Hi! I’m Misty Hickman, a mother of six, software engineer, future homesteader, AI enthusiast, and lifelong learner.
I’ve been in IT for over 27 years, starting from designing websites in the 90s with simple HTML (remember that?) to leading cutting-edge projects in web development, automation, and artificial intelligence today. Along the way, I’ve mentored other developers, spearheaded enterprise solutions, and returned to college to pursue a degree in Information Technology with a focus on AI; all while sharing my knowledge through writing and consulting.
Outside of work, I’m a wife, mom of six, painter, gardener, and blogger here on ThereGoesMisty, where I share insights on tech, career growth, family, and finding joy in every stage of life.
My goal is to embrace the possibilities of technology, whether it’s through AI, better processes, or simply learning something new to move goals forward.
There’s a lot of stuff about a lot of stuff. Click a category below to get started.
Less Is More: Why I’m Choosing a Simpler Life
Something kinda crazy is happening. We are in an age of over-stimulation, convenience, and materialism. A time of pings, alerts, and one-click checkouts. Of Instacarted groceries, same-day deliveries, and smart fridges that judge me for [...]
Confessions of a ColdFusion Fan Girl and Why Moving on Makes Sense
After more than 27 years of working with and writing ColdFusion code, I've come to a weirdly emotional fork in the road. This fork isn't just about saying goodbye to a framework or language I [...]
Balancing It All: Full-Time Job, Family, and Finals
Let me paint you a picture (I'm an artist, what did you expect): It's 5:30am. The house is quiet, the coffee's just starting to kick in, and I've got a solid 90-minute window to study [...]
Release or Regret: Your Software Schedule is the Secret to Delivering Value
I've been studying to get my PSPO Certification (Professional Scrum Product Owner) by utilizing the Professional Product Owner by Don McGreal and Ralph Jocham, and I thought I'd dump a little knowledge here on my [...]
Stretch, Snap, Repeat: Embracing the Chaos of Getting Older
Let's get one thing straight: aging is not for the weak. And if you're still young enough to sneeze without peeing a little, I don't want to hear it. 🙂 The other morning, I stretched [...]
Foundations of Prompt Engineering: Few-Shot Prompting
So, you're back for more prompt engineering ideas? Awesome, let's see what we can learn today! If you've ever felt like arguing with ChatGPT because it just didn’t get what you meant, congratulations! You've met [...]
Foundations of Prompt Engineering: Optimizing Prompts for Clarity & Context
Mastering prompt engineering isn't just about knowing what to ask, it's about knowing how to ask it. The way you structure, format, and even write in the tone you do for your prompt can mean [...]
Foundations of Prompt Engineering: Basic Prompt Structures
Remember that time you asked ChatGPT to "write a short story about a cat" and somehow got a full-blown Shakespearean tragedy filling up your screen? Yeah. Been there, done that (ok not really but it [...]
Foundations of Prompt Engineering: Understanding How AI Models Process Prompts
After my last post about why I believe software engineers should develop their skills in prompt engineering, I figured it would be fun (yes, I'm a nerd, and this is my idea of fun!) to [...]