Introductions, Purposes, and Meanderings…

Before We Begin the Journey…

Instead of diving head first into the fatootsin journeys themselves, I thought it would be best to make some introductions. Although fatootsin is satisfying for the single person, it takes on new life when it is shared with others. In my case, I have chosen some fabulous beginning fatootsin partners. Knowing full well that my fatootsin trips will encompass many folk including me, myself, and I (we get along superbly-most days), I thought it proper to introduce my characters as well as the structure and layout of the basic journey on paper.

May I Introduce?

Sometimes I may use my traveling partners’ real names but most of the time I will use their nicknames. This is mostly because there may be an occasional embarrassing moment or two along the way (what fun would it be if there wasn’t?), and I would hate to ruin my 13-year-old’s life by actually calling her by her real name. My current family fatootsin partners are not 100% sure if they want to be publicly recognized, yet, so surnames or nicknames will be used. However, those that know us can laugh at us later. There will be pictures, so if you are a good investigator, feel free to poke fun at any of the characters at will.

In general, though, I am a mother of three beautiful girls (yes, I am cliché at times but they really are beautiful) ages 2 ½, 9, and 13. They make me laugh every day and bring satisfaction that only a parent can understand. They aren’t real sure about why I want to write about our fatootsin journeys, but they are willing to gulp the embarrassment for the sake of the trips (anything to get out of the house). Currently, I am a single (newly divorced) mother who has found another mother of two to drag with me. Her girls are 13 and 10. When we are all together, Darth Vader (the nickname for my black Honda Odyssey) is at full capacity. And basically there is a lot of estrogen…Occasional drama, lots of singing, and a little men bashing. However, on that note…Hopefully, one day, I will have some testosterone tagging along but not right now…that’s a part of the overall journey.

Trip Ratings…

Like any good hotel rating site or car safety rating, I thought it would be good to include a “fatootsin rating system.” The rating system will depend on the fatootsin dynamic: family fatootsin, a couples journey, or a singles path. Gauges will range from toddler and mother meltdowns, are we there yets, romantic smooching locations, early bed times because of too much alcohol to moments of quiet, number of pee stops, and need for car games. Of course, this rating system is NOT OFFICIAL. Stars are NOT USED. And, others that didn’t experience the trip on NOT ALLOWED to rate the trip. However, comments are always welcome!

Why The Three Word Titles?

You’ll start to understand this as you read the stories…

Trips vs. Fatootsin…

In general, fatootsin, as coined by my mother (who KNOWS how to fatoots), are short day jaunts in the car and MAYBE include an overnighter, but in general they keep you close to home. If you go much further than this, they turn into TRIPS. Trips still bring a decent journey, but I am finding that fatootsin is more gratifying and centering for the overall journey. This said, there may be an occasional trip explored on this blog. …Purely because it brought forth some sort centeredness (or just a good, funny story).

Three’s Company or Is It Two’s Company?…

Each fatootsin journey will include different companions. It could be a couples thing (yes, this is where the testosterone comes in), or me, myself, and I, or as you will see most..the fam. The fam includes the characters listed above but riders aside from my girls may change.

What’s to Come…

Hopefully this intro gave you a general overview of the stories to come. In the end, I just hope you find yourself laughing, giggling, or guffawing (maybe even snorting in private). And, maybe it will inspire you to try your own hand at fatootsin. But lastly, I can only hope that you relate, find yourself exploring, and then encourage you to enjoy the journey no matter where it takes you.

©Rachel A. Seidensticker is a journalism student at the University of Montana. Inspired by her own childhood fatootsin experiences, she has decided to begin her own fatootsin journeys around her hometown and share them here as well as in her local newspaper, The Ravalli Republic.

Intro to Fatootsin

Fatootsin…Not to be mistaken with fatootsed, which, according to the online Urban Dictionary, means “driven to distraction; colossally frustrated; a combination of being worn out from -- and pissed off by -- the offending person or circumstances.”

Quite the contrary…Instead, fatootsin is a stupendous way to release some of that frustration from the “offending person or circumstances.” From fatootsin, a greater sense of self is derived, a greater understanding of the surrounding areas is gained, and a feeling of freedom and relaxation is accomplished.

Simply put by my mother, who coined the term when I was younger…fatootsin is just getting in the car and going. Sometimes you have a plan of your ultimate destination. Sometimes you just head in one direction. While sometimes, you have a general idea of where you want the road to take you but you may find yourself headed on a completely different path once you get started. Kinda like life...

As a child and teenager, fatootsin was a big part of my vocabulary. We did it regularly. I always enjoyed our day trips to different locations from where we lived. There were times we would take the same day trip to the same destination but the trip itself was always different. There was different music from Neil Diamond, Tina Turner, and Cat Stevens to different road games from ‘I Spy’ to the Road Sign ABC game. There was always a lot of laughing and singing, and this is the beauty of fatootsin! Trips to watch the pig races, excursions into the mountains for breakfast, seat-gripping races along mountainous, windy roads, sight seeing into Yellowstone Park, and dirts roads into the next town…it just didn’t matter. The name of our game was exploration.

Granted, our family took many family vacations that involved the big white truck pulling the big white fifth wheel trailer (no airplanes allowed) to different places in the greater northwest. The furthest of these being a 30-day trip up through Canada and south-east Alaska to Haines and on up to Fairbanks then back down the Alaskan Highway through Edmonton, Canada and home to Red Lodge, Montana. These trips are definitely full of memories and many pictures in front of touristy type stuff. Or, they abound in family gatherings and reunions with old friends.

However, fatootsin trips gained the most laughter, the most conversation, and the largest of life lessons with only a few pictures to capture the moment.

So, I sit here now on the precipice of my own fatootsin journeys. I had lost the ‘art’ of fatootsin for many years. But, as I travel into single-hood being a mother of three, beautiful girls ages 2 ½, 9, and 13, I have rediscovered the importance and gratification of exploration and fatootsin as a whole.

Here I will share the journeys in hopes that someone finds their own connection, gains a laugh or two, gets inspired to begin their own fatootsin trips, or just wants to live vicariously through someone else. No matter what direction your path may be leading you right now, I hope that these fatootsin treasures bring you delight and inspire you to always take a look at your own journey. Through them I hope you continually ask yourself “do I like my own path?”

Cheers and Happy Fatootsin!

©Rachel A. Seidensticker is a journalism student at the University of Montana. Inspired by her own childhood fatootsin experiences, she has decided to begin her own fatootsin journeys around her hometown and share them here as well as in her local newspaper.