It has been far too long since I’ve contributed to The Artichoke’s Life. My goal is to change that and get back into the groove of regular contributions. With that in mind, in today’s increasingly interconnected world, the ability to connect with people across regions and cultures is both a valuable skill and a meaningful experience. Whether for personal growth, professional collaboration, or cultural exchange, forging relationships beyond our immediate circles helps us better understand our shared humanity. More than 15 years ago, there was a vision that CSINext could become that kind of connection.

Recently, I took the CSINext roster and entered it into an online app called ZeeMap. After inputting the data, I placed pins where each CSINext member is located, along with a few markers for our current board. The final pin represents a member on the opposite side of the planet from my own location—a powerful reminder of just how far our network extends.

Consider Arizona, where the desert landscape provides more than just natural beauty—it serves as a gathering place. From conferences in Phoenix to community events in Tucson, Arizona attracts individuals from across the United States and abroad. The blend of local traditions and international visitors fosters an environment where ideas and perspectives naturally cross paths.

In Ohio, the Midwest’s reputation for warmth and hospitality holds true. Whether through academic institutions in Columbus, entrepreneurial communities in Cleveland, or cultural festivals in smaller towns, Ohio offers opportunities for genuine interaction. These connections are often grounded in a sense of openness, making it easy to build meaningful relationships that extend beyond state lines.

The U.S. Virgin Islands present a different dynamic altogether. As a cultural crossroads of the Caribbean, the islands offer rich opportunities for exchange. Conversations here often happen in relaxed, welcoming settings—on a beach, at a local market, or during a music festival—reminding us that connection does not always require formal settings. Sometimes, the most lasting bonds are created in moments of shared joy and discovery.

Yesterday was a great day in Tucson from my point of view. What made it so great? Well, first it is the little things. I keep a pretty low bar, so it doesn’t take much. But the greatness came from the temperature being 74 degrees while driving my 2001 Miata home with the top down. This is my second convertible, if you have never owned one… well it is hard to explain. On my drive home, enjoying the wind in my hair and sun on my face I started thinking about my latest Web Browser. This is my latest switch over the past 25 years.

The title requires a little understanding of Revit. I note this because the as far as I can tell the term is unique to Revit. ArchiCAD uses term Components & GDL. Vectorworks calls them Plug-In-Object (PIO). I can keep dissecting the term but for now, I wanted to focus on the software I utilize for my production. In the days of CAD we had Blocks. These were small drawings that could repeat the graphical part of a drawing over and over while holding different attributes of information. 

Growing up, I enjoyed art. My mom was an artist and I’m blessed that she passed on the skill to me. I’ve been drafting, painting and sketching for as long as I can remember. Around the age of 13 I knew I wanted to be an Architect. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I knew it was about taking a vision and putting it to paper. I really enjoyed doing the technical drawings in 7th grade and for Christmas, I got my first drafting set. It included a small drafting board, Tee-square, 2 triangles, French curve and few pencils. I still have the French curve and probably should frame it. A few years ago, I put together my first presentation on Digital Art. 

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the accessible route. I included one of my favorite internet photos of the stair with a ramp added to it. Most of the time when we think about accessibility, a wheelchair is typically envisioned. While this an easy to grasp concept, the ADA is more than just the wheelchair. It accounts for all aspects of accessibility. This includes the blind, those on crutches and other limited mobility challenges.

I was taking this past week off from work, projects and almost everything that used my time. However, I did set time aside for my family and video games. This has been a very relaxing week, I even stayed off the computer for the most part. My daughter and I have been tackling some classic games and discovering new ones. I wanted to reflect on a few different levels as to what has transpired over the past 365 days. There was a lot that happened besides the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As I was thinking about Sheet Numbering, I starting strolling back through memory lane. I have some vague memories about sheet numbering from the 80’s. With CAD bringing a level of organization and limits to a file name in DOS, consistent numbering became more important at retrieval of the file. I wrote my own standards back in 1991. I adapted these as times and projects changed. Finally, in 2003, I drank the Kool-Aid and adopted to the National CAD Standards (NCS).

Last week I outlined several ideas for up-and-coming blog post. This is the first one on Accessibility and getting myself back on track to writing the blog. Texas at the turn of the millennium opened up their Registered Accessibility program to non-government employees of TDLR. At this point the ADA and Texas Accessibly Standards were 8 & 6 years old respectively. It took me a couple of years, but in 2004, I decided to go to the Texas Accessibility Academy and get registered. 

Last year I wrote about the Trusted Advisor and the continuing affect it has had on my carrier. Take a look at the blog post from May 2019. https://www.csinext.org/the-artichoke-s-life/trusted-advisor This is a blog post to spark some interest and start the next 30 days of rolling out the CSINext Trusted Advisor Network. Or also in our inner circle, the TAN Line. Continue to watch this space for for details and hopefully we can start 2021 with a bang. Until next week, cheers!

…and now for something completely different.
In his lifetime an average person would walk as much as circumferencing the world five times.

The year 2021 is just around the corner. I know there are a bunch of us that just want to wish the year 2020 away. The reality is it here and it will always be a part of history that we have survived. The sad news is there are a lot of us who did not get to see the new year. I wish to take a silent moment to remember those. 

All things COVID has change how we do things. I left off last April that our office had started a stay at home. I like to think of it as leveraging the 21st century and taking productivity to the next level. I plan to expand on the past 7 months, but for now some mini bullet point updates.

Easter has come and gone. While most families focus on Christmas and Thanksgiving. This has always been a special time for my family to get together. This year, we will be doing a big smoke out of ribs and steaks on the 4th of July. We are not going to pass up a time to be together. Granted, it will be warm in Tucson in July. But it is not about the weather, it is about the company. The Coronavirus has created a new normal, but family will always come first. By now everyone is aware social distancing and self-quarantine.

Another service announcement from your Artichoke… Social Distancing is all the rage. Well, at least almost all of us are in the middle of it. I truly believe that every person wants this ‘new normal’ to end and get back to the old normal. While the numbers continue to climb in cases and unfortunately deaths, we need to maintain some of the best actions against this pandemic known as the coronavirus or COVID-19.

With all of the Social Distancing. While most are following the recommendations to self-isolate for 15 days to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) there are those that this is not an option. If still are one of those who is driving to work, you may have noticed the roads are pretty empty. I’m one of the few that has not been impacted by the need to stay home. Our office is running at 50% and we are maintaining really smart practices.

I seem to fill a lot of my idle time with stuff. But if the time is filled then it is not idle. I seem to be stuck in an infinite loop. But seriously, I have begun to carve out some time to study the next part of my LEED exam.

We’ve been teasing about something exciting is around the corner with CSINext. A favorite quote from Futurama “Good news everyone!” we have turned the corner. Available from the Apple App store is a native app of CSINext. This was almost a year in the works but was worth the wait (in my opinion). Almost everything you could do on the website is available from the app. The best part of this is the price… FREE! To download the app, simply go to the apple store and search for CSINext. 

Well, the year 2020 is off to a slow start for the ‘Artichokes Life’. But that is not the case for me personally. If you have seen past blogs about travel, you know I’m on the road a lot. This year has started the same way, yet with a vengeance.

What started out on the CSI Leader Discussion about the last of the DCP for this decade has turned into a fun little debate. The discussion was on when a decade ends and begins. Almost 2 years ago I did a blog on Frīgedæg, which is old English for Friday. It is  a fun read and you can enter the “way-back-machine” by clicking the link https://www.csinext.org/the-artichoke-s-life/frigedaeg But back to the present. The discussion got me thinking about the end of decade, then December.

The Slider… No, I’m not talking about Baseball. Even though it is a topic near and dear to me. But I’m not the die-hard fan like Dennis DeLisse. I’m talking about the slide show on the home page. This is kind of a follow up to the 10 Years of CSINext. With that, let's jump into a little history of the Home Page and the Slide Show.

“At the November 17, 2009 CSI Board Meeting, the first virtual chapter was chartered, its name is CSINext. This is the brainchild of CSI Member Brent Williams. With social media storming through the internet like wildfire, CSINext is the next evolution of the CSI chapter.” This was a quote from the initial press release distributed to different sources.