Published inThe Memoirist·PinnedMember-onlyMy Father Was a Rockstar — And an AssholeA story of addiction, abuse, and everything in between — My best friend sat on my unicorn canopy bed and listened as my dad loudly strummed his guitar. The amp made the walls of our tiny home vibrate until my head throbbed. Quiet time was a rare luxury at my house. “Wow. Your dad is so cool! Can I go…The Memoirist7 min readThe Memoirist7 min read
Published inAscent Publication·PinnedMember-onlyMy Kids Don’t Know We’re PoorWe’ve made happy memories in the trailer park, and that’s what matters. — I’ve rented the same mobile home for the last 8 years. That means my younger kids have spent most of their childhood in a trailer park; my oldest, nearly half her life. …Life5 min readLife5 min read
Published inAbout Me Stories·PinnedMember-onlyAbout Me — Missy CrystalJumping on the bio bandwagon to share a bit about myself — Hello, and thanks for stopping by! I’m Missy, as you may have guessed by the title. I’ve spent the last couple years writing for Medium, but I’ve been a published writer since 2002. Gosh, I’m aging myself. My first piece was published in Teen Ink when I was a pregnant…About Me5 min readAbout Me5 min read
Published inThe Memoirist·3 days agoMember-onlyHorseback Rides and Pit Stains: The Party That Ruined My Freshman YearAt least I had friends for a few months — The scent of fried food filled my nostrils, and I felt sick. I wanted a bagel with cream cheese, but I was on the free lunch program. People like me were stuck eating whatever greasy entree and mushy veggies the lunch lady gave us while our peers enjoyed ice cream…Schools8 min readSchools8 min read
Published inAge of Empathy·4 days agoMember-onlyI Don’t Hate My Estranged Parents AnymoreThoughts on moving forward after 20 years of estrangement — “Your father might have cancer,” a family member tells me. The comment catches me off guard, and I’m not sure how to respond. I hope my dad doesn’t have cancer, just like I don’t wish poor health on random people at the grocery store or the park. …Nonfiction5 min readNonfiction5 min read
Sep 16Member-onlyAll the Things Mom Does — A PoemA poem about emotional labor and other demands of motherhood — “Mom, what’s for dinner?” Her family asks As she’s racing around Doing other tasks “Mom, where’s my lunch box?” Her child wants to know Because it’s always Mom’s job To know where things go “Mom, my tooth hurts” Her child complains Because Mom is the one Who treats aches and…Poetry2 min readPoetry2 min read
Sep 11Member-onlyI Don’t See My Grandma in My Dreams AnymoreWhere did you go, Grandma? — “Hallo! Wie geht’s?” I yelled into the dark condo after pushing open the front door. No answer. Silence filled my ears instead of my German grandma’s usual greeting. Something was wrong. My grandma was supposed to be home. “Oma? Wo bist du? Ich heisse Missy,” I screamed into the darkness. …Dreams3 min readDreams3 min read
Published inThe Memoirist·Sep 11Member-onlyThe Day I Broke Into My Own ApartmentI got kicked out the day after I paid rent — Trigger warning: This piece contains references to abuse and potentially illegal activities. I jiggled my key gently at first, then harder as my frustration grew. Something was wrong with the lock on my front door, and I didn’t have time to deal with this stress. “You should call the landlord,”…Life6 min readLife6 min read
Sep 1Member-onlyThese Two Words Can Be More Offensive Than You RealizeAn argument against “it’s only” — My post-concussion syndrome often made driving difficult. Some days, it made it impossible. The concussion damaged my vestibular system and left me with vision problems, a rare form of neural dizziness called PPPD, and numerous other issues. Because of this, driving caused severe panic attacks. …Relationships4 min readRelationships4 min read
Published inThe Memoirist·Aug 10Member-onlyWe Made it to Disney With an Empty Bank Account and Lots of PrayersThe trip almost didn’t happen, but we made it — barely — I wasn’t sure we’d make it to Disney World. My kids wanted to go, but there were multiple barriers. For starters, Disney wasn’t cheap. After paying for tickets, parking, food, and souvenirs, I knew that one day at Disney would cost well over $1,000 for my family. …Memoir9 min readMemoir9 min read
