Update (cue Unsolved Mysteries creepy music)

On a totally unrelated first note, Why did my parents let me watch this show when I was 5?

But that's not what this post is about. I'm a horrible blogger and I probably won't get any better. But since maybe one day there will be a huge fire or earthquake and I'll lose all my journals, I try to keep the ol' blog semi-informed about what's going on.

First off - I am loving life right now! I work with these clowns everyday and love every bit of it. After my first job at the Orem Owlz (hoo hoo) I had it in my mind that all work was bad. But now I know that it's important to stick with it and work to get the job you love. I'm fortunate to have found the right career for me.

Secondly - I live at home with these fat cats.



Just kidding. I do NOT live with Sarah and Todd, though I did get to see them one time at a Costco book signing. But seriously, I do live at home with my parents (living the dream!) but I hope that will change soon. Just saving some $$. Living at home gets a bad wrap, but I've always gotten along with my parents so it's not too bad. Still, moving out is definitely on the to-do list for the next 4 months.

Also, I was driving today, when the song, Another One Bites the Dust, came on. That made me think of high school.



See, I've always been kind of particular about some things. My foods can't touch each other on my plate when I'm eating. I don't like Tacos. I hate pepper. Okay, so back to high school. Everyday on the way to school, I would listen to the same four songs. I'd start out with Another One Bites the Dust, then switch mid-song to the Growing Pains Theme Song (which looking back is a really, really strange choice). I capped my routine off with Cautioners, by Jimmy Eat World, and then the Authority Song by Jimmy Eat World. I wanted to have a set of songs I'd always associate with high school, that hearing them would take me back to being 14 years old. I'm glad I did that.

Okay, the end.

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I like it better than Thanksgiving, and I'm being totally serious.

I think it's because I have some AWESOME women to look up to in my family.



This is my maternal grandma, Sydney Bond. She was without a doubt the kindest person I know. Every week without fail when I was growing up, she and my grandpa would call to check in and see how my life was going. Though she lived in California, I never felt like she was that far away. She knew about my soccer games, piano recitals and spelling tests. Every call, she would always ask about my best friend, who until third grade she called, "Tiffany."

Before I came to visit, she would always ask me what foods I liked, and then make sure her house was stocked with goodies. She never made anything before asking if other people would like some too. She made great dinners and amazing cookies. Like me, she liked to stay up late watching movies, doing word searches, or just talking. I remember countless late night conversations in her kitchen where she'd give me advice on everything from boys to school and life lessons in general.

She was never too busy to listen to me ramble about the details of my life. As insignificant as they were, because they were important to me, it was important to her.

Without fail, until right up before she died, she could and would recite the University of Redlands "Och Tamale" chant:
Och Tamale gazolly gazump
Dayump dayadee yahoo
Ink damink dayadee gazink
Dayump, deray, yahoo
Wing wang trickey trackey poo foo
Joozy woozy skizzle wazzle
Wang tang orkey porkey dominorky
Redlands! — Rah, Rah, Redlands!

I never heard her raise her voice. Not once. She was incredibly patient (which if you know my grandpa is a very, very good thing). She was incredibly tolerant of other people and ideas. I remember watching the 2008 presidential debates with her in the hospital, and I was surprised at how open she was to different things each candidate would say.

Grandma was a classy lady. I remember going to my friends grandparents houses, and thinking they were all so tacky. Not Sydney Bond's home. Her house in Palos Verdes always to me looked ready for the pages of Architectural Digest. She had an appreciation for the finer things in life. I think I get my love for shopping from her. As you can tell from the picture, she was quite a dish. She would always say that that once you get a new shirt, you just have to get a new skirt, shoes and accessories. And of course as her only granddaughter, who was I to stop a shopping spree?

She passed away two years ago, and there are days when I really miss her. I miss knowing she was always there for me, no matter what. In so many ways, she's shown me what it means to be a woman and mother.



Then there's my mom. I love this picture because I mean, come on. Wasn't she an adorable baby?

If you know Sue "Suze" Chrystler, "the agitated one," and really know her, you'll agree with me when I say she is hilarious. She's got impeccable timing and incredibly quick wit. She's taught me how to face life with a smile on my face.

For my whole life, and even before I was born she was a first grade teacher. She's always stressed the importance of education. I remember being little when she would read Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew books to me. As I got older, she would have me read a chapter here and there. Going to library was a weekly experience, at least. Even in high school, if I need somebody to quiz me on Biology, History or Math, there she was. Recently, she pushed me to finish my college classes, even though I didn't really want to. She even offered to bribe to finish my internship. Don't worry -- I didn't accept her $80 academic "blood money." :)

As an only child, she was there to make sure I didn't feel lonely or bored. During the summer, she'd plan fun vacations and day trips for us to take. Now that I'm older, she never turns down an afternoon shopping or trip to Park City for lunch. She's always ready for an adventure, like the one day we drove 16 hours to Martin's Cove just to walk around for 30 minutes.

My mom is my rock, in so many ways. When I was 8, my dad was in a coma and his doctors say he came within minutes of dying. I don't ever remember her acting scared or unsure around me. Because all I saw from her was a brave face, I knew it would be okay and my dad would survive.

Whenever we drive anywhere, she always lets me pick the music, and always endures my "Mom, who sings this?" quiz game.

My mom is determined. If she sets her mind to something, she'll do it, and do it well. Since January 2010, the woman hasn't had cheese, sugar or white grains. She's on a pretty strict diet/exercise regimen, and she looks amazing. Most mornings, she's up at 4 AM, so she can fit in an hour of cardio before work. Part of the reason she gets up that early is so she can watch the show I produce in its entirety at 6. Though I tell her she doesn't need to, I know one of the reasons she watches because she cares about me. She was the type of mom who never missed any of my games or events (except for one the day of the "HUGE FIGHT of 2006" which I fully accept blame for as a bratty teenager).

When I think of Mother's day, I'm happy that I have Sydney and Sue on my team. Both are the kind of women and Mothers I someday hope to be. In the meantime, I'm glad I have their examples to learn from.

Who Would've Thought?

Growing up, I though the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was just for Molly Mormon and Peter Priesthood. I liked a few of their songs, but people who listened to them a lot were just weird.

In high school, my choir sang "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho." Around the same time, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang the same song for a broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word (MATSW). My mom took me, and I had a good time. It wasn't anything spectacular, but I was surprised the choir would pick a song like that to sing. Before that, I thought they were all hymns.

A few months later, I found out the choir was having the 4000th broadcast of MATSW. I knew it would be a good show, and that there would be lots of "dignitaries" there. I got my friends to go with me, and we had a great time.

That Christmas, Brittany and I waited for quite a long time in a freezing cold standby line to see the Christmas concert with Sissel. We got in, and to this day, that particular concert is my favorite of the five Christmas concerts I've seen. Nobody can hit the high note at the end of "Angels from the Realms of Glory," like Sissel.



In 2007, I got tickets to the choir's Pioneer Day concert. At all the previous concerts, I'd just enjoyed the music, and liked watching the choir as a whole. At that concert, though, I noticed one singer who seemed to really enjoy what she was doing. Because of how happy she looked, I decided that maybe the choir wasn't just for holidays and Sundays -- that maybe they were good enough to listen to on weekdays too.

Call me lame, but over the next three and a half years, I took every chance I got to go MATSW or any sort of concert with the choir. Sophomore year, I lived with some really great roommates who also loved the choir. Together, we made nicknames for some of our favorite members (the ones shown a lot on tv) and that way, we could say, "hey, look at the Queen!" or "whoa, Dr. Walker's hair is wild today!" Our little inside nicknames made the choir more fun.

In 2009, I lived with Sarah Christensen. She's one of the only people I know who can listen to the choir on repeat -- for hours. Her current favorite is "Brother James' Air."

One of my favorite moments involving the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is the afternoon my Grandma died. I was at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake doing a live shot with Robert Walz. I turned my cell phone on silent, so I wouldn't have a phone ringing on live TV. When I turned my phone back on, I saw four missed calls from my dad, and I knew what had happened. On my drive back to Provo, I wasn't feeling like listening to particularly roudy music since my Grandma died, and so I listened to my Mormon Tabernacle Choir playlist. Because it was on shuffle, I had no idea what song was going to come on. I know I've blogged about it before, but the choir's song, "Let Peace then Still the Strife," was the first song to play.

Let peace then still the strife,
The loneliness and grief,
Come heal the piercing silence of passing.
And sweet familiar strains,
The voices lost in death,
Arise in songs of hope everlasting.
Then let the voices roll
As waves upon the sea;
Come forth and break upon us, refreshing.

And barren coves be filled -
O'er flow with reverie!
Let mem'ry sable as Gilead's caressing.
And though the balm be spread,
Let tender rifts remain
That breaking hearts not yield to forgetting.
For hearts rent wide at death,
Unfolded to our dead,
Hear singing from beyond sunlight's setting.

Then sing, beloved ones,
Reach o'er the summer sea.
Pour forth thy boundless love for us living!
Sweep into ev'ry soul,
Make music of our tears,
Turn all our songs to joy and thanksgiving!
And when we silent pass,
From far across the sea
Let praises ring for life's wond'rous blessing.

Then sing ye living souls!
Sing generations past,
Swell high the tide of life, us refreshing!
Sing forth as with one voice,
Bear silent grief away,
Resound with peace and hope everlasting!
And all who wait and sing,
Sing on from earth and heav'n
And make our crossing forth joyful passing!

On that drive, listening to that particular song, I knew everything would be alright. I knew my Grandma was in a better place, and I knew that the Plan of Salvation was real.

Okay -- now to the real point of the story. As you can see, I've had an admiration for the choir for a few years now. Remember how I mentioned that one choir member that looked like she was having a good time? Sarah Christensen's mom knows her, and so today, I got to have lunch with that choir member, Sarah, Sarah's sister Abby and their mom.

We got to ask her all sorts of questions: What's your favorite song? How do you like the dresses? What was it like to sing with David Archuleta? Was it hard to get into the choir? Tell us about going on Tour? Do you like the Tabernacle or Conference Center better?

During the whole lunch, I felt like I was dreaming. Here I was -- eating lunch with a woman I'd seen on TV for years, and there she was, chilling out and answering whatever questions we threw her way. It truly was a "who would've thought" moment.

Sarah asked her why she always looks so happy when she sings. She told us that because of her calling as a musical missionary (that's the calling given to all choir members) she feels like she needs to tell people that Christ lives. She said that the fact that the Atonement is real is reason enough for people to live, and that she wants to share that message through song. That's why she says she always tries to look happy is because she wants people to see that there are things in the world to be happy about.

Getting to talk with her was really a once in a lifetime experience. Some people get star-struck when they see people like Jennifer Aniston (and I would too), but it was really cool to meet and talk with this woman.

And so there you go, that's the end of my mostly-for-me-journal-post about my lunch today.

The End.

The Conviction of Brian David Mitchell from a Field Producer's Point of View

Friday, I was able to be at the Federal Courthouse when Brian David Mitchell was found guilty of kidnapping and raping Elizabeth Smart. In the post below, I wrote about how I've always felt connected to the case, so I'm not going to go much into that here.

When it became apparent a verdict was nearing, I told Don and Jen, my bosses that I would be more than happy (that's an understatement) to come in and work as needed when the verdict was reached. At about 10:30, Don called me and told me to get to the station ASAP. Ten minutes later, I arrived, and was sent down to the courthouse a block away.

When I got there, I got a call to find Brian Mullahy, and get him on air immediately. Brian was in a closed courtroom, and there was no way for me to get to him. I found Dan Rascon, and within 5 minutes, Dan was live, and didn't go off until about 3:00.

At about 10:50, the jury read their decision in court: guilty on both counts. I wish I could describe how I felt when I heard that. It wasn't so much happiness, but a feeling of closure. More on that in the post below.

I didn't have a lot of time to think, because I went inside with Emily Florez to interview the 12 jurors in the jury room and then relay information to the team going live outside.

Meanwhile, during one of my trips from the second story jury room to the media pool outside, I almost ran into Elizabeth's sister, Mary Katherine. I'm not sure what she was doing outside the jury room, but just seeing the look on her face made me want to hug her. She looked so peaceful, and so happy. That one little candid moment is one I'll never forget.

Anyhow, interviewing the 12 jurors was an experience in itself. For my own personal record, I'm going to describe my take on all the jurors. You can skip this part if you'd like.

Juror 1: A lady in her mid-forties. She seemed to be almost like the cool aunt of the group, and like a surrogate mother to juror number 2. She didn't talk a lot, but she seemed very logical.

Juror 2: A woman in her early twenties. She was definitely LDS, and said the turning point of the case for her was when Elizabeth testified about how Brian David Mitchell took away her agency. I felt connected to this juror, in that that quite was a poignant moment in the trial for me too. She also said that for her, there was life before the trial, and there is life after the trial. She says for her, being on the jury changed her forever.

Juror 3: A woman in her late forties. She was very emotional, and seemed to want to emphasize the fact that the jury was very cohesive and didn't fight at all during the proceedings.

Juror 4: A man in his thirties. Wanted to thank everybody for their professionalism.

Juror 5: A woman in her fifties. She didn't talk much, except for to agree with what the others were saying. She never crossed her legs, very Queen Clarisse-like in her posture.

Juror 6: A man in his twenties. At first he was wringing his hands, but then settled into the interview quite nicely. He emphasized that he was able to find Brian David Mitchell guilty because the defense didn't meet the burden of proof to prove BDM legally insane. Time and time again, he spoke about how the legal definition of insanity helped him reach the verdict.

Juror 7: A man in his fifties. He was probably the most articulate of the group. I got to know him well, because he came to channel 2 for a live interview, and I gave him a tour of the station. Very logical in his thought, and seemed to care a lot for the well-being of Elizabeth Smart.

Juror 8: A man in his forties. He had a New York accent and didn't say much. When asked what he was going to do now that the trial is over, he answered "go watch a bunch of Law and Order." We all laughed.

Juror 9: A man in his forties. I don't remember much about him.

Juror 10: A man in his late thirties. Don't remember him much either.

Juror 11: A woman in her fifties or sixties. Didn't say a single word the entire time.

Juror 12: A man in his seventies. The character of the group. He was quite funny, but you could tell he took the assignment seriously.

Juror 14 (alternate): A man in his forties. Off camera, he told us that when Elizabeth was found, he was at the gym. He looked at the TV, and thought, "wow, that would be an interesting jury to be on." He moved machines, and didn't see anything after that. Talk about coincidence. Because he's an alternate, he wasn't allowed to vote on the verdict, and he compared that to training for the Super Bowl, but getting benched. He told us that Juror 13's mom died during the trial, and that 13 chose not to go to the funeral, in order to stay at the trial. Wow.

Anyhow, after the jury interviews, Emily and I went outside to wait for the Smart family to make a statement. All along, I was under the impression that only Ed and Lois would speak. I was wrong. Elizabeth talked to the media too. Here's a video of what she said. She starts talking at 1:26, but before that, you can get an idea of the chaos outside the courthouse.



I love how she talks about being an advocate. By speaking out about the horrific things she endured, she becomes a victorious face for other abuse victims to identify with and draw strength from. In her testimony given in court, Elizabeth talked about finding the will to survive; and that's exactly what she is: a survivor. As her mom Lois says in the video, outside the courthouse Friday, Elizabeth truly did glow.







To see this family that's been waiting nearly 8 years for justice finally get it was an amazing thing to witness. Throughout the entire trial, Elizabeth showed such amazing decorum and strength. Some of the most intimate details of her life were made public and broadcast to the entire world, yet she continued to attend court each day. What an amazing example of facing a trial head-on, beating it, and then living to strengthen others.

It's Real

As a 14-year-old, I had a lot of plans for how my life would turn out. At 22, I would be married, living in Edgemont, and I was going to be a teacher. I was going to be a graduate of BYU, and life was going to be perfect. For the high school freshman version of Katie Chrystler, that sounded like perfection; the “reality” I dreamed of.

On March 12, 2003, the day Elizabeth Smart was found, I think it’s fair to say the entire nation, and especially state of Utah was shocked and amazed. I remember turning on the TV that whole night, and all the news stations stayed live from about 3 that afternoon until well after their 10pm newscasts were over. It was just such a big story, and one that the whole state was so personally invested in.

Outside the police station, reporters asked Elizabeth's dad Ed how it was to have his daughter back. That day, his words expressed what a lot of us were feeling. He threw his arms in the air and exclaimed, "It's real!"

I was basically in the same stage of life as Elizabeth when she was kidnapped. We were both finishing up our 8th grade years at school, we’re both LDS, and we both lived along the Wasatch Front. Though I had never met her, when she was taken, I felt a responsibility to be extra-diligent in looking for her.



Brittany Herdman and I would go on bike rides during the summer of 2002, not specifically looking for her, but we would watch cars as they passed us, in the hopes of seeing Elizabeth in the backseat, and we would keep an eye out for her as we rode up Provo Canyon. We wanted to help find her any way we could.

When she was found, I was amazed, even though I never really thought she was dead. Call it naivety, but I just always believed that one day she would be home again.

Nearly eight years later, on December 10, 2010, Elizabeth’s kidnapper and rapist, Brian David Mitchell’s was found guilty. Again, all the news channels in Utah went live from 11am through most of the afternoon. Outside the federal courthouse, Ed spoke to reporters as he had many times since his daughter’s kidnapping and homecoming. When asked about his emotions, he echoed his statement from 2003, by proclaiming, "It's real!" in the same tone of voice as he had done so many years earlier.



For me at least, Ed’s "It's real" echoed the sentiment I experienced simultaneously outside the courthouse.

In the eight years since she returned to her family, my reality has shifted from the dreams I had as a 14-year-old.



Instead of being married, I’m single. Instead of living in the neighborhood behind Day’s Market, I live in the Avenues in Salt Lake. Instead of being a teacher, I’m a journalist.

Yesterday it hit me. Just as Elizabeth’s return and the conviction of Brian David Mitchell are the “reality” for the Smart family, my life is my “reality.”

The Smart’s “It’s real” moment came as they finally got justice. For me, the “It’s real” moment came as a took a second to stop and think about what my life has become.

I work a job that I truly love, and one that I know I was guided to. I can’t imagine any other career that would suit me so well. As a producer, I get to write, explore the state in which I live, and provide information that I believe will enrich and educate viewers.

I don’t think it would necessarily take a situation of the magnitude of Elizabeth Smart’s return and her captor’s conviction to make me see and feel what I did yesterday, but with it as a backdrop, I realized that everybody has “it’s real” moments; when we’re able to stop and reflect on the unexpected twists and turns that have made us who we are.

Those who know me know I’m a fan of the Tabernacle Choir. As I was driving home last night, I was in a very reflective mood, as I reviewed all that’s happened to me in the past eight years. I was listening to the choir's song “Let Peace Then Still the Strife.”

Though the song is meant to comfort loved ones in the wake of death, some of the song’s lyrics were especially poignant to me. They sang the words, “let mem’ry salve as Gilead’s caressing. And though the balm be spread, let tender rifts remain, that breaking hearts not yield to forgetting…”

Not that my heart was breaking, but for me at least, my memories really are the balm of Gilead in my life. I have such an amazing life, and there are so many truly wonderful people in it.

Continuing with the lyrics, the final two verses sing the praises I feel for my reality:

Then sing, beloved ones,
Reach o'er the summer sea.
Pour forth thy boundless love for us living!
Sweep into ev'ry soul,
Make music of our tears,
Turn all our songs to joy and thanksgiving!
And when we silent pass,
From far across the sea
Let praises ring for life's wond'rous blessing.

Then sing ye living souls!
Sing generations past,
Swell high the tide of life, us refreshing!
Sing forth as with one voice,
Bear silent grief away,
Resound with peace and hope everlasting!
And all who wait and sing,
Sing on from earth and heav'n
And make our crossing forth joyful passing!

My reality includes my career, friends, family and faith. Without one of those four elements, my life would not be what it is today. Though my “it’s real” moment at first just seemed to revolve around my career, as I’ve had a chance to step back and think things through, the feelings I felt yesterday also extend to my entire reality. Though things haven’t turned out as I dreamed they would, I believe they’ve been and will be better. Yesterday, I realized what a truly insurmountable debt of gratitude I owe to my Heavenly Father, the Author of my reality.

Just as I know that He blessed me with all the things I love in life, I realized that he also blessed the Smart family, and for that matter, the entire human race with the things that matter in their reality. It was a very peaceful and humbling thing for me to see that God truly has played such a crucial part in shaping my life and the lives of those around me.

For me, I can echo the words of Ed Smart. In my life, not only do I know that “It’s real,” but I can bear testimony that “He’s real” and that he truly guides my life.

Holiday Favorites

If you know me, you know I'm not really big into holidays. Call me a grinch, but I really just like regular days much better. Except the 4th of July. That's my favorite holiday. But I do like the Christmas season. Because I don't have babies or a husband, this blog isn't about them, but about me. So, here are my favorite parts of Christmas.

The Movies

1. Jumanji. Hear me out on this one. I know this isn't a Christmas movie to most people, but to me it is. Remember how at the end they're all at a Christmas party and Alan is dressed up like Santa and then the kids come to the party with their parents? I always loved that part. Especially when the parents talk about going to Canada and Bonnie Hunt and Robin Williams scream "NOOOOO!" in unison. And I love that whole movie. That's why Jumanji is my must-watch in December.

2. Home Alone. If you've seen this movie, 'nuf said. If not, go watch it now. Sidestory though, my mom didn't want me to watch this until I was 12. She didn't like how the mom was so mean to Kevin and how Kevin talked back to her. Guess what -- I still watched it anyway.

3. The Holiday. I've written before about why I love this movie so much, so I think that's enough.


The Food

1. Cranberries. My dad makes awesome cranberries. Not from a can, but he'll take a bag of cranberries, boil them, throw in some nutmeg and voila! They're amazing.

2. Christmas Casserole. Okay, I'll admit, any other day of the year this would be sick dog nasty. It's eggs, bread, mushrooms and sausage all thrown together. But something about Christmas morning makes it taste so good!


Traditions

1. Reading "Material World." A group of photographers traveled around the world, and had families from dozens of countries pose outside their home will all their posessions. Seeing the families in Germany, England, Japan, Kuwait and USA, and then comparing them to Ethiopia, Mali and Guatemala really puts things into perspective to me. My grandparents got this book as a gift when I was about 8, and every Christmas Eve since then, I like to sit down and read it.



2. Going to California. Of my 22 Christmas days so far, 16 of them have been spent at 2343 Sunnyside Ridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, California. My mom's parents used to live there, and when all my classmates were singing "White Christmas" I was thinking "California Christmas." To me, it's just not the same not being in California. The fact that I won't be there this year really bums me out. My grandma would always set out m&m's, reeses, hersey's kisses, cookies, nuts (she hid the almond roca but I knew where to find it), and so many other good treats. As a little kid, I remember getting a running start down their long hallway, first going over green shag carpet, and then over black marble (gotta love 1970's decorators) to the living room and Christmas tree. It's my not-so-secret dream to one day buy that house back, or break-in and order its new owners out. Either way. Jk.

3. Music and the Spoken Word/First Presidency Christmas Devotional/Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. Okay, I like Music and the Spoken Word the whole year long, but during December, the songs are all Christmas-y. During this year's devotional, did anybody else tear up a little big during President Monson's talk? I loved how the story he told was so simple, yet really encapsulated (is that even a word) what Christmas is truly about.

So there you go. This year, I'll be working on Christmas. But I am so excited for it! More details about that to follow.

Thanksgiving "feast"

Be careful what you wish for, because it just might come true. That's the lesson I learned this Thanksgiving. I've been outspoken for a while about my lackluster feelings about Thanksgiving. Yes, I like what the holiday stands for, but I really don't like the food all that much. And when you're trying to shed some lbs, it's kind of like self-sabotoge sitting down to dinner.

Wednesday after work, I had a really sore throat. I took a nap, and had a dream I was swallowing sharp shards of a plastic toothbrush. When I woke up, that's exactly how my throat felt. I tried to get better, but Thanksgiving morning, I had a fever and a splitting headache. The whole day, I stayed in bed with some cough drops, coke, excedrin, and the only food I could handle: a banana. I did get to watch some movies on netflix, so the day wasn't a total waste.

Now, I'm actually looking forward to feeling better so maybe I can have some yams or something. So lesson learned: don't whine about Thanksgiving, because if you do, the sickness Gods will kick you to the curb.