It’s business time

My sister emailed me on Monday, asking if I was going to the launch of NSW House at SXSW Sydney last night.

I hadn’t planned on attending, but was lured by the chance to mix sisterhood with business and NSW sparkling wine at an event that’s been described as the world’s most iconic futurist conference and festival.

SXSW has expanded outside of North America for the first time ever and has brought its celebration of creativity and innovation to Sydney from Sunday October 15 to Sunday October 22, 2023.

Never heard of it? Neither had I until I wrote about it for work.

It launched as a music festival in Austin, Texas in 1987 and has grown to be a massive celebration of music, games, screen, technology and ideas that draws hundreds of thousands of people to the city each year.

Destination NSW is a strategic sponsor of the first Sydney SXSW.

Over three days, from 17-19 October 2023, its NSW House is showcasing tech and innovative activations and hosting discussions on thought-provoking topics.

I asked to be added to the guest list for the launch and had a fabulous time meeting my sister’s work colleagues and introducing them to mine.

We delightedly told everyone about how we’re both corporate communications managers these days after both being cadet journalists at The Newcastle Herald back when they didn’t like to employ people with university degrees because they put funny ideas in your head. They preferred to mould you straight from high school.

Two of my workmates accosted us at one point and said we had to be related. I hadn’t actually registered that we’ve grown to look so alike. No one believed we were related at high school because we looked so different: one of us tanned and sporty with black hair, the other pale and geeky with red hair.

I forgot to get a selfie of us together at the event … If you don’t take a photo, did it even happen?

Well, I took photos of my sparkling wine and the action on stage, so it must have.

There was a rousing Welcome to Country and Jack River performed. My sister and I both agreed it was a sign of our mutual ancientness that we did not know who Jack River was.

Apparently she is a singer-songwriter who broke through in 2016 with the EP Highway Songs No 2 (Rolling Stone called it “dirty pop doused in glitter with whispers of a Mexican sunset”) and the single ‘Fool’s Gold’.

I am still none the wiser, but she was very good.

And then I treated myself to a cab home because it was raining and the youngest had baked dinner: salmon and roasted tri-coloured potatoes (purple, orange and white). It was all delicious.

Then she packed the dishwasher.

Heaven.

Song of the day: Flight of the Conchords “Business Time” (A very different sort of business time, but hilarious)