Getting to Know Me

/ Tracy Abell

I’ve been tagged by pixiechick and idaho_laurie for my first ever meme.

Here are the rules: Each participant shares five little-known facts about themselves. Those tagged are asked to do the same as well as reiterate this guideline. Each select five folks to be tagged and list their names. (Leave a comment letting them know that you’ve tagged them and that they may see your blog as an example.)

I think everyone and their mother has been tagged but I’ll tag linbinwriter, mountainmist, rhwojahn, crissachappell, viabloomington. Apologies if you’ve already been tagged and more apologies if you wanted to be tagged but were missed. Please share if the mood grabs you.

1) I played Little League the first year girls were allowed (1974, I think). The coach wasn’t too thrilled having girls on the team but we won begruding acceptance with our hard work and dedication.
2) I use to dress up my cat in doll clothes, push her around in a baby buggy, and introduce her to everyone as my baby, Elvis (not her name).
3) My first job (aside from babysitting) was on the night shift at a canning factory. I was a Visual Inspector which meant, among other things, I watched peas slide past on a conveyor belt and used a giant suction hose to suck crap (weeds, rocks, mutilated frogs, etc.) from the peas. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: DON’T EAT CANNED VEGETABLES!
4) Despite my mother’s prediction that I would follow her lead and become more conservative as I aged, I’m becoming more progressive. (Unfortunately, I do seem an awful lot like my mother when I tell my sons to sit up and get the hair out of their eyes).
5) When I lived in Alaska, I had the profound experience of winning a lottery permit to spend four days at McNeil River viewing the brown bears. I was there at peak salmon time and so got to watch 40-plus bears fishing and eating salmon at one time.

52 thoughts on “Getting to Know Me”

  1. UGH. Thanks for the canned veggies warning. I think.
    I went right to the McNeil River live cam. Wow, what a place. And what an experience for you to get to stay there for four days.

    Like

  2. UGH. Thanks for the canned veggies warning. I think.
    I went right to the McNeil River live cam. Wow, what a place. And what an experience for you to get to stay there for four days.

    Like

    • Definitely heed the warning!
      Aside from giving birth, McNeil was the most amazing experience of my life. You hike in from the campground that’s a couple miles away and on that first day when we crested the hill overlooking the river, I just started crying at the sight of all those bears in that gorgeous setting. Truly incredible.

      Like

  3. UGH. Thanks for the canned veggies warning. I think.
    I went right to the McNeil River live cam. Wow, what a place. And what an experience for you to get to stay there for four days.

    Like

  4. UGH. Thanks for the canned veggies warning. I think.

    I went right to the McNeil River live cam. Wow, what a place. And what an experience for you to get to stay there for four days.

    Like

  5. Definitely heed the warning!
    Aside from giving birth, McNeil was the most amazing experience of my life. You hike in from the campground that’s a couple miles away and on that first day when we crested the hill overlooking the river, I just started crying at the sight of all those bears in that gorgeous setting. Truly incredible.

    Like

  6. Definitely heed the warning!
    Aside from giving birth, McNeil was the most amazing experience of my life. You hike in from the campground that’s a couple miles away and on that first day when we crested the hill overlooking the river, I just started crying at the sight of all those bears in that gorgeous setting. Truly incredible.

    Like

  7. Definitely heed the warning!

    Aside from giving birth, McNeil was the most amazing experience of my life. You hike in from the campground that’s a couple miles away and on that first day when we crested the hill overlooking the river, I just started crying at the sight of all those bears in that gorgeous setting. Truly incredible.

    Like

  8. Oh, gross about the canned vegetables. My imagination ran wild. (Did you ever read U. Sinclair’s Cannery Row?)
    I liked seeing the dichotomy of the sports-minded nature in #1 and the girly-girl behavior in #2. I’ll bet you were quite the handful… 🙂
    As for #4, hurray for progressives!!! That’s all I have to say about that (for now).

    Like

  9. Oh, gross about the canned vegetables. My imagination ran wild. (Did you ever read U. Sinclair’s Cannery Row?)
    I liked seeing the dichotomy of the sports-minded nature in #1 and the girly-girl behavior in #2. I’ll bet you were quite the handful… 🙂
    As for #4, hurray for progressives!!! That’s all I have to say about that (for now).

    Like

    • I read Steinbeck’s Cannery Row years ago (and I pretty much love all Steinbeck). Perhaps you meant Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle? That I have on my shelf as I book I know I must read but haven’t yet; I’m a vegetarian and I don’t know if I could handle the content. Have you read it?
      I did play with dolls but I was also a fierce competitor/athlete. Good to know Barbie didn’t leech the feminism out of me. 🙂

      Like

  10. Oh, gross about the canned vegetables. My imagination ran wild. (Did you ever read U. Sinclair’s Cannery Row?)
    I liked seeing the dichotomy of the sports-minded nature in #1 and the girly-girl behavior in #2. I’ll bet you were quite the handful… 🙂
    As for #4, hurray for progressives!!! That’s all I have to say about that (for now).

    Like

  11. Oh, gross about the canned vegetables. My imagination ran wild. (Did you ever read U. Sinclair’s Cannery Row?)

    I liked seeing the dichotomy of the sports-minded nature in #1 and the girly-girl behavior in #2. I’ll bet you were quite the handful… 🙂

    As for #4, hurray for progressives!!! That’s all I have to say about that (for now).

    Like

  12. That’s awesome! I love learning these little things bout my blog friends. I’d love to watch bears in Alaska! How cool! I think you single-handedly turned me off canned veggies! 😉 Actually, I don’t like them canned anyway. Now, fresh veggies–mmmmm!

    Like

  13. That’s awesome! I love learning these little things bout my blog friends. I’d love to watch bears in Alaska! How cool! I think you single-handedly turned me off canned veggies! 😉 Actually, I don’t like them canned anyway. Now, fresh veggies–mmmmm!

    Like

    • The bears were magnificent. We were so close we could hear the sound of ripping salmon skin (their first choice is the skin, the brains, and the eggs). The juvenile bears on their own ate the remains. It was funny watching them fish because they’d pounce and splash and get all confused.

      Like

  14. That’s awesome! I love learning these little things bout my blog friends. I’d love to watch bears in Alaska! How cool! I think you single-handedly turned me off canned veggies! 😉 Actually, I don’t like them canned anyway. Now, fresh veggies–mmmmm!

    Like

    • I feel so very fortunate for having that opportunity. One of the guides was Larry Aumiller who’d spent years and years observing those bears so he knew the family trees and shared many stories of individual bears. I was so glad I took my journal with me; I have tons of notes about the bears.

      Like

  18. I read Steinbeck’s Cannery Row years ago (and I pretty much love all Steinbeck). Perhaps you meant Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle? That I have on my shelf as I book I know I must read but haven’t yet; I’m a vegetarian and I don’t know if I could handle the content. Have you read it?
    I did play with dolls but I was also a fierce competitor/athlete. Good to know Barbie didn’t leech the feminism out of me. 🙂

    Like

  19. I read Steinbeck’s Cannery Row years ago (and I pretty much love all Steinbeck). Perhaps you meant Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle? That I have on my shelf as I book I know I must read but haven’t yet; I’m a vegetarian and I don’t know if I could handle the content. Have you read it?
    I did play with dolls but I was also a fierce competitor/athlete. Good to know Barbie didn’t leech the feminism out of me. 🙂

    Like

  20. I read Steinbeck’s Cannery Row years ago (and I pretty much love all Steinbeck). Perhaps you meant Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle? That I have on my shelf as I book I know I must read but haven’t yet; I’m a vegetarian and I don’t know if I could handle the content. Have you read it?

    I did play with dolls but I was also a fierce competitor/athlete. Good to know Barbie didn’t leech the feminism out of me. 🙂

    Like

  21. The bears were magnificent. We were so close we could hear the sound of ripping salmon skin (their first choice is the skin, the brains, and the eggs). The juvenile bears on their own ate the remains. It was funny watching them fish because they’d pounce and splash and get all confused.

    Like

  22. The bears were magnificent. We were so close we could hear the sound of ripping salmon skin (their first choice is the skin, the brains, and the eggs). The juvenile bears on their own ate the remains. It was funny watching them fish because they’d pounce and splash and get all confused.

    Like

  23. Yeah, that’s what I meant, and yes, I read it. UGH. Still, it’s a great book.
    I used to put “C.P.” (Cootie Protection) on my doll’s palms, to protect them (ergo, me) against boy germs.

    Like

  24. Yeah, that’s what I meant, and yes, I read it. UGH. Still, it’s a great book.
    I used to put “C.P.” (Cootie Protection) on my doll’s palms, to protect them (ergo, me) against boy germs.

    Like

  25. Yeah, that’s what I meant, and yes, I read it. UGH. Still, it’s a great book.

    I used to put “C.P.” (Cootie Protection) on my doll’s palms, to protect them (ergo, me) against boy germs.

    Like

  26. I feel so very fortunate for having that opportunity. One of the guides was Larry Aumiller who’d spent years and years observing those bears so he knew the family trees and shared many stories of individual bears. I was so glad I took my journal with me; I have tons of notes about the bears.

    Like

  27. I feel so very fortunate for having that opportunity. One of the guides was Larry Aumiller who’d spent years and years observing those bears so he knew the family trees and shared many stories of individual bears. I was so glad I took my journal with me; I have tons of notes about the bears.

    Like

  36. Hi, Tracy…I enjoyed your facts. I’m andracill on Verla’s, and robinellen (as you can see) here 🙂 I like probably less than a mile from you, according to Nan — I’m at 6th and Indiana, approximately. Anyway, thought it was time I said hi! 🙂

    Like

  37. Hi, Tracy…I enjoyed your facts. I’m andracill on Verla’s, and robinellen (as you can see) here 🙂 I like probably less than a mile from you, according to Nan — I’m at 6th and Indiana, approximately. Anyway, thought it was time I said hi! 🙂

    Like

    • Hi Robin! You’re at 6th and Indiana? Are you in those houses by Kyffin Elem (can’t remember name of subdivision)? If that’s where you’re at, you’re just on the other side of the open space from me. I CAN’T wait for the trails to dry so I can run out there again. I’m very tired of sand-covered pavement (although it’s a huge improvement over snow-covered pavement). Wouldn’t it be funny if we’d passed each other on the trails?
      Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. I’m Vinca on Verla’s, in case you didn’t know; personally, I’m not real good at keeping track of who’s who in different places.
      Hey, you’re in the middle of exciting agent hunt stuff, aren’t you? I’m looking forward to reading some good news from you soon.

      Like

      • Thanks for the encouraging thoughts — yeah, Nan mentioned you were Vinca on Verla’s…she was really disappointed you couldn’t meet us a while back…I live in Sixth Avenue(very creative title, don’t you think)–nice to meet you! How goes your agent/editor search? I don’t remember you posting much about it lately…I’ll be thinking positive thoughts!

        Like

  38. Hi, Tracy…I enjoyed your facts. I’m andracill on Verla’s, and robinellen (as you can see) here 🙂 I like probably less than a mile from you, according to Nan — I’m at 6th and Indiana, approximately. Anyway, thought it was time I said hi! 🙂

    Like

  39. Hi Robin! You’re at 6th and Indiana? Are you in those houses by Kyffin Elem (can’t remember name of subdivision)? If that’s where you’re at, you’re just on the other side of the open space from me. I CAN’T wait for the trails to dry so I can run out there again. I’m very tired of sand-covered pavement (although it’s a huge improvement over snow-covered pavement). Wouldn’t it be funny if we’d passed each other on the trails?
    Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. I’m Vinca on Verla’s, in case you didn’t know; personally, I’m not real good at keeping track of who’s who in different places.
    Hey, you’re in the middle of exciting agent hunt stuff, aren’t you? I’m looking forward to reading some good news from you soon.

    Like

  40. Hi Robin! You’re at 6th and Indiana? Are you in those houses by Kyffin Elem (can’t remember name of subdivision)? If that’s where you’re at, you’re just on the other side of the open space from me. I CAN’T wait for the trails to dry so I can run out there again. I’m very tired of sand-covered pavement (although it’s a huge improvement over snow-covered pavement). Wouldn’t it be funny if we’d passed each other on the trails?
    Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. I’m Vinca on Verla’s, in case you didn’t know; personally, I’m not real good at keeping track of who’s who in different places.
    Hey, you’re in the middle of exciting agent hunt stuff, aren’t you? I’m looking forward to reading some good news from you soon.

    Like

  41. Hi Robin! You’re at 6th and Indiana? Are you in those houses by Kyffin Elem (can’t remember name of subdivision)? If that’s where you’re at, you’re just on the other side of the open space from me. I CAN’T wait for the trails to dry so I can run out there again. I’m very tired of sand-covered pavement (although it’s a huge improvement over snow-covered pavement). Wouldn’t it be funny if we’d passed each other on the trails?

    Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. I’m Vinca on Verla’s, in case you didn’t know; personally, I’m not real good at keeping track of who’s who in different places.

    Hey, you’re in the middle of exciting agent hunt stuff, aren’t you? I’m looking forward to reading some good news from you soon.

    Like

  42. Thanks for the encouraging thoughts — yeah, Nan mentioned you were Vinca on Verla’s…she was really disappointed you couldn’t meet us a while back…I live in Sixth Avenue(very creative title, don’t you think)–nice to meet you! How goes your agent/editor search? I don’t remember you posting much about it lately…I’ll be thinking positive thoughts!

    Like

  43. Thanks for the encouraging thoughts — yeah, Nan mentioned you were Vinca on Verla’s…she was really disappointed you couldn’t meet us a while back…I live in Sixth Avenue(very creative title, don’t you think)–nice to meet you! How goes your agent/editor search? I don’t remember you posting much about it lately…I’ll be thinking positive thoughts!

    Like

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