In this episode of The Whistler Podcast, Mayor Jack Crompton and Cole Stefiuk speak to Chad Chomlack. Chad Chomlack is best known as a photographer, but is also a business person, wedding and celebration of life officiant, and facilitates the Soul Atrium retreat for men as part of his work as a life integration coach.
Mayor Crompton and Chad Chomlack have been friends for almost 30 years. In this episode they talk parenting children on the cusp of adulthood, Sea to Sky culture, men’s mental health, and photography. Chad Chomlack describes his groundbreaking Deep Winter Photo Challenge slide show from 2016—It All Belongs—which captured local snowboarding legends JF Pelchat, Devun Walsh and DCP in their element both on the mountain and in their roles as fathers.
In this episode of The Whistler Podcast, Mayor Jack Crompton and Cole Stefiuk speak to Chad Chomlack. Chad Chomlack is best known as a photographer, but is also a business person, wedding and celebration of life officiant, and facilitates the Soul Atrium retreat for men as part of his work as a life integration coach.
Mayor Crompton and Chad Chomlack have been friends for almost 30 years. In this episode they talk parenting children on the cusp of adulthood, Sea to Sky culture, men’s mental health, and photography. Chad Chomlack describes his groundbreaking Deep Winter Photo Challenge slide show from 2016—It All Belongs—which captured local snowboarding legends JF Pelchat, Devun Walsh and DCP in their element both on the mountain and in their roles as fathers.
Welcome to The Whistler Podcast. He is Cole, I'm Jack, and we want to acknowledge as we always do that we live, work and play on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Lil'wat Nation and the Squamish Nation. This week we are going to be talking to my dearest friend, Chad Chomlack and I think it's fitting Cole because you know, my memories of my, you know, Chad and I, as kids were all related to skiing and snowboard on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains and the mountain opened yesterday. How are you feeling about, uh, a, a new ski season?
Cole Stefiuk:I feel pretty good about it. I, uh, I was pretty stoked to get up there. And then I, I got up there for a couple laps. I wanted to be there like 7:00 AM Jack. I locked myself out of my car at the gas station. I had to, I had to find a ride, go break into my parents' house. Cause that's where my spare car key was. For some reason I had to break into their house, find my spare key and leave without waking anyone up. Cause it was like, you know, 6:30 in the morning. And then I had to go back in like get my car from the gas station. The gas station tenant told me he was gonna tow my car was hectic. It was chaotic. And I didn't get up until like 9:30 I'd only got like a few laps in, but I'm very excited for a new ski season to be here so I can get back up there. What about you? Do you go up? That
Mayor Jack Crompton:Was the car. Was the car running or anything?
Cole Stefiuk:No, it wasn't running. The keys were in the ignition. Like I got out. All I had on me was my, I took my credit card outta my wallet. So it was just my, all I had was my credit card. Everything else was in the car. And when I closed the door, it just locked and it's done this once before, uh, after a day of skiing and I had to sit in the underground parkade and wait for a tow truck in Whistler for like an hour. Uh, but this time it was before I got to go skiing. And the only person who was awake was my girlfriend. She was at the gym. She hates when I interrupt her workouts, but I had to call her and I was like, Hey, listen, I need you to come pick me up. I'm totally screwed right now. Yeah. Very, uh, eventful morning for me yesterday.
Mayor Jack Crompton:But there was there wasn't tons of people up there. So no, you got some good laps.
Cole Stefiuk:I got some good laughs in the snow was incredible. In fact, like I, I thought for an opening, it was incredible snow.
Mayor Jack Crompton:Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, well I missed my first opening day and one of the, I mean there are very few drawbacks to my job. I love it so much. Yeah. But one of them is that sometimes meeting times are out of your control and I had planned on being there for opening day, but um, I sit board of the Municipal Insurance Association of British Columbia.
Cole Stefiuk:Interesting. Okay.
Mayor Jack Crompton:Yesterday I was in Municipal Insurance Association of BC meetings and missed opening day, which was sad for me. So I have not skied yet. I'm still at those meetings.
Cole Stefiuk:Are you gonna get up there for this weekend? Hopefully. Oh
Mayor Jack Crompton:Yeah. We're we've got big plans. Um, so, uh, let's uh, let's get on to ask Jack anything, ask Cole anything. Um, you go first. Okay. Ask Jack anything.
Cole Stefiuk:What d oes the Municipal Insurance Board o f, what does that mean?<laugh>
Mayor Jack Crompton:That's a good question. So the Municipal Insurance Association of British Columbia, we are a, uh, risk pool of most municipalities in British Columbia. And that means that we, we pool resources and then we ensure our members for liability. And so, you know, if an accident happens in a municipality and there a, um, legal proceeding, the MIA is who insures that risk. We also, now in the last five years have opened a property, um, pool as well, which now means that we don't just, uh, insure liability, but we ensure municipal assets like sewage treatment plants and municipal halls and all of that kind of thing. And so we have two, um, products that we, or two primary products that we provide to municipalities around British Columbia.
Cole Stefiuk:So then I assume a lot of work has been done over the past couple weeks with the flooding and the treatment plan are like having problems and stuff like that.
Mayor Jack Crompton:Yeah. So we are really attentive to it. That's one of the things that the MIA BC does that your typical insurer doesn't, which is be really involved on the ground with our members, um, because we're not just an insurance company that you for risk, we're also sort of the supporting infrastructure around those communities when that kind of thing happens. And so, um, everything from having, you know, members of our staff team be a part of municipal, um, emergency operation centers to sort of being on the ground in places like, uh, Lytton or Lillooet to, to ensure that our members are, are well taken care of. So yeah. Um, this recent couple weeks has been a pretty busy one for the MIABC. Interesting. And, and I, I, I mean, I, I, I, I tried to make it sound like it's, um, it is not as exciting and skiing for sure, but I do really enjoy the work. Like I find it really fascinating. So, um,
Cole Stefiuk:Anyway, nice. I learned something new today, so thank you. That's pretty cool. There you go.<laugh>
Mayor Jack Crompton:Um, so my question for you is, uh, what's your dream job? Are you doing your dream job and where do you see yourself when you're 35? Wow. I just, uh, I, uh, like, are you a talk radio guy one day? Do you run a radio station? Where does Cole go from here?
Cole Stefiuk:Interesting, very good question. It, uh, it changes is a lot my dream job, but it definitely as corny as it sounds, I'm pretty much doing my dream job right now. Like I think there's, there's steps to make, to, to be, be more successful or to move up until, you know, like obviously I love to Sea to Sky. I mean, I grew up here, um, but obviously every radio host wants to be in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, like one of the major, major markets in the country. But right now, I mean doing this, but in Vancouver would be like the top, but I am, I am basically living my dream job when I was, this is a fun little tidbit. And then people have brought this up to me a million times since I came back to Squamish to work at or came back to see this guy to work at Mountain FM people. I went to school with, remember me in like grade 10, we had a big, like a course basically on planning and budgeting and like, you know, what, what do you want to go to school for after high school and stuff like that. And I did a whole report on broadcasting and how I was gonna be a broadcaster. And most people didn't follow through with what they were doing. And everyone's everyone remembers me talking about being on the radio and then here I am. So I guess it's been my dream for a very long time. And, uh, yeah, it sounds corny, but this is kind of my dream job.
Mayor Jack Crompton:That's very cool. So let's get onto, uh, last week's head headlines. Uh, we've got, um, heavy snow followed by heavy rain expected in Whistler this weekend, second, which is your number one run and third Whistler Blackcomb in a good spot. Uh, for opening day. I love it. Which
Cole Stefiuk:All in the same vein. I wanna go with number two. What is your favorite run?
Mayor Jack Crompton:Um, so I thought, did you read that article? I haven't read it yet. The peak, no, it's really good. So it goes through, you know, I think probably about 20 Whistlerites and what their favorite run is. And I threw mine in there. My favorite run, if the conditions are right at Shale Slope, because I feel like you can take, eh, fast, huge turns down mm-hmm<affirmative>, you know, some of the best know on whistle mountain. So I'm, I'm a big fan of Shale Slope. Um, but then they also asked about, you know, good runs for families and, you know, where's your favorite view from on the mountain. Okay. Uh, and you got to read kind of each person's feedback on it. What about you, what's your favorite run on the, these mountains?
Cole Stefiuk:On a good snow day? I love nothing more than ripping down the Horstman Bowl. That is me and my friends used to do that every day, uh, when it was good snow and like nothing better than just ripping down there on a nice powder day.
Mayor Jack Crompton:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I guess there's pretty much an endless supply of favorite runs on a powder day. That is true,
Cole Stefiuk:But that one it's different when I'm up there, but yes, they're all, they're all like you could go with pretty much any run. What's the, uh, see, I don't know all the run names very well, cause I actually did not ski or, or ride Whistler much when I was younger. And I only started riding Whistler Mountain about last year and on the symphony chair, which I also Juste for the first time last year. There's that easy. It's kind of a green, a groomer through the trees
Mayor Jack Crompton:Like Jeff's Ode To Joy. Yes, Jeff's.
Cole Stefiuk:So to joy, I, I enjoy that run. It's a super like chill lax, like there's little hits on the side and through the trees, but the actual run itself. It just so picturesque and it's kind of like a fun little tr I like that one for like an easy one.
Mayor Jack Crompton:Symphony is magic. I know Symphony's magic. Like you
Cole Stefiuk:Believe in my way, my whole life without that until like last year. Yeah. It's crazy. I love it. It's my favorite chair now.
Mayor Jack Crompton:Yeah, no, it's pretty, it's pretty exceptional. We're lucky. Yeah. Okay. Um, on all of the, I I'm so excited about today's podcast because, uh, I just, just love Chad Chomlack. He's one of my favorite people in the whole world and, uh, we've, we've done a lot of these before having him on. And, um, so I'm really excited to you get to meet him and that, uh, our, our town gets a little more of Chad Chomlack. Uh, so let's get to Chad. So, uh, I have not often, uh, the, The Whistler Podcast is something that I really enjoy doing. I enjoy having conversations with people around our community about things that matter to us as people and as, as a community. And I've had a lot of very good friends, uh, join us on the Whistler Podcast. Uh, but I've never had someone on the Whistler Podcast who I would call my closest dearest friend and, um, Chad Chomlack and I have known each other since we were little kids. We, uh, have raised little kids together. We have, um, spent huge portions of our lives together. And we are just chatting before. Uh, we started about how we haven't seen each other much in the last three years and we live very close, but life gets busy. And, um, we are just talking about how, when you're not with people physically, there's things you miss, you have, uh, new wrinkles and more grey hair. And, um, uh, and maybe in my case, less hair, um,<laugh> and, uh, and so I'm just so excited and I feel like I'm not really sure where this conversation's going to go today, but welcome Chad Chomlack thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to be here today.
Chad Chomlack:Of course, man, I'm stoked to be here. Mm-hmm<affirmative> honored my man.
Mayor Jack Crompton:It's, it's nice to have you. I, I should probably tell people who you are, who, who, who don't know. Um, Chad Chomlack has been, uh, in this corridor for a long time. He's a photographer, he's a business person. We will talk about a lot of the things that he in and around this, community's. He's probably married a lot of you who are listening to<laugh>. He does, uh, he does celebrations of, of, of people's lives. He's been a person who's been available, I think, to Whistlerites and people in the, sea to sky corridor for a long time. And so, um, but I think probably most people know you best as, as a photographer. Uh, anything else you wanna say about yourself to introduce yourself to our listeners? Is that good? Yeah, that's great. All right. Good. Yeah. So we start with rapid fire and, uh, this will be helpful for me to, for us to get caught up and then we'll get into, um, sort of longer conversations later, but rapid fire. What are you listening to right now?
Chad Chomlack:Like music podcast.
Mayor Jack Crompton:Yeah. Anything, well, mu specifically music, but sure. Yeah. Whatever
Chad Chomlack:I am listening to, uh, the new Killer's album,
Mayor Jack Crompton:There's a new Killer's album. I didn't know that. Yes. And so
Chad Chomlack:I'm listen, I'm actually to pretty much on repeat. It's so good.
Mayor Jack Crompton:I'm happy to go and grab that right on. What are you most curious about these days?
Chad Chomlack:Oh, remembering,
Mayor Jack Crompton:Remembering your, like you remember, I
Chad Chomlack:Just, I I've been on this, like, I'm super curious about the art of remembering and maybe I'll explain it a bit, but it's like this, I think it's just, I've been learning a lot. We did this great photo shoot, um, in Tofino, um, working with, uh, First Nations there and, and stuff like that. And some, um, conservation efforts and all that, and it was just such an inspiring, uh, story to tell, like just photography wise. And the thing that struck me the whole time was just the amount of re like in, in all of our interviews and stuff. It was, it was the act of remembering to learn, you know? So whether it was about the environment, whether it's about human condition, whether it's about relationships, uh, within the indigenous traditions and stuff like that, there there's there, there's just a way of remembering that I'm just, I'm not accustomed to. Yeah. And I wanna learn, I learn from, you know, and, uh, so I'm, I'm, that's what I'm kind of on right now.<laugh>,
Mayor Jack Crompton:That's neat. What do you not get to talk about as much as you like to,
Chad Chomlack:That's a, that's a great question. Um, I think, I honestly think that parenting would be a great thing to be talking about more. Yeah. I'd like to talk about more. Yeah, yeah,
Mayor Jack Crompton:Yeah. Um, what do you do to recharge?
Chad Chomlack:For me to recharge? I get a loan. So I PR I've had a pretty, you know, kind of solid in different variations form of practicing, you know, meditation and breath, work and movement in a way that just really helps ground and re renew, but it's definitely getting and getting in nature, um, alone. That's being alone. Yeah. Being alone.
Mayor Jack Crompton:So I wanna talk about Whistler and, um, you, your love for this place has been with you for as long as I've known you. What keeps you in this place when you are certainly a world traveler and have spent time in, in a lot of places, what keeps you here?
Chad Chomlack:Um, yeah, I think there's a, that's a, there's a bunch of layers to that for sure. But like, for me, I love being in a community where, where people yeah. Where we share a lot of like mindfulness around activity around, um, our relationship and participation with like creation and like, um, each other. And there's just a, a, a level of mindfulness in the sea to sky. That's so common as well at, as I think the pace, I think they're, yes, we all are busy and we're all, you know, part of stuff. And most of the time we're just distracting ourselves and doing stuff. But, but in general, I would say there's this current that runs through our, our culture and our community here in the sea to sky. That's very, uh, calming and soothing and centered and balanced. And, and I, I love that people are into that, you know, mm-hmm<affirmative> and I think it's, uh, I think I find, I find myself very much at home in that environment.
Mayor Jack Crompton:You you've talked a lot in our life together about rhythm and how rhythm in life is so helpful. And I think that one of the rhythms that need is happening right now, where the snow starts to descend and we start to sort of get ready for what future holds. Um, so when you, when you talk about that, that pattern of life, for me, the, the word that just jumps out is rhythm. Cause it is totally such a, you know, seasons mean something.
Chad Chomlack:Yeah. Yeah. They totally do. Yeah. They, and they're really, really mark our, I mean, maybe they mark that way in the, in the city or other places, but I know up here, you really know the transitions, it's it, it hits every seasonal transition is marked with, with something, you know, for everybody. So it's whether it's moving into another activity or whether it's just simply what it does to your body, just with weather wise, like all of those things we we're really you're right. We're really plugged in that way. And I love that. I love what it, what it naturally does just by living in living here. Yeah.
Mayor Jack Crompton:And I feel, I find too that the, the, um, one of the things that I have found helpful is I've got older, is paying attention to those rhythms. Cause I don't think I did as much when I was younger that those rhythms matter and being attentive, uh, helps them matter more.
Chad Chomlack:Yeah, I agree.
Mayor Jack Crompton:So you said when I asked you what you don't get to talk about as much as you like to, uh, parenting and, uh, your boys, uh, Jaydn and Caleb and our girls, Georgia and Maggie have been sort raised alongside each other. Tell me about raising kids in this town. What is<laugh> uh, how do you do it?<laugh>
Chad Chomlack:I, I, I think, I think it does kind of connect into like, you know, and I'm, I'm just like you, I mean, were just, we're basically, you know, we, we started having kids when we were, you know, still kids, almost like it felt like that anyways,<laugh> kind of just fumbling as we go, you know, through this world of being a parent and all that, but being in, in, in our zone in our area, it, it, it is the greatest joy to be able to raise kids in this, in our land, like where we are, because it does promote things of togetherness in a way that I think is, you know, can be missing in many other communities. Um, but in that it also poses other things. And, and other ways of being that, you know, there is a, a, a sense of conformity or like a place of like, okay, well we, this, this plus this and your kids should do this. And it's a, we, you know, we live in also a culture of very hyper competitive people<laugh> and striving to, to, to live the fullest of their life. And so that expression can, can also, you know, trickle down to how a child is raised with an expect almost like an unspoken expectation, um, to live a certain way. And it's very much like, you know, the conditioning of what we live in. And so when for us, anyways, we're seeing our kids now like pushing into their twenties and it's like, wow, like, how did we get here? And then when you review or remember, you know, of this process, it's, uh, I just think with my boys anyways, I just like man, so filled with just the greatest memories. Like if, if I, if I had that childhood, you know, like it would just be so amazing. And, and then, and, and then at the same time, it's like, there's also this integration into, into adulthood that I would say up until the, the boys were in their teens. I, I felt like, oh, this is smooth sailing. I'm in like fifth gear. And just like, cruising know, know how to be a parent, but in the teenage to young adult transition. Um, and I have like, just, my boys are great. Like, they're just, they're, they're, they're cool. They're, they're, they're easy to get along with, they're honest with me, you know, like, you know, they, they're confident, you know, all those kind of things. And in that, you know, I find myself like, oh my God, like just, how do I do this?<laugh> where do I go from here? You know? And so I think, I think, you know, you just do do the best, you know, with what you have just like every other parent is, is doing, but it's, it's a, it didn't get tricky until like teenage life.
Mayor Jack Crompton:I think part of that is that you<laugh>, it felt easy to send the children outside, you know, because all of the other parents wanted to do the same and send the children outside. Like the mountain is sort of raising our kids and yeah. A lot of ways. And, and I, I agree with you this stage of life, where kids are starting to think about their lives as adults. Yeah. I have less sort of, uh,<laugh> automatics and maybe the automatic is go spend time in the mountains. Like that's where you have totally felt the most engaged as a person. But, um, yeah. I agree with you it's and maybe were we having this conversation when our kids were eight? We'd be saying the same thing. Oh, man. It was really easy when they were six, but now that they're yeah, yeah, yeah. So hard. So when they're 27, we'll look back and say, man, 20 was easy, but 27. So tough.
Chad Chomlack:Totally. I think, I think I've just wa I hadn't one wondered, like, like, and this is by no means it's just a question really that I've been mulling around, but just like, you know, you, you kind of, you know, in our, in our community and stuff, I know for our life, you just kind of, yeah. Everything surrounds around the mountains, activities, uh, physical activities, all those expressions of, of this, this life that we so enjoy and the place that we so enjoy. And that's amazing. Mm-hmm<affirmative>, but then it's funny because it's like, our kids are so unique into who are, and you do start as they begin to, to explore like who they are and define that apart from their family and their parents and their all that. It's like, what are they left with to explore that<laugh>. Yeah. And then, and we live in like this little microcosm of like, options, but are there options, are there like more than, than, than, you know, I don't know. Like I just, I found myself going, like, you know, is it as expansive as we think it is? Or is it limiting when they get to those places of going, oh, like, cuz they've never even tried at that. They've never even like even entertained or been a part of like what it would might be in the city or to yeah. To, to play a role or to pick a vocation that is just so different than what's around here. And, and I have found myself going, oh, like, I wonder if that, if like what we enjoyed all of our, it was so amazing, but did it like limit those options or whatever, you know? And, and, or just didn't give a full scope of what was going on. I think as a family, for us, we traveled a lot, which I think allowed that like spaciousness to go, okay, well, there's more than just here, you know, or more than just, you know, becoming a, a great snowboarder/skier/biker or something like that that requires, you know, risking your life all the time or whatever<laugh> and big, big damages that maybe there's, there's more options for them to, to explore. I'm just wondering that right now, as my, of kids are starting to like, yeah, like who am I in this? And, and we need to get out of the way. And that's like a hard thing to do, you know, like to get out of the way.<laugh>, it's
Mayor Jack Crompton:Interesting. Cause it's the same conversation we have at Council about, um, allowing for kids that, uh, grow up here to, to call this home one day and that's sort of a multi variant challenge, right? It includes housing. How does a kid move back? Housing. It Includes career? What does someone who wants to be a lawyer do there's very few lawyer jobs that, um, it's education. Like if you, if you really wanted to learn here, where do you go to learn? Totally. And so I think Whistler's done as a community, a lot of really important things over time to try and put those pieces place that respond to that question. What about me as a kid that born and raised here? Yeah. Yeah. But it's still sure a question that has to be asked because right now the, the answer to some of those questions is you move to Squamish or you move to Vancouver and that's not a great answer.
Chad Chomlack:No,<laugh> no,
Mayor Jack Crompton:No, Don Squamish. Isn't awesome. Squamish is awesome.
Chad Chomlack:Squamish is awesome. But yeah, like that's, that's a real conversation, like for sure. Like we, both boys we've been chatting and they've, you know, mentioned about moving to other mountain towns and stuff cuz then it would be viable and stuff. And you're like, wow, like I never, and the less, you know, your, your family unit let's say has created, you know, a space and a landing spot for them to continue on their, their life here at whistle. It's like, yeah, the options of them going, oh yeah. Like I'm gonna pursue this career and buy this house and do this. And I was like, oh yeah, no, that's gonna be challenging. You know<laugh> and the boys are like, they they've already like, they're like, oh yeah, no, I'm, I'm like maybe go to Canmore or Nelson. And I'm like, no, no, no. That's not how you do it: Pemberton. There's still stuff in Pemberton. There's,<laugh> a Whistler, there's ways that in Whistler, it's just, I think that we arguing to see maybe a place of, of access to be a, a pivotal role in a community like whistle in a resort town because of our foreign workers, the climate that we live in right now. Like it's just, it's, we're in a different time. And so it's, it's like there is opportunity there's opportunity that we've never had before for, you know, mm-hmm<affirmative> and, and that's a, that's a, a really exciting time. I think it's one of our most exciting times to be living in our corridor is right
Mayor Jack Crompton:Now, I think we're gonna look back as a, as the whole world at these three years as like, I mean, I'm not saying anything that a million people haven't already said, but it will be such an inflection point so much will changed in these three years. And so when we're old sitting on a porch, somewhere in rocking chairs, I think we'll look back at this time and think to ourselves, wow. So much changed. And in some ways thinking about, you know, from a family point of view, but also from a municipal point of view, what you do to make sure that you're taking full advantage of these changes, that will happen so fast in so many different places. And we're, it's, you're the, you're the fish in the fish bowl. So it's the water that you swim in. So you don't recognize how fast things are changing, uh, much background. Yeah. Yeah. You're totally back on<laugh>. So, um, you and photography, you always, you started, I mean, I think some of the first photographs I ever saw you take were of faces of people's faces around the world. And it was something that you did because you loved it, not cuz you ever saw a career in it. I don't think, yeah. I remember a moment with you and we were sitting around chatting about life. I asked you about like, what about being a, like, would you ever do this professionally? Like photographs<laugh> I dunno. What, what changed do you remember what changed for?
Chad Chomlack:I think I've, I've wore as I've got, I get man, I am pushing 50 in the next, like couple years here, Uhhuh. And so there's obviously those, that beautiful space of the, I guess the forties, an existential crisis. And<laugh> all the stuff that, that I'm going through. But it's funny because as I remember, you know, kind of my, my life, I, I, I, I think that I was never destined to have a career, you know,<laugh>, I just am, am very, I'm very much getting more comfortable with it. I just, I really tried to, to, to experience life, right? Like, so I'm the great life experiencer<laugh> and then I, I call, I call people alongside for that, you know, that experience and create jobs around them and like that kinda stuff to, to provide for my family or whatever. But I, you know, it's funny because I, I think that everything that I touch, I, or what I put my effort towards, whether it's photography, whether it's, you know, working in the area of support for mental health stuff, all that kind of jazz, it's like I I'm coming from my own story. And so it ha it, its connected and move, move through something that, that, that is just innate an innate part of me. And so photography was always a, a way that I could look safely at the world, you know, like I could look through things that I really wanted to know about and see, uh, with a medium that helped kind of just bring that divide down. And so I've Al I was all always been super like borderline addicted to<laugh> people's stories and like just their just where they, what, what it is, you know? And I, I do be like who they are, where they come from. Photography started very early for me in that passion, but I never saw it as something that I could charge for, you know, and, and as that started developed or, you know, to create a, a career around and all that kind of stuff, I started to see, oh, wow, like other people want to, to, to see what I see, you know, or to hear what I hear or whatever it is. And, and then that expands, um, the, the, the, the landscape, I guess you could say of being human. And so people can connect into those areas of, of real stories in real life. And so photography continues, continues to allow me to do that. It appear into places where I'm interested in<laugh>. So, so that, and that could be like, there's been parts where it's been like, yes, of course, like around what we, the action we live in and the adventure and like the exploration and, and the personalities that go along with that, it's so such a vibrant town of, of all these just incredible personalities that we can tell, you know, years of stories around just one person in this town. It's unbelievable. So I think that that natural fit with that. And of course I love moving around the mountains and being in the snow and on bikes and all the, those kind of activities, but they're really just ways for me then to, to, to get, I think, to the goods, you know,<laugh> to, to the real stuff, to see people in their brilliance, to see people that, that are, are certainly inspiring to me and I believe will be inspiring to other people, you know? And so whatever are a way that presents itself to do so then I, I, I love, I love the fact that I, that I I've been able to trust this medium and this sort of talent that I, I can, you know, work with to do that. It's dunno.
Mayor Jack Crompton:It's interesting. I think I've never heard you explain that in that way, but certainly I think what most people are drawn to about your photography, isn't snowboarding, it's, it's the people, it's the, it's the snowboarder, it's the ski, it's the person doing whatever and that storytelling aspect and, and the safety of, of seeing it through your lens is a, is a really interesting yeah. Way of telling, right. Because when you look at your work, it, it remains spaces. I think like you, the you're, you're often looking at people rather than looking at the activities specifically.
Chad Chomlack:Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's a lot, a lot more going on than just like, let's say, you know, for sake and this conversation, but there's, there's so much more going on than, than someone just, uh, chucking themselves off of, you know, a huge cliff, you know? And so it's, it's, I'm really, I, I seem to be more attracted to everything that leads into that and leads after that and the in betweens and the spaces nuances of, of what goes on, you know, whether it's an adventure or whether it's a period of, of time someone's moving through. It's also something that answers questions that I ask of myself. Right. Like if photography is a mirror of what, of what I'm desiring, right. So my life, I desire, I desire many things, but I, one of them would be, I desire to live free. Right? Yeah. So free. And like that sense of just being free. And so of course I'm gonna be around and want to photograph people that exemplify freedom. Like I'm just using that for, for authenticity or whatever it is. And because I desire also that I'm attracted and inspired to that also, you know, and, and want maybe more of that in my life or a connection to that piece of my own life. Cause it calls something out for me. Mm-hmm<affirmative> and so photography allows that, that to happen, that exchange almost to happen, you know? And, uh, I, I just love it. It's so cool.
Mayor Jack Crompton:You and Stace worked on a film called learning to drown mm-hmm<affirmative> tell us about, I, I saw the photo on and it was single. Were you doing a single photo for a movie? Yeah.
Chad Chomlack:So it's the best is like we are working with Jess Camaro. Who's like amazing and been in our area for a long, you know, long time. And, and again, like she's telling her story, you know, and, and those who have seen it would understand it and those who haven't seen it yet will understand it when they see it.<laugh> that it's just like, it's such a, again, another example of someone, the texture of their life being revealed rather than just their accomplishment or their performance, you know, I think we're moving so we're, we're not tired, but, but, uh, we want, want the texture of life. We don't the performance, the performance stuff. We're all like kind of numb to almost it's like, oh, really? You just did an 1800 or like you did like this new trick, cool, sort of, you know, and then we skip by, but when we get into like the details of life and the, and the texture of life of somebody, then it's like, oh, that's what we really hook into. And so Jess was, you know, they charged, you know, the film is, is a vulnerable telling of, of her process, her story. And so they had, they commissioned my wife and I to come up with a photo that would represent the title and the emotion of, of, of what she was trying, or like what it communicated. And so it's funny cuz my wife and I don't work together that often, cuz we're, we're pretty competitive and<laugh>, we have certain ways of looking at things. And so she was like, Hey, you gotta help me with this. I was like, of course. And we were just kind of going back and forth and, and it was fun because my shot won. Like I, my shot, my shot was the one that got picked<laugh> and all I had to do was just get in the water and snap it once. And she was like doing all this time and it was, it was kind of become a real funny joke, but uh, yeah, so we went to Alice lake and like, you know, set up this shot, but yeah, it's, it's that pursuit of the one shot is like kind of the hero shot, especially when it has an element of emotion that you want to, you know, we had Ben Knight, the who was the director of it and stuff and he had real clear communication around it. So it was, it was both nerve-wracking to get that shot, but at the same time, like that's one of those are always the most rewarding to me because it does, it conveys so much with her, just, just, just her head above water. And we all relate to that. Right. We all have times in seasons of our lives, whether it's a 24-hour period or whether it's four years or five years where we're just like, ah, I'm just breathing at the top. You know, I, I don't hear much, you know, what's going on, but I'm, I'm alive and I'm here and I'm, and I'm just kind of hoping, uh, hoping I, what I need to learn through this. And it's, it's, it's actually not getting out of that, that it's actually just staying in it. And it's amazing that story and what that photo to me, what that photo communicates around that, that story.
Mayor Jack Crompton:It's funny. You've just, I mean, I was about to say<laugh>, you've used a lot of words to explain what the at picture shows in what, and then I'm like, I think there's a phrase for that pictures worth a thousand words, but it's true. Yeah. You you've, you've distilled so much into that photo. How often do you spend time working on a single photo? I imagine most of your work is many photos in a day. Yeah. How often are you working on a single photo?
Chad Chomlack:I'm starting to get more like commission maybe there, like in the sense of like re like I just went through a, a few days of, of basically trying to get like patterns in creation. So like someone had commissioned me to, to geometry, you know, within a leaf or an eagle feather or<laugh> like, it was like, the scope was huge, but just basically finding and discovering, um, the very, very like almost to the point of microscopic patterns within, um, nature. And so it was so cool. And I had been doing it with a, a local filmmaker, uh, too with Gabe Langlois who we just kind of like went out and we, it snowed up on the Hurley. So we were like getting all like into like nerding out on just getting like little tiny, like details of snowflakes and like all those things. And it was amazing because I, I had never done that before and, and pay a, I guess, pay attention at that level. And I was like, oh my gosh, there's a whole world here. You know, it just like layers into a whole other, other realm. It's like the first time you ever go snorkeling or scuba diving and you enter into the depth of the ocean, it's like, holy crap, there's a whole other world here. That was a really cool experience. Not many jobs are that, that way. Not many of the, the things I get, but I, they seem to be coming up more and more. Um, I love it.
Mayor Jack Crompton:You know, that photo at the Woodward's building down in, uh, Gas Town. It's like a picture, it's a mural. It's enormous. It's like as big as the side of the wall of a building and it yeah. Shows a riot in like the 1960s or something. Yeah. And it was, it's done by Stan Douglas. He's like, like this famous photographer here. And, and so, but for that, they reconstructed the street, it spent like a million dollars or something reconstructing the street. And it was like Main and Hastings, I think, so that he could take a single photo and like brought in horses and like the whole, it is, is one of the most amazing, holy cool photos. I haven't seen it. Yeah. It's so cool. He does a lot of that kind of, sort of bringing historical moments back to life and getting a color photograph of it. And, um, I was like, when you were talking about it, that idea of a single photograph and the work that goes into single photo in some ways feels like it's maybe not to diminish the work of a day out in the back country shooting. Yeah. Thousands of shots, but it feels like it's more maybe thoughtful, like you actually have to take time and think about what you're trying to deliver.
Chad Chomlack:Yeah. Yeah. And I think, I think that those, those works are those pieces that get presented to, to our, you know, to the world and stuff like that. They, they pack more of a punch because we're used to just, we're so desensitized to just, you know, content, content, content, content, everything just starts looking the same because we are just, you know, on a visual scroll most of the time. And then all of a sudden something pops out like a work like that and you can't stop staring at it. I think that's like, honestly, I, I, it has to be one of the, I know it's one of the main goals and drives for me as a, as a photographer and as an artist, I want people to respond. I am shooting this to get, to get a reaction, the same that, that I may have felt inside of myself, you know, when I took it or I was a part of it or what I saw. And so to see that reciprocated within other people is like the greatest reward ever. That's bigger than any job, you know, is when people are like, I just can't stop looking at it or when I looked at it and then I started looking at it, I'm like, what is that like? And then second, guess if I get that response out of a photo, I'm like, yes, that's exactly what we want. I do think that that reward, I guess you could say that impact, that, that an image can have. Um, and, and, and they're, they're becoming so rare because we're, we get so much of content thrown at us. And so we're, we don't have that like perspective, you know? And so when we see something that separates that we're like, holy, this is amazing, you know, and it puts us into another place, you know, and evokes all kinds of different things within us. We're where we can actually maybe pause in our life and really, uh, take it all in.
Mayor Jack Crompton:There's so few of them, because there's so many out, so many photographs out there being just sort of like, like scrolled through that. It, that it's hard, harder within all those photographs to have the one that'll make you stop<affirmative> and, and that is work and that is not easy work, I would imagine. So that connection with people, I think for me, the, the memory that's richest for me of your photography career is Deep Winner. Um, and, and catching those faces of those three guys. So you had Devun Walsh, JF Pelchat, and, and DCP. And you spent, what was it, was it a day? Is it a week? How long does deep winter take? So
Chad Chomlack:Deep Winter that year was that 10 year anniversary. And I don't think they've changed really the format, but it was, you had 72 hour to, you know, it was, it's placed in the, the storm cycle, you know, uh, the majority of our storm cycle, meaning January and we're to gather the best imagery, tell the best story in within 72 hours. So we went out and got after it<laugh>
Mayor Jack Crompton:And it was, it was, you know, shots of them with their kids. Yeah. Um, which was amazing. Like, I, there's one photo of, of JF doing up snowboard boots in the front hall, so good. Um, and then, you know, out on the town, uh, yeah. Uh, party, and then a lot of on the mountain mm-hmm<affirmative> tell me about your process to come up with that, um, uh, project,
Chad Chomlack:You know, again, like it was, uh, it was noticing and seeing that the life that we were already in, you know, and, uh, uh, how that has impact, like, for me, it was like, I, I, I found the way that we were doing life and that meant like JF and those guys that I shot, but really on a wider hole, like they were, they were symbolic of, uh, a current that was our already happening within all around us. Meaning here you have these, you know, well accomplished, you know, uh, have had great snowboard careers to continue on, and now they're having kids and they're, they're still this like wildness to their life<laugh>. And because that's who, you know, that's who they are and that's who we, you know, you know, we are and stuff like that. And even just representing of our town, like, we are like, I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be 80 and still be able to send it at an apres. Right. You know, like<laugh> just because, just because of the way that<laugh> maybe not like dancing on the tables or anything, but, you know, it's, there's still this celebration piece that we, we love. Like, it's, it's so vital to a part of being human in our town. And so when I was looking at these guys who I admire both as athletes and as parent, and then as well as just the stuff Jack that we were walking through, you know, like in our own lives of raising kids, it really was such a, a mirror of what we were in, you know, and mm-hmm<affirmative>, and that, that I just want, I, I really just wanted to tell that story because it's, there was so much life in it, like to be able to mesh the, like that, and the title was that it all belongs and that that's gone on to make, you know, to, to take on a huge sort of<laugh> statement of life kind of thing that we don't need to talk about. But that one, that slideshow was such a pivotal time of, I know both prized life, um, and in our community and all that was like, seeing that, Hey, like this way of being human, I guess you could say with our families and enjoying the hill, it doesn't have to, it doesn't have to look like what we think it looks like mm-hmm<affirmative>. And I think that that was conveyed, you know, deeply, and it was specific to, to, to men, you know, like think that, that there is a part where it's like, it's really important. I think almost to see that tender side of, of these dudes, you know, like they, those three represented, you know, a, a place in history in snowboard culture that was like, you know, stapled as wild loose, like free, like, just do what you want to do. All of that punk rock stuff that we grew up on that is so important. It sends such a deep message of, of authenticity and connection and brotherhood and all that kind of stuff. And then of course, we go into life and we meet great people in our lives, and we start having families and we start to create a whole life that doesn't, that still has these elements, because that's who we are, but, and they shift and change and, and, and have a different, like, feel to them. But, but they're still there. And, and, and it's still, you can be Devun Walsh sending off a, you know, 40 footer, whatever, slow back one that he's, you know, classic forever. Well, no one will ever do one the same, and yet he can braid his kids' hair. You know, it's still, it still belongs. It's still the same thing, you know? And so, and I am inspired by those three guys just cuz they, they do represent this vulnerable, this like soft part of being what being a dad does to us in our life. It, it, it softens us, you know, it allows us to see a, a bigger picture than just our, our own little world old, you know? And so I thought it was conveyed really well, you know?
Mayor Jack Crompton:Yeah. It was, it was an, it was, um, that pivotal point, I think was the interesting part of it for me. I remember when Georgia was six months and I was up skiing Purple Haze. And I, I skied there tons in my life. And then I froze as I thought, if I fall, I can hurt myself so bad. And then it's not just me that I'm injuring, uh, there's other people to consider now. And I think that, that's what that did so well, is it showed the, I, I mean the photos that people should look at, if they're listening to this from your, or that slideshow, I think are the ones of their faces with the mountains and their faces and the mountains on their eyes. And I felt like that really presented, I think what this community is about and that pivot point that happens in people's lives when they transition into being parents in a, in a place that has marked them as sort of primarily. Yeah.
Chad Chomlack:Yeah. And they're, and the way that, like, I think of JF, like, I mean, all of them, I can say this about all three of those guys who are really deep, deep friends to both of us, you know? And it's like, when I, when I think of their sort of pivot or whatever in their life, they they've done a, a beautiful job of like honoring sort of who they are. But at the same time, allowing the, the transition and transformation to happen, like they're not in this place of like right or wrong, you know, it's in this place of both. And like, it's, it's all that stuff, you know, it's, it's different, it's you, you don't just get rid of this stuff, but there's a way to, you know, to form, like, we don't need to grow up in the sense of like how we do things, but maybe there's just a different way of doing things now that's more connected, you know? And, and, uh, it's cool. I I've actually gone back to that place of life for me of doing that slideshow often because it was, it was a really big marker both personally. Um, and what it set in motion after that both like in career wise, but as well as it, it, it is almost this lasting remembrance, you know, of like, oh, wow. Like that, that helps me remember that. I don't need to be this like perfectly polished set up, you know, my, my kids need to know that I'm near them, my boys, that I'm near them, that they're safe and that they belong, you know, in this world and culture and all that kind of stuff. And then there's a whole lot of freedom in that. You know, I think that those three guys represented doing that very well.
Mayor Jack Crompton:What I think he showed most in it for me is, um, those three guys and I think our community didn't love the mountains any less, but they had, they now had something that they love more, you know, like those kids that they are there with are now, uh, far deeper than the mountains are for them though. The love of the mountains, hasn't, hasn't sort of been moderated.
Chad Chomlack:Totally, totally. And where it flourishes it with the fact that we could share that with our kids, like my oldest, we were, and I knew the day was coming, but it was like, we're like shopping for a truck and he's got a sled and he's got like, he's in the like, like, oh my gosh, it's happening. But that's all like such a you know, it's, it's filled with so much shared life, you know? And, and, and, and I think when we love something so much, and we're able to share it with those, have a part of creating<laugh> it's like, and then, and then they in turn, then love that. It's like, oh my gosh, this is, this is amazing, you know? And, uh, that's pretty cool. Yeah. We're, we're, we're, we have so much to be grateful for.
Mayor Jack Crompton:I agree. So I wanna get into, uh, you just told me this is Men's Mental Health Month, is that, and, uh, yeah. And you've spent a lot of time and energy lately thinking and, and, and acting on helping men, um, move towards better mental health. Um, what's drawn your attention in this direction.
Chad Chomlack:Well, definitely comes from like, per, like my own personal, like my own personal story, for sure. Growing up in a household that, um, where my mother was, you know, had her challenges with mental health in a time that was very kind of archaic, you know, compared to where we are now, even the stigma, around these things are be becoming less and less and less. And it's almost those times where it's like, man, I wish my mom was still alive to enjoy<laugh> some of these things. And, and we were really fortunate because my mom received such at the, at those times such deep care. So as, as I grew up in that, I didn't really, really understand the impact that it had outside of, of, of my world. You know, I was just like, oh yeah, like, it's like, mom has to go, you know, she's, she's in this part. So she's just like, you know, something that bad eyesight or something like that. I just kind of like, I didn't really think too much about it. And as I became an adult, I started to, to reflect on it, to hear more stories and also to, to have my own stuff surface in my own life where I was like, you know, gone through seasons where there, there, there, it just it's, especially when you're alone in it. It's just that, that place of like, how do I get out of this? Like where do I look to find that? And, and I think that there is, and not to just, it's not a victim statement. It's more like, I think with the male species<laugh> there, it tends to feel terribly unsafe to, to show weakness or if this is a perceived weakness. And so any part that I can help move past that stigma and go, what are you talking like? This is not, this is not a weakness at all. If anything, it actually points to this real vibrant in this to even maybe just a a, maybe a dysregulated intuneness to certain things that allow you to go, okay, the pulse of your life is so strong that it's pointing you to, to these deeper waters of, of area. It's, there's a gift in it that I, that I, I know that for me is been a tremendous amount of freedom and passion to help other people experience that because when you're not, you're in a, in a state of hiding, right? And that, that's what bringing awareness to these areas where people are suffering quietly, that they, they don't need to, you know, and there's, there's a space, hopefully there's more and more spaces to allow that to, to come through. And, and I think in our town, we, we provide ways to help support, um, those, those sticky areas of mental wellness. And so obviously being out in the mountains and being active is a huge, huge piece of it. Um, the community efforts of connecting together in the, in a culture that we have a lot of community events happening. And so we see each other and we connect to each other. And then outside of that, we have practices that people offer meaning from whether it's from yoga to meditation, to breath work to being able to, uh, go to the scandal. It's like, I always call the scan, no spa, like the best mental health break ever.<laugh>, you know, you just like, no, no one can talk, no, you just like, you know, and you can, you just get alone and, and start really inquire and compassionately with maybe what's going on, on a deeper vibration. So, so that's kind of where in a nutshell, without getting into it, but that that's, it definitely stems from my own personal desire and my own pain and my own story and, and all of that. And me trying to figure out, um, those ways to, to be well in this world from a mental standpoint, you know, mm-hmm<affirmative> and, um, and, and recognizing that that many, many people, like everyone walks through periods and seasons of their lives, uh, where that is an issue, you know?
Mayor Jack Crompton:So, so you just got back from Tofino where you, you put together and delivered a, are you calling a retreat called Soul Atrium and, uh, yeah. Took a bunch of men Totino to do some of this work.
Chad Chomlack:Yeah. So the, so Soul Atrium yeah. Is, is, is the kind of title<laugh> and the Instagram handle that we, that we roll with. But it, it really was just to, I really just in a simple, in the most simplest way, just wanted to create space where, where, um, men could just find a place of rest. And, and, and I think in, in our times now it is, uh, it, the, you know, in, in the past we've had in our cultures and our communities, we have rhythms, I'll say that word again, rhythms that allowed cycles of like, you know, if, if, if, if, you know, people went out on a hunt, let's say, or an adventure, they would come back and the, the community would welcome them back and help restore, you know, their life as the warriors or whatever it is and all these kind of things. And there was these ways and systems and modalities that help support the wellness, the wholeness of the individual. And so this is just a, a modern expression. We call maybe we'll call them retreats, maybe we'll call'em whatever, but there's spaces that we, that can, can allow, uh, uh, someone to come into that they can find those ways to restore themselves. Mm-hmm<affirmative> because we're not doing that. We're not taking the proper amount of time or the, the necessary pauses in life that we need to, to even metabolize E even the daily traumas that we are<laugh>, we're experiencing in life, whether it's from the news, whether it's from work, whether it's the pressures in our home life, we're in, in inated with stress at every level and in a, in a culture that prizes, performance, and progression and attainment, and this sort of like really, really, really unhealthy trend of unfiltered growth, um, in our lives that that's like the most important part. So we just praise everybody that can, man, you could just handle so much, you're always busy and you're always do it. And you just went out and like ran 10 miles this morning and then, you know, made a million dollars and then tucked your kids, you know, tucked your kids in at night. And then we've made all these things as just an additive of performance. And it's actually not accomplishing Jack. Like, it's not, it's not doing anything, you know, and people applying these things to their life without finding places where they can actually slow down and ways to really rest. And that hopefully the, a container like Soul atrium and the retreats that come out of that will help initiate those practices or ways of being that we are primarily wired to be, and to enter into, um, so that they can be transferred and integrated into our daily lives on a more regular basis. But unless we take a break from the grind culture that we're in, we were really don't even have an option. It was more of like a thought and definitely out of a place of like, oh, I would love to go to that.<laugh>, you know, and so we just, we gathered men and other men wanted to do it also. It surprised spread more than I, I thought, you know? And so it sold out quite quickly and, and we created a great space for guys to know, obviously go play that's a, a key component of the, so a trams, like the, the space that we create. Um,
Mayor Jack Crompton:So you surf every day.
Chad Chomlack:Yeah. Surf every day. And then in the mornings we were, we would do, uh, focus yoga. So just parts that, you know, that we normally like hip opening stuff, all the stuff that we, every man just like, oh my God, my lower back, ah, you know, all this stuff. And then, and then moving to, uh, working with, uh, breathwork and sound, um, and then, and then allowing the nervous system to receive at that level, and then moving into going and being in the ocean and playing and all those things. And then we were having, you know, discussions around things that, that would help develop it, develop those deeper parts of our lives, like how to move difficult, you know, states of being, you know, things that we don't normally like to maybe look at, you know, and, and because we're just stuffing otherwise, right? And so this gives a space to help it breathe a little bit more and to be witnessed and seen within that space. And I think that's huge more and more what I get honest with myself, it's like, we're really by the primal level, we just want to be seen, we wanna be connected. We want to be heard. We want to know that we're not alone. Mm-hmm,<affirmative>, um, all those kind of things as we navigate through this life. And so this, the Soul Atrium retreat was geared to help create space for that to happen. And so I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes. That's great.
Mayor Jack Crompton:Got it. Um, one of the things we've talked about in our lives a lot is rights, a passage for kids, and that's something, and I guess this rights, a passage for adults as well, but that's, uh, a real opportunity I think for our communities is to think through as parents, how we help our kids, mark moments in their life. Um, and it's interesting as, as we, um, you talk about that, the retreat, um, that opportunity for people to sort of, um, mark times in their life, um, is pretty interesting. Exciting.
Chad Chomlack:Yeah. And I would, I would, I would say that within there, I didn't, I'm glad that you brought that up because I was gonna bring it up, but I could talk for hours about the right of passage stuff, but it, it is, it's funny because we are, you know, especially, I know as a parent and Jack, you and I have talked about this a bunch, but it's like, we do wanna, you know, help bring up our, this generation and our in a way that allows, like these significant marks that transition into different parts of life. And it's it. But it's interesting because we're almost having to work a little bit backwards because we haven't had it done to ourselves. Mm-hmm<affirmative> so definitely like this weekend for many of these men were, was a time where they were like, they actually got, they, they, they got marked meaning there was a, there was a, there was initiation, you know, a rite of passage, where they were seen by their community of others, of other men that were like, I see you, I hear you. I validate you. All of those things, you belong here, all of this stuff, you know, you're here on the us earth for big things. The things that we wanna communicate to our kids, mm-hmm,<affirmative>, you know, they're value, they're worth their importance, all of those things. Well, we, that doesn't just stop. You know, we need to, to know our impact way beyond our performance. Mm-hmm<affirmative> like, if that, if our performance is what is deriving our worth well,<affirmative>, we've missed the fact that just because you exist, you are worth it. You know, mm-hmm,<affirmative>, you're worth it. You're valuable all of those things. And that, that message at a deep core level, um, when we slow down, when we get even in nature and we participate with nature, we can hear those whispers coming to us like, oh, I'm more, more than just the next deal I make. Mm-hmm,<affirmative>, I'm more than, you know, the next rotation I can do in my, my skiing or whatever it is, the, the next adventure, whatever. I'm more than that. And we all know that in some innate way. And I think when we create spaces to recognize that and to state the at and to call that it just does something in us, man. It just does something in us. We
Mayor Jack Crompton:Finish these with, uh, a question to everybody, same question, we're Cole. And I have said that we're not creative enough to come up with, you know, a last question for everybody. So we'll give the same one to everyone. And it's, what are you reading? Um, what podcast are you listening to? That's really inspired you, um, in the last little
Chad Chomlack:While, uh, I kind of read like a bunch of things at the same time, you know, like kinda come in and out. Uh, I'm really actually a lot of the stuff that I'm reading is yeah. Around like I'm super fascinated in the nervous system right now. So reading a lot of like polyvagal theory and like all of that and people that, you know, sort of, you know, uh, what was it be like are, you know, whatever, what is experts in that area? And, uh, and that's led to a bunch of different podcasts and stuff. And I would say like, uh, a guy from one it's called One Commune, Jeff Zo. And, uh, those guys, I really love, um, Aubrey Marcus has been a real big podcast. I've been digging. Um, he started on it with Joe Rogan. Um, and, and I, I kind of find those ones a little bit aggressive, but they're the content of them is really stirring, you know? And so, and they talk a, they go from, they can go from anywhere, the scope of life, you know, like anywhere from human optimization stuff to, you know, full throttle, uh, you know, hippy stuff or whatever, doing stuff to like business things, to political issues, to all of that and to sports and all of those. And so I like, I just like all of it, you know, I love kind of getting in the mix of it. And so, and then chaos theory and quantum stuff<laugh>, and, uh, that stuff, I of really string theory, there's been something I've been really looking into more, I've looked at it years ago and now I'm like finding myself, like, man, this stuff is so amazing, you know, and maybe it has to do with this last photo project of just looking at all the interconnectivity in the most minute places, the smallest places I'm just holy crap. Like there's just a lot more going on than, than we think<laugh>.
Mayor Jack Crompton:Well, I, I am just, uh, well, I tell everybody how thankful I am, but I, it was funny when we decided to put your name on the list. I just sent you the invitation you accepted. I was like, oh, Chad's coming on.<laugh> this gonna be so great. And it has been so great. And I just wanna say, I love you. I think you are such a, uh, joy to have a part of my life. And, um, yeah,
Chad Chomlack:Yeah, yeah. The one that I, I appreciate you asking me to come on and, and to chat, but it was definitely, I told my wife last night was Stace. I was like, where can we go with this?<laugh> we could go when you're pushing like 30 years of friendship, you can, uh, 30 plus years of fresh, you could go into many places. You know, I think the greatest gift Jack is, uh, is, is the, is knowing like to have where relationships in your life that you can just literally days and months go by and be able just to pick up with the asurity and safety of connection that we've established. I I'm more than, than, than grateful. So thank you.
Mayor Jack Crompton:So that was chat. It was awesome. Yeah. Great guy. Great conversation.<laugh> I just, uh, I smile whenever I say his name and, and, and think about spending time with him and it was just nice to do it on air.
Cole Stefiuk:So how long, how long have you guys been friends for real? Like how long have you guys been friends?
Mayor Jack Crompton:Since we were 16? I think really? Okay.
Cole Stefiuk:That's been a long time. It definitely like you could hear it, like, yeah, you guys definitely were close. I just wasn't sure how long you guys have been so close that's that's pretty impressive.
Mayor Jack Crompton:The, the, the interesting part is we we've really, we raised our kids together, so my oldest, Georgia, and his oldest Jayden, same age, same grade. And then his son, Caleb, and my daughter Maggie, same age, same grade. Like we have pictures of them as, as babies. So, um, we've kind of gone through different stages of life together. And I think for me, the, the, the, the most important stage of those lives was raising kids together. It's been, it's been pretty wonderful to be able to do that with somebody, um, who you've known for so long. It's neat.
Cole Stefiuk:That was one of the things that stood out to me, cuz like, uh, you know, I'm, I'm getting to that age where like some of my friends are thinking about start families and stuff and listening to you guys talk about like raising your kids together, uh, because I've thought, how cool would that be? If like my best friend had kids at the same time that I did and then we could, we could be like, you know, yeah. I get to raise my kids with my, my, you know, wife who would be my best friend, but also my best friend. You know what I mean? On the other side, like it sounds, it sounds like a, a really cool little dynamic and I, I hope to have that one day just like you and Chad. Yeah.
Mayor Jack Crompton:No pretty magic. It is pretty magic. Well, uh, thanks for, uh, being around for it. It was fun to do. And um, looking forward to more Jewett episodes coming up, I thought the one with Isobel was pretty exceptional and, and looking forward to more of the Jewett episodes coming up soon. Absolutely.
Cole Stefiuk:Absolutely.
Mayor Jack Crompton:All right. Well he's Cole and I'm Jack. This was The Whistler Podcast.