Researching the Best Office and Gaming Chair for Petite People

My quest for the perfect me-sized office chair began at the end of November. After nine months of teaching music lessons online, sitting at my piano bench, my back muscles said that enough is enough. It was time to look for an office chair with proper back support.

I was in the market for something a little different - a work and play chair. A gaming chair. I began as many do in this age, with a shout out on Facebook for chair recommendations. A few friends chimed in but very quickly, I realized that they were recommending chairs that worked for them, not for a petite person who stands under 5 feet tall. Their favourite chairs would land me in the same boat that I was in when I worked in the non-profit and corporate sectors. More on that later.

One friend suggested I take a look at the Omega by Secret Labs. A quick visit to their website brought me to their handy size calculator. After inputting my height and weight, the Omega did indeed come up as a good fit for me.

The Omega model is recommended for short and petite people.

Clicking on the detailed chair specifications for the Omega and the other models, I began to understand what I needed to look for in a “short person chair.” My list of search criteria began to form.

The Chair Search Begins

I then conducted the following searches:

• “Best office chairs for short people”

• “Best gaming chairs for short people”

• “Best chairs for online teaching”

• “Best gaming chairs for people under 5 feet”

There were several articles and lists. I zoomed in on two: “Small Gaming Chairs for Short People and Kids” on Chairsfx.com and “Best Gaming Chairs for Short People” on Ergonomic Trends.com.

After reading both articles, I reflected upon the chairs used in my previous careers. Back and shoulder aches and tension were constant, since I was unable to touch the floor without sitting on the edge of the seat. The armrests had to be removed to prevent repetitive strain injuries caused by them boxing my arms in. At the office furniture manufacturing company I used to work at, they installed a height adjustable keyboard table and I typed standing up. I honestly can’t recall if we raised my computer monitor to reduce neck strain. That was nearly 20 years ago, after all.

What I was Looking for in an Office/Gaming Chair

It became clear that I needed to zoom in on seat height (from chair base to floor), width, and depth for my size. The armrests needed to be close enough to my body to be effective, rather than pin my arms in, causing injury. The backrest couldn’t be too long, or else the lumbar and neck support would not be in the correct position for my height. Thus, my search criteria for a gaming chair became:

• Height range from seat base to floor: as close to 15.6” or 39.62 cm as possible

• Seat width: 15 - 17”

• Seat depth: 20” or less

• Backrest height: 30” or shorter

• Movable lumbar support

• Movable neck support

• Reclining

• Adjustable armrests

• Multi-function tilt

• Swivel

• Good warranty: 2 years or more

• Available in or ships to Canada

• Under $500 CAD (but ideally around $400)

I measured my kitchen chairs to help ascertain my ideal chair dimensions and created a spreadsheet for easy comparisons. I began by studying the chairs listed on Ergonomic Trends and Chairs FX before exploring other gaming chairs.

Initially, I was looking at gaming chairs with flip up armrests, to get them out of the way for piano playing. However, the ones I found looked cheaply made or didn’t fit into my ideal chair range. It was around that time I realized that I needed to look at gaming chairs $400 CAD and above to get a really good one.

Coming up with a Short List

After pouring over chair specifications and reviews for over six hours, I came up with my short list:

A look at my side-by-side comparison spreadsheet

I was really curious about the Hbada Gaming Chair, with its footrest. However, the warranty was significantly less than the competition. As well, they didn’t ship to Canada at the time of ordering. That left me with my Top 3: the AKRacing California, Secret Labs Omega and Maxnomic Casual Sport:

My Top 3 Picks for Short and Petite People. Source: Chairfx.com

When you see the Top 3 side-by-side and look at the ideal chair height for my stature, there really was only one choice: the AKRacing California.

Unfortunately, the chair wasn’t available locally at the time of ordering. I did find it listed on Amazon, Newegg, Wal-mart and AKRacing. I ordered the last chair available on Newegg at the time. Free shipping - what a deal!

I wasn’t expecting my chair to arrive for two weeks but a mere 10 days later, it was sitting on my doorstep. Check out my unboxing and assembly video below. It also includes some of my first impressions:

Chair Review Forthcoming

Suffice it to say that my back, neck and shoulders have been quite happy with the AKRacing California. My students think my “grape chair” is pretty cool. I will do a formal review in another month. I think two or three months should be sufficient for a break in period. Hopefully, the tilt mechanism will have loosened a bit by then as well. Stay tuned!

DISCLAIMER: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. If you click on a product link and make a purchase the Studio will receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting Musespeak Studio.

Free Christmas Sheet Music for Piano (2020 edition)

Source: Dreamstime.com by Ellione.

With Christmas fast approaching, it’s time for piano students everywhere to start working on Christmas music. Here are five websites that have a good selection of Christmas sheet music for students:

Free Christmas Sheet Music for Piano

Free Christmas Piano Sheet Music (Beginner & Easy)

Christmas Sheet Music for Piano

Christmas Music Songs

Free Christmas Music

Do you have any a favourite websites with free Christmas music? Please add them to the Comments section.

Stay tuned for my list of recommended Christmas Books and sheet music available for purchase.

First Impressions of the Private Music Teacher Planner

I recently ordered the Private Music Teacher Planner, created by The Full Voice Studio. Gone are the days of using school teacher planners that don’t quite work or creating my own from scratch (because, really, who has the time?).

I foresee that I will get a lot of use out of this planner and agenda, designed by private music teachers, for music teachers. I do a detailed walk-through on the Studio’s YouTube Channel:

The Private Music Teacher Planner & Agenda is available for $29.99 CAD on Amazon.ca. Click on the Studio’s affiliate link to check it out:

Introducing the Maestro Mobile Dog Stroller

Maestro sucked up to all the ladies at the car dealership, showing off his new wheels. Photo by R-M Arca.

After attending the Heritage Day festivities offered by the City of Calgary this past summer, I caved and ordered Maestro a dog stroller from Amazon. You try carrying an arthritic dog who can only walk a few feet before wanting a break. And when he wants a break, he’ll just park it wherever he stops. He doesn't care if he’s in the way.

Not only that, but he has perfected how to sink his entire weight into your arms. Suddenly, 18 pounds feels so much heavier after walking a few blocks.

"This is fun," says Maestro. Photo by R-M Arca.

He loves his Pet Gear dog stroller. Just like his Halloween costume, he looks so smug when he’s riding his Maestro Mobile.

As for the comments, some people make snide remarks - out loud - about how backwards it is for the human to be pushing a stroller and not walking the dog. I know, I used to be one of those people. But now, after meeting so many pets with injuries or, like Maestro, has canine arthritis and a degenerative disease, I get it.

Sometimes, I get frustrated when I hear the comments. I reach a point where I can’t let it slide. That’s when I pull him out of his stroller and say, “All right, Old Man, are you up for walking a bit?” Then he dutifully waddles in front of the person who made the snide remark.

Suddenly, their tune changes, “Oh! He’s hurt! That’s why he’s in a stroller.”

You know, I think we are quick to jump to conclusions and judge others. We don’t think (or in some cases, don’t care) that what we are saying hurts others. Or, we don’t even try to see something from another perspective.

Reserving judgment, and exercising a little patience and understanding can go a long way. This is what having an elderly pet, and relatives who are getting older has taught me.

Maestro has grown up going out for adventures. Just because he can’t walk as far as he used to, doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want them. Besides, how can you say no to this face?

Watching the sailboats. Photo by R-M Arca.

“Mommy, I want this drum.” Photo by R-M Arca

Maestro watches Registered Piano Technician Michael Lipnicki with showing off piano parts. Photo by R-M Arca.

Where to the the Pet Gear Stroller

Check your local pet store. or online at Amazon:

Pet Gear Stroller on Amazon

5 Popular Co-Op Tabletop Games

Tabletop games have come a long way since Monopoly, Risk, and Sorry. These days, it’s not uncommon to hear about a tabletop games meetup or convention, featuring games like Settlers of Catan, Small World, and King of Tokyo. Earlier this month, gamers all around the world celebrated International Tabletop Day in cafes, pubs and homes.

“Tabletop game” refers to any type of game that is played on a table. This includes board games, card games, dice games, pen and paper RPG games and so on.

“Co-operative tabletop games” requires players to work together towards a common goal (as opposed to “semi co-op games, which usually has a traitor). I scoured Amazon and Boardgamegeek.com, and watched Wil Wheaton’s immensely popular show on the Geek & Sundry Channel, Tabletop.

These award-winning co-op games listed have a 4.0+ star user rating or higher on Amazon. They have also been ranked in the Top 500 out of the nearly 70,000 games in Boardgamegeek.com’s database. These fully co-op games have either earned a nomination or won a Golden Geek Award, presented by Boardgamegeek.

I am proud to say that I have played and/or own six of the games on this list, thanks to friends, conventions I have attended, and Wil Wheaton. Will I try out the remaining four? Most likely. Care to join me?

1 Castle Panic

The monsters are coming! They emerge from the forest and make their way towards the castle in droves. If you can successfully fend off the monsters without losing all of your castle towers, victory is yours.

The board is divided into five rings and four colored quadrants in Castle Panic. Archers, Knights and Swordsman can only attack from their designated rings, while the Barbarian and the Hero have more flexibility.

Together, you plan your turns based on what card in your hand would be useful for an upcoming player and what card combination is most effective for your turn. Sounds simple enough, until a plague or giant boulder rolls into the castle or you pull out, “Draw 4 more monster tokens.”

Castle Panic was designed by Justin De Witt and published by Fireside Games. It is for 1 - 4 players, ages 10 and up. Although the lists gameplay at 60 minutes, it truly depends upon how long it takes players take to strategize and play their cards.

The game won 2011 GeekDad Best Board Game of 2011 for “Most Monsters” and earned two Golden Geek nominations in 2010. Most recently, Castle Panic’s Wizard Tower expansion earned a nomination at the 39th Annual Origins Awards, presented by the Game Manufacturers Association. It currently sits at #523 on Boardgamegeek.

Castle Panic on Amazon

2 Forbidden Island

Forbidden Island is the predecessor to Forbidden Desert. Your team of adventurers will explore the island in the hopes of unearthing four sacred treasures. However, as Wil Wheaton says in Tabletop, the island is out to get you.

Utilizing each player’s special abilities, you must find the treasures, while trying to prevent the island from sinking completely. There are seven roles to choose from, including Pilot, Diver, Explorer, and Messenger.

Forbidden Island was created by Matt Leacock and published by Gamewright. It’s for 2 - 4 players, ages 10 and above. Gameplay is 30+ minutes.

 This co-op game won the 2010 Golden Geek Award for Best Children’s Board Game, 2010 Mensa Select, 2013 UK Games Expo Best Family/Children’s Game, the 2011 Juego del Año, and 2011 Vuoden Peli Family Game of the Year. It is currently ranked #333 on Boardgamegeek.

Forbidden Island Game on Amazon

3 Defenders of the Realm

This is an RPG hybrid. If pen and paper RPG games aren’t your thing, if you don’t like the idea of being a Game Master, yet you want to take a break from RPG video games, give Defenders a try.

You and your companions are the King’s Champions. You can choose from eight roles, including Wizard, Paladin, Dwarf and Ranger. Each player has different special abilities and weapons.  Every game is different, depending on what role you play and which quests you take on.

Four enemy generals and their growing army of minions are marching towards Monarch City. Even the best of your party’s plans can go awry by way of a poor card draw or dice roll. Victory is pretty sweet if you do manage to slay all of the generals.

Defenders of the Realm is a co-operative fantasy game for 1 - 4 players, ages 13 and up.  It was designed by Richard Launius and published by Eagle Games. Gameplay is 90+ minutes.

Defenders of the Realm was nominated for the 2010 Golden Geek Best Thematic Board Game, and Origins Awards Best Board Game Awards. It is ranked #185 on Boardgamegeek.

Defenders of the Realm Game on Amazon

4 Hanabi

Listed as the best board game of 2013 by Paste Magazine, Hanabi is a co-op card game with a twist. The object of Hanabi is to work together and build fireworks by building colored number sequences from 1 to 5.

However, players hold their hand facing the others so that they cannot see their cards. This game tests your short-term memory: Can you remember the hints your friends gave you two turns ago to decide which card to play next? Is there someone at the table who unknowingly has the next card that should be played and could use a hint?

There are a limited number of hint tokens. You must balance the hint tokens with the cards played, or you will wind up playing your hand.

Hanabi was designed by Antoine Bauza and published by RnR Games. It’s a game for 2 - 5 players, ages 10 and up. Gameplay varies depending upon the number of players and how long a player’s turn takes.

This game currently sits at #120 on Boardgamegeek. It won the 2013 Fairplay À la carte Award and the 2013 Spiel des Jahres.

Hanabi Card Game on Amazon

5 Forbidden Desert

In Forbidden Desert, you and your colleagues are on an archeological expedition to recover the parts of a legendary flying machine. From the Climber and Explorer, to the Navigator and the Water Carrier, each member’s special skills play a critical role in the expedition’s success.

The storm picks up and moves the the artifacts. If you take too long to find the parts, the desert will get you. If your team is too slow at clearing the growing piles of sand, you will be buried.

It is extremely satisfying when you successfully find and assemble all the parts. There’s just enough room on the airship to place a couple of game pieces on it for a victory photo.

Forbidden Desert is a co-op game for 2 - 5 players, ages 10 and above. Gameplay varies depending on the size of the team, but averages 45 minutes.

Designed by Matt Leacock and published by Gamewright, Forbidden Desert currently ranks #168 on Boardgamegeek. It has won the 2013 Golden Geek Award for Best Children’s Game, the 2013 Mensa Select Award and the 2013 UK Games Expo Best Family/Children’s Game Award.

Forbidden Desert Game on Amazon

Stay tuned for my next list of 5 Popular Co-Op Tabletop Games.