photo by Fara Illich
Name: Sara E. Anderson
Twitter: @proxsea
Facebook: Sara Esther Anderson
Instagram: @proxsea
Age: 32
Title: Director of Marketing for CityScape
Married/Single: Single
Kids: none
City you live in: Downtown Phoenix
A typical day in my life is… a revolving door of opportunities, challenges, personalities, moving pieces, and fun.
I was born… moving. I rolled over on my own within the first 30 minutes of being born. I’ve always been told, “That’s when we knew you weren’t going to sit still for anyone/thing.” Which is false. I sit still when I’m sleeping.
My favorite thing about Arizona… I have access to the most spectacular landscapes all within a 100 mile radius. Minus the ocean, but thanks to my initials, I take the S.E.A. with me everywhere I go.
I’m listening to… everything. I normally start with Podcasts like TED Radio Hour, Science Vs., Song Exploder, Dear Sugar Radio…the list is long. I also have this gravitational pull towards film scores. Nothing motivates me more than having the theme to Chariots of Fire in the background. But if we’re talking about what kind of music I like, that’s really a grab bag ranging from St. Lucia to The Milk Carton Kids and my most guilty pleasure…Jock Jams.
My family… is my compass. I hail from the Midwest, a place where hard work, integrity and being there for your neighbor is the unspoken culture. But if you really want to fit in with the Andersons you better appreciate quick-witted humor or you’ll get lost.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be… if this person can be deceased I would choose Carl Sagan. If they need to be living I would love to have Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal and former Master at Cambridge University, and Mel Brooks at my dinner table. I admire both for their willingness to tackle taboo subjects. One uses science and reasoning while the other uses comedy and film.
One thing I cannot live without… puns. Much like elevators and dead batteries, they work on so many levels and are always free of charge.
When I was younger, I wanted to be… a news anchor. I was fascinated with their hair and the fact that you had to pay attention to them every night.
I’m inspired… when art and science collide. Best example I can think of is the graphic used in the first version of the Cosmos series on PBS when a simple animation brilliantly tells the story of evolution in 40 seconds. (http://youtu.be/5g2crxb-PJs)
The one person who motivates me is… it’s too hard for me to pick any one person. I always find motivation in a great underdog story, when a person or group endures great hardships and triumphs against all odds. They inspire me to work a little harder, complain less, contribute more and stay hopeful. It’s an underlying theme in most of my favorite movies including Searching for Sugarman and D2: The Mighty Ducks.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be… fixing our unwillingness to understand one another. I believe some problems ahead will only be solved by coming together. Essentially, I wish for world peace.
The perfect day would be… a day filled with purpose. Everything in between is a bonus.
My first job was… I Inherited my brothers lawn mowing business. My approach was a bit different, I saw a blank green canvas and a creative outlet. In retrospect, I was lucky my customers paid me for my artistic expression in their back yards. There were several checkerboards and spiral designs that summer.
My favorite escape… backpacking in the Grand Canyon or anywhere there’s limited cell phone service.
My life… is in constant brainstorm mode. I live for laughter, even if it has to come from myself.
I’m currently working on… getting you to come to downtown Phoenix! Have you seen this place yet? It’s fantastic. Such a fun community of people all working together to achieve something greater than themselves. And it’s working! Right now it feels like I’m living, working and playing in a small town on the verge of becoming a major metropolis. I highly recommend venturing on down this way now and get to know the version of #dtphx that resonates with you. There are too many options to tell you exactly what to do when you get here; just be sure to ride the light rail and then GRID bike to your final destination.
Always… recognize that change is inevitable and be willing to embrace this with an open mind and heart. I feel like successful, happy people have the capacity to adapt. Life is fluid.
Never… stop learning and never forget the people who took the time and interest to help get you where you are now.
Favorite Quote… several of my favorite quotes come from Carl Sagan. I’m going to share three:
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” and “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.” and finally, “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.”
Biggest Dream… to be able to dream! I’m lucky that I am a deep sleeper, I can sleep through anything. However, this also means I wake up not remembering dreams. I daydream about being able to remember my dreams.
My Pet Peeve(s)… toilet paper rolling from the bottom instead of the top. However, I do feel very fortunate to live in a time and place where this is even on my radar.
