If there were one word I would use to describe Caitlin, it would have to be the word energetic. Cait has more energy than any other person I know! This may sound old school of me, but she has spunk! Always upbeat and bubbly, she is a ton of fun to be around and if you are with her, you know a good time will ensue!
Caitlin’s love for 311 began at an early age, when she would listen to DC 101 and 99.1 HFS (her local rock stations) with her father on the way to school. She first heard 311 in 1996 and remembers singing along to All Mixed Up and Down in the car. She loved 90’s rock music, and the band just stuck with her. She said she isn’t quite sure what drew her to the band, but they have remained important to her even through other phases of her life (Like her boy band phase -no judging people! Most of us girls had that phase!). In high school Cait met two guys named Rob and Mike who also loved 311, and from there they bonded to become concert buddies. Cait even found love because of it! Rob ended up becoming her boyfriend and they are still together! They have been seeing the band together every summer since 2003. (Cait sends a very special shout out to her love Rob!)
As most fans will agree, seeing the band live is an amazing experience, and Cait has been lucky enough to see them around 35 times. “I believe its 35 shows, but it feels like more. It’s all about the experiences. I just love going to new venues now!” Cait will be one of the lucky ones in New Orleans next March for 311 Day and she can’t wait. As she put it, “THAT will be a show to remember.” Cait has been to two prior 311 Day events, the 2010 & 2012 shows in Vegas. She has also been on all three cruises. Combined, these events make up her favorite shows because they allowed her to meet people from all over the U.S. and even other countries. These events have also allowed her to meet the people she goes to shows with every summer and she has developed close relationships with some of them as well. She met Rebeca Fernandez (shout out to Bex!) because of the first cruise when they roomed together. Then through Bex she met none other than yours truly. These shows really do provide such a great way to meet new people and develop friendships. Cait would also like to say, “Shout out to all of my MD folks and east coast people! It is really great seeing them and most of the time sharing the rail with them.”
311 has not only brought Cait new friends, they also have allowed her to bond with her brother, who is seven years younger than her (Shout out to Colt!). Their love for 311 is something they’ve shared since they were younger. Cait loves that Colt’s first tattoo were the words “From chaos comes clarity,” which are also some of her favorite lyrics. They even have matching 311 tattoos! You have to admire that sibling bond!
The band has brought so much to Caitlin’s life, and she is truly grateful for that. She’d like to tell them all, “First off it would have to be a huge THANK YOU! For your music, being awesome, for the chance to meet great people and to travel the world, the ability to bond with my younger brother. Really for everything!” Cait said that people often joke with her asking if the band recognizes her yet. I’m sure all of us excitables have heard this from people we know before!
Caitlin was born, raised, and still resides in the great state of Maryland. Her parents are in the dental field, which has given Cait a wealth of information regarding dental health (I won’t repeat the horrifying information she recently conveyed to me about plaque). Cait worked in the dental office for awhile when she was younger and realized that the field wasn’t for her. However, it did make her realize that she loved IT, so she went to school on the Eastern Shore where she graduated with a degree in it. She currently works in the field and has been doing so for five years now. As she stated, “I do desktop support for a living which helps me fund my 311 habit!”
Some more fun stuff to know about Caitlin – she is known as the concert girl at work, because she goes to so many (not just 311)! She loves seeing live shows and some of her other favorite artists to see include Ballyhoo!, Dirty Heads, Exes of Evil, Ghostwolf, Pretty Lights (whom she says has a girlfriend that is a 311 fan) and Justin Timberlake. Cait says she really loves all types of music, and her list of artists she loves is too long to list here! Her first concert was Janet Jackson with Nsync opening, and she loves that it was her first live music experience (She even met Nsync in the 8th grade). Caitlin also is the proud mother to a fur baby named Kitty Whittles, whom she adores (As do I! Whittles and I are besties). Want to know Cait’s nickname at work? It’s Pot Pie, which may sound like a funny nickname but is appropriate since she does an excellent impression of Cartman from South Park. She even does a dance that they call the Pot Pie dance! Now you know what to ask Caitlin to do if you meet her or the next time you see her.
Caitlin has learned some valuable lessons from the lyrics of 311, as most of us have. She loves the line, “Take on the love and the good karma” because it reminds her to “embrace all the love from the people around you and to spread it to others. Also just to be nice and do things for others.” Cait is a firm believer in karma and that what goes around comes back around, so she tries to put forth nothing but positivity every day!
I said at the beginning that if one word could describe Cait, it would be energetic. In all truthfulness, one word really cannot describe her because she is so much more than that. She is a great friend, honest, caring, fun, happy, outgoing, and really just an all around wonderful person to have in your life. So if you are going to NOLA, be on the lookout for Caitlin! She is one person you definitely want to party with! 🙂
I leave you as always with parting words from our awesome spotlight participant. Cait would just like to say to everyone:
“First would be THANK YOU Chrissy for having me in your awesome blog. I feel honored because I’m writing this the same day 311 is having their last show for the Unity tour. (The first time I started to write this!).
Second – Much love to all the 311 fans out there.”
Thanks for introducing yourself to the world Cait! Much love 🙂