i have to say, i'm really excited about this...for a while now i've been talking to customers and communities about wpf and expression blend.  i have to admit though, i'm not a designer, not even a good novice designer :-).  but i "get" expression blend -- the framework is much simpler for me to understand as a novice...and when i see experts open the tool i'm amazed at how quick they understand it and begin to create some compelling visuals/applications.

anywhoo, there is a roadtrip happening...expression blend near you!  so check out the city list and register.  you'll learn some really helpful tips on getting onramped quickly for wpf and expression blend.  very cool stuff.  visit the expression 'designing experiences with expression blend' site for details on cities near you.