I knew what the number one thing I loved about Phoenix was, but struggled to find a way to express it. Sung Kang delivered the line and when I heard it, I knew. This is not about immigration but the creation of identity.

At our meet-up the other night, fellow bloggers remarked about the transient nature of Phoenix. Most residents are not from here. A lot are just passing through. Most of them do not yet realize that.

I came here following Presh. Phoenix was the first stop on her tour. The trip was to go from here to Tucson to Austin. I figured we would end up in Austin. Within a week of being here (between trips to every mall in the Valley) she found a great job, a nice place to live minutes from her office, and a whole new wardrobe. She cancelled the rest of the trip.

I arrived soon after and was dazed and confused. Most of who I was thousands of miles away, my network, my career, my gigs. It took a few months to adjust but then everything just opened up. When all the external expectations and pressures that twist and pull you go away, you revert back to being who you really are. Presh is a very smart babe. She knew I needed to get away.

So this is what I have come to love.

“This is my Mexico” is a line from TFatF3:TD and I will not do it justice so you just have to go and see the movie. I do not know if I am here or just passing through, but it has been a year and it has not sucked. And that, if you knew me, is very high praise indeed.

The adventure continues…

If you do not know what that thing in the photo is, forget about it. You would not believe me anyway.

Yes, the Number 3 thing I love about Phoenix is our weather. We have about 30 days of suck. We have about 30 days of “woof”. That is the sound I make when I go outside and the heat hits me. That leaves over 300 days of absolute gorgeous never-ever-get-a-snow-day weather. I can live with a month of suck for that. Minnesota has those habitrails that people walk through to get from buidling to building. We need that here.

Number 3 - The Weather. We are in denial right now. You just wait till winter.

Counting down thr top 30 things I love about the Valley. Two more to go…

I judge airports based upon three criteria. How many stops does it take to get to DCA, LAS, ORD, YYZ, and SFO from there? Is there a frequent flyer lounge for my airlines (bonus points for a Peets kiosk)? Can I easily get connected to the Internet?

PHX is a hub so catching non-stop flights are a breeze, even to Toronto. There is a club room with free drinks, but I have not found a Peets kiosk. Anyone? Sky Harbor gets bonus points for offering free wifi all through the airport.

Nash talks about the view from the top of the parking structure. I want to know if there is a make-out spot with a view of the runway lights?

Number 10 - Sky Harbor Airport

Counting down the top 30 things I love about Phoenix as we head to our one year anniversary of MetroBlogging Phoenix.