I’ve always had a self-made nick name, “Master of the Obvious”. It is a running joke in my family, in fact my daughter got a hold of my iPhone several years back and had Siri change my phone to address me that way. I was talking with Mike Young, FCSI from the Denver Chapter and current CSINext President. The other day our conversation started on Institute Awards for CSINext and other individuals. And he used a term… One that I’ve heard him use several times at the SouthWest Region conference and even during CSINext Board Meetings.

Who remembers why and when you joined CSI? A little bit of a rhetorical question. However, for most of us, it was a decision that continues to impact our professional carrier. I’m a stone throw away from being a member for 20 years. I remember my first meeting and the impact it had on that young kid (young at the age of 34). After I joined, I remember being surround by such wisdom. I would sit quietly, absorbing everything around me.

The National Center for Education and Research on Corrosion and Materials Performance (NCERCAMP) is hosting the second annual National Concrete Symposium on Tuesday - Wednesday May 14 & 15 at The University of Akron.

This event will combine hands-on and lecture style courses for a compelling continuing education opportunity for architects, engineers, and construction professionals wanting to learn the latest in concrete innovation at the nation’s only advanced corrosion and materials performance research center.

For more information, please CLICK HERE to visit the website and register.

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

• 3 Years - Patrick Donnell, CSI, AIA
• 15 Years - D. Blake Wagner, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB
• 20 Years - Kathryn Marek, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB, SCIP
• 21 Years - George Wade Bevier, FCSI, CCS, LEED AP, SCIP
• 24 Years - Frank Fuller, FCSI
• 27 Years - M. Keith West, FCSI, CCPR
• 28 Years - Cynthia Belisle, RA, CSI, CDT, SCIP

We would like to do a shout out to Kathryn Marek, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB, SCIP for celebrating 20 years with CSI! 

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

We wrapping up our final Board meetings for FY19. And with all good things, this to must end. But we are excited to welcome the new Board for FY20!

The 2019-20 CSINext Board:

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

This is one of those observational blogs. It doesn’t have much to do with architecture. I went out on a limb at the first of the year. I ordered my first pair of shoes online. I’ve had a pair of L.L. Bean loafers for about 8 years. They were very comfortable, yet I know the style and size I wanted. I would need for a replacement pair and ordering online was a safe bet.

Greetings! We will be conducting our May Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "Coating Failures – Corrosion of Metals" Presented by Mike Murphy CSI, CCPR, NACE 1. Mark your calendars for May 8th at 12:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited! 

I mentioned a few weeks ago about coffee. I’m in the camp that it is ‘The Nectar of the Gods’. I really enjoy the smell. Then there is the flavor of a good coffee. I’m not all about how strong it is, but really looking for a smooth taste. I do enjoy a good shot of expresso every once in a while. Basically, for all those who are coffee drinkers, it is about the experience.

Greetings! We will be conducting our April Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "Overview of Important Updates to AIA A201-2017" Presented by Gregory J. Markling, FCSI, LM, DM, CCS, CCCA, SCIP, LEED AP. Mark your calendars for April 10th 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 April. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 1 Year - Dale DeCocker, CSI
• 2 Years - Cynthia Wright, CSI, AIA
• 3 Years - Barbara Taylor, CSI-EP
• 6 Years - William Kwasniak, CSI, CDT
• 8 Years - Andrea Dinice, CSI, CDT, AIA, ASID, DBIA, LEED GA, USGBC
• 27 Years - Dennis DeLisse, CSI, CCCA, CDT

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

I was thinking the other day about the convenience of Remote Access. If I rewind to when I started my Architectural Journey in 1983, at the young age of 19, remote access was a foreign concept. If there was a project deadline and the hours were winding down to get the project done, you started early and stayed late. Sound familiar, just like studio in college. This began my addiction to coffee, at its peak, I was a two pot a day drinker. Then in 2006, I stopped cold turkey, but another story for another time. But let’s pull back the curtain and get back to Remote Access.

The project started on February 9th. I’m close to the 75% mark of completion. You may be asking, what’s the project. I’m doing a major renovation upstairs in my house. If you noted in past blogs, I do the work myself. I do have my Dad, Son-in-Law and Daughter’s helping me. But for the most part, I fly solo. This goes back to one of the things I find delight in, just read last week’s blog. 

I was listening to the radio2 weeks ago and there was a book review. I was so engrossed in the interview, I did not catch the name of the book or the author. I only know the subject, delightful. Hopefully someone out there knows what the book is and can share the title in the comments. However, it got me to thinking about the things that I find delightful. Top of the list is my family, puppies and dogs, then friends and followed by my hobbies.

CSINext continues to grow! We use to post these about every 90 days. But just in the last month, we've added another 2 new members. CSINext is please to welcome the following CSI members on CSINext.

• Christopher Little, CSI, CDT, LEED GA - January 2019
• Sandra Flores, CSI-EP - January 2019

Something else that is exciting is where our newest CSINext members are from. One member is from Georgia and the other from California. We hit both coast.

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

• 1 Year - David Graham, CSI
• 5 Years - Brian Stephens, CSI-EP, CCCA
• 6 Years - Mark Hagopian, CSI
• 7 Years - Randall Watterson, CSI, CDT
• 19 Years - Daniel Hargreaves, FCSI, CDT, AIA, RAS

A very special shout out to Brian Stephens celebrating 5 years as a member of CSI.

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

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

• 1 Year - Claudia Bello-Valbuena, CSI, NCARB
• 7 Years - Richard Poindexter, CSI
• 7 Years - Joni Zimmerman, CSI, CDT
• 9 Years - Karen Nelson, CSI, CDT
• 27 Years - Bryan Varner, FCSI, CDT, LEED AP
• 31 Years - James Whitfield II, FCSI, CCPR, CTC, LEED AP, USGBC

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

Last Fall CSINext had a webinar on Universal Design. The webinar wasn’t specific in how to do universal design. It was geared toward general concept. Focusing on Ramps as the main entrance, automatic dispensers and other areas. Instead of just meeting ADA or ANSI code. Take the principals of accessibility and treat them as a starting point not the final solution.

I had an RFI come in the other day. It was a request to change a couple dozen duct sizes on a building. The Owner, Mechanical Engineer and I were surprised. During the course of the design we ran clash detection. We felt good about the clearances for the ducts. The challenge with changing to many ducts is the impact on the system as a whole. But one step we always take is in our specifications is for the contractor to provide an above ceiling coordination drawing.

Just around the corner marks the one-year anniversary of The Artichoke’s Life. Besides one year, I did 37 (well, now 38) blogs. I started off with an ambitious goal. I wanted to do this blog twice a week. In the beginning, I was doing that. Then summer hit, and boy did it hit me, like a bug on the windshield of a car. OK, I probably just went too far with the visual. But that is how it felt at the time. So, I realized that I need to step back and keep it to once a week.

I recently went to another conference outside of CSI. Yep, they do exist. It was on Health Care Project Delivery #HCPD. It was a 2 day conference, and the first day was very well done. The better part of the morning was spent at educational round tables that doubled as Networking Opportunities. I won’t make the same mistake as I did on the DIY bench and promise a part 2 on the subject. But in a future blog I would like to visit some of the ideas presented at the conference. I took a lot of notes, so I’m sure I can pull something together. However, I did want to visit acronyms and abbreviations.