly I expect because (a) it is like I'm talking to a child, and (b) I am literally talking down to this person. They aren't separate anxieties, really, but I am bothered and I'm not sure if there's some better thing I could do to make everyone feel comfortable (other than sitting down, which isn't always an option).
I suppose I would also like to know how you view such exchanges generally so that I can improve my own comfort level with it.
Thanks for this thread, Howler.
(lol, Xbox controllers. I play a little piano and I can't get a grip on that thing. :confused2:)
Awesome avatar provided by Krashbot @ [Epic Graphics].
Well, as a person who's among the shortest in most places he goes, I can tell you that you actually can't help your height. It doesn't matter if you have to talk down/up to somebody, that's just the way it is. It doesn't necessarily mean it's disrespectful or overly polite. It just is... in real life you'd definitely have to talk down to me and even if you take that as offensive, I wouldn't. When you're short, you're used to it, and you live with it. If you get offended because someone taller than you doesn't bow down in reverence, there's something wrong with you or with your self-esteem.
I hope this helps while Howler takes his time to answer this.:p
I like 4/4s for 7.
Also, where do you buy your dwarf-related clothing?
Xbox was, to put it harshly, a *****. I couldn't hold it with only one hand, since I can't get my finger on the L-Stick and still be able to get the left shoulder button (and don't even bring up the D-pad), and if I used both hands to hold it, I was missing out on the R-Stick and the black and white buttons. And I still frequently would drop it. I could just set it down on my lap and play like that, but then getting the shoulder buttons was a pain, and those were fairly integral in alot of games. I very rarely tried to play the Xbox, which wasn't a problem since few of the exclusives interested me.
The PSX was the easiest, as it was so small, I could reach everything without much difficulty. The introduction of the Dualshock made things harder, but it was still smaller than the other options, and fortunately, the controller really hasn't changed much since then (the PS2 and PS3 controllers are nigh-identical), so I'm mostly just used to it by now. GameCube was much more manageable than the N64, as was the 360 compared to the Xbox. I am able to grip the 360 controller with one hand, but I still often sorta rest it on my lap, so I'm not holding up the whole weight.
Much like Edghyatt said, we (as short people) know how much of a strain it can be to be looking down during a conversation; it's not so easy to be looking up the whole time either! And we can usually pick up on your intent; if you kneel, sit, bend, etc. to get more eye-level because your neck is hurting, we will understand, and likely thank you in our minds for saving us the strain as well. If anyone (be they short, in a wheelchair, what have you) gets upset over this, again like Edghyatt said, they probably just have insecurities.
The only one I'm really aware of is LPA; I'm sure there are more out there, but that's the only one I've ever "encountered." If you really feel like donating, I'd recommend them. Or, you could just send a check directly to me. Either way is fine.
The name escapes me at the moment; it's someone's name, maybe Howard's Specialty Clothing Store (for Persons of Short Stature) or something like that. It's not a chain, as far as I know, just a little ma and pa store.