EDITOR’S FIX

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. 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 selfprofessed science nerd and lover of all things outside. 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. SARAH PULLEN is a grade 12 student at Fernie Secondary with a passion for all things creative. She looks forward to pursuing some form of artistic studies post-secondary. 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.

SYLVIA AYERS Sylvia is a tenacious naturalist and believes each one of us can have a big impact on making things better if we just know how. 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.

Claris Media acknowledges that the land on which we work, gather and recreate is the traditional and unceded territory of the Ktunaxa people. We are very grateful for this place and the abundance it provides.

By Krista Turcasso, Editor

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. ~ Aristotle

Over the last few years, especially during this pandemic, I have finally developed and embraced a deep connection with who I am. What I believe, my values, who and what are important to me. And this has helped me to feel more confident across aspects of my life.

I used to have a hard time voicing concerns, sharing my opinion, standing up for what I believed to be right or the best choice for me, my friends and family, my community. I didn’t want to ‘rock the boat’ or to cause problems and would avoid confrontation at all cost.

This connection, or as Aristotle calls it wisdom, has given life more depth and meaning… even if sometimes that depth is frustrating, disappointing and challenging. But isn’t that the point? Not to go day by day, through the motions, checking off the list and instead to learn more, be engaged, ask the hard questions, fight the good fight?

These have been extremely difficult times, but they are also times that have taught us what in life is important and worth fighting for. While it varies for each of us, I think we can all agree that this kind of connection and love for ourselves is critical and perhaps by looking inward, we can then turn outward and tackle those bigger challenges together.

FERNIE FIX | FERNIEFIX.COM

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Editor | Krista Turcasso Creative Director | Vanessa Croome

All content copyright Claris Media. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher.