On Serendipity

A thank you note to everyone in San Francisco who has helped me along the way

Sometimes it’s a fork in your path. An unexpected door opening to a new adventure you never thought possible and the Universe helps you step through it.

But sometimes it’s a guy in a tattoo parlor, a social network, and an unshakeable dream.

I had just moved to San Francisco and found myself without a job, struggling to figure out what I was doing here and how I could make ends meet in the most expensive city in the United States.

It was love that brought me to the Bay, and as we all know, love doesn’t pay the bills. Countless job applications and insecure breakdowns later, I was at a loss.

I turned to Twitter, (my stoic social anchor), a platform that had provided me connections, opportunities and friends before. Halfway through a bottle of Pinot Noir, I tweeted a stranger that would soon become my friend and make me appreciate the subtleties of serendipity.

“Hey, I’d like to meet you. How do I got about doing that?”

Yes, I misspelled “go.” It’s a bit embarrassing that the launchpad to my career in San Francisco included a misspelled word. I guess I’m over that now. (Almost.)

We agreed to meet the following weekend in the Haight. I had no idea that I would actually be meeting him at a tattoo parlor, and that he would bring a friend with equally wonderful qualities.

We spent the next two hours watching Dawn of the Dead as I learned about the startup and journalism scene from two tech veterans. Looking back, how it happened seems surreal. I would never watch Dawn of the Dead.

After the ink had been set, we wandered down to a coffee shop where I was introduced to an infamous editor and his equally popular terrier. Although the pup didn’t make a public appearance, she was admired via iPhone photos.

We requested an Uber to take us to North Beach. An Uber limo arrived. I should have known then that I was in the presence of greatness.

Little did I know just how great things would be. Because of this newly tattooed man and his zombie-loving friend, I received my first freelancing gig. I met one of the greatest guys in San Francisco. And I ended up getting a job in journalism.

I have believed in serendipitous moments since John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale showed me the promise of dreams coming true. But it’s a different story when it actually happens.

So thank you Twitter, my new friends, and the city of San Francisco for helping me embark on this wonderful journey.

It’s just getting started.