The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 46: What Sunnyside’s Past Can Teach Us About Change And LegacyBy Alex Rășcanu Hi friend, I've been researching the story of a place you probably know by name, but not by its full history: Sunnyside. Back in the mid-1800s, John George Howard (official surveyor and civil engineer for the government of Toronto, and the first professional architect in the city) bought a big piece of land just west of what was then Toronto.To the east of his High Park property, he...
6 days ago • 1 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 45: We Rise Higher Together - The Story of United Way and the Power of Collective ActionBy Alex Rășcanu Good morning, When we look up at the CN Tower, we see more than an architectural marvel; we see a symbol of how high we as a community can rise when we climb together. On November 16, I’ll be joining others to climb its 1,776 steps in support of United Way Greater Toronto. This isn’t just a physical challenge; it’s a way to take part in a legacy of people...
14 days ago • 2 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 44: Courage in the Line of Fire. The Story of Corporal Frederick George Topham, VCBy Alex Rășcanu Hello, While preparing to co-facilitate (with local historian/author Jim Adams) the upcoming historical tour focused on Toronto's Runnymede neighbourhood, I came across the story of Frederick George Topham. Frederick George Topham was born in 1917 in Toronto.He attended King George Public School and Runnymede Collegiate Institute.Before enlisting, he worked as a...
20 days ago • 2 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 43: Build Something That Outlasts YouBy Alex Rășcanu Hello, While preparing to co-facilitate a historical tour focused on Toronto's Runnymede neighbourhood, I came across the story of John Scarlett. John Scarlett was born in 1777 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, England, into a world of change and opportunity.As a young man, he moved to Antigua, where he gained experience in commerce. By the time he was 32, Scarlett decided to leave Antigua and set out for Upper...
27 days ago • 1 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 42: Bend like the humble bambooBy Alex Rășcanu Good day friend, Your ability to pivot around the personal and professional obstacles you're facing right now may have less to do with having the strength of a mighty oak tree and more to do with being flexible like a humble bamboo that bends in the wind. A stalk of bamboo sways even in the gentlest breeze, yet it may be the only thing standing after a typhoon due to its roots being firmly anchored. Bamboo endures...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 41: If You Want Your Dreams to Become Reality, Wake Up AlreadyBy Alex Rășcanu Good day friend, You and I have meaningful dreams we’d like to achieve. How much action (despite all the friction/challenges we face) are we taking each day to achieve them? There’s an old Yiddish proverb that I’ve come to appreciate: “If you want your dreams to become reality, wake up already.” To reach the goals we’ve set for ourselves to achieve between now and the end of the...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 40: Susanna Moodie’s 1852 Wake-Up Call Provides a Lesson in Letting GoBy Alex Rășcanu Good morning friend,This week's life lesson is drawn from Susanna Moodie's "Roughing It in The Bush: or, Forest Life in Canada" book. When Susanna Moodie arrived in Upper Canada (now Ontario) in 1832, she and her husband John expected fertile land, prosperity, and comfort; they were shocked to discover dense forests, isolation, and endless toil. Twenty years later, she...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 39: What Toronto’s Stock Yards Can Teach Us About ResilienceBy Alex Rășcanu Good morning friend,Toronto’s Stock Yards tell a story of growth, transformation, and resilience. Once a bustling hub, the Stock Yards shaped Toronto's economy and identity. Picture this: St. Clair Avenue West in the 1940s. Streetcars clang, cars honk, and hundreds of animals move in great herds across the road, guided by lead cattle toward the abattoirs. At its peak, Toronto’s Stock...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 38: How preparation meets opportunityBy Alex Rășcanu Good morning friend,While preparing for a 5-kilometer run in support of Sunnybrook's Family Navigation Project, I’ve been inspired and encouraged by my chiropractor, who is training for a half-marathon and shared a helpful training schedule. It’s a relatively short distance, but the dedication required (doing proper stretching at least five times per week, running at least three times per week for increasing...
2 months ago • 3 min read