09/06/2025
On writing … The recent academic writing experience was unexpectedly hard. I haven’t done it in a while, and my brain struggled to find those old familiar neural pathways. I could almost hear it creaking like a rusty machine. There was resistance, questions “Why am I doing this again?” It took much longer to write, edit, and read the work of others.
Otherwise I still write regularly. I love writing longhand and keep several notebooks. I journal, and for some things I use a bullet journal approach. Funny enough, I can’t dictate my thoughts—they’re really born in the act of writing. I’ll write more one day about the link between writing, creativity, and the birth of ideas.
What prompted this reflection was the passing of my course-mate from Moscow State University, Anna Leontieva—granddaughter of A.N. Leontiev, the creator of activity theory in psychology.
Studying at MSU was a privilege. We learned from the professors who wrote the books everyone else studied. We spoke with A.A. Leontiev, debated with Dmitry Leontiev, learned from students of Zeigarnik (student of Kurt Lewin), of Luria (founder of neuropsychology), and of Vygotsky. It was an honor.
Years later, while finishing my postdoc in Sweden, I was in touch with Anna Leontieva and Anna Silnitskaya. We were all struggling with writing, each for our own reasons. So I proposed a small group—The Writing Group. We’d check in, write for a set time, and report back. We shared our ups and downs and supported each other through life and work. That group meant so much to me—especially after my father’s passing in 2011, when I questioned many things along with the academic writing. But I had commitments I couldn’t just walk away from.
For Anna Silnitskaya, too, this group was meaningful. She later developed supportive spaces for others—like women recovering from abusive relationships.
It’s hard to write more right now—and maybe that’s okay. Some memories of Anna Leontieva will stay quietly with me. I miss you, dear friend, course-mate, and colleague.
