Wow, what a year.

It's been a year of up and down and up and down and up. The most important thing is that I have managed to go home to my family after 5 years of absence back in March. I also still manage to be in my sweetie's good side for most of the year :)

This blog has been silent most of this year, in contrast of my prolific blogging in 2006. I have been linking news and articles mainly on nomadlife.org. What I am alarmed about this year is that I start sensing a lack of original thinking of my side. So much time this year is spent on ducking down and putting the hours in to get more traction on the velocity of SilverKey in the Middle East. I don't mind the work but the lack of creative output is something to be worried about. I didn't manage to read that many books either. I think I read about 12 books in total this year. In contrast, I used to read 8 books a month back in the heyday of Chicago.

I will have to get into the habit of pondering again.

Life in Egypt is quite tiring. Gone are the days when I spend the weekends traversing the desert on horseback. I only managed to crawl back to diving three weeks ago after a one year absent. I ended up bouncing up and down in a 10 meter depth like an untalented gymnast. Weekends and holidays are spent in the office.

I do enjoy my trip to Morocco, hanging out with Ziyad again chasing the dream of our youth. The trip was a mind opening and having a conversation with a chattier than usual Suzanne over delicious tagines was something to cherish about.

Czech Republic is one beautiful place to spend one's time. The majestic old city and the lush green rolling hills of Central Europe come vividly better in real life than an imagined place any writer can come up with. Marta's family has pretty much adopted me. Nothing beats the surreal experience being in the middle of family conversation in a language that I know nothing of.

We manage to get a pretty cool office (a two floor penthouse on the 8th floor with a huge balcony) and set ourselves up for bigger things in 2008. I think next year is a tipping point of my dear little company in defining its contribution to the Internet life. There are huge challenges ahead but my eyes are filled with the images of stars and wonders.