CASIE STEWART
THIS IS MY LIFE • BLOG EST. 2005
Writing

This one time I sent a really mean valentine.

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…

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Writing

DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH

DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH

Morning! I’ve been added as a speaker to a second panel during Social Media Week and this one is probably the most personal talk I’ve even agreed to take part in. It’s about to get deep, we’re talking ANXIETY. One of the things that gives me the most anxiety and possibly you too, is not having money. I’ve gone through lots of ups & downs in my life and I don’t come from money so all I have, is all I’ve earned. When I returned from Australia I was so skinny from living on next to nothing I looked like Nicole in her anorexic days, not by choice. It’s hard to carve out a way to get paid for what you love doing. Especially as a creative person. Last summer I wrote a post about how you can’t pay me in chips or chocolate bars. I got sick and tired of people asking me to do work for them in return for things I don’t need. What would I do with a bunch of chips & chocolate? I go to the gym for a reason! Helloooooo. If they (whoever is asking) are getting a paycheque and are asking me to do work, I should get paid too. You wouldn’t believe some of the extreme things I get asked to to in return for ‘publicity’. I turn down way more than I accept. (That’s not to say I don’t love getting a few freebie’s along the way!) Lauren posted this video that’s an excerpt from an upcoming documentary on Harlan Ellison, “DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH“. He’s an excellent writer and inspiring man. I’m sure you will enjoy it. My startup disk is full so I’ll be spending the afternoon moving TO THE CLOUD. Have a spectacular day. It’s lovely & sunny in Toronto 🙂

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Have Confidence in Your Business

Have Confidence in Your Business

Watched this talk last night by Mike Monteiro about being a person who works in the business of being creative. He talks about relationship building and uses good language. The start is amusing and I learned a few things. I drew on iPad while he was talking. He brings in his lawyer, who is quite insightful. Especially when it comes to how to take care of client service contracts as a small business. Sounds boring but it’s not. I watched the whole thing. Having a business lawyer like Weisblatt Law Firm can really help expand and build on your business in the best way possible with sorting out legalities. If the person you are working with has their lawyer on the call, you should have yours. 2011/03 Mike Monteiro | F*ck You. Pay Me. from San Francisco Creative Mornings I like when he says ” I would like designers to stop being bottoms, realize the power you have in the relationship”. (You’ll enjoy that part I’m sure.) I love listening to entrepreneurs talk. It’s like candy for your brain. At the end he says something that I say to you and myself like, errrrrrrry day. Go do something awesome.

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Writing

THERE’S NOTHING WE CAN’T DO

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…

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What time is it?

What time is it?

Time to get up. Time to get off the couch. Time to pick up the phone and make that call. Time to start living. Time to start loving. Time to make that list of things you want to accomplish and not let anything get in the way. Time to let go. Time to take abreak. Time to make a move. Time to sit back and relax. Time to do something. Time to break free. You’ve  got the whole world in your hands.

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