Yesterday I discussed one component of the transmission: GLOBAL SUMMIT that I attended last week, which allowed me to be somewhat of an onlooker. Today, I’m going to break down my experience as an active participant of the two-day event held here in Victoria, BC.
In short: I was both inspired and awestruck.
It was one of the few times I’ve been in a room and could relate with the majority of them on areas that I dwell in: workflow, creativity, mindfulness, productivity, ownership of creative works and outside-the-box thinking.
Man, am I ever glad I was given the opportunity to attend.
The Days
The biggest part of the summit were the transmitTALKS held at the Laurel Point Inn. From Michael Enright’s riveting interview of Bill Buxton to the closing session featuring a panel of some of the most accomplished thought leaders in music,1 I was captivated throughout.
The Value Web took the stage once again to facilitate the summit, and this time I was able to be an active part of the process. My first breakout session had our small group drawing comparisons with the system of bees in habitat to that of creative endeavours. I learned a lot more about bees than I ever thought I would – including some nuggets on the “possibly sociopathic” cuckoo bumblebee – and this kind of thinking kept us looking beyond the scope of what we’d normally look at and yet also kept us from endowing too much on something we really didn’t understand. For example, the cuckoo bees could very well be terrorist bees that prey on the poor regular bees because they can’t make their own pollen, or perhaps their role is more along the lines of “quality control” – where they eliminate the low-producing regular bees in favour of promoting those who excel. Either way, the process was enlightening; by taking me away from my usual train of thought, I came out of it with a better understanding of things as a whole. It is hard to explain (let alone write about), but it was highly rewarding.
The takeaways from each breakout session evolved throughout the two days, leading the participants on a journey that flowed into something from a variety of nothing. The Value Web really knows how to get the most out of people in what can only be described as an incredibly unconventional (perhaps even eccentric) manner. If you get the chance to see them work – or be part of an event where you can be involved in their work – I suggest you take it.
The Nights
On Thursday night we were all treated to a wonderful meal at The Atrium called “Dinner in the Dark”. While the portions may have been small, they were tasty…and the conversations going on throughout the venue were even tastier. I’ve said it before: in between sessions is where the magic happens at these types of events. While transmission: GLOBAL SUMMIT was no exception, there was a ton of magic going on throughout the day that ranks much higher than usual. There was a sense of fun and frivolity mixed with mental exhaustion during the dinner, which was highlighted by a massive digital art installation – and some Desert Hills Mirage wine via The Office Restaurant+Lounge and a glass or two of Phillips’ Longboat Chocolate Porter.
Each evening was capped off by transmitLIVE, which featured art installations and musical exhibitions by some real cutting-edge artists. One of particular note was Skratch Bastid w/Grandtheft and Grahmzilla, all of whom I can only compare to Girl Talk in terms of quality and craftsmanship when it comes to “dropping the needle” as the night grew darker.2 Again, my brain was so full of awesome on both days that by the time the sun went down I really just wanted to be in a quiet bar with two fingers of Bulleit at my disposal. Even then, invigorating discussions while sipping bourbon would have been just as welcome – and there was plenty of both that went around.
Final Thoughts
I could not believe that so many people in my small city had no idea this event was happening – and I daresay they may not know it was happening even if it wasn’t battling for attention at the same time as the Victoria Film Festival closed out its run. The transmission: GLOBAL SUMMIT is a truly stellar event, bringing some of the most brilliant and innovative spirits into my part of the globe for what is just too short a spell. If you want to expand your network and your horizons – and have a whole lot of fun while doing so – then you really must look into being part of this event in 2013.
transmission: GLOBAL SUMMIT will open up all of your senses, and most importantly…your mind.
1That particular session has really got me thinking about how I listen to music. Translation: MP3s suck.
2Yep, I’m old.
