@Carl Morgan #Tokyo 1986 with Carl ✈️ CBS Special: American Models in Japan (1986) I remember standing at a payphone in Tokyo when my agent told me the news. “An American film crew is coming today,” she said casually, like this happened every day. “They’re filming a special — American Models in Japan. They want to film you and do an interview.” “Oh, okay,” I said. No problem. That was my standard response back then. I was young, fearless, and half pretending I understood what I was doing anyway. What I didn’t know — what no one warned me about — was that I was walking straight into one of the most embarrassing fashion shows of my life. I was never a runway model. Not even close. I was a print girl, a personality, someone who connected through the camera — not someone bouncing down a catwalk in theatrical outfits. In twenty years, I only got accidentally thrown into fashion shows three times. Honestly, that’s not bad odds. But this one? This one was unforgettable. The outfit was the silliest thing I had ever seen — loud, awkward, completely not me — and somehow there I was, bouncing around on stage in Tokyo with a beach ball while an American camera crew captured everything. I remember thinking, Of all days for them to show up… And I’m pretty sure my Japanese boyfriend at the time — the one connected to the Yakuza world — was sitting somewhere in the audience watching the whole thing unfold. That thought alone makes me laugh now. After the show, I escaped backstage and threw on my leather jacket — my armor, my real self. Suddenly I felt like me again. They sat me down in a director’s chair, cameras rolling. “What do you love about Japan?” they asked. Without thinking, I blurted out, “I rich, I rich. Tokyo make me rich.” I cringe just writing that now. They asked another question. I looked around and said, “Everyone has brown hair and brown eyes.” I was young. I was trying to explain how different I felt there — how visible I was — but the words came out wrong, innocent and awkward and completely unfiltered.

Happy Easter to everyone. Today is a reminder of hope, renewal, and the promise that light always returns after the darkest night. In our community, our mascot is the owl—wise, watchful, and always present. The owl reminds us that even in quiet moments, someone is looking out for us, guiding us, and helping us find our way. May this Easter fill your heart with peace, your home with love, and your path with new beginnings. And may the spirit of hope watch over you—just like our owl watches over us. 🕊️🦉

My Third Life – New Mexico When I left Los Angeles and came to New Mexico with my three-year-old daughter, I was starting over again. Tommy Van completely believed in me and my photography. He insisted that I start my own business and get a business license. That’s how Photography by Cristal was born. I was 35 years old, and Tommy was so proud of my work and everything I had accomplished in my life that he did everything he could to support it. He made sure I had computers, printers, lighting, backdrops—everything I needed to build a real studio and start my own photography business. He even sold guitars and equipment he had left just to help make sure I had what I needed to succeed. This photo was taken during that time. Tommy was constantly helping me test lighting and backdrops, taking photos of me so we could show clients what we were capable of creating. He even brought his close friend, photographer Tom Mars from Phoenix, to meet me so we could collaborate and grow the business. That was Tommy. He believed in me before my photography business even had a chance to prove itself. And because of that, Photography by Cristal was born. Some people ride through your life like a song from the Sunset Strip—loud, unforgettable, and impossible to forget. Tommy Van Tommy and I shared decades of life together—long before we were ever married. He was the sound man for Judas Priest for 15 years, rode a Harley, took me to the Rainbow on Sunset to see bands like Mötley Crüe, and once had me riding on the back of his motorcycle in a pink tutu with bottles of Tickle Pink. That was the rock-and-roll Tommy. But there was another side of him too. When I moved to New Mexico and started my third life, Tommy believed in my photography more than anyone. He pushed me to start my own business and helped me build Photography by Cristal from the ground up. The photo here is one Tommy took during our early lighting tests when we went to Whitesands Tommy didn’t just take pictures of me.

Can I just say something? When I started writing my memoir in real time, I had no idea who would show up. But 51 of you did. And that means something to me. So now I have a question… What would you love next? 🎬 A new short video clip from my Hollywood years? 📖 A brand-new memoir chapter drop? 🎞 Behind-the-scenes story I’ve never shared before? 💭 Or a live writing session where you watch me build a chapter in real time? This school isn’t just about my story — it’s about building something creative together. Comment below with what you’d be excited to see next. And if you’re quietly watching… this is your invitation to say hello. We’re writing history here. In real time. ✨ — Cristal

Where were you in 1988? Some of you weren’t even born yet. Some of you were babies. Some of you were blasting music with the windows down, thinking the world was wide open. I was in Hollywood. It felt electric. Dangerous in its own way. Wild. Creative. Reckless. Alive. We didn’t carry the world in our pockets. We didn’t wake up to headlines designed to shock our nervous systems before coffee. We lived in moments. And yes, the world has always had darkness. It always will. But something has shifted. The noise is louder now. The fear cycles are constant. The media feels like it feeds on chaos. So here’s my question for you: When did you feel most alive? If you weren’t here in 1988 — what era feels like yours? What kind of world do you want to create in your own story? Because memoir isn’t about the headlines. It’s about the human heart inside the era. Hollywood 1988 was a season of my becoming. What season are you in?