So my last post ended on a pretty depressing note. I was having seizures on a pretty regular basis. I was suffering from anxiety and depression (part of which can be attributed to ADHD, though I didn’t know that at the time), and had fallen into substance abuse. I could not hold a steady job, so I could not afford to live on my own. Living at the mercy of my father (who was rapidly declining into alcoholism), then my mother (well-intentioned but out of her depth), I stumbled through life, working temp jobs and feeling sorry for myself. A succession of failed relationships left me lonely and desperate, and I effectively ruined every friendship I created with my substance abuse.
Eventually, my mother and stepfather moved back to Alabama and I followed shortly thereafter. After a few months of homelessness (don’t blame my mother; I needed tough love) I entered a recovery program and started getting my life together. I developed a closer relationship with God than I’d ever had, and started learning the skills I needed to become a self-sufficient adult. I got hired on at one of the organization’s thrift stores and, after graduation, my mother let me move back in with them while I saved up some money. I got promoted and was able to move into my own place. I began to build a life free from substance abuse and all but the occasional bout of depression.
The summer after graduation, my mother encouraged me to attend Free RPG Day at a local comic book shop owned by a family friend. Now, for an introvert just getting back into the world, going to a place I’d never been before where I’d only know one person was terrifying, but I had played D&D with a group in Ohio and loved it… so I decided to give it a go. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I met a wonderful group of people and we began playing Shadowrun every Sunday. Eventually I fell in love with one of them and, with a bit of patience, he decided he felt the same way.
When Covid hit, Mark started working from home, which meant it’d be even harder for us to see each other. He invited me to stay with him for a while, and after a month or so, I moved in. We’d been together for almost a year at this point, best friends before that, and in April of 2021 he proposed.
I have never been happier. We take on everything life throws at us as a team. It is thanks to Mark that I decided to take a chance and do what I love–editing. I am hoping to be able to edit full-time soon, but until then he is dealing with me working full-time and using most of the rest of my free time for editing.
UPDATE: October 2022 – Mark and I got married! The ceremony was beautiful; my extended family sang and Kee Sloan, retired bishop and former rector at the parish I grew up in, St. Thomas Episcopal Church (where we were married), performed the service. Kee also married my mother and stepfather, as well as the proprietor of the comic shop where Mark and I met. I wrote an arrangement of “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need” for communion and cried when I heard my family sing it.
It was a perfect day, and the following morning Mark surprised me with a couple nights at one of those fancy “glamping” treehouses, in Chattanooga, TN. We are thoroughly enjoying married life, and I still melt whenever he calls me “Mrs. Knight.” I now edit from home full time, and I love every minute.
I was diagnosed with ADHD a few weeks before the wedding, and the diagnoses has helped a lot, both because it’s helped Mark understand why I am the way I am, and, obviously, because of the medication 😉 My business continues to grow, as does my satisfaction with life. I have Mark 30% convinced that we need a kitten, and I’m sure I’ll wear him down in a few months!
So that’s my history, in a nutshell. Hopefully this gives you a good idea of who I am and where I’m coming from. My story continues from here in Freelancing: An Editor’s Journey. For a bit more background, visit my About page, or read An Editor’s Dream to find out why I decided to become an editor. You can also follow me on Twitter: @EditsByKnight.
Thanks for taking the time to read, and feel free to contact me with any questions you may have!
Michaeli lives in Harvest, Alabama with her husband, Mark. They have two cats, Henry and Louise, and live the quiet and satisfying lives of two nerdy introverts. In her spare time, Michaeli enjoys playing the piano, singing, playing JRPGs, Tabletop gaming, and (of course) reading.
Michaeli lives in Harvest, Alabama with her fiance, Mark. They have two cats, Henry and Louise, and live the quiet and satisfying lives of two nerdy introverts. In her spare time, Michaeli enjoys playing the piano, singing, playing JRPGs, Tabletop gaming, and (of course) reading.