It feels like it's been years since I've been on here, but I know it's only been a few months. That's how this semester feels to me. There are definitely times when coming here would have been more productive than arguing with Nazis on Twitter, but then I'd have to face the fact that I should have been writing more.
So, my quick update: I've written two drafts of a flash story that I plan to submit to my university's literary journal. This isn't paid but it will be the first fiction publication I can think of that will officially be edited by someone who has the power to tell me "no," so I definitely think it's a step. I'm also working on the second draft of a short story that I plan to revise and submit somewhere by May (I've set the goal of five submissions by the end of May) as well as having the fifth or so draft of Chapter 1 of my WIP novel.
This means that I have to confront something I've been thinking on and off about and am ready to commit to soon: whether or not to written under a pseudonym. I've gotten feedback from a Professor that my reasoning to do so is a good one: I don't want any books I publish as a psychology student (and later, Psychologist) to be confused with my fiction work.
Of course, there is another question that brings up. I've been starting to wonder if I should choose a gender-neutral pen name due to most of my characters and, well . . . *gestures at genre* I don't know, is a man writing about teen girls a turn-off to most female audiences? If so, would a gender-neutral pen name be any amount of an improvement, at all? (This is assuming that my content is decent, of course, which is a separate issue I work on every day.)
Also: I'm really enjoying being a writing tutor and will probably be presenting at Writing Center Conferences in both March and October!
Sage, after reading your description of the situation . . . definitely something to question, whichever way you go. I'd like to suggest something, but the best that I can think of is to wonder what audience you've cultivated and what they'd be okay with. That's a really meta answer, though, so that can be unfulfilling, especially if that's not something you take into concern during every step. I'm just thinking that some audiences expect constant high-risk romances (CW, maybe Twilight), some audiences are okay with very minimal romance (Harry Potter), most fall somewhere in-between, but maybe enough toward one side to take into consideration as a factor? I wish you luck in the decision-making, though.
So close, yet so far. Funny how it has only been a month, but I want to work on something else! 
I was super tempted by the charity auction a month or so ago, but I needed very practical car repairs. Good for you!
Good luck on your own sending out!
