Happiness depends upon ourselves. #TGIF

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. Buddha This week has been a busy one for me and probably for you. Back to school, back to work, TIFF, NYFW, and all the other little life things that pop up can really take a toll on your energy. I’m channeling this moment from last weekend when Sean and I went on a long drive through the Muskokas, from Gravengurse to Port Carling, Bala, and back. I asked him to stop the car so I could stand in the middle of the road and admire all that surrounded me. The trees, the fresh air, the silence. It made me think of one of my fav poems, Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken. It’s one of those things I dig up and read when I need to remind myself that taking the not so easy route and toughing through hard work is what makes all the difference in the end. “If it was easy, everyone would do it”, I’m sure someone older than you told you that before. If you’ve got that stress flow cramping your style, take a nap, take a bath, take a walk, take your phone out of your hand, and take a minute (or hour, or afternoon) to appreciate all the good things in your life. You’ll feel a stress release, I promise. <3 CASIE

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Forever Inspired, Shakespeare

We read heaps at my house when I was growing up. I used to collect old poetry and English literature books from garage sales. I still love second hand books and tucked away in a bin at Dad’s house, are many of my old book treasures. I once made a heap Shakespeare quotes into magnets and stuck them on the fridge. I imagine I was about 13. (Mum, is that true?) I think some of them are still on her fridge. These are two of my favourite Shakespeare Quotes

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Everyone Does, Not Just You, Everyone

Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it all they do is complain, complain. I chose the other road, less travelled, and it is making all the difference in my attitude about the coldness.  I picked to make the best of it and stay home and make soup and wear the warm clothes and turn the heat up a little bit more and drink hot chocolate and tea. If you can make it through the winter you can make it through winter. That’s not a typo. Yes, you can make it through winter. Dress warm. Too cold for riding. I refuse to sacrifice style for comfort. That’s not my style. Poetry and reading will keep you warm too. <3 CASIE

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Take a look one more time.

I’m getting a new book case and today I curled up on the floor almost in childs pose, but reading old poetry books. I’ve been trying to read more, books I mean. I read words all the time. I read worlds of words. All the time. I found a library downstairs, didn’t know it was there. We stopped and looked at the books, I’ll get that one for you. I have some to exchange. I put my card in the back and a sticker on another. I love the book exchange, and that shine of inspiration you have.

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Good Morning Sunshine!

Have an awesome day! <3 CASIE Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. The Road Not Taken BY ROBERT FROST

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Write It Down

I’m ready. I’ve always been ready but now I feel it in my bones. The last few days have been filled with excitement, creativity, and I’m stoked about life. I took an adventure into a few notebooks I’ve scribbled in from the stack beside my bed, I was reminded how much I truly love writing. When I was 15 I wrote and published  an anthology of poetry & prose and I never really stopped. I’m keen to have a book written by December 1, 2012. I’m writing it down & telling you to make it real.  In other news, while I was Googling myself in Google Books I found out that BRIAN SOLIS mentioned me in his book “The End of Business as Usual“. I have blogged about him a few times and I love his work. Smart man. My credit in Dear Photograph also came up. I’m taking that as a sign I’m on the RIGHT TRACK baby!

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$2 Short To Take Over The World

That would be he name of a song in my band if I had a band and wrote songs. I can write but I don’t write many songs. I used to write prose and poetry before I had a blog and that made me very happy. A blog is like a long poetic story, this one about my life. I hope it goes on forever and I will go back and read it, living it over and over again. Each day as if it happened yesterday. A romance. There was something disarming about his smile. I gave him my last cigarette in trade for this photo. I shouldn’t smoke anyways. It’s gross. Tomorrow night I am seeing a band. A band I did not know, but a band I know now. They are called Blind Pilot and they are from Portland. Thank you to my friend Jonathan for being a legit hipster who knows bands ,for opening my ears to this lovely sound. They are playing the dinner at the Ford Design conference. You might like them too. I do.  [arve url=”https://youtu.be/8qyoxYEM3mI”]  

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May 1, 2012 – Looking Back Over The Years #archives

May is my fav month of the year. April showers bring May flowers, it’s time to get summer ready and celebrate my born day. I feel a bit silly making a big deal about my birthday so my sister is planning a little dinner next Tuesday night. You’re welcome to stop by. I’ll post details. I joined Twitter in May 2008 so, May 5th is a cool day too. I’m gonna give daily videos another go this month along with the Instagram May Photo a Day Challenge. I’m trying to develop a more consistent routine. Anything you’d LIKE to see? Wanna know? For the fist 7 days of the Month, I’m going to look back at a couple people, places, things & thoughts from each year I’ve been blogging. Then, on the 8th day we celebrate 30 years of my life. Woo hoo! WE ARE YOUNG. Here We Go, 2005 Throwback: Moved to Toronto. Lived in the Annex at Bathurst & college. Bracelet on my wrist says “CAS” my nickname in Australia. Had a mullet and the first pair of skinny jeans seen in Toronto since the 80’s. That ring was glass & Armani. It was a gift from HighRise Magazine. Remember that mag? Worked at YM Inc. as Assistant to Director of Product Purchasing. First ever job out of Uni. Was lucky to meet someone on the plane home from LA who worked in fashion. Introduced me to the right people. ABC – Always Be Closing, baby. I was pretty obsessed with moving back to Australia. And Myspace. And VICE Magazine. Was publishing lots of poetry on MySpace I wrote at Uni and in college.  Here’s a couple old guys: Brand New Day Writers Block My Game Now Watch for Starlet Spring Love Acutely Ironic A bird writes a sonnet Sings the…

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Blog Life: Sometimes I don’t feel like it. #6

Today was a really busy business day and all I feel like doing is getting a huge slice of chocolate cake and sitting on the couch. It’s my fav night for TV, Criminal Minds & Modern Family. I want to shut my brain off but there is no brain off button. I didn’t blog today until now which usually gives me anxiety but to I just didn’t really feel like today. I tweeted, had my hair done and went to a PR event. I made a couple drafts but nothing made it to publish. I’ve been reading poetry while I watch TV that I wrote years ago. I used to write all the time. Did you know I was a published author in 1996? I co-wrote an anthology of poetry and prose. Lots of work from 2003-2008 lives on MySpace in a far away blog from many moons ago. I’ve been thinking about sharing it here, I just might 😉 Updated the old drawing blog Borderline Artistic too. It’s gettin’ artsy around here ladies & gentlemen.  Rogers included part of this old video on my episode last night, which was amazing by the way. Super humbled by the whole thing. I can’t wait to show you. Enjoy! ♥ CASIE Wind Lift The wind lifts a tissue, Roughly tosses it up and around Sharply throwing it to the ground. It races thought people on the street Catching on things as it passes And things it meets. It rises and meets the sky, Gets caught. Finds love.

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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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