Returning to Writing.com

In 2005, I joined this website under a pen name. I posted my short stories and was active for approximately three years (I participated in contests, I reviewed people's writing and made friends in the process, I learned to refine my craft(s) - whether written or not - and I ended up with a novel that I self-published online - of course, no one knows about it because I ran out of money for marketing). After the three years, life happened. I quit using writing.com, and missed it tremendously. I am coming back to it under my real name. My legal name is a bit different, but Misha is short for it and has been my nickname since I was in college in Romania. I am also a doctor. Not a medical one, but still one. I work in school, in special education departments. I help teams identify educational disabilities, develop plans to support them, and help them implement said supports with fidelity. I do a lot of different things at work. I LOVE my job but I would honestly prefer to do it part-time. Politics exist in education too and it is driving me insane that there are things I cannot do squat about. Like parents who lack parenting skills (but they have devices available for their toddlers). Teachers who don't actually like teaching (but that's the only job they could find). Students who don't understand how important it is to read and write English properly (or how everything they do is documented on social media so they will never have good jobs because of all the stupid things they post). The list could go on.

I am returning because I am at a point in my life where I can begin dedicating more and more time to this. I have missed writing regularly and it shows in my moods and overall well-being. I want to be able to have my made-up stories out there, but also real pieces about what's going on in education nowadays.

I am looking forward to this new journey, paired with moving into a new house (with a yard I can transform according to my whims! because it is not a rental anymore!). I hope I will have some company, but even if I don't, I will be happy putting my writing out there again. It is time.