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.