The 10 year journey from San Francisco to Phoenix
Posted by LindsayMay 19
It’s my last night in San Francisco. I’m sitting here in my empty apartment, white walls and boxed up things and thinking about how I came to this city 10 years ago, a lost and reckless 20 year old with nothing to my name but some hope. I had no friends and barely the support of my family but I knew this city would change me into a women that I wanted to be. I always knew I wanted to live in San Francisco. We came out here which I was just a kid and as we walked down the streets I would point up at The Academy of Art and say, “I’m gonna go there.” I always idolized any and everything that came from the Bay Area. I grew up on the art of The Fillmore posters and spent every waking minute listening underground punk bands from The Bay, I knew if these great things came from that place, then I need to be there. And so I did.
A decade ago, I was at a crossroads in my life and had to choose what was to become of me. I knew if I kept up my lifestyle, I wouldn’t live much longer. So I packed my bags and moved to SF. I enrolled in the Academy of Art and went to see bands play at Gilman. It was everything I thought it would be. I had no idea, that it would go beyond the stuff that brought me here. During my first few years I got really sick, to the point where the nurses at the ER knew me by name. I had an illness that the doctors had never seen, and to the day I am undiagnosed. What I can say is that it was scary. The doctors made it clear that they had never seen this before, and therefore could not tell me what would happen the next week. It was a “one-day-at-a-time” 3 year stretch. I had new symptoms ranging from swollen muscles and joints to ulcered, black fingers where the skin was falling off the bone. I spent more time in the hospital than I did at home. But I kept on working, and never missed a class. I was sick, but had my distraction in the form of art. After 3 years of 30 pills a day treatments, tubes coming out of my stomach and being prescribed the most ironic medications (narcotics, injection only medications, methadone…), I began to get better. For awhile, I was in danger of losing my fingers, which made me appreciate them even more. I knew I couldn’t make art without my fingers, and that was enough to make me keep on pushing forward. I had hope.
After working harder at college than I had ever worked before, I got my first internship at my dream job, Bill Ghrahm Presents, where I got to make my own posters for The Fillmore. The child inside of me wouldn’t have believed it, but there I was living out my dreams, one at a time. Upon graduating I was offered an opportunity at the biggest advertising agency in the city: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. I sent them my book while holding my breath and a few weeks later I had my own desk. I felt lost in a sea of amazingly talented people, which also made me feel honored. The best part of my years at Goodby, was working one on one with Jeff Goodby. Jeff was a idol to the kids at the Academy, the teachers always referenced him and I was well aware of how monumental of a person he is. I’ve never met such a humble, caring, genuine person than Jeff Goodby. It was a highlight in my life, for sure.
My heart lays in changing the world. I see things, and see how they could be better. I do this with my work, my relationships and wardrobe. I see how a website could be better, and I make it just like I see how I could be a better daughter, and I strive for it. After I left GSP, I went onto Pereira & O’Dell, which helped me understand even more how to work with people to bring their visions to life. I’ve taken this idea and applied it to bettering the world. And that’s where Stoke Interactive comes in. If I can take this idea that people actually want to know about facts and statistics because they can make their own judged decisions. I want to be able to be that bridge from the idea to the people, by using today’s technology in addition to beautifully designed web content.
I’m leaving this city with an amazing new adventure at hand. I’m excited to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, and slow it down a notch to fully focus on my company, Stoke. I couldn’t be more excited. I can truly say, that I am proud of myself. I have come a long way, and grown a great deal here in San Francisco. I was lucky enough to meet the man of my dreams, Craig who’s helping me along the way and opened my eyes to life from his point of view while building my own. He has been my rock, and now we will travel together for the rest of our lives, looking for new journeys.
I know about real friendship, and who I am as a person. I am who I am, and I’ve made it through a shit storm to be here. I can only imagine what the next 10 years will hold. If I don’t answer your email right away, it’s because I’m on horseback, galloping through the mountains and trying to hide from the blistering sun of Arizona.
 
