I’ve been doing this for a while.
Twenty-five years of systems engineering. Somewhere around 15,000 virtual machines under my watch (if you count VDI). Countless PowerShell scripts, automation workflows, and middle-of-the-night troubleshooting sessions. I’ve seen technologies come and go, watched VMware evolve from a curiosity to the backbone of enterprise infrastructure, and learned more from my mistakes than I’d care to admit.
So why start writing now?
Because I’m still learning.
That might sound strange. After a quarter century, shouldn’t I have it all figured out? But here’s what I’ve discovered: the moment you think you’ve mastered something is usually the moment before it changes completely. The best engineers I know, the ones who’ve lasted, who’ve stayed sharp, are the ones who never stopped being students.
That’s what this newsletter is about.
What to expect
I’m not here to pretend I have all the answers. Instead, I’ll share:
What I’m learning — New tools, techniques, and approaches I’m exploring
What actually works — Practical solutions tested in real production environments, not just lab demos
What I’ve built — Apps and automation I’ve created to solve my own problems (and might solve yours too)
What I got wrong — Because occasionally the best lessons come from failures
If you work in IT, especially if you’re managing VMware infrastructure or trying to level up your PowerCLI skills, I think you’ll find something useful here.
A bit about me
I’m a systems engineer at a large healthcare organization in Florida, where I manage enterprise VMware infrastructure. I’ve spent years automating repetitive tasks, building tools to make my life easier, and figuring out how to do more with less (sound familiar?).
Outside the day job, I’m working on training courses for IT professionals who want to master PowerCLI and VMware automation. I’ve also built a few apps, including KlockThingy—a time-tracking tool that came out of my wife’s frustration with what she calls ‘Clocky Math.’ It was vital that she log her hours more efficiently as a remote contract worker. She also coined the name.
Why “As The Geek Learns”?
The name says it all. I’m a geek. I learn things. I write about what I learn.
There’s a Yoda quote I’ve always loved: “Much to learn, you still have.” I have adapted that quote to reflect my lifelong learning experience.
“Much to learn, there always is”
It’s a reminder that expertise isn’t a destination; it’s a direction. No matter how long you’ve been at this, there’s always something new to discover.
I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
What’s next
In upcoming posts, I’ll be sharing:
A deep dive into the PowerCLI automation techniques I use daily
Behind the scenes of building and shipping my first app
Practical tips for managing large-scale VMware environments
And whatever else I’m learning along the way
If any of that sounds interesting, you’re in the right place.
Thanks for being here.
Always a student. Sometimes a teacher.
— James
