Rita Smith’s Blogs

Where to store your copy of Dale Carnegie's "Stop Worrying?" Immediately next to your bed on the night table. Then, if you awake in the night you will catch of glimpse of it, and knowing it is there if you need it, you can roll over and go back to sleep. Photo: Rita Smith
Opinion/ColumnRita Smith's Blogs

Cancer was hard: surprisingly, worry was harder. This book saved me.

Rita Smith

This piece was written in 2005 when I was in treatment for breast cancer; I had not expected to ever repost it, mainly because I remain stubbornly determined to never think about cancer if I can help it. However, the

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Handsome Koda is descended from the American strain of Labrador Retrievers, which differs slightly from the British  version. Both strains would rather hunt than eat, given the chance. They are what their DNA makes them! Dale Carnegie noted decades ago that honouring your experience, environment and heredity is a great way to manage stress: "Find yourself and be yourself" he advised .  Photo credit: Margot and John Weir
Rita Smith's Blogs

Hunting dogs NEED to hunt; what do YOU need to do?

Rita Smith

      During one election campaign, I visited a rifle club with my candidate. It was an absolutely gorgeous Ontario fall day, bright blue sky and flame-coloured trees. The rifle club was full of happy target shooters, cheerfully absorbed

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The May long weekend is for gardening and barbecuing, not talking about funerals and caskets - or so I thought, before I interviewed a most exceptional man about his business as a Funeral Director.
Rita Smith's Blogs

Everything dies; it’s the living that counts

Rita Smith

Why is it that so many of Ontario’s funeral directors hail from family farms? “I’m not sure, exactly,” my interviewee scratched his head. “Maybe because to us death is just part of life. You live on a farm, every day

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