Twenty-Eight Years

Today is my parents’ 28th anniversary. TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS. While most of my peers are proud of being with their “significant other” for six months, my parents have been experiencing life together for more than a quarter of a century.

When I see this prime example of a strong marriage in front of me everyday, I still won’t accept that one of two marriages end up in divorce. Am I being idealistic? Are people getting extra sick of each other because of the economy? Is the double-standard for women just that…a double standard? We want to be successful career women, yet we’re expected to be home on time, ready with dinner.

I can only hope that I end up with someone who still makes me smile and laugh at the end of the day. Someone who respects my differences, lets me pursue my passions, and loves me for me…even after a huge fight. Then again, isn’t that what most of us want?

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad.

Life is good in purple and gold.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I love the Hollywood Bowl. There’s something about being in an open-air theatre with live music and the Californian breeze keeping you at just the perfect temperature.

It doesn’t hurt when you enjoy the Bowl while watching a music icon. I just watched Aretha Franklin. THE Aretha Franklin-The Queen of Soul. At 67 years old, this woman can still belt those notes. And well, too. WOAH. Just to be in the presence of such an icon will be an experience I’ll never forget. I’m pretty sure Jen and I were the youngest audience members, but we enjoyed the music as if we grew up with her music. Is it racist to say that it surprised me how many more Caucasian people attended than African-Americans? Racist or not, it’s amazing to see how epic music can bring together people, no matter their differences.

At the end of the night, I became good friends with our fellow attendees. I convinced the box next to me to get on their feet, start clapping, and sing with the Queen we call Aretha. Oh honey, I know what respect means to you!

Life is good in purple and gold.

"In a world filled with hate..."

"...we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe.” --Michael Jackson, the Pop King

10 interns, Bob Long, and the NBC Conference Room...a meet and greet of sorts. As the current News Director of NBC, Mr. Long spent almost two hours talking to us about his journey to the top, how he accidentally fell into broadcasting because he hung out with Castro when he was 14 years old, and how we, the upcoming leaders of tomorrow, should prepare for our futures.

There I was, listening to a true mentor, soaking in all the wonderful, straightforward advice...when his secretary stepped in and handed him a Post-it. "I can't read this...Michael who?" "Sir, Michael Jackson may have passed away.."

I looked around at my fellow interns. I thought it was a joke. After learning of Ed McMahon's passing earlier in the week and Farrah Fawcett's this morning, it had to be joke... right?

After the career-affirming meeting, I ran straight to the Assignment Desk to find out the facts. Only TMZ had confirmed. Five minutes later, the LA Times confirmed, and we knew that he was officially gone. Suddenly, I witnessed my "colleagues" stand, yell, point...there I was, in the middle of it all, amongst the top journalists of Los Angeles. I looked around and took a deep breath. TV stations have the power to share history with the rest of the world...and I stood right where it would be handed off.

Now, I never listened to Michael religiously, but as a performer, I have the utmost respect for him. MJ possessed a special gift...a gift so special that he could entertain people all over the world. Michael held a literal life-long career, and his iconic contributions to our American pop culture and the music industry will live on. Anyone can say what they want about his questionable actions, but a death is a death.

Having the privilege to witness how history is shared is an experience I will never forget. To be a part of history, whether you are making it or sharing it, is a life worth living.

And today, I got to help share a piece of history.

Don't only let tragic days like this remind you how precious life is. Live life vivaciously every day. With the right attitude, life is good in purple and gold. Farrah and Michael, rest in peace.

To Learn is To Live

Currently, I'm in the CBS newsroom waiting for my dad to pick me up. (Yup, I hate driving that much. It's sad, I know.) I just finished creating a mock newscast for the 10PM today...meaning I had to find fifteen more minutes of news than usual. I chose the LAUSD Budget Crisis as my opener...whoops, LAUSD doesn't support all the viewers.

Honestly though, I never realized how huge Los Angeles is. We could be our own country! I guess us Angelinos remain in whatever bubble we grew up in. By creating a newscast that can attract the most number of viewers, I re-learned that news isn't what pertains to you (education, Obama, whatever tickles your or my fancy). It's about but what more viewers would be interested in learning about. I keep forgetting that a news station is a corporation, a business that needs to make money. As is life.

There are still many more things I need to learn. I admit I'm not getting everything perfect the first time, but I'm learning...slowly but surely.

Fun fact: my voice was on Telemundo last night. The perks don't hurt either!

Life is good in purple and gold. This is Katarina Mayers, reporting live from the CBS/KCAL newsroom. Good night.

Salad for DINNER?

I never thought the day would come...

I ordered salad for dinner today. (I can envision your shocked face right about...NOW.)

Per usual, my parents, Omi, and I went out for Fathers' Day. Le Petit Four in Hollywood is one of our favorite restaurants to order this amazing peppercorn steak with melt-in-your-mouth french fries. When my mom and grandma order fish, my dad and I order the steaks. Not tonight! I enjoyed a bed of baby greens with grilled marinated chicken and balsamic vinaigrette. YUM!

Not only do I feel myself growing up, but even my taste buds have decided to crave healthier foods! It was only three weeks ago that I partially criticized people who eat salads for daily meals. I'm either a hypocrite or a growing person who is adapting. Don't worry though. I may start to enjoy healthier foods, but I'm not becoming a vegetarian any time soon. Don't even get me started on my insatiable appetite for desserts. Tonight, I enjoyed this amazing lemon meringue tart.

When I got home, my mom and I washed and prepared all these fruits for the rest of the week. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, dates, grapes, and pears just to name a few. Yay for healthier life choices! Mmm mmm mmm, I love food. End of story.

Life is good in purple and gold. And when it comes to food, in green too.

What About a Little Spontaneity?

Since my mom already had plans with her girlfriends tonight, my dad and I decided to make an early Father's Day date out of it. At 6:30, I turned quickly to Goldstar.com to find an affordable event, and I stumbled upon the East West Players, an Asian-American theatre organization that's putting on "Marry Me a Little" by Sondheim and "The Last Five Years" by Jason Robert Brown.

I called the box office...they had tickets available! Thirty minutes later, I found myself eating beef teriyaki from a bento box in Little Tokyo. At 7:40 P.M., my dad and I bought rush tickets which only totaled $45! It's amazing what comes when you're least expecting it...

You know when you have those moments of utter contentment in life...that feeling that, at least for that moment, nothing can bring you down? Watching "The Last Five Years" gave me that special feeling. The actors, Michael Lee and Jennifer Paz, gave such an outstanding and believable performance that I can't even wrap my head around it. I'll be frank and say that I've never heard a man, Asian or not, sound as amazing as Lee did. When people bare their souls, when you believe that you too are experiencing what the performers are experiencing...that is a moment of true artistry. No wonder I wanted to be an actress before...an actor holds the power to make a person feel. You can't beat live musical theatre.

If you ever have a chance, you must experience JRB's "The Last Five Years." What a heart-wrenching, believable reminder about relationships, love, and life.

I had a great date tonight. Spend time with your fathers and family this weekend. And why not hop in the car and see where it takes you? Go ahead...you never know what spontaneity might bring you. Life is good in purple and gold.

"I Love LA...we love it!"

I woke up at 4:30 this morning. Amol picked me up at 5 sharp to embark on one of the most memorable experiences of our lives...
the Lakers Celebration at the Coliseum.

Amol and I took the gold and purple (how fitting!) Metro lines to Downtown LA, where we then proceeded to walk almost two miles to meet up with A.Siu, another avid Lakers fan and SMHS alum. Every gate overflowed with Lakers fan wearing their favorite jersey, championship shirt, or a creatively made ensemble using the purple and gold color scheme. I boasted my Fisher jersey with purple jeans and my purple and gold Nikes. Mmm, LOVE IT.

We stood outside Gate 1 for about three hours. I think one of the most memorable moments today was when the Gate 1 crowd loyally played with a 99 cent beachball. No matter what's happening in the world, it is easy to find joy in the small things if we let them. I quickly warmed up to my surrounding fans when I made it my goal to hit that darn beachball! Too bad all the people around me were tall men...it's okay, they helped me out and my dream for the day came true! 9:15 quickly approached, and surprisingly, the attempt to get in wasn't overwhelming.

To no avail, the Coliseum filled quickly, and I ended up sitting next to three Filipino guys who quickly became good friends. It surprises me sometimes how quickly I want to get to know people on a deeper level. Did I mention I thrive on meeting strangers? We waited until 11:30 when the parade finally began...I'll spare details since most people who care about the Lakers probably watched it on TV. All I can say is that I'm proud I can say I was one of the 96,000 in the Coliseum crowd. Although news cameras broadcasted the event to all of Southern California and beyond, I felt the Lakers addressed us, the loyal fans who woke up early or missed work, personally. That feeling of being at an event in person will never get old.

I'm ready for next year's celebration. The fans kept cheering "ONE MORE YEAR! ONE MORE YEAR!" I screamed "TEN MORE YEARS!!!" I quickly changed it to "FIVE MORE YEARS!!!" to be more realistic. Let's pray that Phil's health will be maintained and that he'll be back to coach the best basketball team in the world. Don't say repeat. How about a FOUR-PEAT?!? What can I say...I hold high expectations and dream big.

Surviving on about three hours of sleep after interning for about eleven hours, it surprised me that exhaustion didn't overtake me all day. I guess Laker love prevailed.

Life is darn good in purple and gold...and it doesn't hurt when your favorite team in the world sports your colors as well. Again, CONGRATS LAKERS!!! I live in the best city in the universe.

CONGRATULATIONS LAKERS!!!!!!!

Ahhhh yes, victory tastes so sweet. I don't think it's completely hit me yet. I can't believe it's been seven long years since our last championship. I clearly remember 8th grade when Amol, Annie Chen, and I would discuss our team with Ms. Goldstein during history class.

Yes, Paul, our team. I know, I don't literally own any piece of the team. I am not Jeanie Buss nor am I Kobe Bryant...(could you imagine?!?). However, I think loyal sports fans of any team can agree. When you invest your time and energy into a team, (for me, that's the Los Angeles Lakers and the Villanova Wildcats) you feel like a part of that team. You may not invest your own money, but when your mood depends on the outcome of the game, there's something deeper than you just being a spectator. When the Lakers play, I watch the whole game, not just the last two minutes. When the Lakers are playing horribly, which they sometimes do (because they're human...remember?), I continue to watch the game and cheer them on. When Lakers' haters bash the team, I defend them with facts and opinions. And when we WIN, I go CRAZY.

I beam with pride, knowing that the hard work, patience, and perserverance carried them to another championship. That's what real fans do. So yes, the Lakers are Los Angeles' team. Our team. I am proud to be a Lakers' fan, regardless if they win or lose. Always have been, always will be. 15 championships and counting...the legacy continues.

As true fans do, Amol and I will be attending the Lakers parade this Wednesday afternoon. Call us crazy. I call it loyal.

Life is good in purple and gold.
LAKERS LOVE ALWAYS.

Pinch Me...Again

I experienced a whole package for the 6PM "En Contexto" develop before my eyes, from story development and research, to finding interviewees for soundbytes and editing the final product. My mentors Mariate and Jorge forced me to speak Spanish, y entonces, yo hable espanol para todo el dia. (Perdon para la ausencia de los accentos!)

I cheered on (more like screamed my head off) Lianna as she graduated from HMS, my middle school. Then, Mom and I rushed to downtown LA to watch a show at the Ahmanson. My mom stood right in front of Jay Leno while standing in line to get our tickets. "Kat, come here!!!"


"Jay! I intern at your lot now!!! I see your parking spot everyday!"
"Well then, welcome to the family!"
"Mr. Leno, do you mind if we take a picture?"
"Sure."




Then, my mom and I watched Dame Edna: My First Last Tour. That performance was easily the most hilarious and entertaining comedy show I have ever watched in my LIFE. Barry Humphries is simply fabulous! And not just because the whole color scheme was purple. Look him up.

As soon as the show ended, I turned my mom's phone on and checked the Lakers score. Headline: The Fisher King. That's my boy!!! Sunday should be fun.

Summer 09, you haven't disappointed me yet.
Life is amazing in purple and gold.

Pinch Me

I received a special treat today.

I attended the Federal Communications Commission Panel held at the Leonard Goldenson Theatre, home of the Emmy Awards. The FCC panel brought together TV personalities from different Los Angeles stations to give one last push to the digital television conversion happening this Friday.

Legacy filled the room.

I listened to Chuck Henry (NBC4), Kurt the CyberGuy (KTLA5), Carlos Amezcua (FOX11), Telemundo's own Azalea Iniguez, and others speak about the history of the television and the importance of this momentous transition in the communications world. There I was, sitting in my comfy red seat in the second row, learning from broadcasters whom I've literally grown up watching on the television. I pinched myself.

I wonder what the next television transition will be and when it will happen. Maybe next time I'll be on that stage, and some bright-eyed college kid will be looking up at me.

There is always a legacy to continue. I'm working on it.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!
Life is good in purple and gold.

Find Your Purple and Gold

After researching, selecting, and prioritizing stories, I created a mock rundown of the 11PM CBS newscast. I did this for seven hours today. I won't lie. After reading hundreds of wires and prudently working instead of cheering on the Lakers, discouragement called my name. I ignored his call. Paul, my advisor and a man who is the epitome of a blunt old-school reporter, critiqued my solo project. My wrongs outweighted my rights, and surprisingly, I did not get emotional. I did not feel discouraged. I never thought I could learn so much from feeling so lost.

A revelation hit me as soon as my parents picked me up.

This is what I want to do. THIS IS IT!!!

Once my parents picked me up from the CBS Studio (you know I hate driving), I described to them my duties as an intern. (I included my enthusiasm after taking my ID picture and having another conversation with Mrs. Harvey.) Out of nowhere, my mom asks "Kat, how'd you know you wanted to do this at such a young age?"

I naturally respond, "If I eventually get my shoe in the door, I'd get to write, speak, edit, and most importantly, LEARN everyday. And well, I guess I just figured out what I didn't want to do."

I'm starting from the bottom of the ladder, I'm learning the basics, and I'm loving it. It's harder than I thought it was going to be, and to be honest, I am enjoying the challenge.

I've found my purple and gold. Have you?

Go Big or Go Home

I am currently enjoying the "Chota Mota" size of Oreo Cookie Magic from 21 Choices, meaning I am officially in dessert heaven. Isn't life perfect when you're enjoying your favorite food? I still try to wrap my head around the fact that some people never allow themselves a scoop of ice cream. Come on people--you only live once!

Today was a pretty straight-forward day at Telemundo. After the 9AM Planning meeting, I spent most of the day catching up on news and making calls. After a good two hours of reading, Linda, my advisor, then asked me to find a current high school student for an interview about social networking sites who would be willing to talk about their Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc. with their parents. At first, I was thinking "Wow, I have NO hispanic friends...what is wrong with this picture?!" Then, I thought "DANIEL!!!!!!" Long story short, I'm going to Daniel's house tomorrow with a Telemundo crew to help conduct the interview. Fun fact: Daniel's new house is Robert's old one. I mean, honestly, what are the ODDS? My little brother is currently living in the house of my first boyfriend. Love it! Let's just say I'm excited to go out with the reporter tomorrow! No sarcasm. Really.

Oh, Christine and I finally got together! We (more like I) pigged out at CPK, at which point we went to 21 Choices to pick up my favorite flavor of yogurt/ice cream in the WORLD. Then, we watched Bucket List with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. For me, the most memorable part of the movie was when Freeman's character explained how Egyptians would determine whether or not they would get into heaven. The guards at heaven's gate asked two questions:

1) Have you found joy in your life?

2) Has your life brought joy to others?

Think about it.

Tomorrow, 15 hours of interning and LAKERS game #3...let's do this! Too bad I don't like coffee. I guess my craziness will suffice.
Life is good in purple and gold.

Oh, what a night!

I finally spent time with Jenny today. Even though we go to Nova together, it's funny that I feel like I haven't seen her in forever. We grabbed lunch at Corner Bakery (I love European cuisine, but man, how I missed American food!) and hung out at her house. Conveniently, the Kelloggs hosted the Chamber party, which means I saw Mr. C and all the current Chamber singers. I guess you could say that I never moved on from high school. In response, I would say that I am proud to have graduated from SMHS, and I am not ashamed to keep close ties with the place that I'm from.

After relaxing by watching two re-runs of Law & Order: SVU, I watched the Lakers play to victory. Although the game was always close, I will say that it only got really exciting the last two minutes. Now, I'm sorry. I was watching at Jen's house...and NO ONE...I repeat, NO ONE was watching the game. Of course, loads of people rushed in the last five minutes (mind you, before overtime) to watch. Most things do not annoy me, but do not tell me you are a Lakers fan if you don't even watch the whole game, let alone not even know how the series is going. Also, a basketball game is NEVER over unless the clock reads 0.0 seconds. I apologize for the rant--it's the Lakers pride. In any case, thank God Lee didn't make that last minute(or should I say second) lay-up!

As soon as I returned home, I started watching the Tony awards with my mom. It's funny to think that I actually wanted to be a Broadway actress at one time. I won't lie though; it must be nice to perform for a living and not worry about paparazzi. I personally believe that Broadway actors are the creme of the crop, down-to-earth artists who care about the art and not the fame. Congratulations, Billy Elliot the musical!

Now, I'm watching Jim Hill talk about the Lakers' win on CBS. How exciting is it that I saw him this past Tuesday my first day interning. What a dream. Gosh, I'm such a nerd. Hmm...not that I should be complaining, but Game 3 is on Tuesday, a.k.a. night shift at CBS. It looks like I'll be shooting glances at the television every chance I get...which shouldn't be a problem since there are literally tons of televisions in the newsroom. Love it!

I love Sundays, don't you?
Life is good in purple and gold.

Home at Last

There really is no place like home.

I returned Monday night after spending two weeks in Germany(Berlin), Norway (Bergen, Oslo) and Sweden (Orebro, Stockholm)...the perfect combination of history, nature, architecture, and the arts. If only there were words to describe the ways of the Europeans. Europe will never cease to amaze me. Charm fills the air, and you just can't help but feel more elegant. I didn't really appreciate Scandinavia's 25% sales tax though. Upside--Mom and I refrained from buying unecessary souvenirs that usually end up packed away in boxes anyway. Fun fact: I've officially visited twenty-one countries! At least I'm ready for Villanova's fun fact question now. Pictures from my vacation will be posted on Facebook shortly.

To bring you up to speed, I began my internships at CBS and Telemundo this week!!!!!!! (...if only you could sense my genuine excitement over a simple blog). I don't even know where to begin. I'll be interning at CBS in Studio City every Tuesday from 2:30PM-12:00AM and at Telemundo in Burbank the rest of the week. Special highlight of my first day as an intern at CBS: meeting Pat Harvey, one of the main anchors on KCAL9! (KCAL9 is owned by CBS.) We only talked for about five minutes, but I could already sense that she was a genuinely sweet woman. I acted like typical Kat would, and she surprised me with a "I love your personality!"

I think it took me a couple minutes for it to hit me that I just met one of my favorite anchors on the news. More specifically, I met someone who had survived the tumultuous career path of a broadcast journalist and a woman who managed to balance her career and personal life. Now, you should know that I never went through the whole "OMG, that celebrity is like, so hot!!" phase, not even in middle school. I guess I saved that enthusiasm for this moment. As soon as I went on my dinner break, I frantically called my parents and a couple friends to share the big news. Of course, Pat Harvey is no Brad Pitt (whom by the way was never my favorite anyway...I'm sorry, but his acting skills cannot compete with the likes of Denzel Washington or Tom Hanks.), but she's been working for KCAL now for 20 years, ever since I was born!!! Now that is a legacy.

Speaking of legacy, WAY TO GO LAKERS! Game 1--CHECK. I won't rant on and on about how great we played (more like how Kobe dominated and the Magic didn't know how to show up), but I will say that no one can no longer question if the Lakers really want this title. You could see it in Kobe's eyes. The intensity in which Kobe and the Lakers' played energized the Staples Center and traveled straight through my television screen. Let's just say I am ready for 5PM on Sunday.

I'll elaborate more on my Telemundo experience sometime tomorrow since this entry is becoming an essay as usual. I get to go out on the field and shadow a photog and reporter tomorrow, so I'm going to rest up for what is sure to be a journalism student's dream come true.

All in all: a dream vacation to Europe with my parents, two dream internships, and a Lakers' dominant win that surely wasn't a dream.

What can I say? Life is good in purple and gold.