EDITOR’S FIX

Contributors

ANDREW VALLANCE is a cinephile nerd who currently lives on the west coast. Girlfriendless, he spends his time going to movies, buying DVDs and flirting.

ANGE QUALIZZA is a nutty economist who has a passion for policy, governance and everything to do with municipal government!

Let’s lift up the carpet and take a closer look inside City Hall. ANGIE ABDOU has a PhD in English Literature and has published eight books, most recently This One Wild Life: A Mother-Daughter Hiking Memoir. ASHLEY KRISTINA has studied astrology for over twenty years and has been reading/teaching for five. For an in depth natal chart reading, email mountainashastrology@gmail.com. BRAD PARSELL is the manager of the Fernie Chamber and loves working with our local vibrant business community. He is also a music nerd with an ever-growing collection of records in his basement. CLAIRE SMALLWOOD is an avid skier, mediocre snowboarder, former personal chef, and newly-minted hockey fan. When Claire’s not on the slopes or whipping up red chile sauce, you can find her at the helm of SheJumps, the nonprofit she co-founded in 2007 with a mission to transform the lives of women and girls through outdoor experiences. FRED GIETZ is a self-professed science nerd and lover of all things outside. JESSICA BOZOKY quit her editing job in Australia to chase the snow. Having settled in Fernie, she’s found herself at home surrounded by mountains (of books). KEVIN MCISAAC haunts the coffee shops and streets of Fernie to find his column source material. MICHAEL HEPHER is a painter, printmaker, sculptor and musician living and working in Fernie. His work is collected internationally and can be seen at Clawhammer Press and a variety of galleries in Western Canada. PATRICK ROBERTSON is a travel writer and long-time resident of Fernie. He is an expert in planning independent travel and finding budget travel deals. Visit his website at budgetslowtravel. com and on Facebook at facebook.com/ budgetslowtravel. Every month SADIE ROSGEN teams up with some of Fernie’s brightest young writers collaborating on a given theme. If you are reading this and think that you are that person, drop her a line at sadiepumps@gmail.com. STEPHANIE MCDOWELL is a physiotherapist with Fernie Physiotherapy. Aside from work, she is an outdoor enthusiast, and enjoys soaking up all the baby giggles from her son.

TAINA TURCASSO is a naturopathic physician, midwife, and new mama who is at long last practicing in Fernie. She is enjoying getting reacquainted with all of Fernie’s offerings with her family. TYLA CHARBONNEAU is a Registered Psychologist (CPBC2385), dog momma, and nature lover. She loves talking with others about mindfulness, self-compassion, and human nature. Recently, Vanessa and I subdivided our office to allow room for another business. With less than ½ the space, it meant downsizing…. a lot. We have kept many copies of every issue printed, and over the last 15 years there have been just two occasions that resulted in a major reorganization. While both were overwhelming, they were also therapeutic.

First, humans are funny and we often put our heads down and keep pushing forward without acknowledging where we have come from and what we have accomplished. Vanessa and I have never been great at celebrating us. But guess what? 15 years! Come on, it is mind blowing and we are so grateful and humbled to be able to do what we do every day and yes, we are proud. There, I said it. There is no shame in that!

Second, letting go creates space! Yes, physical (as in, we have more shelf space for upcoming editions) but also mentally and emotionally. While it is exciting to have reached 15 years, it also comes with a feeling of ‘what next?’ This process was both cathartic and invigorating, and while we are still wrapping our heads and hearts around it all, this process allowed us to put some irons in the fire.

In the end, though this magazine wouldn’t be here without you. All of you. Those who read, who advertise, who contribute, who take the time to engage. In an increasingly digital age, the field of publishing is constantly being challenged. The support of our community is the fundamental reason Fernie Fix continues. Creating and publishing the Fix has been one of the biggest gifts of our lives, and this holiday season we would like to give thanks to you for your unwavering support.

FERNIE FIX | FERNIEFIX.COM

Published monthly by Claris Media. To advertise and for general inquiries: info@clarismedia.com Box 1124, 361A 1st Ave. Fernie, BC V0B 1M0 p: 250-423-4062 | clarismedia.com

Editor | Krista Turcasso Creative Director | Vanessa Croome

Editor’s Fix

By Krista Turcasso, Editor