Who’s Christine?

A person who is curious, in every sense of the word.
How did you start writing for midnight poutine?

I began writing for Midnight Poutine in July of 2009. I read the blog fairly consistently, enjoyed the content, and decided to apply as a contributor.

The ability to write about anything I wanted to, as long as it had some connection to Montreal, was appealing. This freedom afforded me the opportunity to present and refine my voice as a writer. From a career standpoint, writing for Midnight Poutine seemed like a great way to network and build my portfolio.

What is your favorite creative outlet?

I can’t seem to stop fumbling about with my hands, which has usually resulted in writing. I have a vintage Remington that gets its keys warmed up on a regular basis. I also enjoy drawing, painting, making stained glass windows, and more recently, playing the piano.

I actually had a series published through Midnight Poutine called “The Incurable Hobbyist.” It examined various hobbies one might pursue around the city or from the privacy of one’s home. The goal was to inspire readers to develop hobbies they’d grow to love dearly, to fill their hearts with the unique joy that comes with learning something special, something new.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I’m a very receptive person. Throughout the day, most everything I sense will find a way inside of me and settle there. Then, it’s up to my imagination to draw out these, sometimes banal, daily items and gently shape them or more violently contort them into something altogether new. Hopefully the results make people smile or think or both.

For journalism specifically, I am inspired by people and their stories. I feel we have a lot to learn from each other.

What does living beautifully mean to you?

To me, living beautifully means living authentically and maintaining some simple joie-de-vivre. Its about appreciating how unexpected and magical our world is and with that, loving and engaging in the possibilities it presents. I’ve noticed people become very beautiful when they talk about the things they love.

We had the pleasure getting to know copywriter/blogger Megan Rascal who will now be our new guest blogger! We asked her a few questions on creativity and inspiration, here is what she had to say!

Who’s Megan?

I work in Manhattan as a copywriter and happily live in Brooklyn. I’ve been a vegan for about 7 years. New York has amazing vegan food but nothing beats a vegan cheesesteak from my hometown Philly.

How did you start writing for vegansaurus?

I moved to San Francisco in 2008 and like many SF vegans, I quickly became a big fan of Vegansaurus. Then sometime in 2009, they put a call out for new writers. I applied and out of all the hopeful vegans, they picked me!

What is your favorite creative outlet?

Writing is my big creative outlet. I’m lucky to work in a field where I get to write all the time. Although since I work in advertising, I am writing a lot but it’s for brands or companies–when I write for Vegansaurus, I get to write whatever I want.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I think people inspire me most. People are fascinating. We are all born the same way and have the same basic needs, but then everything else–the way people act, feel, live–is just pandemonium. I get my best ideas talking to other people because everyone has their own way of approaching the world and their own way of problem solving.

What does living beautifully mean to you?

I guess living beautifully to me means living in a way you are proud of. Guilt and shame weigh people down, but if you know you are always doing your best, you can radiate a light, airy happiness that others can feel.