The online home of Robbie Holmes known everywhere on the internet as RobbieTheGeek, thanks for stopping by, please make yourself at home.

Welcome back, not sure if I am writing that to you or to me. As always happens to my blogs I am gung ho and revved up when I start it and then it becomes a sad forgotten wasteland. I’m going to try to rectify that and break this tread, so here we go…

First let’s talk about my work life, I’m still a member of the United States Digital Service (USDS), I have been working at the Department of Veterans Affairs for over 1.5 years with no plans to leave at the moment. As a member of the Digital Service at the VA (DSVA) I have been working on the Vets.gov, and I am super proud of the work we have completed so far, and the features that we have launched for veterans. A few highlights from the last year and a half:

• President Obama speaking at the Disabled Veterans of America about Vets.gov and my team
• A Wired article about the USDS that had photos and descriptions of my team
• Was a part of shooting the promotional video talking about the USDS
• Getting to shake the hand of President Obama
• There are so many other memories, and events that I am so happy to have been able to be apart of these all happen to be public…

In that same time period I have experienced lots of change and experiences in my personal life. I am now living in a luxury building on the border between North Old Town / Potomac Yard and Del Ray in Alexandria. The picture above was taken from terrace in my new place this week. I post pics a lot on social media because I can’t believe this is my view, and I am moved to share with everyone. It is a new experience living in an apartment building, with lots of amenities, and I am happily taking advantage of the pool and the gym to name a few. Over this last summer I was lucky enough to go on an Alaskan cruise, and get to visit Denali National Park. That was a trip of a lifetime, I got to hike in Denali ride bikes in a ghost city and take my first canoe and raft experiences. I am so grateful for the experiences I had during this trip and memories I will have for the rest of my life. There is always change, and life goes on, but I feel really lucky. Thanks to all the people that have been a part of my life and continue to shape it, I truly feel blessed and try hard not to be cognizant of how amazing my life, family and friends are. I took the picture below while at a scenic view and the view was supposed to be off to the right, but I looked left and was gifted this picture.

I have also been speaking more, and this upcoming week will be giving a talk on Imposter Syndrome for Tech Talk DC, this is the third time I am giving this specific talk, and I look forward to the experience. I hope that this talk and the ensuing conversation is has a positive impact on folks that are suffering from feeling less than in their technical prowess and abilities. Look forward to speaking later this month at about networking and helping to support and mentor attendees at ACM Washington DC. I think next month I will be speaking on a panel about community and government agencies impact on the culture here in Washington DC for a newly forming talk series, a joint collaboration between Spoke and New York Code & Design Academy DC.