Recalculating

There was an amazing Jeep ad awhile back playing with the theme of Google Maps’ constant recalculating: “In 300 metres turn left… Recalculating.” “Go straight to a steady job… Recalculating.” (Woman looks at positive pregnancy test)… “Recalculating.” You get the idea. In the last few years of my life, I have had to do a […]

Epilogue

if i’m not the love of your life i’ll be the greatest loss instead -rupi kaur Last week, I got divorced. There, I said it. The D-word. How do I feel? It’s like a birthday without the cake and balloons… you don’t feel instantly different.

New Beginnings and the Business of Mould Breaking

Dear Friends, Readers, Fellow Mould Breakers, As 2018 begins I’ve made some important decisions and taken some exciting new steps forward. In short, I’ve decided to start the new year as Janelle Visser, and I’ve started a new website to be home to my personal, travel, and professional writing. I hope you will check it […]

An Open Christmas Letter To The Bestest People In The Entire World

Dear friends / family / fellow adventurers, I want to write you, personally, to thank you for the impact you’ve had on my life this year. I’m already crying before even getting into this letter, because although it may seem impersonal to write an open letter instead of scribbling a quick greeting in an individual […]

One Year Later

I may have forgotten my wedding anniversary this year, which is its own kind of victory. But this day I have seen coming for a while, looming darkly on the horizon. And now it is here. One year ago today I experienced the worst day of my life when my entire world shattered into dust. For […]

Soundtrack of a Life Apocalypse

I desperately want to write, but I can’t find the words. There are, however, so many words. Words set to music that have been my comfort, my motivation, my lifeline, my determination, my soundtrack. I hesitate to share them with you: family, friends, and Internet strangers because, although they are mostly well-known, sharing them with […]

New Game Plus

It’s not the first time I’ve used a video game metaphor for my life, and it won’t be the last. Unlike video games, there is no reset button on life. But much like some of my favourite video games, there is a a way to take the experiences, items and elements from a previous play […]

When All Around Has Fallen

Everything burned down. It happened so quickly. I just barely escaped with my life. That’s how it feels. After nearly a month away, I’ve returned with a brave face and a broken heart to the place where my world fell apart. After few frantic days of sorting, repacking, moving and unpacking my significantly pared down […]

Always Forward

It may sound weird for a Canadian to say, but one of the things I have learned this year is not to apologize. I’m not going to apologize for my emotions. If I burst into tears seemingly at random, trust me it is not random. I’m not going to apologize for bypassing the socially acceptable […]