CASIE STEWART

THIS IS MY LIFE • BLOG EST. 2005
Tech

Tech | My DNA: 23andMe Launches in Canada

23andMe Launches in Canada

This week I went to the Canadian launch of 23andMe. The privately held company is located in Mountain View, California and they specialize in genomics and biotechnology. I love this stuff. I don’t know heaps about it but I want to learn so I was reading the blog made by Dan Miller that’s all about these types of kits!

Using a saliva-based DNA sample, they provide genetic reports on ancestry, family history and connect you with your DNA relatives. They have over 650,000 paying genotyped customers and 20K are Canadian. CEO + cofounder Anna gave us some insight on how 23and me works. Informative article on FactCompany here -> Inside 23andMe founder Anne Wojcicki’s $99 DNA Revolution.

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I saw Anne on CTV this morning in Montreal. All Canada’s top media was there for the Canadian launch. CBC in my face right here!

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One of the neat things knowing about your genetic makeup is disease prevention. For example, people who have the BRCA gene are more likely to get certain types of Cancer. Angelina Jolie had a double mastectomy after testing positive for a likely lethal BRCA1 mutation.

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After learning about the company we were given a 23andme kit with expedited shipping so we could learn about our own genetic makeup. Mine was in the mail by the end of the day!

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You have to spit into this small container and put on the lid to mix in a chemical liquid with your sample.

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Once complete it goes into a bio bag and back in the box for shipping.

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I registered my sample and now I wait. It should take about three weeks to get an email that my results are in. When I get a notification, I’ll be able to login and see reports, ethnicity, ancestry, DNA relatives and more.

I’ll keep you posted, you’ll know when it arrives. For more info about the company or how it works check out 23andme.com. Thanks Edelman TO for putting 23andme on my radar! If you are thinking about getting your DNA tested you may want to check out a Lewisburg PA DNA testing kit from health-street.net if you are based in that area.

HERE’S TO THE FUTURE!

<3 CASIE

LIFE

CottageLife | A Boy And A Girl In A Little Canoe

CottageLife | A Boy And A Girl In A Little Canoe

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Back to the grind today after an absolutely wonderful weekend up at the cottage.

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Sean and I went for a nice long canoe jaunt yesterday in the sunshine. How lucky are we to have this weather!? You can like this photo on Instagram right here.

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We attempted to go through this tunnel to another lake where our friends cottage is. It was like being inside a beautiful painting. The colours of the leaves are so vibrant and the sky was incredibly blue.

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We were ill prepared to portage the canoe over this little blunder. Next time I’ll wear better shoes and put my phone in something more secure than a ziplock bag. Did you know you can still use your phone while it’s in a ziplock? The more you know. Learned that trick in Thailand last year.

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I finally got to float in my donut. The water was pretty cold but I really didn’t care!

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Went on a crazy fast seadoo. Heaps of fun!

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MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, MY FAV.

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This week is gonna be a busy! Tonight my sister and I have a date for the premiere of Gone Girl starring Ben Affleck. I’m hosting a Twitter chat with Hotels.com X Nine West tomorrow then speaking to fashion students at Seneca College. Thursday I fly to Montreal for a couple days exploring culinary awesomeness with Tourism Montreal.

It will be the weekend again before we know it! Happy Monday, make sure you soak up some of that sunshine! 

<3 CASIE

Related Posts

Events

Events | Streamers + Smiles: Creative Mornings w/ Tiffany Pratt

Events | Streamers + Smiles: Creative Mornings w/ Tiffany Pratt

Just over a week ago I attended my first Creative Mornings event in Toronto. It was one of the first chilly mornings and trench coat weather. Arrived to have my photo taken by a friendly blog babe instantly made friends with another girl outside too. The day was off to a great start!

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The theme for September was COLOR and they cold not have picked a better person to light up the room.

There was a pink card on each of our seats with Tiffany’s face and contact info, along with a beaded wooden rainbow mandala bracelet, which had been made by volunteers with Tiffany earlier in the week. There were streamers on the door, the floor, hanging from the ceiling. It was a colour explosion! If you check @thetiffanypratt on Instagram you day will be brighter the second her profile pops up.

Image by Laura Crowell via Creative Mornings

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She started her talk with a morning meditation and then threw streamers into the crowd, over our heads. I loved it. Here’s a little Instagram video I made. Creative Mornings just posted about the event and I will update this post with the full video as soon as it’s live.

See what I mean.

She’s so awesome.

Here are some notes I scribbled down on my iPhone while she was talking. Mostly I took in what she was saying and thought about life. There was so much positive energy floating in the room with smiles all around.

  • You need to happen to your life
  • Buy all the streamers
  • Make all the bracelets
  • Gigantic love circus
  • Plant all the seeds
  • Do all the things
  • Velocity
  • Be consistent
  • Putting your brain on paper
  • Beauty happens on budgets
  • And this quote from my #1 fav author growing up Roald Dahl…

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

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From Wikipedia on Velocity:

If there is a change in speed, direction, or both, then the object has a changing velocity and is said to be undergoing an acceleration.

I’ve feel inspired every single time I about that day. She’s one of those super awesome bright people that make you smile the second you see them. I hope you have some of those people in your life. If you need some of that glitter and sunshine, follow her on IG at @thetiffanypratt and me @casiestewart.

Accelerate yourself. Get your wheels in motion. Fill YOUR life with colour. Have an awesome day 🙂

<3 CASIE

Related Posts

Fashion

Media | Dundas West #LoveMyHood

Bench Canada #lovemyhood

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Throughout September I was featured by Bench Canada in their Love My Hood campaign. You might have seen a couple of these photos on their Instagram or Facebook. We snapped these shot at  the Wallace Ave. bridge that was built in 1907. Their contest ends this week so scroll down for details on how you can enter.

The bridge covers the train tracks that are currently being expanded to service the new GoTrain Express to Person Airport. Alongside the bridge, is the West Toronto Railpath that I like to run on and where I took heaps of GoPro photos at last winter.

Dug up these old photos fro the depths of the Internet. I love seeing how the city has changed. I think about how the Internet has changed my life in the last 10 years, imagine how this bridge feels?! 🙂

Photo from 1951, taken from Dundas St. W.
Photo from 1951, taken from Dundas St. W.

 Wearing: Bench hoodie, dress from Brandy Melville, boots from NastyGal

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This is the last week to enter their #LoveMyHood contest. You can win $500 and 2 round trip flights anywhere in Canada. Tag your photos #LoveMyHood and make sure you’re following@BenchCanada. Good luck! You can bring a friend so like, if your BFF is away, you can always invite me. 

Thanks Bench Canada for this new monogrammed hoodie. I love things with my face and or name on them! See all posts tagged Bench from over the years here.

Have an awesome day. Remember, you’ll never be younger than you are today, so make the most of it!

<3 CASIE

Related Posts

Speaking

Speaking | Social Summit in Kitchener-Waterloo

Social Summit in KW, Spet. 26th

Are you in KW? I’m heading to my hometown later this week to speak at Social Summit in Kitchener, and visit my parents of course. It’s been ages since I was back in my old stomping ground so I’m pretty excited to be going there to talk about my travels and adventures over the past few years.

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Speakers throughout the morning will enrich the audience with social media tips, tricks, lessons and more. I’ve been added to the mix to share stories from my social media travels around the world with brands and my blog. I’m digging up photos for my presentation and I hope to leave everyone feeling they can accomplish anything they put their mind to.  🙂

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Click to Read More About Each Speaker + Session

 

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If any of you new or old friends want to come out, get a ticket for $20! Use PROMO10 to knock $10 off the $30 ticket. I’d really love to see some familiar faces and make new friends. Thanks to the sponsors, Mad hatter Tech and the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre for having me.

If you’ll be there, especially if we have never met, please say HI. I’m a hugger. (Please don’t call me CASSIE.) My Mum will be there too.

Here’s to a wonderful week! Looking forward to it. 🙂

<3 CASIE

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