CASIE STEWART

THIS IS MY LIFE • BLOG EST. 2005
Writing

The thing that really is blowing my mind is… #japan

I closed my blinds last night and got to thinking about Japan. In bed with iPad & Android, I looked outside, the lake was calm.  I said goodnight to Twitter. I don’t usually do that, I often leave like an irish goodbye.

I said goodbye because I love my friends and in the back of my head I know that so many people in Japan woke up Friday morning and never got a chance to say goodbye. They woke up to their houses and lives right fucked up. I can only imagine that happening. There is no word to explain how is makes me feel when I watch those videos over and over. It’s like a movie but it’s not a movie, its real.

The world trade centre, that was real. We all remember that day. I remember lots of other stuff in my life but that WTC stands out as something totally monumental, like Japan. I will never get any of these images out of my head. The water rushing over the city, the planes crashing into the buildings. Yes, one distaster was man made and one natural but to me, they are the biggest I’ve ever seen.

The thing that really is blowing my mind is the severity, scale and consequences of it all.

How the hell do you fix a first world nation that’s been shaken, stirred and radiated? Japan was pretty much run through the dishwasher. There’s going to be a massive ripple affect on society from this. Japan is home to vehicles and electronics that WE love. It is the third largest national economy in the world after US and China in GDP & purchasing power parity (aka PPP if you forgot). I read on Bloomberg.com that Cannon, Sony, Panasonic, Toyota, Honda, Sapporo have all suspended production. I love Sapporo! I have a Cannon!

Never have I ever seen something so massive and destructive my entire life, but then again none of us have. There was no YouTube, no live blog, no twitter when I was young. The world has changed.

I’m suddenly reminded of school, I have a B.Comm Degree in International Business & a Diploma in Marketing. I love learning and the world economy. Blogging is all about learning, so is the internet. The curious ones learn to use and share it and they get ahead. I’m really interested to see what happens now and how the situation in Japan affects and brings the world together. I really hope it gets better and not worse. The amount of after shocks and rising death toll are scary. I’m thankful to live in Canada. Canada has a long standing history of being friends with Japan and I want to help.

A Toronto fundraising event, JapanQuakeTO, is being organized for March 31 for victims of Japan. Imagine we ALL buy a ticket and donate a prize that goes up for silent auction. Think about how much stuff that is, lots. I can’t just sit here and not do something. Last year over 200 people attended HaiHaiTO in support of Haiti and I was proud to be part of that team.

I’m ready to do it again.

LIFE

can’t stop the hurt inside when love and plates collide

Yesterday I was going for coffee I found this in the elevator. It was just sitting there, a tag from an article of clothing made in Japan. Red, skulls, mastermind.

To me, it was a sign that I need to do something. A bunch of us are planning #JapanQuakeTO, a fundraiser to be held March 31st. All proceeds donated to Red Cross in support of those affected by the latest destruction in Japan. If you would like to get involved with donations or anything, please let me/us know.

Knife Toronto is donating proceeds this weekend to Red Cross. Located on Queen Street near Bathurst.

Found this infographic really interesting, click to see in large form. Where will the next quake strike? Here’s lookin’ at you California. Weather & natural disasters are so crazy, fascinating, destructive, powerful.

Also kinda interesting is that on Thursday night before I went out to Puma Social I Tweeted this:

I have always wanted to go to Japan and the day after I tweeted that, destruction happened. My reasons for wanting to go have completely changed now. If I go it will be for relief efforts, not to ‘be big in Japan’. Amazing how a few hours can change so much.

Last night I went to see Morgan play at Supermarket in Kensington for Canadian Music Week/Fest.

He was good. I like his song ‘Let It Go’. Keep up the great work Morgan. Hope you have a really great day. I’m working in fundraising for JapanQuakeTO & a couple other things.


 

P.S. Love design for JapanQuakeTO is complete and the site will be live soon with a link to get tickets etc. I am so proud to live in a city of so many great people that we can pull together like this in a time of need. YES WE CAN!

Related Posts

LIFE

yesterday on twitter, this happened:

Related Posts

LIFE

if this was your last year to live, would you live it out?

I was sitting on the couch last night and I caved, I purchased the official replica of this ring. Fan girl, crazy, call me what you want. I love her and the Royal Wedding is one thing I really love. I will 100% be up watching despite the time difference.

One of the best things about having a blog is keeping memories. I found this one post title “you wouldn’t believe me if i told you” from 2009. I had been asked to go to this fashion show for Puma and in my post after it I wrote:

I’d love to do something else for Puma downtown or online please! I’m thinking something that involves me and clothes/shoes/accessories. Thank you, love Casie.

Pretty neat I’m doing something with them now. Found this old post from May 2009 when I worked in Liberty Village. The title is a quote I was happy to find “the trouble with jogging is the ice falls out of your glass”. I like this video. Our Puma Social video from last night will be done this week. Stay tuned, you’ll see it here.

Where am I, do you know?

Oh, did you hear? DB & Posh Spice are having a baby girl. Breaking news via twitter. That kid is gonna be the most awesome, well, potentially. Let’s hope she get’s the right mix of both their looks.

Speaking of looks…looks skinny & sexy to me.

The SXSW launch of iPad 2 today must have been really fun. This is the Mashable video. I’d like to do more reporting. I really enjoy that.

I’ve got a heart on for a new iPad2 and I think Andy knows already. After reading all about it, I’m not gonna rush out for it since I’ve got first gen already. I’ll be ready for up upgrade when iPad3 comes out. Maybe I’ll be an iphone user by then too.

In other more important news, THIS situation in Japan is crazy.  The explosion:

It seems unreal like in a movie, like something I saw in 2012. Scary. Scary that it is real, really happening right now.

I added a DONATE banner on tumblr.casiestewart.com where you can make donations directly to the Red Cross.

I’ve been following the CNN liveblog:

[3:08 a.m. ET, 5:08  p.m. Tokyo] An explosion has been reported near a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan’s Fukushima prefecture, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported, citing the country’s nuclear and industrial safety agency.

[2:19 a.m. ET, 4:19  p.m. Tokyo] A small amount of  radioactive Cesium has escaped into the air surrounding a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan’s Fukushima prefecture, Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Agency said.

There’s a meeting Saturday afternoon 3pm at Darkhorse on Queen for a fundraising event. Come if you want to get involved. Makes you really appreciate each day, family, and the safety of Canada. I’m thinking of you too Mum. I know you are in the other side but please be safe. I missssssssssssssss you.

I need to get some spray chalk for summer.


Related Posts

sometimes victory is a phone number

Last night was amazing. I will tell you more about later because being an after hours athlete I slept half the day. I’ve gotta run to a meeting now. VP of Puma told me I am amazing and Puma Social is one of Forbes magazine’s most creative campaigns of the year.

Talk about WINNING. Ok, more later. Bye 🙂