I am excited to announce that I am making several changes to the DevLexicon and Donald Louch Productions brands.

With this, I am **discontinuing the brand of DevLexicon** and **dropping the Production(s)** title in the Donald Louch Productions brand; and now going by the **one brand of Donald Louch**.

I decided to make this change as I found when creating content with the DevLexicon brand, it wasn’t me making it, it wasn’t something I could call my own, or say that it was made by me. Furthermore, I felt the content was getting redundant as I shared the content from both the DevLexicon and Donald Louch Production accounts. With this change, all content will be delivered under one brand, one account.

<NewSection id="whatsChanging" />

### What's Changing With Websites?

With this change, I will begin to shift my websites and web content around. With this, **devlexicon.ca has reached archive status and will not be returning**. The domain name will remain active for the time being but will **redirect to donaldlouch.ca**. Additionally, **DevLexicon Branding will be reaching archived status** over the coming weeks and **will not be returning**. 

**DevLexicon Links for now will remain up** but will be a **legacy/portfolio project**. All content from DevLexicon Links will be **redirected to donaldlouch.ca**. **OpusVid** over the coming weeks to months will **transition over to opusvid.donaldlouch.ca**. As well, **Themes By DevLexicon** will **transition to Themes By Donald Louch and will be transferred to themes.donaldlouch.ca**. **DevLexicon Status hosted through InstaStatus** has transitioned to **Donald Louch Status hosted through. InstaStatus** and will be active at the link: **[donaldlouch.instatus.com](https://donaldlouch.instatus.com)**.

As for **DevLexicon’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube pages**, over the coming weeks to months, I will be **archiving the content and discontinuing those accounts**. **All devlexicon.ca email accounts** will be **reaming active for the time being but will not be replied from and won’t be checked as often and at a point in the next few months will be discontinued**. The **DevLexicon GitHub** account **has been** transitioned over to **DonaldLouch** and all previous repositories are now at **[github.com/donaldlouch](https://github.com/donaldlouch)**.

With this, I will be renaming the **Donald Louch Productions Facebook page to Donald Louch** while **keeping the link the same [facebook.com/donaldlouchproductions](https://facebook.com/donaldlouchproductions)**. I will further be changing my *contact email and email accounts on donaldlouch.ca to only use hello@donaldlouch.ca**. With this, **all other donaldlouch.ca email accounts will be reaming active for the time being but will not be replied from and won’t be checked as often and at a point in the next few months will be discontinued**.

<NewSection id="freelance" />

### What About Freelancing?

Up to this point, I was accepting requests for freelancing jobs via the **DevLexicon Portal, this is now discontinued**. I, however, **am still accepting requests for freelance jobs** through my **[website’s contact form](../../about#contact) and [request form](../../jobs)**, as well as, by **contacting me through email, phone, and social media communications**.

<NewSection id="changesDonaldLouch" />

### What's Changing on DonaldLouch.ca?

With this all, it’s time I also **modernize** my website and portfolio. Making it run **smoother**, keeping up with **modern technologies**, and now transitioning the website to handle all my content. 

With this, I am so excited to announce my **newly redesigned website and portfolio**! With this, since 2013 I have been **maintaining this website** and changing the content and its technologies. The website has been powered by **Content Management Systems** such as **Webs, Weebly, SquareSpace, WordPress**, and other CMS’ to then in 2017 I transitioned the website and **hand-coded my own CMS** for the website with **HTML, CSS, and PHP OPP** (Object-Oriented Programming) languages. Then today in 2022, I’m proud to announce that I have changed the website and the CMS to be hand-coded in the **new modern JavaScript Framework of NextJS by Vercel** with a codebase of **React** and **TypeScript**.

This change has allowed me to have a **faster, smoother, more optimized website and portfolio**, better templating, and so much more!

<NewSection id="techStak" />

### What's The New Tech Stack?

My full “Tech Stack” for the website is:

- [TypeScript](https://www.typescriptlang.org/): JavaScript Syntax
- [NextJS](https://nextjs.org/): Website Framework
- [Vercel](https://vercel.com/): Hosting Platform
- [Chakra UI](https://chakra-ui.com): CSS Framework
- [Font Awesome / Font Awesome 6](https://fontawesome.com): Icons
- [NextAuthJS](https://next-auth.js.org/): Auth Provider
- [Prisma](https://www.prisma.io/): Database ORM
- [PlanetScale](https://planetscale.com/): MySQL Provider
- [Cloudinary](cloudinary.com): Image Storage
- [MDX](https://mdxjs.com/): Markdown Blog Posts
- [Formik](https://github.com/jaredpalmer/formik): Form Provider
- [yup](https://github.com/jquense/yup): Form Validation
- [Fontsource](https://fontsource.org/): Font Provider
- [SplitBee](https://splitbee.io/): Public Analytics

<NewSection id="changesDonaldLouch2" />

Furthermore, with this update, I have made **several design changes that merge the two former brands** of DevLexicon and Donald Louch Productions into one brand. On the website, I have also made the website more **mobile-friendly and responsive**, and introduced a nice **dark mode**. I have also **redesigned the blog feed, blog categories, and blog tag pages**.

With this change, I have also **streamlined my biography page** ([About Me](../../about)), **Links**, and **Contact** pages and have **merged them into one page**. You may, however, still visit the website with **links.donaldlouch.ca** or **donaldlouch.ca/links** or **donaldlouch.ca/contact** and you will automatically be redirected to the About Me page.

I have decided to further **remove the Internal Comment section** on blog posts. With this, the **portal area is no longer accessible for public use and is only accessible to me**.

<NewSection id="note" />

A note about this upgrade is that **the website is still in a beta, construction phase**. With this, **all features will not be fully created and optimized** and will be in a more functional state at a later time.

In saying that, I have constructed the website enough to where you'll be able to visit the website and get updates on myself and view my content.

If you would like you may proceed to the **beta version** of the website by continuing to navigate on this website or you may go to the **alpha version** where features are not as developed at [https://beta.donaldlouch.ca](https://beta.donaldlouch.ca) or by visiting my Vercel link at [https://donaldlouch.vercel.app](https://donaldlouch.vercel.app). Or if you would like you may visit the **legacy version** at [https://legacy.donaldlouch.ca](https://legacy.donaldlouch.ca).

This **website and portfolio is an open-source project** and all the source files can be **seen, forked, and you can help develop** by heading over to my **GitHub** account: [https://github.com/donaldlouch/website](https://github.com/donaldlouch/website).

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me through Social Media, [my website](../../about#contact), or email at [hello@donaldlouch.ca](mailto:hello@donaldlouch.ca).

I am excited to announce that I am making several changes to the DevLexicon and Donald Louch Productions brands

Donald Louch Changes (February 22nd, 2022)

<NewSection id="early" />

### Early Life

Elroy was born on December 3rd, 1994. Now this date is important and will be brought back up later in the story. On December 3rd Elroy was born into a happy family which consisted of his mother and father, as well as his sister. Then the following year his brother was born and completed their happy family.

Through Elroy’s life he felt as something wasn’t normal and that he wasn’t like most kids. For his early life, there was an underlining feeling as he didn’t truly understand the whole personality thing, and who he is as a personal this. Even to this day, he still doesn’t have a true knowing of who he is as a person, he does have a pretty good idea but not a fully baked idea, if you will. As he progressed in life he noticed more and more that he doesn’t fit in and that he faced a number of diversities within a number of different spectrums.

One of these things that made Elroy not feel normal is that for the first three years of his life he didn’t know how to talk and on January 12th, 1998 he started speech therapy (for about two-three years). In which he found out later that he had a Delayed Speech issue. However, after the two to three years of speech therapy he hasn’t shut his mouth since (according to his mother ;)).

In Kindergarten, Elroy was struggling with basic learning skills and was recommended to be held back and to do another half of a year of Pre-school. So his parents agreed with his teacher and Elroy went back to Pre-school. One of the reasons why he went back is because, he entered school a year earlier then most kids as he was born in December. Furthermore, he had some underlining disabilities that would show up more clearer in later years.

After doing the half of a year of Pre-school he went back to Kindergarten and re-did the basic education. During this time, he still felt there was still things wrong with him.

_Side Thought_:

>Not only did Elroy, face these learning issues. But he was also facing a serious problem to certain materials. For instance, he could only wear and touch anything that was 100% cotton. So when having a bath or shower, he couldn’t handle being dried by a towel and would be quickly patted with it. But after some years, he was able to overcome this issue!

<NewSection id="diagnoses" />

### The Diagnoses

When Elroy was in grade four (October 27th, 2004), he had an educational assessment done. During this assessment which spanned to he thinks three days; he was able to find out that he has:

- Delayed Speech
- Mild Intellectual Disability (MID)
- ADHD (Predominantly Inattentive Type)
- Pronounced Memory Difficulties
- “... he is more likely to remember something is if he has a concrete meaningful picture as a starting point.”
- Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD)
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder (OOD)
- In the “Low Projectile”

These results at first didn’t sink in. He was still frustrated at the fact that he didn’t know what was wrong with him and couldn’t figure out his problems.

During his early childhood, Elroy tried his hardest to ride a bike but due to his Developmental Co-ordination Disorder. To this day, he still can’t ride a bike due to his balance. However, he hasn’t really tired it recently.

The following year (grade five-2005) was when it all began to stick in. With the Low Projectile fact and further the Mild Intellectual Disability, Elroy was told that he wasn’t smart and never will be. It was said that he wouldn’t be progressing past grade six. Thus, in mind, Elroy, began to feel unmotivated and didn’t try to further his academics; which stemmed from his Oppositional Defiant Disorder and other facets of the Oppositional Defiant Disorder began to be more and more pronounced. From “acting out” and having a number of more and bigger outbursts more and more of times. This made it hard for Elroy, to make new friends and the old friends began to be afraid of him. The second week of grade six (2006) it got to the point were Elroy got expelled and had to go to another school.

Another reason, why there was an increase of the out bust is due to the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that he developed from a car accident that he was involved in on June 28th, 2005. Also from this accident Elroy had developed Chronic Motor Tic Disorder in which he would shake his head back and forth repeatedly. Thankfully, over the years this has dissipated and only shows up under high stress situations and his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has completely gone away.

After the moving to middle school, Elroy was grateful to have a phenomenally wonderful teacher Ms.Odelia as she was truly amazing. Ms.Odelia didn’t give up on Elroy and taught him a wonderful lesson that it’s okay to be upset and angry, but it’s not okay to be aggressive and to act in the ways he did. Ms.Odelia further made sure that Elroy and his fellow classmates were their own person and that it’s okay to be “different” and that it’s okay to struggle and to learn in your own ways! Instead of being in the “academic” world if you will Elroy, was placed in the Integrated Support Program (IS) in which, the main focus was you! and how to function in the community. With this program the students were able to become who they are today! Elroy had the greatest pleasure of having Ms.Odelia for three years and in that time he learnt so much from her and that he wanted to be motivated and to try more academics! Ms.Odelia shaped Elroy, into the person that he is today!

Elroy didn’t know this at first but when he did, he found it kind of ironic in a sense. Like mentioned earlier, he was born on December 3rd, 1994 which happened to be the third International Day of Persons with Disabilities which happens every 3rd of December.

<NewSection id="challenge" />

### Challenge Accepted

Elroy went from being this unmotivated student from grades five to grade eight (2008) and by grade nine-part 1(2009) he became determined to get himself into an academic role and to excel in it. After convincing his parents and talking with Ms.Odelia it was decided that Elroy, would attend Social Studies 9 in the fall of 2009; and that’s exactly what he did! Elroy, did have an IEP (or Individual Education Plan) in place in which allowed him to have modified assignments and the ability to have open-book tests. For the first month or so, he did just the modified assignments and the open-book tests; however, after the first month he was finding himself getting bored and wanting to try the full assignments and to do the tests with out the textbook. To Elroy’s surprise he did quite well and thus, he continued to do so and finished with a B or B+ (he couldn’t quite remember ;)).

Elroy was suppose to continue a IS Program at the local High School which was called the Pre-Employment Program, however, he felt as he wanted to be in full academics! So Elroy, spent about six months convincing his parents to allow him to go to the local Alternative High School, where he was able to be in a full academic world. His parents said that he was able to go in to the program on the condition that if there was one out burst of sorts, he was to go back to the local High School and go into the pre-employment program.

Now, these outbursts have been a “thing of the past” at this point! From the help of Ms.Odelia she was able to help Elroy with control this facet of his Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Elroy moved to the new school and re-did grade nine-part 2 (fall 2010) as he only did Social Studies 9. Elroy was able to go through the grade nine year and got decent grades A+s, As, B+s, and a C+, he even took on one and a quarter chapters of bonus math problems; in which he was one of the only ones in his class to do so! He went on and did grade ten (2011) and then in one year grades eleven and twelve (2012)! Elroy got wonderful grades in his High School years to the point where he was able to graduate with honours. Elroy, graduated a year later, on time, and a year early from being held back for two years and for doing two grades in one year.

With being in control of his out bursters Elroy was able to gain respect from fellow students and faculty members to the point where he was asked to be his graduating classes Valedictorian which was his proudest day; and wrote a speech in which was able to invoke a number of emotions from lines like

>"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it if you can dream it, you can become it” ~ Quoted from William Arthur Ward;

>“My sister came to [this school] and was very successful and raved about this school. So I decided to go to [here] and to graduate on the regular program even though it meant that I would have to perhaps struggle. I proved to myself that I can achieve anything by trying and not giving up”;

>"What he lacked in skills, he made up in determination and a willingness to work on the issues” ~ Quoted from Ms.Odelia;

>And other quotes in which he was reminiscing about the different experiences he had with teachers, staff, and classmates.

Elroy does struggle under testing situations from his ADHD (Predominantly Inattentive Type) and his Pronounced Memory Difficulties, it makes it hard for Elroy to retain information and to be able to recall it under stressful situations like during tests. Unfortunately this is still present at this time. Elroy, does still struggle with certain aspects of the academia world however, he pushes through it and learns from the help of his teachers/professors, from peers, from the internet, and from his amazing boyfriend whom helps out with written English.

Elroy, further went on to graduate from college with two years and two certificates under his belt! He is a certified Digital Communicator and Digital Producer. Elroy further moved on to University in which is where he currently is and is well over half way through a Bachelors degree in Digital Media Studies!

Elroy has received amazing opportunities from the University. He is the Snapchat Coordinator, Rockstar then instantly moved up to Senior Ambassador for the Student Ambassadors, one of the Digital Media Studies Club Event Organizer, a double representative in the Student Leadership Circle, and newly added, the Student Management Facilitator for Project AURORA .

Elroy is ecstatic to finish his schooling and to see what other opportunities arise.

<NewSection id="end" />

### The End... For Now!

I want to say that this story is true and the character of Elroy is actually myself Donald Louch. The above story is my story, my experience of life, my struggles, and my accomplishments.

My hopes with this is to bring the idea that you can achieve anything when you motivate yourself and when you try and struggle through things.

>“Obstacles are without a doubt relevant in our lives; However the hardest obstacle is, overcoming them and not letting them define us” - Donald Louch

I want to give a huge thanks to my parents and family for dealing with my mental struggles through the years. I want to thank Ms. Odelia ( which is a made up name but a truly amazing person) Odelia is actually an Anglo-Saxon name meaning “thankful” and I am truly thankful for her. I want to further thank my teachers, professors, faculty members, my fellow classmates, and friends. I further want to give a thanks to my wonderful boyfriend!

However, this is the end of the story for this point in time! I want to thank all of you for watching and hope you enjoyed and who knows, maybe I inspired one of you! Like I’ve said before “[anyone] can achieve anything by trying and not giving up” and “if you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it” in which I quoted from William Arthur Ward.

The Life Story

I have decided to tell you the truth about who I am and what my sexuality is. It may come as a shock to you, however, I don’t just only like girls, but I like guys. I, however, view girls as friendship material. Additionally, I can appreciate women and see beauty in them. However, I don't feel any attraction towards women. Therefore, I am gay. I am however proud to be who I am as well as who I love and no one can tell me any different!

To my knowledge I have always fallen under the Gay stereotype, however, I have told myself from about five to the age of sixteen that I only like girls and that I was straight. When in fact I have liked guys the whole time and that I was gay.

Funny story, the first time that I question my sexuality was the first time for something else as well. Around the end of June in 2010, I was having troubles with getting to sleep. Therefore, around 1:30am, I decided to turn on my TV and watch some TV, I decided on Family Channel. I saw that Family Channel was playing a new music video. I was doing other things at the time so I just listened to the song. As I was listening to the song I thought to myself, this girl can sing. However when I looked up to the TV, I noticed that the artist wasn't a girl but was a guy. This music video was “One Time” by Justin Bieber.

I started to question my sexuality and thought I actually, am not sure if I'm just straight a few seconds after the music video for One Time was finished. From this point until February 23rd, 2013, I spent time thinking about it and put all the pieces to the puzzle together and finally realized, that I'm gay.

A big part of my coming out experience and figuring out how I am was done on the Internet. From watching YouTube videos about being gay and the ways they came to term of their sexuality, to reading online posts and I even did a few, Are you gay surveys.

Everyone, whom I have came out to so far, has taken it the news great and they still have remained to treat me, and love me the same way that they have always had. I feel so much better now that I have came out to most people.

I currently have a Boyfriend and I couldn't be any happier!

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I Want To Get A Fact Straight ... I'm Not!

"General" has 3 posts in it's category

General

Donald Louch Changes (February 22nd, 2022)

General, Videography

The Life Story

General

Coming Out