Keyboardist

KIZOMBA CLASSES in DC Welcome back to another Kizomba Progressive Sessions. Sessions Foundations: 7:00pm - 8:00pm Improvers/Intermediate 8:10pm - 9:10pm Cost: Foundations $90 (4 Sessions) Improver/Intermediate $$90 (4 Sessions) Combined Foundations + Improver $160 (Subject to teachers approval) Drop in rates are $25 per session or $40 if one takes both level 1&2 on the same day. * **Accepted forms of payment** Zelle: Ollovar.llc@gmail.com CashApp $oscarba20 Cash\, Credit\|Debit Cards accepted NO PAYPAL.

**NEW GAME LOCATION at The** Let's play board games. Not the ones your ancestors played but the really cool ones of the new millennium. We play everything from fun, social games to light to heavy strategy games. Don't know how to play? Not a problem - we're happy to teach. It's a great chance to learn new games or play your favorites with non-competitive people who like to laugh. You can build a railroad, eradicate a plague, or explore the far reaches of the galaxy in one evening. While many will bring their own games, you can show up gameless and still play. We play at the Ballston Quarter mall basement food court on Wednesday from 6:30-10:00. It's within walking distance from the Ballston metro and there's evening parking in the garage for $1. **Find us at the tables with the boadgames.** Look for a group that has containers and carrying bags with multiple games.

The way organizations build teams and the way professionals build careers is changing. Fractional, part-time, and project-based work is no longer a stopgap. It's becoming a deliberate strategy on both sides of the work equation; the "Portfolio Career" of the future is happening now. In this session, Stephanie Ranno draws on her work connecting experienced professionals with employers who are rethinking how they access talent. Whether you're a content strategist navigating a tough market and piecing together flexible engagements or an organization weighing whether a fractional hire could move the needle for a specific project, this session offers practical perspectives for both. We'll explore what's driving the shift toward flexible work arrangements, how to position yourself or structure your team to make the most of it, and what it actually takes to make fractional and part-time roles work well for everyone involved. **About Stephanie** Stephanie brings more than 20 years of experience in staffing and recruiting, helping organizations of all sizes and in all industries build high-performing teams. She has worked with clients in financial services, associations and nonprofits, government consulting, and professional services to connect them with exceptional talent. As Director of Growth, Stephanie partners with FlexProfessionals DC and Boston teams to expand the firm’s mid-market presence and bring our services to new metro areas. She focuses on opening new pathways for businesses to access flexible, top-tier talent in accounting, finance, HR, administration, operations, and marketing. Stephanie is committed to showing employers how flexible work models can give organizations a competitive edge while creating meaningful career opportunities for professionals. Beyond her client work, Stephanie is a frequent speaker and writer on topics including workforce trends, talent acquisition, neurodiversity, and inclusion. Inspired by her own family, she has a special interest in advancing neurodiversity in the workplace and creating a future of meaningful work for all.

We're playing board games at Your Hobby Place, a Friendly Local Gaming Store in Old Town Alexandria. Feel free to bring your own games. They also have their own library of games available for play. We start at 6:00, but your group can certainly show up earlier. The store closes at 9:30. Snacks and drinks are available for sale, and several good restaurants are nearby. Free parking on Wythe St. and Columbus St. The store is 1/2 mile east from the Braddock Road Metro station down Wythe St.

Un'ottima occasione per parlare in Italiano con persone di madre lingua. Aperto a tutti i livelli di conoscenza dell'Italiano. Specialmente gustando una buonissima pizza. A presto. Please consider donating to us via the Pledge widget on this page to help us defray the costs of running a Meetup group. **Note: This event occurs on the third Wednesday of every month at Redrocks Columbia Heights**

Whether you’re new to modern games, or a seasoned gamer, our new Boards & Barrels game night is the place to play. We’re pairing the best wines with new and classic games for an evening of analog fun and community. Choose from our growing game library or bring a favorite. *Unplug. Uncork. Unbox.* **Every Wednesday 6 pm - 9 pm**

Queer trivia night hosted by [The Mistresses](https://www.instagram.com/triviamistresses?igsh=MXJsNHpnMmk3bmdycA==) at [Dewdrop Inn](https://www.dewdropinndc.com/events/). Trivia begins at 7pm; I’ll get there at 6:15 for a table. Topic announced at the event. You do not need to be “good” at trivia; just come have fun! Also, for respect of time, please keep your RSVP updated; I will cancel if we don’t have at least 4 attendees. This is a popular event for Dew Drop, so note that it may be crowded and we will try to assure we have room for all our folks. Depending on the weather, we may be outside or inside; check comments day of for how to find us! Thank you & Hope to see you! INHERENT RISK AND LIABILITY: Organizers carefully plan events and check public sources for weather and safety. Common sense dictates that conditions may change and there is inherent risk associated with attendance. Organizers and the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center do not accept any liability for accidents/injuries or any other incidences that may occur in connection with the activities published herein or on linked sites.

**Do you want to play and grow with a band, without the commitment of starting a band? Join us for our Blues Jams. Great place to network with other musicians.** \*\*$10 for at the door\*\* \*\*Free for Singers and Drummers\*\* **\*Members Get in free and receive other benefits\*** **[Become a Member](https://patreon.com/DoctorStrings?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink)** **Beginner to Pro Blues jam 21+ only, BYOB. Every Thursday.** This is a smaller more practice focused event at my shop. **Open to everyone and is a learning experience for most.** Just bring your instrument(Electric), no need to bring an amp we have all of that. Do not bring a pedal board with a bunch of pedals. The amps are dialed in for blues, trust me it's all there. Drums are here already, very basic kit. If you want to bring cymbals or any other drum gear, please show up early to set up. Also please be aware that other people are going to play the kit as well.

Grab a game or bring your own, this event is open play. Whether it is chucking dice, full of traitors, laying tiles, or only cards involved, it doesn't matter; as long as it is a fun game, let's get it to the table and play it. The library will have games available to play but as always, you are welcome and encouraged to bring your own games. So leave a comment about what you are bringing! But be ready to teach your games. The library is located within walking distance of the Silver Spring Metro stop and there is a parking garage across the street. **NTBG** *is a safe environment for all to have fun. Bullying/harassment is not tolerated.*

We invite you to get acquainted with some popular modern European board games. We grew up enjoying Careers, Clue, Monopoly, and other such games. These new games are even better. They are easy to learn and are loved by a wide range of players. People will be available to teach how to play each of the games described below. Beginners are welcome. Everyone is welcome to bring other board games and card games that you think people will enjoy. The Mexican Train domino game, Stone Age, and Alhambra are likely to be available. Scrabble and Rumikub have been mentioned as possibilities. **TICKET TO RIDE**: Engaging for players of almost any age, Ticket to Ride is great fun. The rules are simple, but deciding what plays to make in any specific game situation remains interesting and enjoyable for years. **CATAN**: In this game players act as competitive settlers. They acquire resources, trade them with other players, and build and develop their holdings on the island of Catan. Players gain victory points as their settlements grow. A feature that makes it easy to enjoy this game over and over is that the island is different for every game. It consists of hexagonal terrain tiles that can connect in any order. **CARCASSONNE**: Players take turns placing tiles to build a land with cities, farms, roads, and cloisters. They earn points by claiming and completing those things. This game remains enjoyable, time after time, for years. All are invited to come to the Lodge as guests of Virginia Colin. Please make sure that she signs you in. Drinks and good quality bar food will be available for purchase. Salads, onion rings, and sweet potato fries are recommended by many of us.

Please provide your song suggestions for a Potluck jam. Asking participants to bring a dish, appetizer, dessert, or bevarages (or chip in $10). We'll have food and drinks after the jam. Use promo code Dish to avoid the fee if you plan to bring food or drinks. You can also rsvp on our new American Rockers site. https://www.americanrockers.org/book-online

We play a variety of games with a focus on high interaction Euros. Events will start with quick games while people arrive and eat lunch. We will start longer games between 1:30pm and 2pm. While the official end time is 5pm, people are welcome to continue playing games afterwards. Western Market closes at 7pm on Sundays. This page has more examples of high interaction Euros: [Old-school German-style Games](https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/view/3948). Here are some games that have been played at past events: High Interaction Euros * [Medici](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/46/medici) * [Catan](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13/catan) * [Hansa Teutonica](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/43015/hansa-teutonica) * [Puerto Rico](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3076/puerto-rico) * [Concordia](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/124361/concordia) * [Power Grid](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2651/power-grid) * [Brass: Birmingham](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/224517/brass-birmingham) Other high interaction games * [Innovation](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/63888/innovation) * [Imperial](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/24181/imperial) There are a variety of food and drink options. Western Market is allowing us to use the space for free. Please reciprocate by purchasing something, even if it is just a soda. Directions If you're taking the Orange, Silver, or Blue lines, exit at the Foggy Bottom metro station and walk two blocks to the east. If you are taking the Red Line, Farragut North is an approximately a 15 minute walk away. There is also free street parking to the north.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** *Customize the IDE: Building Extensions for Visual Studio Code* Visual Studio Code is one of the most widely used development environments today, and much of its flexibility comes from its extension ecosystem. Extensions allow developers to customize the editor with new features, integrations, and workflow improvements tailored to their needs. In this session, we’ll cover what extensions are and the different types available, including full extensions written in TypeScript or JavaScript, along with lighter-weight extensions such as color themes, language packs, language support, code snippets, and keymaps. We’ll also look at practical reasons a developer might create an extension, from automating repetitive tasks to adding custom tooling. The session includes a hands-on walkthrough of creating a new extension, testing it locally, and understanding the basic project structure. We’ll close with a brief overview of how extensions are packaged and published to the Visual Studio Marketplace and other distribution options. **YouTube Link** TBD

Thanks for being a part of the CABS Meetup Group! We meet @ the COFFEE UNDERGROUND on Indianola Avenue. We play many different games @ CABS - bring your own or play one of the OVER 2222 in our library. What are your favorite games? What was the last game you played? Hope to see and game with you soon! Check us out on Facebook! Doors open early on Saturday Mornings at 10am and around 4pm on Fridays if you are interested in learning new / simpler games ... or new to the hobby or just want to check us out come in early just after noon and we will show you around before the crowd grows. Stay for a game or two, an hour or two or for the day! Your first visit is free and after that it's $5 a meeting or you can join for the year! It's Your Move

Come join our welcoming, low-pressure environment where you can practice performing, build confidence, stay motivated, and connect with others who play piano. Each session is intentionally structured and hosted to ensure everyone has time to play (if they choose), feel supported, socialize, and enjoy the experience. It’s not a class, but a thoughtfully guided space to help you stay consistent and make meaningful progress. **Details:** * Gatherings take place in a private home setting in the Northwest Columbus area (location to be shared after RSVPing) * Small group to keep the sessions personal and ensure everyone has time to play * Light snacks and refreshments provided Please ensure that you are able to accept chats and emails/messages via Meetup.com, as that is how I will provide the address and communicate with you closer to the event. You can message me anytime if you have any questions.

QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry. This is a ticketed event please register here: https://www.qaorthehwy.com/ Featured Keynote Speakers: **Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\. **Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.

The Forge does have a full bar and kitchen. There is no cover charge but they do request all attendees to purchase a minimum of ~20 per person. Soft drink refills are 1 each. Please support our hosts so we can continue to provide great events for the group! The Forge has a large library of games available for us to enjoy. Hosts and regulars will also provide numerous popular games but please bring any games you would like to teach and/or play. Doors open at 6, and we expect gaming to be rolling by around 630. Please promptly end your games and clear out the space at 10pm when the bar closes. We encourage socializing but do not permit disruptive behavior of any kind. Thank you for your continued commitment to providing a fun and welcoming space to veteran, newbie, and rookie gamers in the Columbus area. Parking can sometimes fill esrly. There is additional parking lot behind the neighboring Mexican restaurant that is free and easy to walk from but it's a bit hidden.

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros. 10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Saturday!