Fizzylifting Blog

Me in the Making

Caitlin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:23:09 +0000

My name is Caitlin Fecteau and I am 24 years old right now. Fecteau is new because I am a wife now, no longer a me. It’s been almost a year since we packed everything into the car and moved across the country from Grand Rapids, MI to San Francisco for my husband’s fellowship in the tech industry. I am good at disc golfing and am always up for new courses in the bay area! I have been a nanny, a social worker, a researcher, a server, a truck loader, a case manager, a garden tender, an athlete, a cook, and many more things. I aim to be a user experience researcher to improve products, processes, and mindsets.

Socializing without Technology

Caitlin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:04:03 +0000

I have been away for a while. I am now the wife of a designer named Pete. This means seeing the world from another pair of my own shoes. We moved to the west coast whilst still in the fiance stage to allow Pete to take a job. The culture is night and day, from bible belt to technology bubble. People from both worlds wear the same white ear buds and carry around their electronic devices. The difference is that people in Grand Rapids, MI are more accustomed to having face time. There, it is still important to have in-person contact on a daily basis even if it’s a stranger saying hello on the sidewalk. Moving to a new city without a social network can be equated to exile.

Ten months ago my then fiance and I moved to San Francisco in search of a big fish. He got a fellowship in the technology bubble that exists out here. The fellows and fellas welcomed him with open arms, and on a lesser level they accepted me as a carry-on. I love carry-ons, but they do not do much for the long trip. They are perceived as a temporary tote for all your important tangibles. Tangibles are very important to most people these days i.e. cell phones, electronic readers, computers, global positioning systems. Ultimately, they are disposable.Tangible can only get you so far.

Even if you can touch something with your hand, can it make an impact on your life? Even if you do not flaunt your gadgets, there is a sense of accomplishment with acquiring the latest, socially-acceptable-to-idolize device.

This feeling has been overshadowed by the necessity of building a network. If you have a personal Facebook page friend network of 1500 people, it is meaningless if you never connect in person. In order to get a job or get invited to social events people must know your face and what you represent. Lacking a network is being deprived of the social experience.

Future posts will chronicle my network building in San Francisco where friends and acquaintances are few and far between. It will involve both battling and utilizing the pros and cons of technology that create one of the many barricades between people and where they want to be in life.

In Search of Fresh Air

Caitlin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:08:52 +0000

Pete and I have been talking seriously today about moving abroad to teach English. We do not have an aching need to teach English but rather we have a friend that found a way out of the U.S. by doing this. He is having a ball in Thailand while we are stuck in Grand Rapids, MI twiddling our thumbs unhappy with our environment. So today my fantasy-side really came out. I have been daydreaming, since Pete came home and we spoke more seriously about this adventure, about what would happen if I say yes to taking the leap. It is a serious endeavor but at the same time we have nothing to lose literally.

There are pros and cons, and the logical side of me only sees these as hurdles to overcome. My fantasy side or lacksidazical side is laying on my back stairing at the ceiling with joy and amazement. I cannot seem to get up for fear that I will snap out of this coming to life fantasy that Pete and I are planning. Right this second he is sitting next to me looking at teaching programs abroad. My best friend Shari is at the same place we are at in our lives right now. Feeling stuck. I do not want to obsess about education, jobs and family planning at 22. Pete is 26 and he is in no rush. We may get married and wisk away to our new life together abroad and find fantastic places to explore. These are all great plans but really plans are meant to be warped and changed! This is the fun of life. I have been bored on the couch awaiting my 2-day-a-week nanny job to begin and my last 8 credits of school to start so they can swiftly be done! I want to be going places and so we will. Together. Yet independently grow because this is also something that I am very much in need of. We must change to grow. Oh the places we will go…

Caitlin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:53:03 +0000

After finally utilizing the gym in our building for pete’s first time and my third-ish I was thinking that grocery shopping should consist of cost- effectiveness and healthy choices. This would naturally lead us to look online. I found this incredible experiment of recipes. You take a giant chicken, roast it, then use the leftovers from this first meal to create around 7 more meals. Basically you are given a long ingredient list that will be used to make all your meals. I bought all the ingredients and do not know how they are to be used because I did not take the specific meals with me to the store. It was like shopping blindly but knowing that all the random things you are buying will somehow miraculously add up to a week of meals. The experiment begins tomorrow and I cannot wait. Some of the meals include: Chicken Picadillo and Rice and Beans, White Chicken Chili (one of my personal faves), Sesame Noodles with Chicken and Chicken Curry. I am so excited and I will report back on how this one delicious chicken fed my boyfriend and I for an entire week or more. We are going to really stretch this thing out.

Dude Where’s My Tent?

Caitlin — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:10:39 +0000

Pete and I are going to “Dude Where’s My Tent” July 17th, 18th, & 19th. Camping is free and it’s only $25 for a ticket. We missed out on DEMF again and this is our consolation. It’ll be a blast though. Check out the Vid

boom boom beach day!

Caitlin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:32:47 +0000

After waking up in the afternoon and realizing it is freakin hot outside and freakin sunny too there’s only one thing to do today! Beach Day! The beach is the best place to A. swim and B. people watch. I look forward to live entertainment from those that haven’t a clue they are entertaining everyone.

Thanks Pete

Caitlin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:03:07 +0000

This is the only thing on this blog I have done thus far. Everything else including the about me was done by my dashing boyfriend Pete. I had no clue he was working on this blog for our 3 year anniversary. How sweet is he? I love him.

Video Pick – Lars for Heavyweights

Caitlin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:53:02 +0000

Hello World!

Caitlin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:11:18 +0000

My name is Caitlin and this is my blog. I’m 22 years old and live in Grand Rapids, Michigan with my boyfriend Pete. I am originally from Brighton, Michigan. I am currently enrolled at Grand Valley State University as a Sociology major. I’ll be graduating in December… WOOT! I have an internship at an organization where I help at-risk teens get a leg up in society. It’s a lot of fun and very fulfilling. I love hanging out with my friends, especially at the beach or anywhere outdoors. I’m really good at disc golf and love playing new courses when I have the time. When the sun goes down you can find me downtown sipping a mojito, trying out new craft beers or curled up on the couch watching a movie with Pete. More later.