News flash: fashion people can be snobs. That’s the most captain-obvious shocking revelation of the decade, right? While every industry has snobs amongst them, I know the fashion ones a bit more intimately. I think one of the areas I’m most snobby about is whether something is a basic staple or basic, basic.

In my youth I was all about experimenting. I wanted to try things for myself. I thought nearly any (safe) experience was worth trying, as I was sure I would learn something about me from it, good or bad. Now that I am firmly in my thirties, I feel the urge to simplify. Filter, filter, filter.

With any field of work, there may come many questions. “How do you spend your days? Whom do you work with? How do you get paid?” These are all questions I’ve fielded. One of my most frequently asked questions – on set, with a client, my family, friends, and people I meet outside of the industry – is, “But, like, what do you actually do, do?”

Do you ever catch yourself imagining a special trip for a special reason? Although you have never been to this particular place within a destination or the reality of actually going seems slim, do you fantasize about it anyway? That’s my current major crush situation with New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

This is my fifteenth September in Calgary and I’ve just noticed something. As soon as the calendar rolls from the thirty first of August over to the first day of September, things get chilly. The evenings are chilly, over night drops to single digits, and the mornings are chilly, nay, crisp AF.

Pride Calgary 2018 is underway in our great city and the festivities are chock-a-block full of options. There’s bingo, there’s clubs, there’s drag, there’s learning opportunities, and yes, there’s a parade. I’m in.

If you haven’t seen Crazy Rich Asians what are you waiting for? The first book in the series – where the movie spends its time – came out in 2013. The third and final book of the series came out nearly two years ago. I don’t want to hear that, “I want to read the book first,” nonsense. You’ve had plenty of time, girl.

I consider myself to be a freak flag flying authentic person for the most part. I say what I want, wear what I want, and do what I want. But like any grandiose verbal declaration, often times if you really are that already, you don’t need to say it out loud. In other words, sometimes there is new wisdom in testing what you thought you know about yourself.

After a vacation at home mostly bopping from cabin to cabin, I realized I barely wore makeup. When I went back through that time, the only days I put it on were because family photos – haunted with knowledge that those photos will probably be on loved ones walls for decades – were being taken. When it was just the boat, my loved ones, and me I didn’t bother. Interesting.

My vanity and the desire to live a well-dressed life can to take front seat most of the time. That falls by the wayside in a few occasions: when I’m at home; when I’m not feeling well; and when I’m at the cabin.

As much as it hurts me to admit it, summer is half over. Cue wailing ugly cry. Before we know it the chilly nights will creep in and the leaves will do that nasty drop off of their golden trees. Let’s keep it real though: we’ve still got plenty of time left to enjoy the sun.

Since the world in on fire and we may have not yet reached rock bottom, isn’t it nice that for a few days our city comes together over communal joy and we can focus on that? It’s gorgeous respite, right? Thanks to the Calgary Stampede locals and visitors alike can come here and have a good time.