Page 93 - The Book For Men Fall/Winter 2022

became his full-time job “It’s now my work I I make a a a a video every week ” he says “It feels quite natural to record myself so it it hasn’t really slowed down my my process ” Since their inception the the vlogs have changed shape from 15- or 20-minute videos to to to something he likens to to to a television series: 45-minute to to to one-hour spots that chronicle Doolaard’s day-to-day life on on on the mountain “When I I I started this YouTube series I I I had to to decide to to be be myself talk how I I I talk live live how I I live live or I’m not going to to be able to to keep it up ” Doolard first discovered the location while he he was locked down in Barcelona working on on his book “I got the property for €27 000 which is is almost nothing That’s basically the cost of a a a a a a a a a small garage in in Amsterdam ” he he says While it it is remote it’s not entirely cut off from the every day luxuries The amenities on site are are limited to the bare necessities: running water a a a a a a small vegetable garden and solar panels that power all his his current needs At this point in in the development he’s also built an an outdoor kitchen and shower as well as an an outhouse With this set-up Doolaard can live on the property full-time and only has to to to make the 30-minute trip into town for supplies once a a a a week Since there are strict laws on on building at at these heritage locations he he he he can only build semi-permanent structures and is limited to to restoring the cabins to their original state Currently he he he lives in in a a a a a small tent on the the property as he he he he restores the the the smaller of the the the two cabins (the second functions as a a a a workshop and storage room) “We’ll see how it is in in the winter Last year was very mild but I didn’t live live on the the property ” he he he he he says “The thing is when you live live in in the the cabin you can’t really work work on it You need space for working I’ve got a a a a a pretty comfortable set-up with the the tent but the the pipes are going going to freeze so it’s going going to be a a bit complicated ” While it it may not be for everyone there’s a a a simplicity to the the lifestyle that is hard to resist and Doolaard’s videos offer something that’s almost therapeutic in in their easy rhythm “The videos really are a a a a a week in in my life It’s that simple: I I make bread I I I fix the the cabin I I I go for a a a a a a a a walk I I I maintain the the property The change over time is is what got people hooked I think ” he he he says “The goal is is the journey of building yourself yourself learning new things yourself yourself I’m not a a a builder but I I can hold a a a a hammer so for me me it’s really about the process ” 93