My first story: NBA coverage.

Last night was my first time getting paid as a sports reporter! I was assigned to the Jazz/Kings game to tell our wonderful BYUtv audience about Jimmer's return to Utah. I don't think I could have asked for a better first story on air. It was a toss-up to see if I could actually get the interviews I wanted, but it turned out more wonderfully than I ever expected.


We (my cameraman and I) got there at 4:30, just in time to interview THE Jimmer with our trusty Media passes. Can I say going to the Jazz game, not only for free, but getting paid to go is the best job in the world?

Surprisingly, I got to ask him all the questions I wanted, and he looked pretty relieved that someone from his alma mater was there. I have proof he was, because this was the only time he kind of smiled in the interview. (And my arm really hurt holding up that microphone for so long.)

Photos courtesy of Deseret News:  http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700220134/
Jimmer-Fredettes-return-shows-hes-still-an-NBA-work-in-progress.html

We were then treated in the Hot Rud Hundley Media Center where they provided food and entertainment before the game. I got to have dinner with and talk to Craig Bolerjack and Thurl Bailey before they went off to go do their own reporting, and was introduced to the PR guys of the Utah Jazz. I really wanted for an internship opening, but I figured it was not the time nor place. I kept their contact information, don't worry. 

We had some time to kill before the game, so I wanted to get more interviews and my get stand-up out of the way. We went down on the sidelines to get some awesome footage, then walked around the concourse to scout out the fans with Brigham Young gear on. None of them turned me down for an interview--I even got a few little boys tapping me on the leg asking if they could be on TV! It was so cute to see them so excited about Jimmer coming to Utah.

When I got up to Media Row, I felt pretty legit when I saw this:

And looked out to see a clear view of this:

And then just got to sit and enjoy the game. It was so relaxing knowing the only thing I had left to do was get a few more interviews. Of course I STILL have to write the script...the biggest part. 

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700220134/Jimmer-Fredettes-return-shows-hes-still-an-NBA-work-in-progress.html

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700220134/Jimmer-Fredettes-return-shows-hes-still-an-NBA-work-in-progress.html

After Jimmer air-balled the three (that would have been epic if it would have gone in--to pull them into OT) the team left the court to get ready for the press. While they were in the locker room, I got to talk to his girlfriend and former NFL Tight-End Chad Lewis. I was definitely in the right place at the right time to get personal insights on his journey to the NBA and what it's like to go pro. I got in a few questions with a couple of Kings players that think the world of their point guard, but also thought it was super weird to have the opposing crowd cheer for one of their teammates. 


Man, it was so much fun. When people take you seriously, you feel like a grown-up...and last night was one of the first times I felt like a grown-up. It was for my job, and not just a school assignment--that was the coolest part. I'm glad I get to try my hand at sportscasting, and this was definitely a first step in the door.


Don't worry...things can still go wrong...my story hasn't hit the air yet. Watch it tomorrow night at 8 ET/6 MT on BYUtv!

Project update.

TGIF! I'm glad it's Friday already. It's been quite a week. I've packed lots and lots into my 12 hour days on campus. I really do love being on campus. And my activities have been quite diverse throughout the day..that's probably the main reason why college loves me. I just want to give a quick update on some projects coming my way:

First. I get to do Sirius XM Radio for BYUradio in the mornings! Yesterday was my first day, and I really enjoyed it. Talk about not having to get camera angles and/or editing skills. It is so much easier. However, easier...probably isn't the word I want to use. It's a lot harder for radio folks to grab the audience's attention, because all they have to use is their voice. I'll get to do a few stories, but mostly I'm in production helping with the flow of traffic. 

Second. I'm going on a super fun date to the World Aerial Championships at Deer Valley next Friday. Can I wait? No. Maybe I'll post some pictures.

Third. This is the best, so I've saved it for last. I get to cover the Jazz/Kings game tomorrow night in Salt Lake City. I get paid to watch Jimmer play back in Utah for the first time again? Against the Jazz? You've got to be kidding me. This must be my lucky day. More like my lucky year. I'm STOKED. I'll have my trusty cameraman and we'll go shoot interviews, b-roll, and stand-ups. And...it's my first story for BYUtv Sports. My debut as a sports reporter! So don't judge it too harshly. I'm not going to lie, I am pretty darn nervous to have my first one be about the NBA. Talk about pressure. Anyway, watch for me this coming Monday at 6 p.m. on True Blue on BYUtv. If you miss the show, don't worry. My story will be on YouTube, and byutvsports.com forever. (And let's be honest, I'll probably post it on here.)

I know, I know. My whole life is revolved around television. I feel like that's all I post about. But of course, when I'm engaged, it will be all about wedding stuff, when I have kids...well, I probably won't have time to do this blog thing. But if I do, it will be all about them. For now, I feel like my whole life is behind the scenes of broadcasting. And I'm loving every second of it.

It's not cheating, don't worry.

As many of you know, the iPhone has many uses. Very helpful uses, I might add. One of them is our dear friend, Siri. Not only is she every man's dream girl, she's every girl's...well, dream. Finally, we've found a robot that can tell us what to wear and where to throw a dead body. 


Today while at work, we discovered a new feature. She did our homework. Well, she did Ashley's homework. Haven't we been dreaming of this since the second grade? Let me repeat, she did homework. We won't call it cheating because it was only busy work. Typing up SOT's aren't exactly "learning experiences."

It was probably the greatest thing we did today. Until Ashley and I smelled Brick Oven on the way home from class, walked in and sat down to eat. Just like that. Because we were hungry. Being independent ROCKS. 


Well, that's all I learned today...how not to do my homework. I don't think I could ever have lived back in the old days with my parents and their typewriters. They're SO OLD. I hope anyone their age reads this. 

The Beauty in Everything.

I'm not going to lie, it's been a really long day. I got to work at ten to seven, and left about the same time...12 hours later. In between that, I squeezed lunch and my Producing class in there. Other than that, it's just been exhausting. All I've wanted to do is come home, curl up by the fireplace with some hot chocolate, and watch a movie. Any movie would do at this point.


However, as I was on my drive home late tonight from watching The Bachelor (!) and so ready for it to be the weekend already, I noticed how absolutely gorgeous our snow is. It's magical. Driving past the white temple, with white snow falling, and with the white lights making it all shine, it was breathtaking. The whole town was white. Really, it instantly turned my mood into bleh to feeling so great about life. It's funny how something so simple as snow can make you think so deep. I realized once again my life: I get to sit in classes where I actually want to learn the material, and love eating it all up. I get to see people I love (and who love me) everyday. I get to live here, and drive past the temple multiple times a day. I get to talk to my family whenever I want. And, I have the most amazing opportunities at my job. (Speaking of which, a VERY exciting surprise coming up this Saturday...stay tuned.) But most of all, I know that we all have every right to be happy, and every right to see the beauty in everything. 


So, my long day started with a anxious mind, and ended with a grateful heart...just because it happened to be snowing on the way home. 


Now you can all understand why I love snow so much. 

via: http://allgreen.com/site/index.php?option=com_moofaq&Itemid=337

I can be social, too.

It was a long, but great weekend. I haven't had this "fun" of a weekend in awhile! (Okay...last week... so let's be honest, all of my weekends are fun.) But this one, I actually planned stuff. So I got to look forward to my fun. 


Friday night, I went to Brian Regan! I didn't think I would laugh that hard, but really. I did. I had tears rolling down my face. That guy is hysterical. It was at the point where my stomach didn't want to laugh anymore, and then at that point...I laughed even harder. I was comedically exhausted to say the least. 


And yesterday, I got to everything on the customary Saturday checklist. It was fantastic. I finally rolled out of bed at 10:30, hit the gym, got my iPhone fixed (!), did homework, cleaned my room, and went grocery shopping. Success. But THEN. I went to the Velour for my very first time. Yes, I have lived in Provo for almost three years, and still haven't been yet. That tells you a lot about my social life right there...anyway, it was really great. I accompanied Katilin to see some of her friends perform. I was actually very impressed with the music! I will most definitely be going back soon.

I was on a social high this weekend. That NEVER happens. Because in my major, we joke that class is the social hour of the day. Then when we get home, there's no strong desire to "get out," because we've been entertained all day. Weekends are really the time to relax from social activities. 


So...bring on True Blue Monday! I am determined to make it another successful week, and give myself something to look forward to on those calendar days of M-Th. Next up: emceeing the Ward Talent Show...and going on a really great date. Can't wait!

Behind the scenes.

So...I'm pretty much in love with my job. If that's not obvious. Yesterday I worked a 12-hour day, but it went by so quickly. It is such a blast in the Broadcasting building, and the people I work with are absolutely hilarious/amazing. Anyway, last night I got to try my hand at live sports for the first time. We just did a tiny halftime show for the USD came, and I got to be the producer over graphics. That means I got to get all the stats and player info and sit with the graphics operator and feed him the information. It was super fast paced, and I'll be honest, I was nervous that I would miss something! But I didn't--I kept right up to speed and it was SO FUN. I loved it. Did I mention I was the only girl in the studio? It's fun to be in a male-dominated atmosphere...and know what you're talking about. I get a lot of respect--but most importantly--I get all the "TV" jokes.


So here are a few pictures, but I mostly took them to keep a journal of the "inside" look at what it takes to put on a half an hour show each week. 

This is our BYUtv Sports "cool stuff" board. It all started when one of our editors is STARRING in the new movie, Unitards. It comes out in theaters on January 27th! Click here to watch the trailer. Then Dave and Robbie had great articles written about them, so we had to do something cool. (The Sharlene Wells addition was not my own.) 

This is a video I filmed during pre-pro yesterday. We had Blaine Fowler and 

Steve Cleveland hosting the show, and this is them discussing the players right before going on air.

I love my job!

Dig a bit deeper.

"Moreover, states that spring up overnight, like all other things in nature that are born and grow in a hurry, cannot have their roots deep in the soil, so they shrivel up in the first drought, blow over in the first storm." -Machiavelli's The Prince


I'm reading The Prince for one of my Poli Sci classes, and little did I know how interesting it is. Machiavelli says it straight to the point, and isn't afraid of what other people think. He's really the first modern politician that brought about this new way of leadership. He clearly states how he sees the government and how it should be ruled. It's a must-read for anyone remotely interested in politics...and I'm only a few chapters in.


Anyway, while I was reading, I came across this quote that hit me pretty hard. Machiavelli is discussing how the states within government don't pop up themselves. They take time and patience. It's like I'm being hit in the face with Someone trying to teach me patience. I think that everything should happen now and if it doesn't happen now then it will never happen. It's actually quite the opposite. The longer I dig those roots in the ground, the more stable it'll be, and won't blow over in that first little storm. They'll eventually be able to withstand any big storm. 


I've learned the most important things in life take that same patience. It's not always going to come in the first try, or maybe even the second. I have first hand knowledge that my "third time's a charm," actually means "thirtieth time's a charm." Don't hold back anything if you believe in it. It's never taken by force, however, but always with patience and love. Once we master those two things, we can master anything.

Superbowl: Female Style.

This past weekend I had a wonderful opportunity to accompany my mother at the Miss America pageant. Now, let me preface this. I think pageants are great for people who love them. I'm not one of those people. Once a year is plenty for me. There's way too much hairspray, too many high heels, and A LOT of women. Let's just say I was checking the NFL/NCAA scores on my trusty ESPN Scoreboard app through the whole thing. But it was fun to get out of school for a couple of days and hang out with my super cool mom.


As many of you know, my mom won Miss America in 1984, making her the '85 Miss America. That's probably the only time you'll ever hear me say that. I don't like telling people--I want them to be my friend because of who I am, and not for some title that my mother had almost 30 years ago. (I also don't want the second question to be, "are you going to do any pageants?" No.) They'll find out who she is their own...they always do. It's not important. She feels the same way...in fact, she keeps her crown hidden in a box in her closet, on top of some clothes, and only pulls it out when she's trying to teach the lesson of, "Believe it or Not: The Crown Isn't Everything." 


With that being said, I couldn't have been more proud of her this weekend. I loved showing her off, and there's only one weekend in the whole year that I really get to do that. She quietly dominates the stage, and in my opinion looks even better than she did at my age. She's also the most level-headed, beautiful and calm one in the whole group. Everybody loves her, because she makes every single person feel like a million bucks. Naturally, I absolutely love introducing myself as her daughter. 

I took a ton of pictures with my new phone, so I'm really glad I got it before I left. Because let's be honest, I'm horrible at taking pictures. I let everyone else take pictures and then tag me on facebook. But now I'm really motivated! Especially with this new Instagram thing. Really awesome. Anyway, let me share with you a bit of what went down in Vegas this weekend. My mom would never go back to the Miss America pageant unless she's putting someone else in the spotlight. Currently, she's the President of Remember My Service--a company that does all of the history for the military. (Well, she's working on getting the WHOLE military on board...but she's pretty close.) She invited twenty-two moms, wives and daughters of our heroes killed in action to be VIP Miss America's for a weekend. They had their makeup, hair and nails done, went shopping...well I'll just show you. 


First, we got together to see the Blue Man Group. Mom made it possible to get the VIP treatment for them and have them meet the blue guys backstage after the show. They were super creepy, but also hilarious. The girls loved it.

The next morning, we got together and she showed them her crown. She gave the speech I was talking about earlier, and told the girls the crown means nothing if you don't take the opportunity you've given to serve other people. But then of course that went in and out of their ears, and they just wanted to try on the crown. It was adorable.

 One of the girls seeing what it's like to have paparazzi in your face.

Then, they were all treated at the largest spa in the US. (Maybe in the world? Not sure.) But it was HUGE. All the little girls and women were beaming at the chance to look the part at the Miss America pageant. They all looked beautiful, and most importantly...they were happy.

A few hours later, Mom (again) got the hookups to have the girls meet Chris Harrison (host of The Bachelor!!) on the stage before he had to go prep for the show. He was so gracious and made sure the girls knew that their husbands and daddies were the ones who kept this country going and he thanked them from the bottom of his heart. It was great for them to hear that again, especially coming from a celebrity they only see on television.

We got about half an hour on the stage for them to walk the runway, take pictures, whatever they wanted to do. They loved being Miss America for a weekend, and especially meeting all of the contestants and Formers the night before at the Crowning Gala. They got VIP seats there too--front and center. I lost it when they all went up (with the Miss Americas) and sang "God Bless America," with their daddies' pictures behind them. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. 

 The three littlest walking the runway.

This is McKenzie praying for Miss Maryland to win. (How cute!) My favorite part was that they took this whole thing seriously, and really felt important. I'm glad they did, because they really are. They are the real girls behind this country, and what they gave up is more important than any title or crown. We appreciate that huge sacrifice they've made and wish them the best.


Now, while they were off doing their thing, we had some free time on our hands. I love hanging out with Mom. She also introduced me to many important folk...let me tell you, my networking this weekend was through the roof! Woot!

It looked like this within the first 5 minutes...

This is the Miss America suite where all the Formers get free food and justget to sit and talk.
They put us all on the same floor, so it was fun for me to get to know them and their daughters better.
We want to start a club: MADA...(Miss Americas' Daughters Anonymous.) It's a tough job keeping them in check ya know... 

...because they do stupid things like this. Joke! Once again, my mom
is so cool! I was just joking while passing these gross snakes, and
of course she jumped right in. 

 ...and the video behind it...

I had to include this one. A sign backstage...
Glad to know the Miss America folks have a sense of humor. 

And this is the time we were in bed on Saturday night!
We were both exhausted. Instead of usually going to the after
party, we both looked at each other, took our heels off, and
headed up to the room.

This weekend rocked. We joke she was my mom for 18 years, and now we hang out and do fun girl things. She's still there to give me advice and help me along my path, but the years of telling me to practice and clean my room are over. 


I love having Miss America as a best friend. 

The day my life changed.

It's official. I'm the proud mama of a new iPhone. Seriously, I'm dying. How did I never have a smart phone before? I feel like I'm the last one to get one on the planet. But, now I'm "cool" because I can check my email on my phone. It's an early birthday present, and I couldn't be more overjoyed. 

I'm just downloading some cool apps and tunes to my new child:

And now I'll have no excuse not to take more pictures. I'm so excited. This is so great. I am in love. 

I'M IN LOVE, I'M IN LOVE! AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!

The Beauty of Exercise.

Working out doesn't just burn calories. There are many motivators when it comes to hitting the gym. This is also a post for me to read when I really don't feel like going to the gym. So, I think I'll start with the biggest one, then move down.

• Releases frustrations. I would love to find a person who has never been sad or frustrated in their lives, because I can guarantee they are bottling up much more inside. It's normal. Let me repeat, it's normal. Just drop everything and go for a run. You can run as fast as you want and let it all out. It works, I promise!
• Endorphins. So while you're releasing those frustrations, the endorphins that are created are actually making you happier. I have never come back from the gym angry. Unless I didn't even try in the workout, but then I'm just angry at myself. A whole other story. But if there is a decent amount of effort being made, you just get that amazing feeling of accomplishment.
• Reward for your body. Turning to the physical side, your body pleads with you to workout. It's a treat for your body. It makes everything work so much better together, and in turn, your body is happy with you. Remember, you're not going to die on the treadmill. It's a mind game.
• Less health issues. Have you seen The Biggest Loser? Half of the people are diagnosed with diabetes at the beginning of the show. Then it takes all of that work to maybe lose it. It's better to just avoid that and all other problems altogether.
• Obesity. This is in the "burning calories" category. If your body is used to burning calories, it will keep them off a lot easier. My heart is so sad for kids and adults that aren't aware of any of the benefits of exercise. 30 minutes a day, people! And let's be honest, I love food way too much to not exercise.
• Getting toned. The last one I'll touch on is the outward appearance. Most girls love the stick skinny appearance, but I love feeling like I won't break in half. Okay, so I have been blessed with an athletic build (that takes more than usual to maintain...) but I wouldn't change it for the world. Besides, I want/need athletic children. As girls, we'll never look like body-builders without major steroids, so the weight room is actually our friend.

You don't have to run everyday. In fact, I don't encourage it. Run only when you feel like it. The rest of the time, do something you actually want to do! That will be the biggest motivator to actually get you to exercise. Play tennis. Go skiing. Swim. Ride a bike. Download some new songs to run to. Anything to get yourself off the couch! 


Yes, I did just go on a huge rant about it because I'm a firm believer in exercise. Especially after starting this tough semester...there are already so many unknowns and what-ifs! The only thing that is really keeping me sane: the gym.

via: http://bamkapowxo.tumblr.com/post/12981840611/
laughter-what-im-pretty-sure-i-look-like-when-i

Another dedicated post to skiing.

"Skiing: the art of catching cold and going broke while rapidly heading nowhere at great personal risk." -Unknown


That about sums it up. I think the only moments that make me tear up in the early morning is looking outside the window with inches snow on the ground. (That's not a joke, either. I know I'm weird.) Especially after this drought we've had! Anyway, yesterday was phenomenal. I got to spend the day with Jake and my dad up at Deer Valley. Since there has been no snowfall for 100+ days, (exaggeration) all the out-of-staters cancelled their trips to Utah. Needless to say, we had the mountain to ourselves.


Why do I love it? It's because I can go as fast as I want--and not get a speeding ticket. It's because I love the thrill of carving in control while focusing on technique. And, it's because I get to set aside a whole day to go enjoy the beautiful Utah mountains. The greatest thing about yesterday though, was I got to shred on these little beauties:

via: http://www.evo.com/skis/rossignol-avenger-82-ti-axial-120-bindings.aspx

Rossignol Avenger 82 Ti's. I got to demo them last year, and fell in love. They are thick enough to cruise through crud, but versatile enough to basically turn by themselves. So of course my dad got a pair this year, but chose to telemark this time, so I got to use them! I almost kept them for myself. Hehe. But, he also told me I may be getting a new pair of Rossignol's next year...hopefully I can hold out until then! 

So this was the picture of the day yesterday. I don't look as cool as Jake because I'm in the process of getting a new helmet and goggles. But he's got it covered with this new pair he got for Christmas. Man, this kid is a good skier! It was especially cool when he admitted to me on the lift that I was the only girl he'd consider going with because I'm the only one that was "good enough," and the only one that would race him. We actually had a record in our history yesterday: 45 second run. Yes, 45 seconds. He won though, sadly...only because I came upon some unexpected moguls. I may or may not have seen my life flash before my eyes. Of course this is after Dad told us to not get caught by ski patrol this time. Psh.

We were trying to get him to smile...what braces do to 14-year-old boys.

I think the reason I love skiing so much is because I grew up going with my family. It's been our favorite family activity ever since I can remember. I think it's safe to say that anyone that marries into the Hawkes family must enjoy skiing...or at least snowboarding. But then we'll just convert them.

First day of school.

I have three more.  Only three more times I get to wear the best outfit in my closet. (Some things never change.) And of course, today I got to buy all new notebooks and pens, plus get a brand-new planner. One of my favorite things could very possibly be looking at an unmarked planner, and wondering what actually will happen on those days. It's just so exciting! Anyway, I didn't have class until 4 today, so I got to hit up the gym and the temple before I had to go into work. It's been a very productive day.


To make things even more productive, Rebecca and I had a great conversation last night about what our priorities in our 20-year-old lives are. (Almost 21-year-old lives!) We decided on this list, and will make posters tonight to hang in our rooms as a daily reminder:

• Church. Jesus Christ, Ward callings, and weekly meeting/temple attendance.
• Family. Always being there for family members.
• School. I am in Provo to get an education, ya know.
• Work. I have arguably the coolest job on campus, but also requires a LOT of work.
• Sleep. As many of you know, my ideal bedtime is 10:30.
• Social life. This includes dating, and blowing off all homework to go to a party.

So, this is what will be displayed in my room. It is sad that my social life is number six, but at this point, it really needs to be. I'm totally not worried about not having friends--what do you think broadcast journalism majors do all day? Every class period is social hour. (Yes, we get work done, don't worry.) I guess we could interchange numbers five and six...if, say I was talking to a cute boy...but we'll deal with that when it comes. For now, this is what it is. 

I have some other exciting news. I was officially hired today as a reporter for True Blue! I'm still going to be producing and that will take precedence, but I get to do a couple stories a month in front of the camera. I can't wait, it will be so much fun. I love that at BYU Broadcasting, they really want input from the students, and they want us to get to our full potential. It's perfect, really. 

I hope everyone else had a great first day of school!

Live the questions.

While wondering and hoping on what I'm going to do this next year, I came across this quote:

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. 

Live the questions." -Rainer Maria Rilke

I guess the only thing I can do is keep every door wide open for opportunity. I'll eventually walk through the right ones. However, I'm well known to get way too excited about things way in advance. And I just want to do something about it right that second. So I'll remember that the mystery of what will happen--is sometimes the best part.

And in today, already walks tomorrow.

It's 2012. Finally. Not that I disliked 2011, I really loved everything about 2011. I learned more about myself last year than I ever thought I would.   I learned that I'm more capable of what I think I am. I learned that my capacity to love is a lot bigger than I thought it was. Most of all, I learned to be a woman instead of a girl. But knowing that, I know I can learn just as much if not more in the next 365 days. 


In 2011, I found the most amazing friends and family. Found--as in--yes, I met new people, but I want to use the verb in a different sense. I came to find out how insanely incredible my "old" friends are. From that good group of friends I had growing up, my true friends emerged and nestled their way into my life forever. Putting them on top of everyone I've met in college, it's incredible. I'm really loving this "having two lives" thing. And then of course my family. I've gotten so much closer to my sisters, and for sure more than I've ever been with my cousins; it's such a blessing. (If you ever have the chance to live with cousins--do it!) 


In 2012, I'm excited to find out who else I'm going to meet. Everyone I want in my life right now, is in my life. And it's time to add more. It's always time to add more. I think the best life in the world would be to meet at least one new person a day. That's my goal for the first couple weeks of the semester, actually. If I did it longer, I'd feel annoying, so I'm just sticking with the first little bit. Anyway, I know that come December 31, 2012, I'll have even better things to say about the past year. 


I really have never been more excited for what's to come. I know exactly how I want to spend my time. But, the beauty of it, is everything I want to do, probably won't happen. Because it will be replaced with something better. 


So, moral of the story: Even if the Mayans aren't correct, this year will still go out with a bang.