I originally wrote a 2 part blog on a wood patio bench project. For now, I’m going to set the DIY blog aside and post it next week, instead I’m writing my own “Op Ed”. While I was driving from Tucson to Winslow for work, I was listening to the news. The same thing came up over and over. It is about the shooting in Pittsburgh at the synagogue. If you know anything about me, I’m about building bridges and creating collaboration. I really wanted to take a moment and remember the victims. I don’t personally know any of them, but this story of hate goes against my very nature.

Most of my architectural career has been doing Project Management work and Construction Administration. It’s nice to get back to where it all begins. The irony is I wrapped up my marathon road trip where it begins. Not so much about a destination, but where Architecture begins. I’m talking about Space Planning.

Two weeks ago, we were at CONSTRUCT. Once a year, CSINext gets together under the CSI badge and celebrates everything we have in common. The common goal is to strive to make the construction industry a better place. This is obvious if you look at the CSI tag line “Building Knowledge Improving Project Delivery”. What is the best way to improve the project delivery, that’s right open up the lines of communication and build the professional network.

I received a call during late August. The owner was having issues with a fast-paced small project. The project is about 350 miles from my home. There aren’t any flights to the location with it being located in a remote rural area of New Mexico. This was going to be a one week trip, but as the week progressed it was evident that I needed to stay a second week. The travel back and forth is by rental car, I would head home each Saturday. While nothing exciting happened on these road trips or turn into the adventures of the classic movie ‘Vacation’. It was a lot of miles.

Greetings! We will be conducting our October Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "K-12 Designing for Layered Security" Presented by Scott Reyes, CSI, CDT with Allegion. Mark your calendars for October 24th at 12:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

Each of the following members joined CSI in October. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 1 Year - John Koessler, CSI
• 1 Year - Mazen Najar, BS, MBA, CSI, PMP
• 3 Years - Jeffrey Mosley, CSI
• 10 Years - Jon Lattin, BS, MS, CSI, CCPR
• 23 Years - Lynn Javoroski, FCSI, Member Emeritus, CCS, LEED AP, SCIP
• 26 Years - Michael Young, CSI, CCCA
• 28 Years - Robert Dye, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP, RRC
• 32 Years - Helaine Robinson, CSI, CCS, CCCA, SCIP

Special shout out to Jon Lattin for celebrating 10 years with CSI!

CSINext continues to grow! CSINext is please to welcome the following CSI members on joining CSI & CSINext.

New to CSI & CSINext!

• Scott Ficklin, CSI - August 2018
• Anthony Lucero, CSI - August 2018
• Luana Buratynski, CSI - August 2018
• Paul Bradford, CSI - September 2018
• Jessica Torres, CSI-EP - September 2018

Welcome CSI Members to CSINext

• Craig Stanton, CSI, CDT - September 2018

Each of the following members joined CSI in September. CSINext is please to congratulate the follow CSI members on their continued membership.

• 1 Year - Craig Stanton, CSI, CDT
• 2 Year - Lenee Hicks, CSI-EP
• 19 Years - Nina Giglio, FCSI, CCS, SCIP
• 22 Years - J.W. Mollohan, FCSI, CCPR, LEED GA
• 33 Years - Lane Beougher, FCSI, Lifetime Member, CCS, CCCA, AIA, CSC, DBIA, LEED AP
• 33 Years - Janet Piccola, FCSI

CSINext has been very busy. Another year has come and gone, however there is no slowing us down. CSINext is pleased to recognize the following CSI Award Winners. Recipients will be honored during the CSI Honors and Awards Ceremony at CONSTRUCT 2018 in Long Beach, CA, Thursday, Oct. 4. Congratulate them today or register to attend  in person!

Each of the following members joined CSI in August. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 6 Years - Robert LeClare, CSI, CCPR
• 9 Years - Rachel Grissop, CSI, CDT
• 27 Years - Ann Baker, RA, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP, SCIP

Once again, we really appreciate everyone's continued membership in CSI.

CSINext continues to grow! We are starting the new year off strong. CSINext is please to welcome the following CSI members on joining CSI & CSINext.

New to CSI & CSINext!

• Veronica Worley, CSI, CCS, AIA, LEED AP - July 2018
• Brian Schwingel, CSI - July 2018

Welome CSI Members to CSINext

• Roberto Guadalupe, RA, CSI, CCS, CCCA, M. Arch - July 2018
• Robert Swan, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, AIA, SCIP - July 2018

Each of the following members joined CSI in July. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 1 Year - Roberto Guadalupe, RA, CSI, CCS, CCCA, M. Arch
• 14 Years - Thad Goodman, FCSI, CCPR
• 18 Years - Steven Lawrey, CSI, CCS, CCPR, CCCA, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB
• 41 Years - Robert Swan, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, AIA, SCIP

Once again, really appreciate everyone's continued membership in CSI.

Not to worry, I’m not closing the blog. But this does remind of a song from 1998 by Semisonic - Closing Time. It is hard to believe this song is 20 years old and who would think that the late 90’s would now be nostalgic. To steal a quote “Nostalgia: its delicate, but potent. In Greek, ‘nostalgia’ literally means ‘the pain from an old wound.’ It's a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone; a feeling of a place where we ache to go again.” -Don Draper, Mad Men. However, this is about the handover of the project to the client. Depending if you have a really good contractor or someone who has made the construction challenge to the very end, it is always a satisfying experience to close out a project.

“The eagle has landed.” Everyone knows those famous word as the world held its breath watching the moon landing of July 20, 1969. This Friday will the 49th anniversary of Apollo 11 with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Eagle lander. I was five at the time, but I do remember all us gathered around the TV watching the landing. TV was exciting to me, bringing a world of science, imagination and blending the two in science fiction. Science Fiction on TV was lean (it still is today) but every chance I could get, I would watch Star Trek, Twilight Zone Lost in Space, and the Outer Limits. This is going to be a weird segue, but I remember the big push for “Keep America Beautiful” campaign of 1971. These commercials were everywhere and of course the infamous commercial of Iron Eyes Cody, better known as the Crying Indian when trash is thrown at his feet by a passing car.

We wrapped up our final Board meeting for FY18. And with all good things, this to must end. But we are excited to welcome the new Board for FY19!

The 2018-19 CSINext Board:

• President - Michael Young, CSI, CCCA
• President Elect - Thad Goodman, FCSI, CCPR
• Secretary - Cynthia Belisle, RA, CSI, CDT, SCIP
• Treasurer - Mark Ogg, CSI, CCCA, PMP
• Director - Kathryn Marek, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB, SCIP
• Director - Joni Zimmerman, CSI, CDT
• Electronics' Chair - Daniel Hargreaves, FCSI, CDT, AIA, RAS

CSINext continues to grow! We had several new member join in April and May. CSINext is please to welcome the following CSI member on joining CSI & CSINext.

• Kathryn Marek, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB, SCIP - May 2018
• Dennis DeLisse, CSI, CCCA - April 2018
• Dale DeCocker, CSI - April 2018

Each of the following members joined CSI in June. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 1 Year - Amy Spanos, CSI-S
• 4 Years - Mounir Kronful, BBA, CSI
• 5 Years - Mark Ogg, CSI, CCCA, PMP
• 7 Years - Ronald Mueller II, CSI, CCS, CCCA
• 37 Years - Anthony Kam, RA, CSI, CDT, NCARB

We would like to do a shout out to Mark Ogg, CSI, CCCA, PMP for celebrating 5 years with CSI! 

Once again, really appreciate everyone's continued membership in CSI.

For those of you who have been following my weekly blog that I was doing twice a week, and wondering what happened. I can only say WAY too much travel. WAY to many deadlines with all of them converging on the same day. But these are excuses, the last blog I wrote that I was working weekends. I have moved beyond the weekend into the 5th dimension to try and meet all of my work-related demands. But it doesn’t end there, I still need to stay social with my family. Fortunately, I have spent every Sunday with my Dad. 

Greetings! We will be conducting our June Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "ADA Hardware Compliance" Presented by Lesley Medina, CSI, CDT with Allegion. Mark your calendars for June 27th at 12:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

Each of the following members joined CSI in May. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 1 Year - Jeffrey Saunier, CSI-EP
• 2 Years - Patrick Donnell, CSI, AIA
• 14 Years - D. Blake Wagner, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB
• 19 Years - Kathryn Marek, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB, SCIP
• 20 Years - George Wade Bevier, FCSI, CCS, LEED AP, SCIP
• 20 Years - Robert Huserik, RA, CSI, CDT
• 23 Years - Frank Fuller, FCSI
• 26 Years - M. Keith West, FCSI, CCPR
• 27 Years - Cynthia Belisle, RA, CSI, CDT, SCIP

We would like to do a shout out to George Wade Bevier, FCSI, CCS, LEED AP, SCIP and Robert Huserik, RA, CSI, CDT for celebrating 20 years with CSI! 

Once again, really appreciate everyone's continued membership in CSI.