PHXDW 09 – Was Freakin’ Awesome! (I’ll give you the tip)

So this past weekend I spent in downtown Phoenix attending Phoenix Design Week 09, (PHXDW09). I have to admit that it was one hell of an event! I had such a great time meeting, greeting and listening to a large mass of creatives for two days. It was such an inspiring event. Not only did I feel part of a large community, (larger than I had originally thought), but it opened my eyes and mind to the possibilities of our creative habitat.

There’s nothing really insightful in this posting, more a large thank you to the organizers, the volunteers, the speakers and the attendees that made this such a great event for anyone who is even mildly creative. If you missed it, I’m sorry, but keep your eyes and ears peeled as I am sure that it will come around again next year, bigger and better. Hopefully the wi-fi problem will be sorted out, I found it hard not to quickly check my fantasy football team and see how they were doing. My posts on Twitter took time, as was updating “my mind” on Facebook.

The pinnacle of the event had to be Chaz Maviyane-Davies. Here’s a man who not only fought oppression in his own country with his creative voice but was black listed and forced out by doing so. His work, his thoughts and his experiences are all something that we could learn from. I urge any of you reading this to have a quick look at his work at, http://www.maviyane.com.

Attending the event made me realize though, how tribal we are as people. Let’s face it, you’re not about to find a bunch of accounting folks sitting down, listening to Debbie Millman talk about the evolution of communication and human attachment. Though some of those numbers people probably wouldn’t mind sitting in as she’s a bit of all right on the eyes. Yet, the strange thing about Phoenix, at least I think, is the fact that this city is very territorial and like a tribe defends it so. Maybe because I’m not officially a Phoenician, (is that right?) but I can’t get my head around this whole City of … deal. Help me out here but isn’t Phoenix a city, and the capital of Arizona? How is it that you have City of Phoenix, then within it, City of Tempe, City of Mesa, City of Glendale, etc., etc.? If Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the country, does it include the other cities within it or would they rather be left out because, “I’m from the City of Chandler!” I’m just putting it out there people, maybe I’m the only one who’s confused … after all, I am an Australian.

Thanks again PHXDW, and as for that little movie shown promoting “City of Phoenix” with the Australian actor … you probably could have saved some money and used another little know Aussie battler. By the way, my Tweets were updated, slowly but at regular intervals. My mind was creatively fulfilled, and Facebook was informed. And as for my Fantasy Football team, they won, convincingly so!

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