You Can Achieve Anything You Want If You Work At It

I found this photo in a box of tax receipts and it gave me such a warm feeling. I’m pretty sure mum has this costume still hanging up in a closet at home. When I was about 9 my jazz class did a competition number to the Inspector Gadget song and to this day I still remember some of it. I spent heaps of time at the dance studio as a kid. I started ballet around 3 and a half, had my first recital at 5, and spent a few years competing. I went all over Ontario, NY, and the National American Dance Championships in South Carolina a couple times. I distinctly remember times ballet was hard. Sometimes I hated it. I’d be crying after class, begging mum to let me quit. But she never did. And thank god for that. Although it was tough, dance taught me so much. It taught me hold my head high when I walk, how to enter a room, how to be on stage. I learned to not give up. I’m so thankful for the decade I spent dancing as kid. For my teacher Miss Lisa at Meyerhofer Academy in Cambridge. I’m grateful for mum who taught me to persevere through all the tough times. Also thankful for all the late nights, mum sat at the kitchen table making ballet skirts for the studio to pay for it. As I get older ,I appreciate more and more the hard work I put in when I was younger. This week Emily and I signed up for Tae Kwon Do. It’s her first go and my first time back in 20 years. [Side note: WHERE DID THE TIME GO, HOW AM I THAT OLD?]  TDK is another thing I spent a few years doing that taught me so much.  I have my green belt, won an Ontario trophy for…

View Post

Rewrite Your Own Destiny

I still have all my Barbies and their clothes, the accessories, cars, living rooms set, pool furniture, and more. While I don’t usually write about things for kids, Mattel always thinks of me when there is something they think I’ll like. Thanks guys! I recently got sent these two lovely Ever After High dolls, Meet Apple White (Snow White’s daughter) and Raven Queen (the Evil Queen’s daughter). The line is based upon  characters from fairy tales and fantasy stories.  They each come with inspirational little stories, clothes, and there’s a whole online component at  Everafterhigh.com.  My BF’s daughter is five and she was so happy when I let her open them. In the story, the school gets divided in ‘Royals or Rebels’ which is between those who know they will have a happily ever after, those with less favourable destinies, or those who prefer the idea of writing their own destiny. Writing your own destiny is 100% my vote! The package arrived with this little locket inscribed “rewrite your own destiny”. This product may be for kids but the message is something that lasts a lifetime. The team at Mattel said they thought of me when learning about this new brand. I’m writing my own destiny each day, found something I love and made my dream a reality. Go out there and follow your dreams people! <3 CASIE   buy Bactroban cream no prescription buy bupropion no prescription buy cipro no prescription

View Post

The power for good given to us in this world will be continued beyond it.

Mum still has my copy packed away at home. I loved this book. I still do. If you see a big sunshine coming down the street, it’s just me smiling. 😉 — CASIE STEWART (@casiestewart) May 30, 2012

View Post

This Is Me In Grade Nine Baby

Theres a girl here and I know I went to highschool with her. She looks like the saddest girl in the world. I don’t think she recognizes me, maybe she never did. She was older than me, popular, sexy. I would totally say hi, but it feels so highschool.

View Post

This one time I sent a really mean valentine.

When I was in primary school this boy Adam really liked me. I was in grade 5, Mrs. Rolt’s class and he was in grade 4. I did not like Adam. I wasn’t a romantic then like I am now. (Mum is going to have a giggle when she reads this.) I made a bunch of valentines on our old computer to give to friends in my class and around school. They were quite lovely, beautiful actually,  I hand coloured the hearts by hand with pencil crayon. (This was back when printer’s were black & white and  the paper had holes on the sides.) I wrote recipients name & class number on valentines and cupid would deliver them by end of day. Well, my valentine for Adam was REALLY special. I coloured his in with special care and signed my name. Before sending I wrote “I HATE YOU” in bold pencil. I hated him. He was really mean to me all the time and I was really upset. It’s not nice to be picked on. As a creative person & writer this is how I dealt with the bully. It was not really the right way to deal, but, hey, I was in grade five and I didn’t know any better. The valentine did NOT go over well. I had a pending application to the leadership council and my Mum got a ring form the school and  was told how “that type of behaviour would not be tolerated” and I should not be a leader on the council.  Mum explained how he had been bullying me and I was upset and I was just a kid and I was a creative person and I had hurt feelings. I got let off the hook and joined the leadership council the following year. Adam was so sad at the…

View Post

THERE’S NOTHING WE CAN’T DO

I want a balloon tree. I always have. The Balloon Tree by Phoebie Gilman was one of my favourite books as a child. We used to read heaps of books. Each summer Jenie and I would join the Summer Reading Club at the Preston library. I spent so much of my childhood at that place. I was either there, the dance studio, or gymnastics. I’m pretty sure I had my first reading by Robert Munsch at the Preston library.  I remember meeting Phoebie Gilman and having my photo taken with her. Authors were my celebrities back then.  When I wrote ‘Jeans: an anthology of poetry & prose‘ in 1996 we had our book launch there. We sold over 80 books that night and one dollar from the sale of each went to the Women’s Crisis Shelter.  It was a magical night. I’l never forget how good it feels sitting there signing your own book for a lineup of people. I’ve been (slowly) working on another  book. Write more, read more, that’s what I keep telling myself. I’m a big believer in the power of positive thought and a few things I’ve been thinking about lately are libraries and speaking. Not necessarily together but in general. The crazy thing is, I got an email from Marketing Magazine asking me to speak at an event next month and guess where it is? A LIBRARY. My favourite library in the city, Toronto Reference. We’re talking youth culture and the founder of VICE Magazine will also be there talking about The Creators Project between Vice & Intel. I’ve been a Vice fan for about ten years and have a diploma in marketing so this is all quite exciting. THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN’T DO. The Creators Project is really cool and well, CREATIVE. “I have…

View Post

Entrepreneurs Don’t Call in Sick, They Work

When you work for yourself you can’t really call in sick. I felt a bit of a cold coming on when I woke up so I’m going to work from bed today with hope of kicking this by tomorrow. In Boston this weekend and a cold is not an accessory I’d like to pack. Y’know what I’m sayin’? I’m cookin’ up lots of fun stuff to share with you over the next coming weeks. Thinking that my new classes from Clearly Contacts will arrive today. I might whip up a nice home made soup this afternoon. If you are AT ALL feeling sick here’s two cures from my darling Mum that will kill those bad germs like the soldiers in Louie Pasteur kids book (it was my fav!).  Cure for throat here & cure for overall cold/sickness here. Thanks Mum 🙂 P.S. I entered to win this TRIP TO BAHAMAS. You can too right here. Mum just came back from a year there and wouldn’t we ALL love to be there right meow. <3 AND one more thing… MY SXSW PANEL IS SCHEDULED!

View Post

a good team is a family, a family is a team – Kyle Benjamin

Dad loves racing so to be working with a race car driver is pretty neat. Especially an epic, race winning child prodigy one. Sky & I were twerkin’ hard in the office aka the rig. She is 11. We were tweeting our hearts out during the bike race portion. She is a riot.  RA RA RIOT. I was telling Kyle how he’s gonna have ladies all ova’ him. He’s so dang cute. Any of you out there 13ish? He’s single. Gettin’ ready. Talladega styles. Race time. Team #71. Was a totally crazy race. Started with 25 drivers, finished with 16ish. About 20 cautions, three ambo’s. This one went straight to hospital, back injury. Hope you’re ok man. Waiting for the track to be cleared then take a few laps to warm up the tires. (Get’s easily distracted) HAHAHAHAHAHHA. What a winner this stud. Kyle took 3rd. Nice one buddy! Kyle loves Gatorade. (wink wink nudge nudge) Sky, you are the cutest ever. Check those tire marks from racers bumpin’ him. Bump & grind fo’ realz His shirt was actually soaking wet. We were laughing. Dang hot drivin’ them cars. (Clearly I’ve been in the South, I’m typing with an accent.) Impressed with how well spoken you are Kyle. Nice twerk. Good interview. Night was fun. Brekky & travel home tomorrow. I miss my own bed. I like being away but I love coming home. Next trip is Boston in July. Next week is busy with NXNE (music & interactive), MMVAs & more. Gonna be real fun. Have an awesome day 🙂

View Post

he can drive better than all y’all

* worst screen grab ever. YouTube you are assholes, let me upload a photo please! I was in Florida to meet Kyle’s race team & family to chat about his personal brand. He’s a totally awesome kid who is racing against people twice his age and winning. Started Kyle’s Twitter today, follow him. He’s gonna be a star @kylebenjamin71.

View Post

we like we like to party: rosedale @ the mod club

first stop loudawgs w/ team BITE/AUX TV. bonga & jetter showed up too. love all y’all faces. ttc across the city talking to mum on skpe in bahmas,  day 98/365, 2011. hey cutie pies she gotcha affan was looking pretty cute eh hey girls, argo cheers. lots of young people were there. how old am i again? oh that’s right, i’m 19. just turned. galen, so good to see you after a heaps long time. morgan and i agreed that we felt like grownups at a school dance. chaperone: any adult present in order to maintain order or propriety at an activity of young people. i found out after that it was ALL AGES: duh. glad for brocky that it was busy. sorry i didn’t pay much attention to the band. it was about 30 min before i actually looked at the stage. nice to see lots of friends. ladies love these two, obviously: hi kids bROCKstars. brock can you sing? you look like you can here. ok outta here, home time. hey keri. you are so cute laughing. wearing: givenchy le presme blush in 24: it-girl purple (i swear to you that is the name) enjoy the sunshiney  day. bye for now xo

View Post

can’t buy me love

8am, no problemo. Smilin’ & stylin’ in the sunshine w/ Brock before going to Rogers Daytime show. I’ve not seen it yet, I can’t seem to find it, PRV recorded a totally different Daytime show. Oh well. It was 2 seconds NBD. TV time, duck game face. This little one’s mama was on TV and she was pointing and saying “mama” to the TV. It was adorable. I hope my kids get to say that one day (my own show prefered just for the record). Somebody was here… Ally & Shannon chatting up the auction & Nella Bella live. I’m creepin. HI MUM! Hope you are loving the Bahamas, I’m just going on TV and being in the WSJ, nothing too out of the ordinary going on here. Miss you xo On the way home I saw this stylish lady in Yorkville waiting for the bus. Fur coat, big glasses, black lipstick. Gaga in 30 years, minus waiting fr the bus. (or not? No.) Valentights. Lover tights. Love you long leg time. Saw this from Virgin Mobile, for your valentine. Reminded me of this one time in grade school, I wrote a MEAN valentine to a boy who liked me, it was grade 4. I made it myself and on the inside in hard pencil it said “I HATE YOU”. I signed my name. I got in big trouble. Like huge. Who sign’s their OWN name? Duh. Anyhoo, came home to this huge package from Netflix Canada. So nice, thanks guys! Slippers, free Netflix subscriptions and all kinds of score cards/bingo for the upcomingOscars. Who is coming to my Oscar party/joining my cult? Getting mail is one of my favourite parts of my job. So is sharing it. I put together a few of these cards in packages and gave…

View Post

When I was in grade school…

When I was in grade school I was part of a skipping team for the Heart & Stroke Foundation. We went around to schools like yours and did crazy tricks like doing a cartweheel in to a double dutch with chinese ropes. We practiced often and had heaps of tricks. We were called the Preston Pump-Ups. We had one routien called 12th Street Rag and the melody got faster and faster and you had to speed up your steps. If you lasted till the end, you were good. I could do it pretty well. I really loved skipping. (photo via laurencephilomene)

View Post