December 2023

December 26, 2023July 12, 2024

sugar bush magic: when nights are below and days are above freezing

December 20, 2023

excellent results on my very first try building a 96″ solid pine bookshelf (with adjustable shelves!)

it balances perfectly, stands up straight, feels very well constructed. i bought some heavy-duty metal feet to add to the shelf just in case, but haven’t needed to install them as the shelf holds up well by itself. helps that there is a heavy pine backboard which pulls weight towards the wall rather than tipping forward. very pleased with this considering I was speeding through the process as fast as possible in order to build it quickly without annoying the neighbours too much with the noise. built this whole shelf in about 4 hours! all by myself. this shelf weighs about half my body weight, so… lol.

anyway. turns out, i’m a natural born cloutier? makes sense. our family name is Cloutier (Cloutier-Dupont). has been for hundreds of years, at that point it becomes part of a family tree’s dna, doesn’t it? my mother is a very talented artist and craftsman as well. she’s not only a very good artist but can apply it in a very practical (useful) manner. she never made too much money at it but i’m a good accountant, i probably could.

there is an opportunity out there waiting for me to actualize it…

it’s just a shelf. but considering it is my first try at such a tall, heavy piece of furniture. and i built it as quickly as possible, no dawdling or too much time to think it through. i slapped it together, and slapped it good.

i even added little hard wood screw hole caps to make it pretty. come on. it’s a work of art. i love it.

December 19, 2023December 19, 2023

things that make me excited to wake up in the morning?

the idea of moving to the west coast, bringing the healthiest and most creative aspects of Quebecois culture with me to help create beautiful cities that people from all economic backgrounds are happy to live in.
the idea of becoming an architect (master’s level) and bioengineer (phd). or some variation thereof. as I’d like to design and build new life as much as immovable structures.
the idea of having a small home in the city and acres of land to establish a homestead in the country, linking the two together through a business or non-profit. living in the city is exhausting and living in the country is boring, thus the ideal is to enjoy the best of both worlds and somehow make a decent living doing it.
the idea of founding an edible botanical garden and working ranch on the coast open to the public that offers year-round workshops in masonry, metalworking, carpentry, basic electrical & mechanical, agriculture, beekeeping, botany, first aid, archery, martial arts, traditional and modern games, and survival skills/scouting for adults. would be nice if it was a profitable venture but break even is good enough.
founding a robust biohacking makerspace
reaching peak physical and mental health and having children of my own in a few years. if I do not have eggs left at that point then availing to maternal spindle transfer so I can have my own biological children, as childhood trauma has prevented me from doing so up to this point and I’m still not ready yet… thus must focus on my physical, mental and financial health above all else if I’m to ever have a family
owning a private lab where I can grow rare plant and animals species to replenish native populations and if possible, create a very profitable business to fund all the aforementioned projects. which is not necessarily impossible.
learning to be a better friend and have healthy relationships with others, both personal and professional