Congratulations Andrew, Steven and Bill...

5/31/2006 12:24:18 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

I know many of you only come here to get some inetresting technology information...

From now on, I have decided to separate whatever I say about techonology (which has to somewhat conform with my employer official views) at http://blogs.msdn.com/malek/default.aspx  (wont start on that for few days yet) and what I say about my own life (which, in return, only concern me, and has no implication on my employer what so ever).

I have kept everytging I had said in the past (in my original www.malekkemmou.ma blog) here as I still have not changed and I would, personnally, not implicating my employer, defend anything and everything I ever said (including recognizing errors of the past, which I recon have happened some times)...

I have hundereds of pages of "creative writing" that have not yet been published, as well as general opinions on politics, social ideals and other genral topics.  off course there will be quite a bit of semi-private / cryptic posts as well, adressed mostly to those who know more about the details of my life.

I will start posting in here and on my other blog very soon, so stay tuned...

For 400 years, you name will still be anywhere I go, and shiny will be every one of my lives with you...

5/31/2006 2:49:39 AM UTC    Comments [0] 

Since the day my mom passed away, I had shied away from public publications... I was to hard to swallow, and harder to come to term with...

Well, here I am. as passionate with my dreams (maybe a little more), as much in love with my self (speak of an inflated ego), and really as much a chanter of the beauty of life as I ever been...

I will just say that (quoting one of my dearest friends) "Life doesn't suck!"...

Thank you Lara for such a beautiful quote...

5/31/2006 2:29:39 AM UTC    Comments [1] 

This year has been amazing on every front. Here is a short look back at the ending year:

• I will remember this year as the year I have lost contact with my daughter for so long, my mom had cancer, I met/rediscovered my most wonderful friends, I went through the most drastic change of my life - changed location, job, main language, lifestyle...
• Quite a bit of traveling (even a bit too much) in chronoligical order (I have probably missed a few):

While I was still based out of Casablanca, Morocco

• Cairo, Egypt (Middle East Developer Conference)
• Alexandria, Egypt (First Time)
• San Fransisco, California (VS-Live)
• Frankfurt, Germany
• Dusseldorf, Germany (First Time - Personal)
• Istanbul, Turkey (First Time)
• San Jose, California (First Time, SD-West)
• New Martinsville, West Virginia
• Orlando, Florida (VS-Cnnections)
• Istanbul, Turkey
• Ryiadh, Saudi Arabia (Gulf Developer Conference)
• Tunis, Tunisia (Business)
• Agiers, Algeria (North Africa Developer Conference)
• Istanbul, Turkey (Microsoft Summit, and moved to Istanbul for good)

• After I moved to Istanbul end of April (joined Microsoft May 2nd)

  • Datça, Turkey (First Time, holiday)
  • Lagos, Nigeria
  • Nairobi, Kenya
  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Karachi, Pakistan
  • Mauritius Island
  • Tunis, Tunisia
  • Casablanca, Morocco
  • Seattle, Washington
  • Portland, Oregon (Week end)
  • Tour of the Dardanels and the Egean Sea (Bandirma, çanakkale, Troy, Ayvacik, Essos, Balikesir) in Turkey (First Time)
  • New Martinsville, West Virginia
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Bellevue, Washington
  • New Martinsville, West Virginia
  • Washington, DC (First Time)
  • Malta (First Time)
  • Numea, New Caledonia (First Time)
  • Papeete (Tahiti) and Moorea, French Polynesia (First Time)
  • Nairobi, Kenya
  • Mauritius Island
  • Paris, Fance
  • Douala, Cameroon (First Time)
  • Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (First Time)
  • Dakar, Senegal (First Time)
  • Saint Giles, Reunion Island (First Time)
  • Mauritius Island
  • Casablanca, Morocco (next week)
  • Paris, France (I will end the year there)

  I also transited by many places without stepping out of the airport

  • Rome, Italy
  • Milan, Italy
  • Frankfurt, Germany (many times)
  • Tunis, Tunisia
  • Cairo, Egypt
  • Munich, Germany
  • Djeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates (many times)
  • Paris, France (many times)
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Osaka Japan (twice)
  • Nairobi, Kenya
  • Mauritius Island

• Crazy workload, crazy partying and a few private moments of fame and few moments of shame... Some of the things I will never forget - don't expect details (this is for insiders only) :
  • Late night chat at Intercontinental in Cairo
  • Crazy interview day in Istanbul
  • Spa in Orlando
  • Two first time divers in Datça
  • "The night" in Istanbul
  • An awkward declaration in a car by the bosphorus
  • A Cliff from the past in Ayvacik
  • A wedding party in Bellevue
  • Back to the office from Tahiti
  • WooHoo in Nairobi
  • Arriving late to Reunion
• This year has been full of surprises, including multiple new encounters, and multiple new friendships, some of which have become extremely important in my life, and some having very interesting promises.
• Some sad happenings:
  • My mom's disease
  • Lost contact with my daughter for a long time (Well, I will see her Tuesday. I am so thrilled!)
  • Close friends going through bad times (emotional and health)
  • A close friend loses her brother
  • my uncle's disease
  • The drone

    In short, I never thought one year could be so full... Neither have I ever thought I could handle such an intensity...

    I am so sorry if it has made me a little less availlable to so many people I care about...

    Merry Christmas, Happy new year, and Mabrouk El-Eid

12/24/2005 3:41:57 PM UTC    Comments [7]