Hi! My name is Misty 😊
It’s hard to know exactly where to start when it comes to introducing myself. I’ve had to really think about what elements of my life actually define me well enough to share with others, and which ones aren’t really as relevant. But for the sake of being completely transparent in the hopes of being completely understood, I’ll go into detail.
I was born in Santa Cruz, California in 1983. I do still have memories as early as 2 years old and remember how much I loved growing up in the low-income apartment complex we lived in. When I was 4 we moved to San Francisco, where I grew up and lived the next 16 years of my life. I still visit every year and consider myself to be a true San Francisco Native. A huge part of my identity comes from growing up in the Bay Area and being submerged in the rich melting pot culture that the Bay Area is famous for. My mom and dad (stepdad) we’re both born and raised in San Francisco, and taught me how great the city truly was outside of the basic tourist attractions and movie shoot locations.
I have two kids, my daughter Ameerah and my son Keenan JR who we call KJ. My kids are my motivation and encourage me to always strive for more so I can provide them with all I can. Even though my son doesn’t live with me, I am active in his life and know that the right decision was made by letting him grow up with his grandmother while I was in the military. It’s a very sensitive subject for me, but I’ll be unpacking some of it thought out my blog journey.
I married my best friend back in October of 2019, and can’t even imagine life without my husband, Ajuwan. From the way that we met, to the fact that we fit perfectly into each other’s lives and family, I know for a fact that he was god-sent.. so much so that an Oracle told me I’d meet him 7 months before I actually did.. that’s a story you’ll read as well. Our family is perfectly blended, and now I have an awesome, loving little stepson named Nehemiah (we call him Neo) and he’s just the sweetest kid ever. It’s nice to have a family like this, since I come from such a non-traditional family. But in the words of Miguel.. “what’s normal anyways?!”
I was in the Army National Guard for 8 years. I left with 3 MOS, 2 deployments, several awards and medals, and the option to be promoted. I ETS’s and got out because my body was too worn down and my back, hip and neck problems made it impossible to be an effective soldier. I’m a disabled veteran still going through the disability process in order to get compensation for all the bone and joint problems I developed while in the Army. It’ll tear your body down quickly when you’re as small as I am. Although I have these disabilities, my time in the military was well worth it since I gained so many life skills, job skills, and had the opportunity to travel work with some of the best people I’ve ever met.
At the moment I’m wrapping up my Media Design MFA and have only two classes left. This will be my third degree which means a lot to me since my parents never made it past middle school. Education is one of the most valuable things to me and I know a degree is useless if you don’t use it or share the knowledge you’ve gained from it.
Overall, I can say I’m a pretty smart, driven, and social person. I can be a bit abrasive and headstrong, but I blame that on my Aries tendencies. I’m always working on myself and trying to learn all I can to overcome things like my anxiety, PTSD, and depression (which is caused by the anxiety.) I struggle with anger issues, but I’ve gotten a lot better about it. I used to be embarrassed to admit all of this character flaws, but I’ve learned that we all come with them… we may have different flaws, but we’re all flawed. It’s not till you admit your flaws, accept them, and work to change them, that you really start to improve and grow as a person. I often ask myself, “why type of person do I want my kids to see me as?” That question changed my life and reminds of the fact that I’ve got kids looking up to me, learning who they are from me and I can’t fail them!
I hope you can relate to and even learn from my struggles and triumphs, and that my story can give you hope in your own journey. No one is perfect.. and all I can be is Always Misty ❤️
What People Say
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
Walt Disney
It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
J. K. Rowling
Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.
Dr. Seuss
It’s Always Misty 