Rahaf Harfoush

Ok that is the last time I dissapear for three weeks without so much as a mini-blog post - PROMISE. But I have exciting news: the book is finished! After months of researching, writing, and battling writer’s block it is finally all coming together in something that can actually be sold in respectable establishments!

Honestly, this book has been the most challenging and rewarding work I have ever done. I struggled. I fretted. I doubted. I tossed and turned. I battled writer’s block and insecurity. But I held true to the philosphy of “just show up,” and little by little chapters were formed. There were days when it seemed that stringing together coherent sentences was beyond my grasp, and there were magical days when the words just seemed to write themselves.

I aplogize for falling of the face of the planet, but between the World Economic Forum and copy-editing after work there was very little time for anything else.

So some news:

I am speaking at the 2009 Innotech Conference in beautiful Portland, Oregon. I am joined by some excellent company.I am so excited to be here especially since I can finally use my Kindle the way that Jeff Bezos intended it. Rick Turoczy, the smart mind behind Silicon Florist asked me a few questions about my keynote.

Next week I am speaking at the Voices that Matter 2009 conference in San Francisco. I’ll be posting more about that as soon as I get there.

I’ll be uploading a special book section on this site shortly that will have pictures, videos and the first chapter for your reading pleasure!

I checked the calendar today and did a double take.  Was it already March 22?  How is that possible?  Maybe time moves differently in the land of chocolate!  I can’t believe my last post was on March 3rd.  Much has happened in the last two weeks as I get settled into the routine of living in a new country.  I acquired my very first Swiss souvenir: a mild concussion. That’s right, in a brilliant display of grace, balance and poise I took the mother of all spills outside of the Foreign Visa office, knocking myself out cold. I’ll let my travel blog update those of you who want more details, since I would like to keep this a place of Foushy business!

I spend my days learning about the World Economic Forum and sifting through the large volume of research they have done over the past year. It is a veritable treasure trove of data that tickles my information addiction. At night I polish my chapters and send them to the editor and copy-editor. It is amazing to see the book start to take a definite shape, it won’t be long before I get the first galley!

Some quick updates:

• I will be creating a special page on the site for the book, where I will upload some of the videos that I recorded while down in Chicago and other interesting tidbits so keep an eye out for that!
• I’ll be returning to North America at the end of March and will post more details on when and where, hopefully we can put together a Toronto #Geeklunch?
• I am currently wading through two hundred emails that I haven’t been able to access due to spotty internet connections and hitting my head. If I owe you something please be patient or resend if it is time sensitive.

I am so glad to finally return to a normal blogging and twittering schedule!