Rose Simpson is an Ottawa-based writer whose work has appeared in numerous national newspapers and magazines in Canada. Her essay, The $10 Life, was the most read article on the Globe and Mail’s Fact&Arguments page for the entire year 2009. Rose began her career at the Ottawa Journal and has been a columnist for the Ottawa Citizen and the Regina Leader-Post.
Rose served as executive producer and interviewer for two feature films, 10 Days at the Ottawa Bluesfest and Rivertales! Scenes from the Ottawa Folk Festival. The films took gold and silver prizes at the Park City Film Music Festival in 2003.
Her blog recently was named one of the 26 Essential Ottawa blogs by Ottawa Start.
Rose is married to Gemini-award winning cameraman Scott Troyer, has three children, Nick, Stefan and Marissa and spends her days frollicking with two pugs, Gordie and Ming, and a retriever, Hannah, who thinks she is a pug.
Rose's Cantina 
Hi, nice to meet you !
Hello Ms. Simpson,
I am yet one more person who has experienced “losing everything and finding myself.”
Admittedly, I didn’t quite lose “everything” (my family is healthy, safe and still together). But losing the materials (job, house, car) as well as a sense of place in my family in the wake of my mother’s death and the subsequent revelations, I went into a bout of depression from which I am only now beginning to emerge, “beginning again in 2010”.
There really is truth to the concept that all the “stuff” with which we pad our lives may in fact distract us from the essence of self and that finding the self may require fighting through all that stuff, or, as was the case with me, having that stuff taken away.
Hi, Rose. We have not chatted in years but I recall trying to find you a few years ago before Facebook etc and was not able to.
Anyway, I am sorry that things are not working out, and I have some experience along those lines and it gets very depressing. I like to think things turned around because I worked at it, but mostly I think it was just luck, so I wish for some of that for you. Keep in touch.
i love your blog and your writing. greetings from Toronto via Lima Peru
Hi Rose, I’d love to talk to you about your blog – please email me at mcoulson@ottawacitizen.com
Thanks!
Hi Rose,
I am a big fan and would love to contract your writing skills, could you please email me at markluvsvan@hotmail.com.
keep up the great insightful work!!!
Mark