Steel Chris

What do you think?

2008-11-22T01:11:00.004-05:00

A couple of new paintings; one cute Puggle:

"Fall Bake Sale"

"The Silver Lining"

Gallery taking shape...

Starts with "Bakin' Progress"

Like the Jedi Master

Oh, the Torture...

I know Dexter is cute, but what do you think of the paintings?

My NeighborhoodWalk with Dexter - Pittsburgh

2008-11-11T22:47:00.015-05:00

Back in October, at PodCamp Pittsburgh 3, a group of attendees committed to posting individual NeighborhoodWalks on November 11, 2008. Like a good little Pittsburgher, here is my contribution to the NeighborhoodWalk project; aided by my trusty sidekick, Dexter.

(all photos a bit clearer when you click and view album)

Like always, Dexter and I take a stroll through our neighborhood(s) (Penn Avenue/Friendship/Bloomfield) a couple of times a day. Here's a look at the short, brisk walk down Gross Street towards Friendship Park.

Friendship Park is a wonderful, bite-sized park nestled behind The Western Pennsylvania Hospital. The elongated park is a haven for us local dog owners, as you'll typically see a handful of dogs parading around their owners - especially around 5PM.

The courtyards act as a magnet for activity during the summer, with all ages and walks of life converging on these benches and patches of grass.

"I can see Russia from here!"

Well, not quite, but you can see St. Joe's Catholic Church, the Hill District (both above), and The (new, big & colorful) Children's Hospital (below).

Dexter has a fine, deep rooted appreciation for sticks (as you'll see later). Now, even thought he'll eat those sticks and I have to fight to get them out of his mouth (and not down his throat), I appreciate the trees we have lining Friendship Park and the streets in my neighborhood.

Just on the corner of Gross St and Penn Ave, new construction grabs your eye. Three townhome lofts are going up here, and should be completed by the spring. The new Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is bound to bring in a few more residents to the area, and this new construction points to that near future.

We stop back by our place for a quick rest, aka stick chewing...

Speaking of our place - 4920 Penn Ave is the former home of The Sprout Fund, which is doing fantastic things to spread community arts and involvement.

Across from our place on Penn Avenue, you'll find some great art galleries (Modern Formations, Studio 5013, The Clay Penn), a design firm (Image Box), the punk rock scene (Garfield Artworks), Pittsburgh's most famous bike shop (Kraynick's Bike Shop), a dance/performance theater (Attack Theater) and some tasty eats (Calabria's, Pho Minh)!

The Allegheny Cemetery is less than a half-mile away, with the HUGE, ornate gate and towers reminding us of an earlier time.

And, again, The Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, opening in Spring 2009, reminding us of the future.

The Sprout Fund's projects are within walking distance in almost every direction from our house (it's old digs). Here is an example down on Penn Avenue, close to The Children's Hospital.

If you ever want a good draft, or to hear some crazy beats, then Brillobox is just around the corner (Penn Ave and Main St).

If you haven't checked out Unblurred on Penn Avenue, then check out my post here. This "First Friday" event has been one of the highlights of living on Penn Avenue. With the galleries, restaurants and shops opening up their collective doors, the sense of community is palpable as you "crawl" from space to space.

I'd be remiss if I didn't end with a couple more shots of Dexter doing what he does - looking cute:

That's it for my NeighborhoodWalk. If you're ever in my neck of the woods, come on by!

PodCamp Pittsburgh

2008-10-16T20:40:00.006-04:00

Free conference: Okay
Podcasting & Social Media: Aight, I'm in!

I am really looking forward to this weekend's PodCamp Pittsburgh, which is a free community UnConference, run by and for people who create, enjoy or are interested in learning more about social media.

Should be a fun learning experience.

Home Inspirations

2008-10-16T20:17:00.003-04:00

It's fun working on paintings for the house and thinking about simple ways to improve life at home here in the Steel City. Here is a photo gallery of inspirations:

I get most of my inspirations from Apartment Therapy and the New York Times' Home & Garden.

What about you?

More inspirations sure to come!

Bakin' Progress

2008-10-16T19:57:00.003-04:00

Worked on a new painting last night. Much bigger canvas than the others. Wanted a pop-art feel. Here's what pop'd out:

This one is actually the third or fourth round of revisions to the piece titled: "Bakin' Progress"

Add some more color.

No, no, no...all wrong!

I knew I could use those cupcake baking tins I bought for 35 cents each at the Goodwill!

These ones:

Shiny...

So far away.

Tommy suggested to scrape the top "baking" portion, just like the bottom. The scrapes (and black painting on the bottom) are actually from a tin can. Just took the paper wrapper off a can of corn, and voilà!

Up close.

The painting I made a couple of weeks ago, "EZ$," with some round Target mirrors.

I wanted to put these tins on the wall with the "Bakin' Progress" painting...but that might have been going a bit too far.

Now, I just need to go back to the art/hardware store to get the materials to hang the painting on the wall. I'll be sure to get those photos up once I do!

Hulu

2008-09-25T23:54:00.002-04:00

You should check out Hulu.

It's a great site for viewing TV shows and movies...and it's free.

smore art

2008-09-25T15:08:00.003-04:00

Another painting with my lovely letters -

Getting started on the hangyart -

Some spray paint here -

A chair back I found and turned into some thing -

Some reds, blues, and greens there -

Scratch that...yellow!

Tommy's new painting -

smore Tommy paintings -

Old paintings on the wall -

Hangyart on the pole -

Fun green stool (not THAT kind!) -

hangyart on the wall -

The Answer...

2008-09-25T15:01:00.003-04:00

Abe Lincoln, 70's red carpet, burns and a little bit of puff paint =

It's sure to be a conversation piece, that's for sure...

What do you get...

2008-09-24T16:47:00.001-04:00

...when you mix 70's red carpet, a cigarette, and Abe Lincoln?

House Tour on Sunday?

2008-09-19T00:36:00.002-04:00

There is this great house tour on Sunday in our neighborhood...thinking about going.

Here's the write-up:

15th Annual Friendship House Tour

On Sunday September 21, 2008 twelve Friendship homes and business owners open their doors and welcome guests to explore the history, architecture, creativity and innovative touch of their spaces.

Friendship will showcase the homes of local architects, past and present, as well as a wide range of homes from traditional to modern, each with fascinating architectural amenities. As an added bonus, the tour will feature the original home of architect Charles M. Bartberger and the Friendship School he designed. Also on the tour is The Waldorf School of Pittsburgh, housed in the former Lynch Mansion as well as local architectural firms, evolve environment :: architecture and EDGE studio, the tour starting point.

Apartment Therapy

2008-09-18T12:52:00.005-04:00

If you've not found this gem, be sure to check it out...often!

This blog is updated so much that it's fun to check back multiple times a day to find some super fun treasures and ideas for the home. You'll be hard-pressed NOT to be inspired by these pages.

ApartmentTherapy.com

"Urban Jungle"

2008-09-18T12:52:00.002-04:00

I need me one of these!!!

Interesting that these plants would be "completely" sustainable.

How could I do this at home? Hmm...

Artsy Fartsy

2008-09-07T20:42:00.006-04:00

Tommy and I had an art project today. I got inspired by Unblurred (see recent blog posts), and Tommy doesn't need inspiration...it flows naturally.

Check 'em out!

Tommy starting the project

From Artsy Fartsy

My first painting - "OK No.1"

From Artsy Fartsy

"Primary TKO!" taking shape...

From Artsy Fartsy

Adding schtuff...

From Artsy Fartsy

Schmearing Schtuff...

From Artsy Fartsy

Close-up of the metallic stickers

From Artsy Fartsy

Deep in thought...

From Artsy Fartsy

Tommy's first piece of art of the night

From Artsy Fartsy

Working on his No.2

From Artsy Fartsy

"OK No.1" with the varnish finish

From Artsy Fartsy

"Primary TKO!" with the varnish

From Artsy Fartsy

Tommy's finished second piece

From Artsy Fartsy

Tommy's two masterpieces - BRILLIANT!

From Artsy Fartsy

Two fun Chinese take-out boxes (we didn't make these...duh!)

From Artsy Fartsy

My two paintings together

From Artsy Fartsy

Not bad for a first try!!

Thoughts?

Unblurred - SUCCESS

2008-09-05T22:56:00.002-04:00

I ventured out to my first Unblurred tonight, and it was an absolute success (that sounds like a vodka...). I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I had a great time! I ran into a guy that I met in the park (dog owner), and I proceeded to affix myself to his group of friends. It was a good strategy, because I got introduced to so many gallery owners and neighbors in my 'hood.

People I met tonight (for my sake of remembering):

-Brian Czarniecki (guy I met earlier this week in the park, local radio DJ)
-Fred (His Partner/Pittsburgh Encyclopedia)
-Greg (Brian and Fred's good friend)
-John Columbo (Photographer who lives across the street; his photography blog)
-Smith and Don (own Garfield Artworks building)
-John Mahood and his wife (Founders of ImageBox and owners of the building)
-Manny (runs Garfield Artworks)
-Catherine (lives on S Millvale in the "haunted house")
-and a few others I can't recall at this moment.

We visited the International Children's Art Gallery, Most Wanted Fine Art, ModernFormations Gallery, ImageBox, John Columbo's Apt, BrilloBox, and a couple other venues in between.

Each gallery had free beer and wine, which helped with the mingling (sounds like Yuengling...the beer), that's for sure. BrilloBox turned out to be very cool, and I can't wait to visit again. Some great paintings in there that I would love to buy, and some beer I would like to try again!

A perfect Friday night, me thinks!

Well, Tommy wasn't here to enjoy the night, so it could've been a little better...

Unblurred

2008-09-05T13:12:00.004-04:00

Tonight will be my first experience with Unblurred - Galleries, bars, restaurants, and performance art venues opening their collective doors on the First Friday of each month. This monthly event is unique to the Penn Avenue Arts District community, and I'm looking forward to checking this out!

Maybe I can find some fun art!

Life in the 'Burgh - So far

2008-09-04T21:29:00.001-04:00

We've been in Pittsburgh for just under 4 weeks, and I can honestly say that I love it so far! The area we live in is on the boarder of the Friendship and Garfield neighborhoods, but it is affectionately dubbed the Penn Avenue Arts District. Here is an old map of the district, and if you click on the Sprout Fund, that's our house! The Sprout Fund is a nonprofit that supports grassroots art projects and initiatives throughout Pittsburgh. Many of the murals and public art displays have been funded from this great organization. Here are a couple examples:

We still get a few people knocking on our door thinking it's the Sprout Fund. Luckily, the nonprofit is just down the street.

There was one website that really helped us learn more about our new neighborhood and city - Pop City Media. Pop City has a wealth of information and news about each neighborhood, detailing the community dynamics, housing, arts, restaurants, and much much more. Check out our neighborhood HERE!

When we first pulled up to 4920 Penn Ave, we realized the interesting community we had. "Ghetto" could be used to describe our surroundings, but it's not as harsh as the word indicates. See, we're on the edge of Friendship (which is a little "older") and Garfield (the semi-ghetto), and those two combine to make the Arts District...so, we have a TON of galleries all along our stretch of Penn Ave. Modern Formations, The Clay Penn, and The Pittsburgh Glass Center to name a few.

We'll even have the Indie Punk-Rock Art kids hanging out just across the street at Garfield Artworks, which typically has bands playing on Friday and Saturday nights. It's loud, especially with the bar Envy just across the street, but it just about on par with our first place in Chicago. We both enjoy the liveliness of the area, and we're happy we're here.

Another interesting feature about the area is that the new Children's Hospital is opening up just a mile away in Spring of 2009. It's a gigantic hospital, covering 10 acres and consisting of 1.5 Million square feet of medical space. It's going to be state-of-the-art, and the brightly colored complex is a wonderful site when traveling to our neighborhood. Plus, the resident doctors will have to live within 1-2 miles of the hospital, and our area is expected to attract a good number of those doctors. I believe that would be called gentrification...

Dexter has been doing well with his new city. While we were preparing to move from Chicago, Dexter was getting very anxious, not eating properly, and was just overall crazy. Not being in a home, between moving out of Chicago and moving to Pittsburgh, for 10 days didn't help, either. It did take him a few days to adjust to the new living space, as it's much more room for him to roam around and get in trouble. We've met quite a few dog owners and dogs in our neighborhood on our daily walks. The people are super nice around us, with almost everyone you pass saying hello.

The dogs, on the other hand, are a LOT more territorial than the dogs in Chicago. Barking and snipping are common methods to say, "howdy." There aren't the dog parks and beaches (well, duh no beaches) in this neighborhood for the dogs to socialize. But, I have heard of a couple off-leash dog parks in Pittsburgh, so Dexter and I will have to check those out ASAP! We have, though, met a nice little old lady who invites Dexter over almost every single morning for treats and to play with her little doggie. It's cute, but Dexter does go psycho to get her treats. I think she has laced those treats with bacon...pretty sure.

From The Last Supper

I'm really glad Dexter is enjoying the new house and city. I wish we had a yard for him to play in, but we'll/he'll live!

The last thing I'll leave you with this evening is that our house has 40+ electical outlets, not including the basement. 40. So if you visit, then you'll definitely have a place to charge your cell/computer/whatevergadget.

Thanks for reading!

Cavaliers Anniversary Corps/The Cavaliers 60th Anniversary

2008-09-04T20:09:00.000-04:00

This past summer was the 60th Anniversary of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, and our final performance was at DCI Semi-Finals on August 8 (my b-day) in Bloomington, IN. This effort was formally started back in December of 2007, and it was quite the wild ride! I was able to attend almost every rehearsal during the Winter and Spring. The local brass guys even got together each Tuesday at a VFW post out by O'Hare Airport to have sectionals. It was such an honor to participate with all of these alumni. Yes, I could have met all of these guys at a show or Cavaliers outing, but I developed friendships with so many gentleman who represent the fabric of Cavalier History. I marched with two guys from the ORIGINAL 1948 corps!!! I mean, come on, that's unreal!!!

From CAC-DCI 2008

The Anniversary Corps (888) was one portion of the 60th Anniversary activities that included a Tribute Banquet to Don Warren (the corps' Founder) and an Endowment fund that has already raised HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. That Endowment Fund will help The Cavaliers continue to be at the forefront of the drum corps activity for MANY years to come. What a great way to celebrate the current corps, our history, and our future during this 60th summer of the Green Machine!

Here at videos of each movement of the Cavaliers Anniversary Corps' performance in Bloomington on August 8. The throw-back program represented some of the corps' most notable tunes throughout history - enjoy!

DCI Finals immediately followed that madness described above. The Cavaliers' "Samurai" program was a moving, beautiful piece of art that highlighted the corps' strengths to a T! While the corps did place 3rd (Blue Devils, 2nd; Phantom Regiment 1st - first outright win in that corps' history), everyone associated with The Cavaliers was just beside themselves with pride and compliments. Great job guys! Check out the Cavaliers' website, cavaliers.org, for updates on the upcoming 2009 auditions and program.

On August 10th, the day after DCI Finals, Tommy and I attend The Cavaliers' Banquet wrapping up the 2008 season. The overwhelming theme was that the members has an incredible summer. That's all I need to hear to know the summer was a success. We then drove to Tommy's sister Danielle's place to pick up Dexter. Dexter had been staying there for about 5 days while I doing the Anniversary Corps and Tommy was teaching. Then we headed out for PA...and that's where the other blog post picks up.

I'll start another post to wrap this three-, maybe four-, part series...

Official Pittsburgher...

2008-08-13T18:41:00.000-04:00

As the title claims - I am an official Pittsburgher (insert joke here)!!!

Tommy and I arrived in Pittsburgh on August 10th, a Sunday night, with a car full of clothes, essentials, and Dexter (of course). The weather couldn't have been more perfect for the six-hour drive from Indianapolis to 4920 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA. Each time I had visited Pittsburgh (once for house search/contract signing, and the other for the "smooth" closing), the soggy conditions dominated my stay. I kept hearing how, "the sun doesn't shine in Pittsburgh." I didn't want to believe that nonsense, as I had just signed a 30-yr mortgage in the Steel City, and I couldn't bare the thought of an overcast life. I mention this because we had such beautiful weather on the drive across Indiana, Ohio, and the sliver of West Virginia, but just as as we crossed into Pennsylvania...we get the Dreaded Drizzle. Just perfect, I say.

Now we've had our fair share of precip during the first week in Pittsburgh, but sunshine and clear skies have definitely given us a hearty welcome to the Keystone State ever since.

I'll back up just a little. I haven't blogged in many, many months, so I'll spare you the year in review/catch up. Let's start at May...okay!

Tommy and I signed the contract for the new house in Pittsburgh (see photo album below) back in Mid-May. We flew to Pittsburgh on a Friday morning - arriving at 9:30am. We got the rental car, headed to get Tommy's fingerprints recorded (for his teaching gig), grabbed a bit to eat a McDonald's (with a crazy bird harassing us in the parking lot), and finally made our way downtown to meet with our real estate agent at noon.

I found the real estate agent from MoneySmartPittsburgh.com. It was a nice website that highlighted a three-person team (real estate agent, mortgage specialist, and financial planner) that worked together to deliver the "whole package." I thought it was a great idea to combine the essential players in the home buying process...so I contacted Dani Gundlach and we had ourselves an agent!

We drove around to a few of the listings beforehand, so that we could get a feel for the neighborhoods. At first, we were a little intimidated by the particular neighborhood's "roughness" and terrain, but once Dani got us in for the first viewing, we calmed down. If you haven't been to Pittsburgh, or Western PA for that matter, the terrain is incredibly scenic and consists primarily of huge hills and mountains. A few of the streets we ventured early on reminded me of those crazy streets in San Francisco. Parking brake a must. Drive a stick...good luck!

The first three houses we visited were typical Pittsburgh row houses on the North Side. One of them, I remember, had five bedrooms, two and a half baths, and a deck. Another had a new, impeccable kitchen. All three were well within our price range. The fourth and fifth houses were Eve Picker houses/lofts. Eve Picker is a somewhat famous Pittsburgh architect who was instrumental in starting the loft conversion movement in the Three Rivers region. The fourth house was another row house, but had been recently gutted. The deep red walls continued throughout the house, which was interesting, but the unit just didn't do it for us. Then, we came to the fifth house on the list. I had seen all of the listings online, via the MLS, Craigslist, or a variety of other venues, but this one took our collective breath away when we stepped in the door. The pictures did not do this place justice, that's for sure...well, mine do, sorta!

As soon as we left the unit, we pounced! Dani rushed us back to her office to submit a bid. You see, there were other parties interested in the unit, and the owner was off to Australia the very next morning and would be away for a month. We didn't want to wait a month to get this purchase on the path to closing, and we surely didn't want to give another buyer the chance to, well, snatch up this find. After a few back and forth calls between Dani and the owner's management company, Eve Picker accepted our offer! We signed the sales agreement by 5:30PM...on Friday. So, it took us from noon to 5:30 to sign on a house...hasty, but we are SO thrilled with the purchase.

There was a little drama with the closing, but we finally sealed the deal and had our keys on Friday, June 27. Oh, did I mention that this house is a duplex? We have two 1bd/1ba loft units, and we are renting out the back unit. This definitely helps with mortgage payment.

After the all the closing "activities," we had one more month in Chicago. Tommy was primarily busy with The Cavaliers and their 2008 production, "Samurai," while I was trying to enjoy all that Chicago had to offer. Dexter and I lived it up and the dog parks/beaches ever chance we had. It was a great last summer in Chicago, and I wouldn't have changed a thing.

We had a "Last Supper" party to give us our farewell from Chicago. Lots of beer, brats, and beef skewers...

With almost three years notched in Chicago, I couldn't have imagined a better place to experience life right out of college.

I'll post this and get part 2 out...soon...

It's snowing here in Chicago, and I saw Billy Joel the other night!!

2007-12-04T22:30:00.000-05:00

Well, it's coming down out there, that's for sure. The Midwest is in store for 24 hours of steady snow...which is great! Dexter and I really enjoy this time of year. The more snow, the better!

Here are a few photos of Dexter playing around in that fluffy white stuff:

Now, we're just waiting for some more snow to fall. Dexter really prefers to dive through the snow...almost there. Check out these videos of Dexter:

OH! So, this past Saturday, I get a call from my friend Corrine letting me know that her bud has free tickets to the Billy Joel concert just outside of Chicago, and she's wondering if I'd like to go. Initially, I declined becauseI wasn't sure about leaving Dexter by himself that night and the weather wasn't too nice. Just after I hung up the phone, I thought to myself, "You dork! When else are you going to see Billy Joel!?" So, I get back on the horn as quickly as I can to accept the offer. Luckily none of her other friends had accepted her offer yet!

I drove us out to Hoffman Estates (northwest Suburb) in the snow/rain, or as they say in the Midwest - "Wintry Mix," without a hitch. While the weather was brutal, the concert was absolutely fantastic! Billy Joel is quite the amazing performer, and he surely put on a show that night. Here are some photos:

More to come real soon!

Holiday Plans, more

2007-10-29T21:08:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to figure out my travel plans for the holidays this year of 2007. Here's what I'm thinking:

Thanksgiving - Stay here is Chicago

Christmas/New Year's- Possible Road Trip through Hammond, Indy, Atlanta, and Orlando...

Sound good? Still in the planning phase...obviously.

Tommy and I almost got another puppy, but we both decided this probably wasn't the best time to get a new canine bud. I'd like to wait until after the holidays when we're not traveling as much. It won't be too much longer until we get Dexter a little play pal.

What else is on the mind?????

I need to decide on what I'm going to be getting Nathan and Elijah for this Christmas. Whatever I get them, I can't wait until I get to play with them again! I miss those chubby cheeks (two pair) - something fierce.

For the past few days, I've been feeling a little under the weather...boo hoo. Hopefully it's only with me for a short time. Being sick blows (my nose).

Tommy and I went grocery shopping last night. It was the first time in probably two months since we had been grocery shopping last. Yeah, why is it that we wait so long in between Jewel-Osco purchases? Lots of eating out.

Oh what else...

It's getting cold here in Chicago. Actually, it's nice and crisp. I'm waiting for the first snow so I can take Dexter out for a dive in that white stuff. It's good to have seasons, for sure.

that is all.for now.

Flaming squirrel ignites car in Bayonne Hudson County Now - NJ.com

2007-10-19T15:53:00.000-04:00

Flaming squirrel ignites car in Bayonne Hudson County Now - NJ.com

The Terror...

2007-09-03T23:25:00.000-04:00

Dexter and I went to the beach today, and these three little pups did NOT like Dexter in their space...

Happy Birthday Tommy!

2007-08-31T00:39:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Tommy's 23rd birthday this past Tuesday. Here's a picture of the ill-fated cake...

I took too long trying to light all the candles, and trick candles (see tall, melted ones in the back), and all of them melted onto the cake! Blast!

Oh well, didn't do much damage to the cake itself...still tasted scrumptious!

Also, notice that "Happy" is in fact, "HOppy."

Tommy had a Hoppy, Hoppy Birthday.

Grandma's feeling better, while Dex is dirty...

2007-08-31T00:30:00.000-04:00

So, Grandma Lugo is feeling better. Last Saturday, I got to see Grandma and Grandpa Lugo out in Hammond to celebrate Grandma's return home from the hospital. She still knows how to pose for the camera, that's for sure...

Just got back from walking Dexter around the neighborhood. We meet a new dog just outside the apartment on our way back in, and Dexter got to 'horse' around with his new pal for a good time. Of course, the dogs want to wrestle in the dirt...not the grass, so Dex has quite the dirty coat right now. He needs a bath tonight. Look at his grin...

Water and wood

2007-08-27T23:13:00.000-04:00

Zink

2007-08-24T10:35:00.000-04:00

I think my mom is going to like this one.

Zink is a new technology/company pioneering 'zero ink' printing. The really cool thing is that these printers can be small enough for a pocket, or embedded in a device...like a camera. So, this might become the 21st Century version of the Polaroid camera.

More here!

splash

2007-08-24T10:28:00.000-04:00

Dexter & Me

2007-08-22T23:36:00.000-04:00

When Tommy and I first got Dexter, my neighbor Shoshana let me borrow the book 'Marley & Me,' by John Grogan. Almost a year later, I finally finish the read. I'm sure glad I did, because this surely was an unforgettable story.

If you have a dog, then you should definitely read Grogan's book. It's such a personal, heartfelt recollection of a crazy, loyal dog through its life. I thought Dexter was bad sometimes...yeah, not so much. The story makes me remember just how intensely dedicated dogs are to their owners. Dexter has that loyalty. I'm grateful for it, for him.

California

2007-08-13T11:41:00.001-04:00

So, DCI Finals were out in California this year, which was way cool! First time DCI has held the event west of Denver since, well, ever. Of course, I waited until the last minute to buy my plane ticket, so it wasn't cheap. I wound up teaching a band camp the week of Finals, and scheduled the flight for Thursday evening. I go help out with the kids from 1-430pm, then try to "rush" back to the apartment to go to the airport with Tommy. A little thing called Chicago rush-hour traffic had something to say about that.

I got home a bit later than anticipated, hop in a cab with Tommy, and then proceed to look anxiously at the cabbie to STEP ON IT!

We left in such a flurry that even the impecable fashion sense of Tommy was left behind as he proudly wore one tan sandal, and one blue sandal (picture to come).

Finally, we reach Midway Airport (not my fav), see the LINE at Southwest, and decide to curbside check. The rep checks us in, but kindly informs us that the flight has been delayed by three hours (to 11:45pm, original to leave at 8:40pm). Darn! IF we ONLY had checked the flight status BEFORE we left, then I would not have been pittin' my shirt to ruins... (sweating, for those of you in a deoderized box). We get through the security line and to the gate, only to find out that our flight was delayed...again. This time to 12 something (am). Tommy and I plunk down at the closet available outlet to catch the results of the Quarter-Finals performance that was going on that Thursday night in Pasadena. I ocassionally check the flight status on southwest.com: 1am, then 2am, then 3am. Is this flight going to take off? Tommy get in line to ask the Southwest representatives, which was an adventure in itself. I guess the "irrational" and pissed-off customers who just wanted ANY sort of information had overwhelmed the staff, that resorted to not answering ANY questions and verbally snapping back. Security was beckoned. Shouting, tempers, and "enforcement" on Segways didn't make for a desireable situation. The updates I was seeing online were not being communicated to the patrons. Probably one of the worst displays of customer service I've witnessed.

The flight gets bumped "back" to a 1am departure. We arrive at LAX around 3am, go to the Hertz rental location, and wait in another line. I was tired and didn't question the car I was getting...Miss Take. Tommy and I get to spot H187, or whatever it was, and see a grand, big-ole, 1998-looking Ford Taurus. I reserved a Ford Escort, or similar, so that I could have a small, fuel efficient vehicle. The Taurus was the opposite of that. Drove like a party boat, really. Oh well, at least there was a sunroof. But, the "Ford" emblem on the front grill was upside down...yeah, GH-ET-TOe

We got directions to La Mirada High School in La Mirada, California. This was the corps' housing site for Finals week. Pull up to the place around 4am, and spend the next 30 minutes trying to figure how to penetrate the compound-like campus. Really. It was 430am by the time we figure things out, and we just sleep in the car (there was plenty of room). I swear there was a rooster cock-a-doodle-dooing around 6am. Tommy thinks I was hearing things...maybe, but I don't think so. Also, the grounds crew started its tasks around 7am. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep, but that's what trips are about, right?

Fast forward to Friday night after Semi-Finals at the annual DCI Staff Party. I wasn't on staff anywhere, but Tommy was, so I was "invited" along. I ran into lots of familiar faces, which is always fun. Large number of former Cavalier drum majors were there. We should have taken a picture...we didn't.

On Saturday, day o' Finals, my original plan was to meet Marilyn at the Rose Bowl for the DCI Finals viewing experience. After some discussion, I decided that I would just drive out to Marilyn's place (Northwest of L.A.), and then drive together to the Rose Bowl. Tommy and I were staying at Marilyn's house after Finals, so it only made sense that we drive out to Pasadena together and save gas.

Driving to Marilyn's place was a short lesson in L.A. traffic; leave early! Once I got to Marilyn's, the ride to Pasadena was surprisingly quick. Luckily, I had a "DCI" parking pass, so parking wasn't an issue. Getting to the parking lot, on the other hand, was an issue. It's hard to imagine that place accomodating a huge sporting event, i.e. - The Rose Bowl. Long story long, we get in to the desireable parking lot (adjacent to the corps bus lot) and head into the stadium just in time. Neither Marilyn, nor I, could pass up the funnel cakes as we looked to take our seats. I was carrying nachos, drinks, and the funnel cake, all the while trying to navigate the crowds. Needless to say, powdered sugar was EVERYWHERE! Marilyn and I looked like we walked off the set of 'Scarface' with all that white stuff...

Here's the view from the stands:

The powdered sugar didn't just amuse us outside the stadium, but also in our smaller-than-any-stadium-seats-I-have-ever-sat-in seating. I mean, they seats were great; 45-40 yard line, about 60 rows up (great view), but the aisles where minscul, really. Given the environment, we had no choice but to "dust" the man sitting in front of us with the powder. Quite funny. Especially when he was standing/sitting on the back of the seat to give Marilyn the "view." Here he is eating what looked to be the greasiest food item around (can't see the grease glare we were catching):

So, I thought that just about every corps had a stellar performance for DCI Finals. I'd say 11 out of 12. The most impressive aspect of the night/season was seeing programs from Colts, Bluecoats, Carolina Crown, and Santa Clara Vanguard really picking up from previous seasons. Also, the top three each SOLD their programs, and I think the placements were pretty much correct:

DCI World Championship - 08/11/2007

1. Blue Devils - 98.000
2. The Cadets - 97.025
3. The Cavaliers - 96.350
4. Phantom Regiment - 94.850
5. Santa Clara Vanguard - 94.175
6. Carolina Crown - 94.150
7. Bluecoats - 94.050
8. Blue Knights - 90.275
9. Boston Crusaders - 89.100
10. Colts - 86.150
11. Glassmen - 85.750
12. Spirit of JSU - 84.500

Highlights: 'Hide and Seek' performed by Spirit; Glassmen's opening; Colts' new uniforms, strong brass; Boston's crazy guard; BK's corps movement and brass licks; Exciting begining of the season for 'Coats, uniforms, performance level, and program; Crown's pheonominal brass and colorguard, and 'race' to the finish; Vanguard's visual program, home-town appeal; Phantom's opening number and drumline; The different musical approach The Cavaliers took, it's guard, and opener; Crazy marching from The Cadets, and incredible demand; and finally the impecible ensemble the Blue Devils fielded this year...and those wings!

Some more photos:

Alan Boyer, James Boyer's dad, has followed in the path my mom laid while I was in the corps. I remember in 2005 when my mom was giving Alan the green hair paint in New England. I wound up sitting a few seats away from Alan, and all I have to say is wow!

Here's a father of a guard member, who got his uniform just in time for DCI!

After retreat, Marilyn and I hung out in the parking lot with the Cavalier folk. We ran into Marilyn's old winterguard director, who is an alumnus of The Cavaliers. We ate some pizza with the corps, and took some pictures for Tommy and his staff pals. Then we made the trip back to Marilyn's place.

Sunday morning, Marilyn, Dave (her boyfriend), Tommy and I head to Malibu beach to have a late breakfast (a "brunch," if you will) on the Pacific. There were some crazy curves on the way through the mountains, or hills, or whatever they were.

I wound up denying Courtney Cox Arquette and her husband David Arquette from a parking spot ourside of the restaurant...For real. Didn't realize it was her at first, but some people waiting to get inside were saying, "I think that was Courtney Cox!" When we stepped inside, Courtney and crew were sitting right there at the entrance. She's a messy eater...

We all checked out the beach before the meal. Very picturesque:

After eating breakfast, and saying goodbye to Marilyn and Dave, Tommy and I took the scenic Pacific Coast Highway back to LAX. Wow, what a drive! Dramatic houses on the hills, expensive cars, and lots of beach.

I'll wrap this up. Southwest, again, disappointed on the way home. Lines longer than the ones I've seen during Thanksgiving at O'Hare. Just nuts. For the inside line, we were waiting all the way outside. Originally I thought we had a direct flight back to Chicago...nope. L.A. to Phoenix, Phoenix to St. Louis, and then St. Louis to Chicago's Midway. Yesh, three flights. Once we got back to Chicago, the Orange Line (train) was down. So, we had to take a bus...from Midway. Yeah, not the best thing. We get downtown, and we decide to take a cab the rest of the way. Not sure this guy had ever been outside of downtown, because when I gave him the streets, he honestely didn't know which way to go. This cabbie was probably the most timid taxi driver I've experienced, ever. We finally got back to our place after a very slow ride to the North Side.

In conclusion, California was great. You should go.

Birthdays, a Grill, and a "Spontaneous" Visit (a new position, too)

2007-08-04T15:24:00.000-04:00

Okay, okay, okay.

I'll try to keep this post in chronological order.

June 22 marked Nathan's third birthday! My mom and I made the trips down to Florida to celebrate with the crew from the South. We decided to celebrate Elijah's birthday at the same time, which reminded me of the summer birthday parties from when I was younger. From the moment I stepped off the plane, it seemed like I was playing with the kids the entire trip, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Lots of wrestling, tackling, pillow fights, swinging, splashing, and all around FUN! Here is the visual run-down of the trip (credit to Mom for all the fantastic photos):

They call me, Spider Nate, MAN!

Don't get me wrong, the cake is good. I just think it needs a little more chocolate...

Black belt in NINJA (turtles)!!

Elmo...what a guy!?

Surfin' FLA!

The toss...

The jump...

The Terminator!

The assassin!

Prepare for ANNIHILATION!

No Nathan, like THIS!

C-H-E-E-S-E!!!

Down is the new up.

XTREME SWINGING!

Mount Tio

Basic Training

So, utes got a lectrical problem, huh?

Bubble-licious

That's MR. HOOP-HEAD to you!

Man-to-man-to-Elmo talk.

Ocoee Ink, Inc.

When I get nervous, I stick my foot under my armpits, and then I smell it....like this....SUPERSTAR!

Hey Mom, that looks cool!

I take it back.

Takin' my break...finally!

Nathan and Elijah are both growing up way too quickly, in my opinion. Elijah is already taking classes to become an electrician, and Nathan is already getting tattoos and learning how to use his sword! Ya'll better watch out!

I had an absolute blast in Florida. I hope I get to do it again sometime real soon!

Mom, Robert and Kawika got the chance to take a "spontaneous" up North in July. The drove up from Atlanta, stayed at a some nice Hyatts, visited Sara and Ken, and made their way to Chicago. We hit up the skate parks, Sears Tower, Wrigley Field, and more skate parks. Throw in some grilling (Thanks Mom and Robert for the grill!) and we've got ourselves a successful Chicago visit!

See:

Kawika thrashing the park.

Former tallest building in the world...

Wrigley Field is THAT way!

Awe...

Chicago STUFFED crust pizza.

The chef, in his natural habitat.

Me and the pup.

Mom's best friend from high school made the BBQ!

What's so funny?

My neighbors. Moments later, strawberry smashed all over someone's face...

Me and my Aunt! We spiked the chicken with Tequila...

Me and Tommy, the entertainers.

(See welcome message in picture)

Cubs taking on the Padres.

The wave?

Group picture!

Cubs win 12-1, take THAT Barry Bonds!

THE sign.

Skate park near my place, good enough for a pro like Kawika.

I guess this will do...

Why are you yelling at me, Kawika?!

Your eyes must be bleeding already, so I'll wrap it up. I started a new position with IBM a couple of weeks ago. The new role is essentially building marketing events and activities to target our small and medium business customers. I think it will be a good change, and I'm already liking my responsibilities a LOT more than the previous position.

I leave you with a message from the Terminator:

"I'll be backkk."

Car, Cavaliers, and a Dog at the Beach

2007-06-18T16:35:00.000-04:00

Well, well, well...

Again, I have neglected all of you for so long. How do you survive? I'll have to run through the latest happenings in my world. No need to waste time. Just like the "Price is Right," Tommy and I won the Showcase Showdown and got a NEW CAR!!!

See:

How's this for tardiness? We bought the car at the beginning of May, and it's now August. The BRIGHT red Mazda 3 is treating us both well. Pretty good gas mileage and lots of pep. This one will be good for a few years...I hope.

Dexter and I have been spending LOTS of time at the beach lately. My neighbors have a video of Dexter swimming on his own for one of the first times. It's a riot, trust me. I'll try to get that video up here soon.

We celebrated Dexter's birthday at the end of June by going to the...you guessed it...doggy beach:

Once we get about a block from Lake Shore Drive, Dexter knows exactly where we are going. His doggy senses kick in, and he tries to drag me to the beach as quickly as he can. The only bad thing about the doggy beach is that Dexter tries to force himself onto every single dog there. Most dogs are playing with, and paying attention to, their owners. Not our pup. Dexter tries to get all the dogs to play with him, and avoids me like the plague. We're working on this, tough, and he's slowly coming around to not being so...how should we say...psycho.

Here are a few of the rascal terrorizing the beach:

Did I mention that Dexter LOVES to dig?

Party getting busted up at the clandestine dog beach...(The "dog" beach closer to my place isn't actually a dog beach)

I have been volunteering with The Cavaliers when I can this summer. Mostly, I am just selling shirts and souvenirs, but I had the opportunity to lend a hand on the cook truck in Tennessee. Wait, Tennessee?

I made a long trek down to Murfreesboro, TN, and then onto Atlanta, GA in the middle of July. I took a Thursday and Friday off from work, and drove down Wednesday night. By Wednesday night, I mean I tried to go to sleep before I left, couldn't sleep, thought to myself, "I'll just start driving at midnight and pull over when I get tired, never got tired (Thanks Monster!), and pulled into Murfreesboro, TN at 7:45 that morning. I get to the corps' housing site, sleep for approximately two hours, wake up because I'm having trouble staying asleep, and then go help out on the cook truck until after lunch is served. Then, I lay down for about another two hours, got a call from Grandpa Strange (not that strange) giving me directions to a McDonald's close to the Middle Tennessee State University campus (we were meeting for dinner), spend about 20 minutes trying to remember those directions while driving around lovely Murfreesboro (no way I'm going to remember something you told me when I have just come out of a sleep coma), find the apparent only OTHER McDonald's in that city, and then finally make my way to the correct Golden Arches for some grub. Grandpa and I had a great conversation about, well, a lot of stuff. Just plain old catching up, really.

The next day wasn't as sleep deprived, but almost. After staying up until 2am, or so, I get up at 7am to go prepare breakfast with Mary Waldukat and crew. Mary keeps the corps fed ALL summer long, which is just impressive. I had a blast helping out, and I hope to give more of my time next summer to the Cavaliers' cook truck.

The corps has been doing really well this summer, as well as most of the 'top 7.' The corps currently sits in second place, behind The Cadets. It should be a very interesting finish to the season this next week in Pasadena, CA.

Speaking of Pasadena, Tommy and I are flying out this upcoming Thursday to California. Tommy will be teaching the corps (as he has all summer), and I will be selling some shirts! For Finals, Marilyn Carter and I will be watching the show together. I haven't seen her in about three years, so this will be a very long overdue reunion of sorts.

Oh yeah, so the Naperville, IL show (Cavaliers' home show) was two Fridays ago. I help out at one of the gates (yellow vest and all) and see lots of familiar faces. Two I didn't expect to see were Aunt Sara and Uncle Ken! Those sly folks. I end up watching the last two corps of the evening with them, and after the show (before the scores) the show staff draws for the 50/50 raffle. Guess who wins? No, not me, but SARA! Ha, she screamed when the numbers were announced! That was certainly a welcomed surprise for the Livengoods.

I'll end this post so it's not unreadable...

More to come

Talk about living the dream...

2007-04-10T12:35:00.000-04:00

1. Man dreams of phone number.
2. Man text messages dream number, "Did I meet you last night?"
3. Couple weds.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21531273-13762,00.html

4. Man text messages new wife, "Hey. I think got the wrong number. My bad."

Eggcelent

2007-04-08T22:52:00.000-04:00

Tommy and I were joined by Zach for Easter dinner, which consisted of [turkey] Sloppy Joe's and Tater Tots. Unconventional, yet satisfying. Then the egg coloring comensed:

Happy Easter!

Pen, pencil, notebook, ruler, iPod...

2007-04-07T22:05:00.000-04:00

Michigan state Democrats want to give an iPod to every student...Radical-ish!

http://news.com.com/2061-10801_3-6174170.html

Dear Michigan,

I was a student in Florida. Can you convince Florida's Democrats to reimburse me for the iPod I bought?

Thanks in advance,
Chris

Did you know this?

2007-04-06T17:37:00.000-04:00

A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.

A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.

A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

A snail can sleep for three years. (So can Tommy)

Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.

YOUR Google Map

2007-04-06T01:46:00.000-04:00

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-15745843.htm

Google is allowing its users to make maps. Highlight your vacation route, add pictures and video to locations you've been, document personal restaurant reviews in your area, etc.

Pretty cool stuff. I suggested that The Cavaliers use this, or something like it, for the summer. This would provide a nice way for fans and family to interact with the site, "see" where the corps is going/where it has been, and use the map for planning a trip to a show (find local hotel, coffee shop).

Check it out!

http://maps.google.com

Ultimate "video-blog?"

2007-04-06T00:48:00.000-04:00

http://www.justin.tv/

This guy Justin Kan is wearing a camera 24/7, and on his site you can watch him during all hours of the day. Even when he's going to the bathroom or on a date.

Sort of creepy, yes. But looks like society is heading in this voyeuristic approach to sharing information, anyway. If you want to watch me pick my nose, all you have to do is ask!

http://blogs.business2.com/beta/2007/04/not_ready_justi.html

So, a Coyote walks in to a Quiznos...

2007-04-05T01:18:00.000-04:00

Coyote a cool customer at Chicago sandwich shop - CNN.com

March [and a little April] Madness and a shaved head

2007-04-04T16:42:00.000-04:00

I'll stop promising that I'm going to keep this blog regularly updated, because we both know it won't happen. With my neglect of timliness comes this LONG post.

The exciting "stuff" started happening just before the trip to Atlanta (see below) with a concert. Not just any concert, but Justin Timberlake. Tommy and I were joined by our friends Zach and Traci at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Il as "JT" put on a great show. The tickets stated "No Cameras, Video or Audio Recorders," but don't you know most everyone had some sort of camera out at all times. Here are a couple of shots as proof:

Later on in the week, Tommy and I made our trip to Atlanta. Mom and Robert had been planning this gathering for quite some time, and it definitely did NOT disappoint! There were a total of 17 in attendance: Tutu, Mom, Robert, Kawehi, Holeka, Kawika, Angela, Nathan, Elijah, Noe, Brayden, Jesse, Sky, Michelle, Becca, Tommy and Me (count 'em).

We all had an absolutely stellar time! Here are some of the highlights:

Guitar Hero - I was awesome, but not as awesome as Michelle and Becca!

Fishing

Anti-dehydration Seminar

Robert's band, Premonition

Celebrating Tutu's 90th Birthday!

Meeting the Family

Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball

The Food

Interviewing Tutu

Sweet sounds of Holeka

Hanging with Nathan, Kawika

Georgia Aquarium

Marietta Square

And just having a good 'ole time

If you've gotten this far, then you can go a bit more.

The trip to Atlanta is certainly one Tommy or I will never forget. We need to do this more often!

Okay, after all that excitement, there was a bit of a lull. Bloc Party concert here, getting fillings at the dentist there; I decided I needed a change...visually.

So I had my head shaved!

Then I made this nifty collage:

I really like the new look. It's a much needed change to that mop that used to be on my head.

If you haven't heard, the Florida Gators beat the Ohio State Buckeyes for the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship. You might be saying to yourself, "Didn't the Gators pumile the Buckeyes back in January for the BCS Football Championship?" YES! Ohio State didn't learn its lesson in January, so it came back for "round two."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0704/gallery.cbb.title.game/content.1.html

Silly Buckeye, Championships are for Gators.

Alright, I have more, but I fear this post is ridiculous in its length. More to come!

Looking for a way

2007-02-28T22:22:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about this a lot lately - Volunteering - giving back to my community. It's always on my mind, but I really want to do something about it, now. The most obvious area I'd like to start making a difference is with the homeless. I walk by at least one homeless person every time I'm out, and I wonder what would it take to impact that person's life? To brighten their day? To ensure they're going to eat before they sleep?

How would I survive if I were homeless? If I didn't have a family or a support system, could I make it on the streets of Chicago during the winter? I'd like to think that wouldn't happen, but life comes at you fast (courtesy of the Nationwide Insurance commercials). Every once in awhile I see a group of volunteers out providing food and basic health checks to the homeless here in the neighborhood. I've done a little research, and the group turns out to be The Night Ministry. I'm going to contact the volunteer coordinator, and see where I can lend a hand.

ChicagoVolunteer.net is a tool for researching volunteer opportunities here in Chicago.

DonorsChoose.org is a way to raise funds for individual school projects. Teachers submit a proposal, and anyone can choose to support and donate to their project. Pretty cool, if you ask me.

Trust me, I am not trying to be holier than thou with all this volunteering talk. I think there are ways of giving back that can fit into your schedule easily. There are ways to donate a little bit of cash you would otherwise spend on entertainment. If anyone wants to coordinate a group volunteer effort here in Chicago, let me know. Whether it's volunteering for The Cavaliers this summer, or volunteering with The Night Ministry, I think it would be fun to do the group thing. Who knows, maybe we'll meet some interesting people along the way.

[/soapbox]

Sick on Saturday...

2007-02-24T21:50:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm actually starting to feel a little better, so that's the good news. I've been battling a horrendous cold for the past four days or so. This all started about this time last week, when I thought I was coming down with something. I casually took some meds, but my symptoms started to fade. Around Wednesday, things started taking a turn south.

You know the symptoms: soreness, coughing, sneezing, drip-drip-driping nose/stopped-up nose, etc. If I'm not feeling like I've made some "healthy" progress by Monday, then I'll make a trip to the doctor. Maybe he'll have something more effective than DayQuil.

That's all for now. You're probably going to get sick, now that you've read this. Take some medicine, AHORA!

Wednesday's Thoughts

2007-02-21T22:12:00.000-05:00

Right now, I'm preparing some Spaghetti for me and Tommy. This is pretty much the only meal preparable (is that a word?) with the items we have in the kitchen. There is some major grocery shopping to be done, soon. This seems to happen all the time. We go grocery shopping, buy a ton of food, and then wait until every last ounce is consumed before restocking. Bad habit? Yeah, probably. So far, no damage...

My new switch to Cingular/purchase of the Samsung Blackjack has kept me occupied since Saturday. I've really become a dork trying to find a bunch of hacks and tips on http://www.blackjackusers.com/. The Blackjack doesn't disappoint, that's for sure. It's small, sleek, and has some amazing capabilities. I just bought a 1GB mini SD memory card for this bad boy, so that I may have mp3s, video, and documents literally at my fingertips. I told you...I'm a secrete tech-dork.

If any of you (the tens of people, if that, who read my blog) want my number (it's the same), just email me at chris.lugo@gmail.com. I'm game for utilizing the free Cingular mobile-to-mobile calls feature!

I have an information session to attend this Saturday morning for the Northwestern MBA program. I want to get a better idea of what all the program entails. So far, when researching local Chicago MBA programs, Northwestern has stuck out as the best (go figure). Loyola also has a very attractive program. I'm looking for the opportunity to customize my experience with a strong Marketing Strategy and Consulting focus. We'll see how all that goes. My scheduled GMAT appointment is for the end of March, and I really need to get on the ball in regard to studying. The score will be good for fives years, according to most MBA sites, so I need to make sure I knock it out of the park. Also, IBM is most likely flipping the bill once I decide to enroll, so that's more of an incentive to really do well. I need to give flashcards to everyone I know, and have each one quiz me randomly throughout the day until T-Day (test day)...

My mom is "gathering the troops" in Atlanta toward the end of March for a large family get together. I'm not sure I'd call it a family reunion, though. A good portion of Robert's family is making the trek from as far as Hawaii! Robert's mother will be celebrating her 90th while stateside, and we're all hoping to get a few questions for an interview with her. This is going to be an unforgettable experience as we all gain a glimpse into such a fulfilling life. I'm trying to come up with some good questions now! Here's Robert and his Mom while in Hawaii last April:

I'm really looking forward to "March Madness" in Atlanta. This is going to provide a much needed mental break.

That's all for now. I leave you with a fun picture taken of me and Dexter:

He doesn't look too happy about this situation, though. More to come...

Almost two months...

2007-02-15T22:56:00.000-05:00

Since the last blog posting...LAME! There have been a lot of things to happen since then, but it would take a long time to plow through those...so I'll give you all the highlights (not the magazine you'd find in a dentist's office)!

Tommy and I had a very successful New Year's Eve party at our new place. Unlike last year's predominantly Cavalier "shindig", this one was composed of a healthy mix of friends. Dexter had a great time meeting the 25 or so party goers, but he decided to turn in early by crawling all the way underneath Tommy's bed. Needless to say, no one could find him, and we all thought he bolted out the back door. Even though there were people on the back porch the entire time, we still freaked out! After 15 minutes of walking up and down the streets and alleys calling for Dexter, someone broke the good news that the poor pup was just trying to get some peace and quite under the bed. Whew! Sooo, that killed the mood for all of 20 minutes, but then it was back to show. The crowd had a raucous countdown to midnight, see:

I thought we would be able to view the fireworks from our back porch, but the overcast clouds didn't let that fun happen. I need to live in a taller building! Here's a collage from the party:

Okay, next is the BCS National Championship Game, where the Florida Gators pummeled the Ohio State Buckeyes. My friends Brian, Shane, Steve and Ray made the trek out to Glendale, Arizona for the game. That would have been an amazing trip, though expensive. I took the cheaper route and partied with my local UF Alumni Chicago chapter. I met up with my friend Alvin Cano, who just moved up to Chicago this fall, to head to Joe's Bar. We got there pretty early, so we had a great table in front of the projection screens showing the game. The frist 15 seconds were SCARY, when Florida's opening kickoff to Ohio State was ran back for a touchdown! After that, the Gators showed the Nation what was up. Final score 41-14. Yeah!

Next big event was the SuperBowl. My new- "hometown" Chicago Bears took on the Indianapolis Colts on February 4 in a battle that seemed too good to be true during the opening kickoff when Hester made a return for a touchdown. Reminded me of Ohio State, which wasn't good. The rain plagued both teams in the first half, but it was the Indianapolis Colts that came out on top, 29-17. Turns out Dexter, Tommy, and my neighbors are Colts fans. This led to a not-so-cool SuperBowl party...well, okay, it was cool, but I was expecting to have the Bears win and complete a great run of winning teams this past season: Florida Basketball, The Cavalies, Florida Gators, and ~~The Bears.~~

Here are some pictures:

My Neighbor, Soshana

Sad Face...

He's my friend...I guess.

Next on the major events run was Hauserfest Winter Games - Part Deux! You may remember this from last year: a bunch from friends from Florida went to Vermont and had a good time...yup, it was pretty much the same this year! Kimmy Curbelo invites her Florida Crew, along with her longtime Jersey/NYC crew for a weekend of craziness (through a little bit of skiing in there, too). I found out that I am indeed a Master on the snowboard. "What!?" you say, "Isn't this only your second time snowboarding, ever?" Nevermind the details...here's the pudding (w/proof):

Elliot, Ray and me on the way to the Summit!

Jedi Master...

Boys from Old Florida: Elliot, Ray, me, Brian and Steve

Just before I left for Hauserfest, Dexter underwent a little surgery dredded by male dogs everywhere: NEUTERING! I felt extermely bad leaving Dexter literally right after we got home from the vet. Tommy also had to leave the next morning, as he was teaching out in Ohio. Luckily, our trusted neighbors below us, Shoshana, Amir and Jonah, took care of the little tike. Dexter did very well in the actual surgery, but was a bit hyper afterwards (aren't they supposed to calm down after this?), so the CONE was put to some good use:

Dexter had a difficult time warming up to the cone at first. He was afraid to lay down, so he would fall asleep standing up, and then fall over! By the end of the cone's stay, Dexter had become quite verstile with it. He would run and scoop up his toys, rocks, and snow! I wish I would've gotten a picture of the Dexter Snowcone...

Since then, there haven't been any major trips, just lots of snow! Dexter is in LOVE with snow! Who knew?! He enjoys running and jumping through the fresh, foot-high snow, and digging through it all. Here's proof:

I even took a couple of videos documenting the event. Here's one:

Okay, that's all the update I can muster at the moment. I'll try to keep this sucka (blog) fresh (updated)!

CHRISTMAS 2006!!!

2006-12-28T00:31:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2006

Go Gators!

2006-10-08T01:18:00.000-04:00

ESPN.com - College Football Index: "

Jason Parkhurst-US PRESSWIRE
Tim Tebow and No. 5 Florida ran over No. 9 LSU on Saturday.
Swamp DevelopmentFreshman QB Tim Tebow took just 15 snaps in Florida's 23-10 defeat of LSU. But he made each one of them count. Ivan Maisel • Gators chomp LSU | Arkansas shocks No. 2 Auburn | Top 25
• No. 3 USC survives UW scare | Clemson rallies past Wake …
• Vols punish Dawgs | Heisman Watch | Saturday recap "

Touch of green...

2006-09-26T03:23:00.000-04:00

From Newport Work

Tommy and I went to Home Depot today and got some paint...green paint. We also picked up some new blinds. Hope you like the new dining room! Witness before your eyes, the before and after:

From The New Apart...

From Newport Work

This goes well with the living room and the solarium:

From Newport Work

From The New Apart...

Next stop...the bedrooms!

Dexter having some fun!

2006-09-24T19:32:00.000-04:00


Our new puppy,Dexter, playing around the house.

New Addition pt.2: DEXTER!

2006-09-23T13:58:00.000-04:00

From Dexter's Here!

Dexter is getting settled here in Chicago.

Last Wednesday, September 13, Tommy and I picked up lil' Dex from a breeder just west of Indianapolis. Tommy had found this breeder online, emailed her, and decided her getup was worth checking out. We try to use the Hertz "Never Lost" navigation system to get to the breeders place, but that doesn't work out too well. After a few calls to Jaime, the breeder, we get on the right track. Once we get within 10 minutes of her place, Jaime calls to let us know she'll be late because she was in a minor accident. Crazy, so Tommy and I stalled by grabbing a quick bite to eat at McD's. I'm enthralled with their Premium Chicken sandwiches. We finally get to the breeders place about 45 minutes after we originally were supposed to arrive. When we get there, I see a few cages. The first one has all these little puppies I thought looked like pugs. Well, I was right. They were pugs. I was scared they were puggles gone terribly wrong!

Jaime takes us to the cage with our puppies of choice, and it looks like a sea of puggle pups starts rushing out! We were trying to pick out our pup, but they were running around like a school of fish. Once we found the puppy we thought was the one, we'd lose it in the mix. Finally, we put the target on the puppy known in the future as Dexter. Taking Dex away from his brothers, buds, and mother was hard. He scratched at the window and paced on the backseat. Tommy and I felt awful for tearing him away from his family. I rode in the back with Dexter to calm him down. Found out he had fleas, which was not cool. The breeder said he didn't, but then again she said the puppies were kept indoors...yeah, no. Dexter gradually warmed up to me, and by the time we got to Chicago we were practically buds!

Dexter got a bath as soon as we got back. I washed all visible fleas off, which was a great feeling for Dex, I'm sure. By this time, midnight was approaching, so we decided to get to bed. The first night was restless for our pup, as he woke up at 3, 5 and 7 needing to go out. Tommy didn't get much sleep.

Friday, we took Dexter to a vet a couple of blocks away. He received a couple vaccinations, flea medicine, and a de-wormer. Hook-worms were found in his stool sample (poop in laymen terms), so this de-wormer was to get rid of everything. After the vet, we all visited Lincoln Park for some down time. Dexter had quite the exciting adventure, with the pond, ducks, people and geese. The geese were not really friendly. If you visit Dexter's MySpace profile, you can see some pictures from the day.

Friday night, Dexter started feeling bad, and by Saturday he was down right sick. Diarrhea all day, and some vomiting...not good news for a young pup. I was pretty worried about this guy all day. Almost to the verge of taking him to the Animal Emergeny Hospital. Tommy did some research, and he found that unseasoned, boiled chicken and rice is great for our sick puppy. It worked! Within an hour, Dexter was well on his way to feeling normal. Whew!

Lately, Dexter's been making lots of friends on the streets of Chicago. Everyone absolutely loves him, and thinks he's the cutest thing. Well, it's true. The neighbors downstairs have already had him in their house and have extended the puppy sitting invitation. We might take them up on that offer sometime! I'm pretty sure we have the best puppy out there, sans the peeing on the carpet thing.

More to come on Dexter's life and times.

From Dexter's Here!

New Addition pt. 1: The Apartment!

2006-09-23T12:42:00.000-04:00

This post is about one month overdue, and I apologize. Here's the scoop on the new apartment/move:

Tommy and I successfully moved into our new apartment last weekend with the help of my Mom, Aunt Sara, Uncle Ken, and Zach. The transition started on Friday as I obtained the apartment keys from our new landlord, Hector. The next morning, my mom and I walked to the U-Haul location I believed held my reservation. Turns out, my 17' truck wasn't reservered at the Wrigleyville location, but the Cicero Ave location which is roughly five miles away. I guess I assumed since I made the reservation for the Wrigleyville location, and I received a confirmation (text message) that the vehicle would be there next to Wrigley Field. Oh, I was sorely mistaken. The confirmation text message (by the way, I didn't receive an email, just the SMS text) stated the N. Cicero location, and I overlooked the "new address." Oh well. Mom and I caught a bus over to Cicero, and initiated the rental contract at U-Haul. When the maintanence guy started up the vehicle, I noticed the guy reving the engine quite excessively. It was an old truck, so who thinks anything of it. We get the truck, and take it back to the old apartment, "The Baxter." Tommy, my mom and I load up all the heavy furniture and boxes, so as to minimize our time with the U-Haul. Aunt Sara and Unlce Ken join us just before we make the short "haul" over to the new place. The back of the nw building provided us with a better path up the third floor, but it was still a bitch getting the chair, desk, matresses, and sofa up those stairs. You should have seen me and Tommy, for real. The hot and humid weather didn't help, either.

I'm starting a new paragraph, because this is where the story gets interesting. Apparently, I have to return the truck needs to be returned by 3pm. So, we leave with enough time to get the truck back and gas (diesel) up. I stopped at a gas station just beyond the U-Haul location, but wtf no diesel! So, I just think to take the truck back and pay the inflated price per gallon. Turns out, there is a $30 refilling fee on top of the $4.00/gallon charge. This pisses me off, so I decide to take the piece to get re-fueled. The clerk inside recommends I take it down the street. So I do, but mistakenly turn down Irving Park Rd (confusing intersection) and drive west. After 10 seconds or so, I realize I took a wrond turn, but keep going because surely a gas station somewhere will have diesel fuel.... NO! I pass a few stations, but again no diesel! I passed a Shell station, and my accelerator STUCK! For a split second this didn't alarm me, because the gas pedal would stick for 2 seconds or so all throughout the day. This time, it S-T-U-C-K! Full throttle; pedal to the metal. I had a flash-back to my driver's education class in high school. The instructor spent a day on "what to do if your accelerator sticks." His lesson included quickly shuting the engine off, and pulling off the road. All this went through my head in about 2 seconds or so. The problems were I was in the left lane, couldn't get over, and this was a "Speed" like situation. I couldn't just shut off the engine on a busy street. I wrestled the 17 footer left onto a side street and finally turned the vehicle off. I tried everything to get that damn pedal off the floor, but to no avail.

This is getting a little long, so I'll give the abbreviated conclusion. I call the U-Haul location and hit a brick wall. They will provide me no help because I was still "under contract." As a customer of U-Haul, you are responsible for getting emergency vehilce assistance. After a few hours, I thought this maybe made sense, but it was the lack of help and extremely rude phone conversation which drove me over the edge. My mom went corporate on the manager, and that manager told her I would be charged for every single minute past 3pm. Ridiculous. After an hour or so, mechanic (who was great) comes to "fix" the vehicle. He kept saying, "this is very dangerous...you can't stop!" I get the truck back to the U-Haul center, and there is a young lady waiting to rent this truck. I tell her the mechanic fixed it, but I wouldn't take this one. The cashier even comes out and asks about the truck. The mechanic told me the truck should be serviced right away, and I relayed this message to the cashier. She then turned around, gave the keys to the customers, and watched them drive away. Nuts! The manager wasn't at the U-Haul place anymore, so the cashier sort of gave in and gave me a few discounts. The estimated bill when I started in the morning was $120 or so, but the bill ended up at $48. Not bad.

The biggest problem I had was U-Haul renting me a truck that didn't work properly to the point of being dangerous.

OK, aside from the U-Haul ordeal, this was a good move. Tommy and I have painted a couple of rooms, and the apartment is looking great. There have been many trips to IKEA, and I'm sure there are more to come. Here are some before/after pictures:

From The New Apart...

RUN!!!!

2006-07-26T09:15:00.000-04:00

Shhh...We're hunting Nate-Nate

2006-07-26T01:43:00.000-04:00

This footage was taken in the wilderness of the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. The rare Nate-Nate is a quick and agile creature with a unique ability to sense danger. Be careful out there, folks!

Let's give video a chance!

2006-07-25T23:51:00.000-04:00

I'm attempting to upload some of the short video clips I took before and after Elijah's birth. The audio is sometimes delayed on YouTube.com, but we'll have to deal with it.

Brotherly Love!

2006-07-25T23:40:00.000-04:00

I had to post these before the night was over:

I'm a Big Brother now!

2006-07-25T21:46:00.000-04:00

My attempt to surprise Nathan this morning with the large Horsie stuffed animal was marginally successful, if that. He awoke saying, "I wanna ride Horsie," but it was me he was referring to. The stuffed animal caught his attention for approximately 1 minute, and then he wanted the "real" thing. At least I have the picture below, so it looks like he was excited to have the new friend...

The stuffed animal was ditched shortly after.

Nathan is still doing really well with Elijah. The two seem like they have been together all their lives, or at least the last 9 months. Nate-Nate was even careful with his cymbals, so not to disturb the resting Baby Elijah.

Nathan prefers the hands-on approach with his baby brother.

Baby Elijah had a scare last night. He was experiencing diarrhea for quite some time, and no one could figure it out. Diarrhea can be very dangerous for a new-born, as you probably know. We finally got some answers this afternoon when Elijah visited the pediatrician. Elijah is lactose intolerant. I wouldn't be sending him cheese anytime soon!

Elijah is now on a soy formula diet, and is MUCH happier! This soy stuff really is good! His diarrhea has passed, and it's nothing but smiles. Well, except for the occasional diaper change (see "Good Case of the Mondays").

That's all for now. Keep visiting for more updates!

Good Case of the Mondays

2006-07-25T00:10:00.000-04:00

Monday, July 24, 2006, is approaching an end. Seems like the hours, days, months...Summer is passing by so quickly! Elijah is already four days old! These kids are growing up so fast these days!

Elijah has been chowing down lately, eating at closer intervals every day. And if you follow his eating habits, there is a lot of poopy diapers too! Elijah does NOT like having his diaper changed, but who does? I mean really, having someone strip you down just to wipe a wet cloth all over is just wrong...WRONG! Other than that, Elijah is really content with eating and sleeping.

So, I just bought this stuffed animal for Nathan tonight, and if you know Nate-Nate then you know it's a Horsie! I have set it up at the foot of Nathan's bed while he is sleeping. I hope the reaction in the morning is of joy, and not sheer TERROR!

Too cute!

2006-07-24T01:58:00.000-04:00

Elijah is HOME!!!

2006-07-24T01:03:00.000-04:00

Elijah and company got home from the hospital around 3:30 yesterday afternoon. The transition was quick and painless, thanks to the help from big brother, Nathan.

Elijah's going home later today!!!

2006-07-22T11:35:00.000-04:00

Early this morning, Angela received the "OK" from Doctor Bevitz to go home later today! The nurse is working on three other departures today, so she's projecting a late afternoon exit. Getting back to the house sounds great right about now.

It's about 11:35 am, and Elijah just got done feeding. He's been eating every three hours, or so.

The view from Angela's room is quite good. The hospital is just south of downtown Orlando, and the room is positioned facing the north. The typical fluffy, partly-cloudy blue skies (too many adjectives, I know) are here every morning, with the quick showers to follow in the afternoon. The sun is beating down on Central Florida, and the temperature is in the low 90s, which is a bit cooler than a couple of days ago. The humidity is actually LOWER than normal, at 65%! Not too bad, Florida...not too bad.

Here is a small, but healthy portion of pictures:

Don't forget to check out the pictures on Kodak Gallery here!

Thanks! I'll keep this thing updated, for sure!

Elijah Victor Lugo wants YOU to check out these photos!

2006-07-21T22:48:00.000-04:00

I have uploaded a LOT of photos to Koday Gallery, so beware!!!

Click here for your healthy dose of Elijah Victor Lugo!

More photos to come soon!

We're still hanging here!

2006-07-21T19:01:00.000-04:00

We're all still here at the hospital in Orlando. Most of the day has come and gone without any complications. Angela is still in some pain, but nothing major...well, besides birthing Elijah of course.

Elijah is almost finished feeding at the moment, and he's doing great! Who knew he would be so hungry!?

Nathan has definitely taken a liking to his little brother, Elijah Victor. Nate-Nate knows to be quiet when baby is sleeping, and he's more than willing to help! We're all confident that Nathan is going to be a hands-on, quality big brother.

On a side-note, one would think that the nursing staff here at the hospital would know how to spell "Congratulations," but that would be naive. Apparently "CongraDulations" is a common misspelled word. Ahh, well.

Enough rambling...on to the pictures!

He back, and he's hungry!

2006-07-21T04:25:00.000-04:00

It's 4:25 am, and Elijah is feeding!

WELCOME ELIJAH!!!

2006-07-21T03:42:00.000-04:00

It's almost 4:00 am here, so this won't be long.

Welcome, Elijah!!!

July 20, 2006
10:18 PM
8 lbs 10 oz 23 in

Is he coming?

2006-07-20T21:18:00.000-04:00

Angela is feeling the contractions more and more right now. The anesthesiologist is coming here in a minute to check on her again. Seems like Elijah might be making his way!

The Wait continues

2006-07-20T20:45:00.000-04:00

Elijah's Birth: Hour 14

I'm sitting here with Ashley getting her help with this post. We're here with Dinah, Felecia, and Angela (of course) along with Elijah. He hasn't come out to say hi yet, but we think it will be sometime soon...maybe.

The sun has set, and nightfall has taken over the Florida landscape. Hey, it was dark when we left this morning!

The doctor and nurses are trying a different approach now. Angela is lying completely flat and alternating from side to side. This is supposed to help and give her muscles a break from action. Hopefully, we'll see some progess in the coming hours. Either way, we'll be staying by her side all night long!!

Elijah was feeling rushed, so he's decided to take a quick break and try again soon. I'll give him a talking to when he comes out!

I will keep this blog updated as the night moves forward. Good times!

Here are some photos of earlier this evening:

Stay tuned!

Insanity Ensues

2006-07-20T15:23:00.000-04:00

Elijah's Birth: Hour 7 - Insanity Ensues

The following pictures depict the sleep-deprived (shall remain nameless) succumbing to desperate measures to keep themselves entertained:

And Closer...still

2006-07-20T14:51:00.000-04:00

Angela is still in labor, waiting for Elijah's arrival. She has been here at the Winnie Palmer Hospital For Women & Babies since roughly 6:30 this morning.

If you're not up on the latest news, Elijah turned back around from his breach and a C-Section is no longer needed!!! Angela thought Elijah was doing cart-wheels for the past few days...this explains it! The doctors found no reason to induce labor either, so this will be a normal delivery. This is great news, as the recovery period from a C-Section is a bit more involved and painful...to say the least.

Nathan has been having a great time with his cousin Ashley here at the hospital. Currently, the both of them are passed out in Angela's room getting some much needed shut-eye.

Someone mentioned that Elijah Victor Lugo will be the first birth here at the new wing of the hospital. I will have to confirm this, but that will add another layer onto the excitement down here in Florida.

The anticipation is getting to everyone, especially Angela and Mike. We all can't wait to see Elijah, and don't worry. I will keep you all posted to the best of my ability.

Here are some photos to keep you all occupied:

Getting Closer...

2006-07-20T10:39:00.000-04:00

The Waiting Game....

2006-07-20T10:31:00.000-04:00

Preperations for Elijah!!!!

2006-07-19T23:40:00.000-04:00

Brush those pearly whites...

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day...

Can you say Elijah????

Yes! I can!!! E - Li (notice tongue) - Jah

Nathan was quoted as saying, "Yes, I will be wearing many hats once my baby brother, Elijah, is here, but that won't stop me from being NATE-NATE!!!"

More to come...from the front lines.

The God Father pt. 4 (wisdom teeth removed)

2006-06-27T00:47:00.000-04:00

No pain, no gain.

2006-05-05T00:01:00.000-04:00

It's been roughly 6 hours since the root canal procedure was completed, and I feel fine!

I think I've lucked out with my experience, because I have yet to feel the wrath of pain this evening. I hope it stays this way. I will keep the Ibuprofen (sp?) close, and the prescription for Vicatin even closer.

Anyways, everything is great! So I will eat ice cream and go to bed!

Night

ROOT CANAL!!!

2006-05-04T11:48:00.000-04:00

At 3:00 P.M. today, I will be starting my root canal procedure. CRAZY!!

I have only heard bad things about root canals, but the dentists assured me it's not as bad as people make it out to be...right! He's just saying that so I won't freak out before the drill starts. Ahhh, it's going to be horrible, I'm sure of it. I just hope I get plenty of medication.

Does this mean my face will be swollen up like a beach ball?

I've looked up a couple of images on Google, and these don't look fun:

Please don't let me feel anything!

It's May already!

2006-05-03T01:20:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it's May already? 2006 is flying by so far. Maybe it's because I lead such an exciting life?

I guess I'll get to telling you all what's happened since Saturday (last entry). On Sunday, I had the opportunity to travel out to Rosemont and sit in on the closing hours of The Cavaliers rehearsal camp. The 2006 Machine program is evolving quickly. Jim Casella and Jim Ancona (new percussion guys) have worked some magic with the front ensemble and drum line. The sound is just tremendous. The corps is playing this crazy Winton Marsalis jazz piece for the middle number this summer, and wow it's fun! I'm sure this will be a crowd favorite come June.

So, I after getting out of the gym on Monday I was on the phone with Mom for a short while. I get an incoming call from a number I didn't recognize during the call, so I decide to let them leave a message. In my rush to get to Jamba Juice (so good!), I forget about the waiting message on my voice mail. It wasn't until 12 a.m. or so when I remember the voice mail. So, I listen and much to my surprise...it's a message from Don Warren (founder and president of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps)! Why would Don leave ME a message? His words were somewhat cryptic. His entire message consisted of, "Chris, it's Don Warren. It's important that you call me back tonight. Thank you." That's it! I was worried, but it was too late to call the "old man." I decided to give Jeff Fiedler a ring just to make sure nothing was wrong. Of course, there wasn't. Don was wanting to ask if I could come to his house on the 13th. Mr. Warren is having a biography written about him and The Cavaliers, and he would like to have me and a handful of others to be there while he and his writer complete the last portion of the book. Pretty cool, but I wish he would've left a better message. This should be fun hanging with some guys from the past couple of years, telling stories for the book. Maybe I'll get a quote!? Who knows...

Ok, that's the extent of excitement this week. I will be having a root canal on Thursday, so wish me luck!

Night!

Comeback Cubs, Classic Countdown, and Cavaliers Alumni Association

2006-04-29T23:59:00.000-04:00

On Monday, April 24, I attended my first Cubs game with my Grandpa Lugo, Aunt Roxanna, and younger cousin Mark. The weather was absolutely perfect, along with the atmosphere. I did run into some trouble obtaining my tickets from will call, but after 10 minutes of running around to different ticketing windows we reached a resolution. I got Grandpa to take this picture with the Harry Carry statue outside of Wrigley Field. He looks happy, huh? While I was taking the shot, Joe Aicher unexpectedly approached me. I marched with Joe in The Cavaliers from 2002 to 2005, and he lives in a nearby suburb. I thought that was extremely random, but it turns out I ran into another Cavalier alumnus inside the stadium. Just crazy, huh?

Anyways, the game was not going our way until the 8th inning, when the Cubs made a magnificent comeback against the Florida Marlins. The Cubs entered the 8th down 3-0, scored six runs, and finished the game with an 6-3 win! The energy in Wrigley Field was just electric, and I couldn't have picked a better outing for my first Cubs game...well maybe the sweep of the Cards earlier this month would've been nice.

On the very next night, Tuesday, April 25, I attended another night game with Tommy, Jim, and Katy. The weather took a 180 degree turn on us though. Game-time starting temperature was 39 degrees, and it got colder from there. The wind wasn't helping the situation, either. The four of us spent the entire game shivering while we cheered on the Cubs to the 3-1 victory over the Marlins. So my first two Cubs games were wins, but I hope Tuesday's weather doesn't show up again this season.

Here are some visual aids from the back-to-back games:

By the way, I do believe I'm approaching my highest number of posts for a single month. I set the initial record of 6 posts one year ago in April of 2005. Let's hope I have the strength to crush this record and keep posting!

DCI's Classic Countdown was on Thursday evening in theaters across the America. I went to the closest venue, downtown Chicago's AMC River East. Chris Alexander, his girlfriend Corrin Zeller, and I met up with Stan Boduch for a bite to eat before the big show. Stan helps out with The Cavaliers summer shows and is on the Board of Directors. He's such a great role model, and it seems that he and his wife, Kathleen, have done everything there is to do in life! They're moving to New Hampshire in June, and it will be sad to see them go. They'll still be involved with the corps, but the Boduchs will truly be missed here in Chicago.

The show didn't seem as good as last year, but it was still a great time! The 1984 Garfield Cadets, 1988 Madison Scouts, 1993 Star of Indiana, 1995 Cavaliers, and the 1999 Santa Clara Vanguard were definite favorites of the night. It's always nice to see some familiar faces, and there were plenty downtown for this event.

Today, I attended my second Cavalier Alumni Association meeting of the year. Lots of exciting things are in the works as we lead up to the 60th anniversary in 2008. Bill Dragland and I are heading up a pre-tour gathering for alumni, boosters, family, and friends of The Cavaliers. If you're in the area on Saturday, June 3rd, then you should take a ride out to Dekalb, IL for a BBQ!! We'll get the chance to mingle with alumni and current members over some delicious American classics (e.g. - hamburgers, hotdogs, etc.). After the BBQ, we'll hit the stands to check out the 2006 Machine program as it develops at ensemble rehearsal. I'm personally excited about the event. I'm hoping Bill and I can creatively peak some interest for this event and start off the summer on the right foot.

Tomorrow morning, I plan on getting out to Rosemont to check out The Cavaliers wrap up the drill camp. Mother Nature wasn't too kind to the corps this weekend, but I trust they got into the drill without any complications. It seems like the April drill camp never has ideal conditions. Anyways, I hear the corps received the remainder of the musical selections, so it should be exciting get a first listen.

I hope you survived this extremely long post without any serious casualties. You can email Chris@ChrisLugo.com for any complaints or suggestions. Thanks, and good night!

Cubs make a comeback for the win!

2006-04-25T01:30:00.000-04:00

The Cubs made a miraculous comeback in the 8th inning to beat the Marlins!! Grandpa Lugo, Roxanna, Mark and I all had a great time!

I'll write more about the fun night tomorrow!

American Apparel, Wrigley Field and The Cubby Bear

2006-04-24T13:44:00.000-04:00

In about 4 hours, my aunt Roxanna and my Grandpa Lugo will get to my apartment. We're going to the Cubs game tonight against the Florida Marlins. We're still trying to find one more to come along. Roxanna was going to try some of my cousins, so hopefully one of them is up for the game!

I tried to persuade my Grandma Lugo into coming, again, but to no avail. She's down for dinner, but not a baseball game. Boo. Maybe I can get her to come out for just dinner in Chicago some time soon.

I think we're going to check out The Cubby Bear on Waveland Ave before the game. I've never been, but I hear it's the place to be for pre-game festivities. The weather is looking good for tonight's game, possible a bit breezy, but tomorrow night's weather promises to be darn right cold! Weather.com is forecasting 49 degrees as a high tomorrow!!! Oh well, I just bought a new pullover hoodie, so I might just wear that!

Speaking of the new hoodie, Tommy and I went downtown yesterday to check out American Apparel, and a few select establishments. American Apparel has some great stuff that fits extremely well. No logos or images, just plain goodness. You should check it out.

Hey! If you didn't know, the 2006 DCI Classic Countdown is this Thursday night at theaters across the country! The 1995 Cavaliers' Planets show will be among the 12 fan selections to grace the silver screens. I'm heading to the downtown Chicago location, and it will definitely be a good night.

I guess this week is somewhat busy, isn't it? Monday and Tuesday nights for Cubs games; Thursday night for the Classic Countdown. I'm sure I'll be able to fill the void for the remaining unscheduled night time slots.

I'll let you know how the my first Cubs game turned out!

Cubs Win 5-4 against Dodgers!

2006-04-20T01:47:00.000-04:00

Good workout

2006-04-20T00:53:00.000-04:00

Not too much to report today.

It was another beautiful day here in Chi-Town, with clear skies and highs in the low 70s. Tommy and I got to the gym this evening for a good hour and a half workout. Remember, I'm getting huge! On our walk back to the apartment, we spotted Andy Toth (colorguard designer for The Cavaliers) at one of the local coffee shops. It seems as if every time we are traveling to or coming from the gym, we see someone from The Cavaliers. The north-side is becoming more and more populated with Cavalier Alumni.

I'm closing out the evening watching the Cubs @ Dodgers here at the apartment. The Cubs have rallied back from a 2-4 deficit to a 5-4 lead. It's the bottom of the 8th right now with two outs for the Dodgers. Let's hope the Cubs can put this L.A. team to sleep!

Speaking of sleep, I think I'll be there soon.

Easter, Hawaii, Cubs, Miami, etc.

2006-04-18T16:37:00.000-04:00

Well, two months have passed since I updated this blog, and many exciting events have occurred. I'm sure it would take me too long to talk about everything (I lead an exciting life, ya know), so I figured I'll keep it to the month of April. This will give me plenty of content for at least five minutes of your time.

April 4th, 2006 was my Grandpa Lugo's 80th birthday!! I celebrated the occasion with my Grandpa, Roxanna and Pat at U.S. Cellular Field. The White Sox took on the Cleveland Indians only to come up short, losing 8-2. They didn't get our spirits down, though.

I'm taking my Grandpa Lugo, Roxanna and one more (possibly Grandma Lugo, but she's not about it) to the Marlins vs. Cubs game next Monday at Wrigley Field. It's an ESPN night game, so I'm sure the stadium will be exciting. That will be my first experience at a Cubs game, ever! I've been to probably 4 or 5 White Sox games, but never to the "friendly confines." To make my first Cubs game even more memorable, I bought tickets to the game the very next night! On Tuesday night, Tommy, Jim Henderson, and one more will join me to "take in" the Wrigley ambiance. Since Tommy and I do live about two blocks from Wrigley Field, we can "take in" some beer too without having to drive home!

So, Mom and Robert are in Hawaii!! Check out their "On The Go" blog here.

I spent Easter Sunday enjoying one of the many benefits of living in Chicago...family. I started with stopping by Roxanna's place in Hammond, IN. Well, let me back up just a tad. I leave my apartment and give Roxanna's house phone a ring. My cousin Andrew answers, and I tell him, "I just left and should be there in...oh say 45 minutes." His reply was somewhat unexpected. "I'm the only one here because my mom sliced off the tip of her thumb. Dinner will be pushed back." Hmm, what!? Sliced off the tip of her thumb? Dinner will be pushed back? That's no good! I hang up with Andrew, and then start thinking to myself, "didn't Roxanna slice into the tip of her finger before at a recent holiday dinner?" YES, she did (notice I prefaced this be saying "somewhat" unexpected)! By the time I arrived, she had already returned from the hospital. Her thumb encased in a large bandage. I couldn't help but laugh and suggest a rubber or chainmail injury protection glove.

After hanging out at Roxanna's, I headed over to Sara and Ken's place for dinner. It was great to see those two, Grandma Antal, John, Jordan, and James. Ken's brother's family also came over to enjoy dinner, so that was nice. We had ham and fried turkey, which was great! I even got some left overs, even better! I want to see if Sara, Ken and I can get to a Cubs game this summer. I sure hope so.

I recently purchased some plane tickets to Florida for Memorial Day Weekend. I'll be flying into Orlando to spend a few days with my Mike, Angela and Nathan, and then heading down to Miami to party and hang out with my UF friends. It will be the same gang I visited in Vermont earlier in February (see earlier blog post). We will probably get down to Key Largo, and lounge around the beach there. The last time I was in Florida was when I left Mike's to drive to Atlanta and then Chicago at the end of August. Too long if you ask me!

Hmm, what else is going on? Oh yes, I joined the Bally's Total Fitness gym here in Chicago early this month. It's quite convenient, I must say. I usually go around 5:30 and get in a good hour and a half of intense exercise. Well, maybe it's not that intense, but it is good. Anyone who sees me relatively soon will have to comment on my buff-ness. Even if I'm not huge and buff, just tell me I am. It'll make me fell good.

Alright, that's it for now. Stay tuned!

Hauserfest!

2006-02-09T22:16:00.000-05:00

Well hello. Thanks for keeping it real.

This week has been rather uneventful to say the least. I hope to find what my official assignment will be with Rational within the next few days. The lack of knowledge regarding my assignment has been aggravating, but I'm sure I'll have my fill of work once it does come. Oh, I haven't updated you on Hauserfest: Winter X-Games 2006 (aka the trip to Vermont last weekend).

It was great reuniting with my pals from the University of Florida. I joined Allison, Brian, Ray and Elliot for a trip to Kimmy's Vermont vacation cabin. It was pretty crazy. Nothing but laughs the entire weekend. Since I was the only person to get fly in early, I met Kimmy for lunch in Jersey City (just across the Hudson River from NYC). We later ventured to the city for drinks and dinner. Kimmy and I found a little burrito joint for dinner (almost like Burrito Bros. back in Gainesville) and an amazing small jazz club for drinks. We picked up Allison, Brian, Ray, and Elliot from Newark Airport later that night. We all had a chance to check out Mount Snow in Vermont for some snowboarding! Ray was the only one who had the chance to snowboard before, so we were all in for a treat. The instructor had a hard time keeping a straight face far sure. Brian and Ray kept the jokes coming from all angles. I was initially thinking I would skip out on the snowboarding, but I'm glad I did it. Even though my entire body was screaming at me for the following day or two.

All in all, we had a great time. I'm hoping to get together with these cats very soon.

I'm traveling to Kalamazoo, MI this weekend with a couple others to see a friend perform in a jazz vocals ensemble. I'm thinking it will be a fun weekend.

Alright, enough for me this evening. I'm hungry.

It's raining

2006-01-29T01:58:00.000-05:00

It's late on Saturday night, and the rain is falling. I was a lame-O tonight and stayed in. I wasn't really doing anything in particular. Just being a bum, which is good every once in a while.

I've been searching online for place tickets all day. There is going to be a get together of Florida friends in Vermont next weekend. It's been named Hauserfest II. Kimmy C. will be hosting the reunion event, and it promises to be a good time. I was actually thinking about not going. After looking through some photos and realizing that I haven't seen these cats since May, I made the final decision to purchase those tickets. I don't want to be that friend who drops off the face of the earth after graduation. I haven't been down to Florida since August, and I haven't been to any gatherings in Gainesville either. So, I've been lacking on the keeping-the-friendships-alive points. I hope to make up for it next weekend.

I tried out Priceline.com for my airline tickets. It was a pleasant experience, but made me a little nervous not being able to see the itinerary until after the purchase. I was thinking I would get a flight leaving at 5 a.m., which was not the case. I'm leaving at 7 a.m. Not much better, but still a whole lot cheaper. I probably saved about $100 using Priceline.com, and I'll definitely use this route in the future. I now know to start low in my bidding process. Just like Vegas, huh?

Speaking of Vegas...

It was so last week. I had a chance to spend seven days in the "Sin City" attending Software University for IBM. I really enjoyed myself, and I had the chance to meet a lot of people on my extended team. Each day, there were tons of workshops and sessions to attend. I learned about our strategies and plays for 2006, and how I can best prepare for the first quarter. I'm sure you guessed it wasn't all work in Las Vegas. From the first night to the last, I enjoyed myself at the tables or bars liberally. Who knew there was so much to do in that little city in the desert? This novice was not so lucky at the Black Jack tables, but I sure did have fun. I'm learning the basics of doubling down, splitting, etc. I will no doubt be a pro momentarily. Just you wait!

I'm going to clean up the apartment and hopefully get some laundry done tomorrow. It'll probably be another rainy day. I need to do some grocery shopping, too. I've been eating apple cinnamon oatmeal all day. I even prepared Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper without the hamburger meat or milk this evening. Didn't turn out quite like the original, but it hit the spot. I should but groceries more often, I know.

Alright, enough with this update nonsense.

Family Times

2006-01-12T22:20:00.000-05:00

Before all the banquet and New Year's Eve craziness, I spent time with all the family in Hammond, IN. Mike, Angela and Nathan all made the trip up here for the holidays, and let me tell you, it was great having them here. Nathan is getting so big!!! Look...

Nathan had a great Christmas! Look at the gifts I got him:

This Bear's jersey and Elmo toy! I also gave him this nice foam bat...hope he goes to town when he gets back home! I'm sure he will.

It was so nice to be around all the family for the holidays. I think it's been quite some time since everyone has been up in Hammond all at one time. I hope it happens more often.

We spent Christmas Eve with Sara, Ken, Jordan, James, Grandma Antal and family at Uncle Ken and Aunt Mary Lou's place. That's where the gathering is every year on Christmas Eve. It's a great tradition, and it's always fun seeing the family there!

We spent Christmas Day at my Grandma and Grandpa Lugo's house. Talk about bringing back some great memories. That house sure hasn't changed much since those summers me and Mike spent hanging with our dad, and I'm glad it hasn't. It should be a historical landmark.

Overall, Christmas this year was extra special. I couldn't have asked for anything more. I'm just glad I got to spend the holidays with my family and friends.

Now, I'm preparing for the beginning of my new position with IBM. I get my quota on Jan. 14 (that's coming up soon!), and then it's off to the clients. Next week, I will be in Las Vegas, NV attending IBM's Software University. It is a conference held every year for Software Group to update everyone on products, selling techniques, markets, and competition, and SWU gives us all a chance to network. I just ordered new business cards because I changed my phone number, so I hope they get here in time for Vegas!!!

New number is 312.451.9388 for all of you not in-the-know.

Ok, I think I'm done for now. This post was entirely too long, but don't complain! Updates don't come often, so you must savor what you get.

Thanks for reading, and I'll post again sometime in the future. Until next time.

It's a New Year!

2006-01-12T20:36:00.000-05:00

Well, as the title states, it's a New Year! 2006 is here and steaming forward. There is a lot on my plate right now, but it's exciting. Some updates are in order first. So let's go...

The picture you see above came at the culmination of The Cavaliers' 2005 Banquet. It was a wonderful way to close out my career with The Green Machine, while celebrating the beginning of an great new career with IBM. Mom and Grandma Antal were in attendance to support me, and I couldn't thank them enough for coming. It's truly amazing to look out into the audience and see family. Mom and Grandma Antal were relentless in their attendance, support, communication, etc. during the summer. I couldn't ask for more.

Those two weren't the only family members showing support during all the summers of drum corps. Robert, Mike, Angela and Nathan, Roxanna and Pat, Grandma and Grandpa Lugo, Sara and Ken, Uncle Ron and Aunt Judith, Jenny, Grandma and Grandpa Strange, and my step-dad David to name a few. Thanks everyone!

Speaking of support. My sponsor Judy Schwartz provided me with the unparalleled variety. Over the past two seasons, Judy has helped me out more than anyone can know. She is an inspiration for me, and I hope to continue our relationship well into the future. Thanks, Judy!!

Bruno Zuccala also helped me out in major ways during the past 4 seasons. Margaret Kelly and Lynn DeAngelis sponsored me in my 2nd and 3rd seasons with The Cavaliers. When I think back at all the caring individuals who took interest in my well-being, I can't help but to be amazed. I am truly thankful.

The 2005 Banquet gave me a chance to finally close a chapter of my life. Drum corps and The Cavaliers have played such significant roles in my development as a person. I meant to say the following in my age-out speech:

I can't imagine my life without The Cavaliers, and I don't remember what I was like before The Cavaliers. This organization has indeed shaped me into what I am today.

Enough feelings already.

The Banquet ended with the traditional crazy party. It was, in fact, crazy...trust me.

The next day just so happened to be New Year's Eve this year, so I'm sure you can guess I threw a glorious party for the occasion. And that I did. At the peak of the get-together, I believe the head-count was at or around 50. Not a bad number for my place. It was pushing it a little, but HEY, it was New Year's Eve.

This first gathering at The Baxter (remember, that is the official name of my building) proved to be a wildly successful. My roommate Tommy and I enjoyed hosting about 6 Cavaliers at our place for a couple of days. Good times.

Mmmmm Cake...

2005-11-16T19:22:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Mom!!!! It's snowing!!!!

2005-11-16T18:35:00.000-05:00

Today, ladies and gentlemen, is my mother's birthday!!!! It calls for much rejoicing and celebration. Mom did spend the day at work, but she is finally on her way to dinner with Robert. I make my way to Atlanta in a week and a half, so I'll be able to wish her Happy Birthday in person.

So, today it snowed.

My Camaro has never seen conditions like this. Spending the better part of its life in sunny Florida, the Camaro didn't realize it got below 72 degrees anywhere. Its dreams were shattered today...shattered.

But really....it's snowing! How crazy is that? It snowed once in Florida in 1989, so you could say that I'm pretty much used to it by now.

This is only the beginning. Pretty soon it'll be one inch, then two, and then what? A blizzard! I think I need to buy some gloves.

I think that's all I have to say today. I just wanted you all to know that it's my mom's birthday today, and that it's snowing...just like the title said.

Until next time.

Good Fight, Good Night

2005-11-10T00:43:00.000-05:00

Before I get to bed tonight, I thought I'd write a couple of words down. I guess I already have more than a couple of words, but that's alright. I've looked over my notes for class, so tomorrow's quiz should be a piece of cake...ideally. I learned a lot more about the software I will be representing come January 1, so that was nice. I'm meeting people in the same brand as me and starting to get a better idea of what life will be like after training. First, I'll focus on finishing up this class here in D.C., and then I'll start thinking about all that other insanity.

Had the chance to speak with Mike a couple of times today. He made the long trip up to Jacksonville to retrieve my belongings from a storage unit. Everything, from my dresser to my futon to my sombrero, traveled to Ocoee. Mike tells me drivers stared at him as he drove back on I-75 sporting my sombrero. I'm not sure it was the best fit since I did get the piece back in 7th or 8th grade, but he managed. Now that my belongings are in Ocoee, I'll be able to get everything sent up to Chicago (thanks IBM)! This will bring my furniture assets to the following: mattress, box spring, futon, dresser, computer chair...well...that's all. Remember I'm still working on this situation.

Alright, enough yapping. I'm going to bed.

On The Road

2005-11-08T21:51:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm writing from my room at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, VA (just outside Washington D.C.), and I find myself watching some television. I've had a long day of learning more about IBM's software offerings. I can't believe it's been two months since I began here at IBM. Pretty crazy stuff if I do say so myself...and I do...say so myself...yes.

So, I'm training this week. I'll leave here (the "compound" as we've named it) on Friday and head to Indianapolis. This weekend is the Bands of America Grand Nationals competition. I've gone there for the past three years or so and helped out with The Cavaliers' booth. It's always a great time talking with kids about the experiences and benefits of the drum corps activity. Plus, I get to see some amazing performers tear up the RCA Dome. Seeing some friends along the way won't be too bad either.

I got a chance to briefly speak with my mom tonight. It's always great to hear from her. She's keeping busy at work, of course. Mom and Robert are having a big get together for upcoming Thanksgiving. Mike, Angela, and Nathan will be among the VIPs. Robert's family is coming too!!! I won't be there for Thanksgiving, but I hope to get in latter that weekend.

Speaking of Nathan...

Or Yoda?????

Nathan had the amazing opportunity to represent the fans of Star Wars spanning the globe. His followers flocked to get his autograph, while the Jedi Master himself used the 'Force' to get yummy candy. Nathan's skills are sharpening.

I think he's getting the 'Jedi Mind Trick' under his belt too (maybe pampers still, but that's besides the point).

Mike, Angela and Nathan will be making it up to Hammond, IN for Christmas this year, and I can't wait. I haven't seen that boy in quite some time, and I'm looking forward to enjoying the holidays together. It seems like it has been ages since being in Florida last.

Ahh well. Maybe I'll get the time to come down sometime after the new year.

So, when I get back to Chicago I'm going to have to work on cleaning up the place...mainly my room. It's been a mess ever since the heating system was FINALLY installed!!!!!

That's right...I now am the proud renter of an apartment with HEAT!!! Who would have thought? I promise I'll get some "evidence" up here soon enough.

I know you thinking, "I bet the place was messy before the heat was installed." And I'd have to say, "Yeah...so...YEAH...SO!!" I'm just missing some of the essentials for storing these items. I'm hoping to at least have a couch and a desk my the time Jan. 1 roles around. Then I'll get around to the dresser...maybe.

OK, I'm going to get. Stay tuned for more information. I know you're staying up late for it and all.

"Big Blue" and Chicago

2005-10-29T01:30:00.000-04:00

So, I've been neglecting to update this blog lately. I'm going to take the time to fill everyone in on what's happening with Chris these days. Well here it goes...

I spent this week in Chicago working mainly from the IBM office downtown. It's about a 25-30 minute trip from the apartment, and it's an enjoyable one at that. I walk less than a block north to Addison, and then two blocks west to the Addison train stop. So, every time I go to work I get to see Wrigley Field. It stands as one of the purest ballparks in America. Some would say it's a daily reminder that the Cubs are not (and haven't been since 1908) a contender for the World Series, or that the White Sox just ended their 88 year drought with a Championship on Wednesday night...but I say, "NO!" It's a wonderful reminder each day that people are passionate about something...anything. It just so happens it's the Cubs.

The office is a block from the Sears Tower, another great landmark I experience daily. It's interesting getting off the train with hundreds of Chicagoans going to work. Each one carrying their laptop bags, newspapers and coffee. Everyone focused so intently on getting to work. Taking the time to observe people on my short walk to the office, I hope I make sure to keep life in perspective. I know, I know. I’ll try to keep the philosophical insinuations to a minimum.

So I told you I actually work, but what is it I do?

I am a Software Sales Specialist in training for the IBM Corporation. This means I will work with clients to find specific software solutions to meet their business initiatives. I’m almost positive I’ll be representing the IBM Rational Software brand, which is a product providing software development solutions to businesses large and small. I started on September 8, and I’ve been training ever since. This process has taken me to New York, Atlanta and Washington D.C. many times for specialized classes. It seems like I haven’t spent much time here in Chicago to enjoy the Windy City. Boohoo. The training has been great, and I’ve been meeting a lot of great people. My class is mostly comprised of recent college graduates, and we’ve all hit it off quite nicely. If you could see us all out, you would think we had established our friendships years ago. I dig it! I’m also meeting more and more people in Chicago. This networking idea actually works.

I’ve been nothing but excited about the training. I have learned so much since my start in early September. This process has been extremely beneficial not only for my career at IBM, but to all aspects of life. It’s all about understanding people, and going above and beyond what’s expected.

So, I think that’s all for now. I’m going to enjoy the weekend, watch some Florida Football, and prepare for a week of training in Hotlanta! I’m looking forward to seeing pictures of my nephew Nathan in his Halloween costume. I hear he’s going to be Yoda…of course.

I promise I’ll keep the information flowing more frequently.
Send me a note at Chris@ChrisLugo.com if you get bored!

Have a great weekend!

I just need an update!

2005-09-06T04:41:00.000-04:00

Wow, where to begin? I know...I'll start with the summer. I think that's where I left you hangin.

My final summer with The Cavaliers ended on August 13, 2005 with Drum Corps International's World Championships in Foxboro, MA. The talented group of young men led the race until the final stretch, but our second place finish did not diminish what the corps had achieved all summer. The final performance on Saturday night was nothing short of breath-taking, and the 20,000+ crowd certainly agreed. I can't discribe the feelings that overwhelmed me at the end of our performance. Seeing the crowd jump to their feet before the corps finished was just amazing. It's moments like these that confirm the crowd gets it, and they appreciate it. We don't work all summer for one moment on that final Saturday night. We work for every single moment along the way. Here are some photos my mom took on Finals day. I'll be working to get many, many photos from the summer online for your enjoyment.

Here are some links to some of the articles or interviews I was included in this summer:

LOUD & PROUD (2004)

Leaders of the Band...

Cavaliers victorious tonight in Orlando

The Cavaliers victorious at DCI Central Illinois

Media coverage of the drum corps activity was pretty good this summer. Here are some great articles:

The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe 2

Yahoo! Finance

If you haven't quenched your drum corps media coverage appetite, then perhaps this CBS video segment will! Who would have thought drum corps, much less The Cavaliers, would grace a national broadcasting station...and CBS Evening News at that!

I'll assume you live in a monestary if you didn't know DCI Finals is being broadcast on ESPN 2 this Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 10pm eastern time. Go ahead, have a party and enjoy some drum corps. I know I will be.

To be continuted!!!

I've got a job! I've got an apartment!

2005-09-06T04:24:00.000-04:00

I live here!

Summer Time

2005-06-29T21:33:00.000-04:00

It sure has taken my long enough to update this blog. I'm currently in a student center at Illinois State University while the corps learns some new drill to the closer. I know...it's good to be drum major.

Anyways, this is just a quick update letting everyone know (I'm sure there are many of you...maybe) that I am doing great! The summer has produced some great memories thus far. I have had a couple of job prospects, and I'll hopefully be getting an interview or two on July 3rd in Chicago. There is a potential to have something lined up before I get done with the summer, which would be quite amazing. So let's all keep our fingers crossed!

I was blessed with the presence of my newly one-year-old nephew and family at the recent Orlando show. It was just great to see everyone again and in good spirits. Mom took lots of pictures, and I'm sure they will make their way to the Internet sooner or later. I always love having the opportunity to see family and friends on tour...hint hint. Come to a show!

I'm really getting excited about the move to Chicago. I'll hopefully be getting some more information on potential apartments soon. And with the above mentioned career possibilities, things are really looking great. I'm excited to say the least.

I do miss everyone back in Florida. Sean, Steve, RCC (you know who you are) and so many others. We will ride again!!!! (probably after the summer though)

Thanks for reading, and I hope to update this blog more than once a month. Take care, and send me mail!

The Cavaliers
Attn: Chris Lugo
P.O. Box Rosemont, Ill 60018

or

Cavaliercamp@aol.com
(put Chris Lugo in the subject line)

So, I'll be expecting LOTS of mail. Thanks in advance.

Take care everyone.

Almost there

2005-05-20T22:49:00.000-04:00

After a quick bite to eat at Steak N' Shake with Mom and Robert, I receive a call on the cell from an 800 number. I consider ignoring it, but I decide not to this time. It turns out to be a representative from American Airlines letting me know that my flight to Chicago has just been canceled. Great! I was flying out tonight because May 20th is "move-in" at The Cavaliers. I spent the next ten or fifteen minutes trying to work something out. One would think I could schedule another flight from Atlanta to Chicago tonight, but apparently this was not the case. No connecting flights or other airlines came through for me. So I'll be getting up at a modest 4:00 a.m. to catch a 6:22 a.m. flight. Thank you American Airlines...thank you.

The visit to Atlanta has been great (besides the above episode). I've definitely ate too much food. The Varsity, some Mexican place, AJ's, Willie Rae's and Steak N' Shake (see above). I think I even left out a place. I can't turn this stuff down! Once I get to Chicago it might be ramen, ramen, ramen, McDonald's dollar menu, ramen, etc. I can say that Mom and Robert threat me well, they even bought the drinks! I can't wait to have the wherewithal to take them out for dinner and drinks. The highlight was last night. We started off with dinner at Willie Rae's with Mr. Flood (band director of Mount Paran), Dale Thorton (Mom's co-worker), and a few students and family from Mount Paran. My meal of choice: fish tacos and Corona. Everyone enjoyed the food and conversation, and Mom was sure to document the event with her camera.

After dinner, the Trio went to Crystal's for a few drinks and a jam session with Zoom and The Flash. The drinks were good, the band...well let's just say they were special. I did "win" a demo cd, so if you're nice I'll give you a listen...or the cd. The next stop found us at Darwin's (less than a minute from the apartment), and the three of us really had some fun. The music was great and the drinks were better. We finally called it a night around midnight, but boy did we have fun. Never a dull moment in Atlanta when I visit Mom and Robert.

I spent Wednesday-Friday helping out at Mount Paran Christian School. I did this gig last year, and it was nice to see some familiar faces. I worked with the candidates for leadership reviewing marching basics and commands, conducting, and general leadership tips. These kids are amazing leaders, and they're going to have a lot of fun this next year. I'll be seeing some of the Mount Paran students on June 23rd at the Atlanta area drum corps show. I can't tell you how cool it is to see familiar faces during the summer, and especially if they are past students. Overall, I love coming in to help Mr. Flood out at Mount Paran. I hope we can continue this relationship into the future.

Well, I should be in Rosemont, IL right now, but I won't get there until tomorrow morning at 7:15 a.m. I'll get picked up by one of our volunteers, meet up with the corps, and then get on the bus to Dekalb, IL. This is where we'll be spending the first two and a half weeks of pre-tour. This year we're establishing temporary residence at the NIU dorms. Normally we would be in Haish gym, and let me tell you this will be an extreme upgrade. The guys are definitely looking forward to spending some time on beds, because it will not be happening any other time this summer.

Tonight was somewhat of a tease. I thought I was going to get to Chicago and spend the evening with my buds, but I was denied by American Airlines. Thanks again. I did get to spend another evening with Mom and Robert though, and it was a good night. Mom cooked up some great, fat burgers, and we watched game six of the Phoenix-Dallas series. I was pulling for Dallas, but to no avail. Phoenix took it in overtime. I'll probably rearrange my luggage one more time and try to get to sleep. It's going to be an early morning.

I'm looking forward to getting this summer gig started. I'm predicting the best times of my life.

The hunt

2005-05-13T02:35:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting in an apartment overlooking the skyline of Chicago. No, I haven't found my new apartment yet, but I'm here in this great city to begin my hunt. First, let me fill you in on the past couple of weeks.

It's almost been two weeks since graduation, which is crazy to me. My time in Gainesville has now withered away. I made sure that I spent my last weeks enjoying life with my amazing college friends. I had an incredible trip to Miami/Key Largo last weekend with Brian, Shane and Kimmy. Not a dull moment surfaced as we terrorized the Ocean Reef country club (and bar). It was most likely the last the that I'd be with the BTA/RCC gang together in paradise. On Saturday night, I sat on the balcony with Brian contemplating the new life ahead of us. Surreal is all I have to say. Another thing making the weekend that much more special was the fact that it could have been the last time I would be in Florida (relaxing) for quite some time. Boo hoo. Everything is coming to an end...

Yeah yeah. The past couple of days have been emotionally taxing, with saying goodbye to UF, Gainesville and friends, but I'm glad to be initiating a new stage in my life...The Real World. The past couple of days have seen me pouring over the Internet to find job and apartment postings. I'll be working on the job situation for an undisclosed amount of time to come, but the apartment hunt is officially starting this weekend. Hence the being in Chicago thing I mentioned at the beginning. The Chicago Reader has provided me with a multitude of possibilities to investigate, and I'm hoping that the choices will be significantly narrowed down these next few days. The Lakeview and Wrigleyville areas are looking the most attractive right now. I initially had visions of putting up shop downtown, but those illusions have quickly diminished. Maybe I'll be able to afford the finer things soon, but for now it's IKEA and Ramen.

I get back to Orlando on this Sunday, and I'll spend my time with my awesome nephew, Nathan. Tuesday evening will take me to Atlanta to visit Mom in her natural habitat. I'll be a resident of "Hotlanta" until Friday, May 20th, when I finally get back to Chicago for The Cavaliers. I'll be rather "inactive" on the communication front from that point on, but I'm hoping to make periodic updates to my blog. Good times, huh?

Well, I'm falling asleep, so that might be an indicator to stop writing. Stay tuned to ChrisLugo.com for updates, and keep in touch via the information on the contact page. Thanks for everything.

Until next time...

2005-04-30T20:27:00.000-04:00

2005-04-30T01:01:00.000-04:00

Check out the Professional portion of ChrisLugo.com.

2005-04-30T00:57:00.000-04:00

We all have objectives...

The Big Day

2005-04-29T23:30:00.000-04:00

Less than 15 hours...

Could time move any faster right now? Probably not. Life is flying by, and I'm sprinting to catch up. The family is gathered in Orlando (well, Ocoee to be exact) right now visiting my brother Mike and his family. Grandma Antal, Roxanna, Sonya, Mom and Robert all made long journeys from their respective areas of the country to witness (or maybe they came for the BBQ dinner...) my commencement ceremony. The festivities start tomorrow around noon when everyone arrives in Gainesville. The actual ceremony doesn't start until 2 p.m., but apparently they want good seats at the O'Dome (Stephen C. O'Connell center). My step-dad will join us tomorrow as well, and I'm so happy he could make it.

After the pandemonium that will be graduation, a group of friends (Kimmy, Allison, Terrance, Brian and me) are having our families come together for the first last time for dinner. Brian's infamous party house sets the stage for BBQ, beer and good times. David's BBQ is catering, and let me assure you that the food is delicious. I can already tell you that Mom will be flashing everyone there, with her camera! Get your mind out of the gutter. I always love when she takes pictures, because you are guaranteed to have a plethora of awesome shots. At the conclusion of dinner, those who need to get on the road back to Orlando will leave, and the rest will stay for the final, and greatest, party of them all (trust me there were a lot)!! TOGA!!! Everyone's invited to get their toga on at 1306 NW 7th Ave around 10 p.m. I know Mom, Robert and Roxanna are staying. Let's just hope they brought a toga. I'd hate for them to be the odd ones out. I foresee a parents versus sons/daughters Flip-Cup tourney. This could get interesting...

I'll be sure to keep everyone updated (with pictures too!) of the graduation festivities this weekend. It promises to be a great time for everyone.

So I've spent the past could of hours trying to produce more content for ChrisLugo.com, but it's definitely a slow process for this novice. Creating an accurate portrayal of me is important to me on this website. I've done a lot of studying on personal branding, and you would be surprised as to what kind of impressions will last with people. Thinking of yourself as a brand certainly provides a different outlook on...well everything. This branding thing isn't me being pretentious, but it's me acknowledging its power to potentially influence other people's perception of me as an individual, a businessman, a friend, a brand. Perception is reality folks.

I planned on having a "launch" of the website for tomorrow complete with an e-mail newsletter, but things are looking grim for this deadline. The new projected date is Tuesday, May 3rd, so let's hope I can get my act together by then!

The next big date on the calendar of events is Friday, May 6th. I am taking the GMAT that day, and hopefully I'll get some time this next week to buckle down on the studies. This test isn't that important, it just determines how good of an MBA program I get into later. Can you smell the sarcasm? Speaking of grad school...I've decided to wait a year (at least) to apply to the University of Chicago. I was all about its Chicago Business Fellows Program designed for those with 0-3 years experience, but I've had a change of heart about this venture. I'm thinking now that I should get a couple of years under my belt working at a marketing firm or an ad agency first. This will give me time to weigh all of my options, and really decide what I would want to do with an MBA. I think it's the best decision for me (waiting that is), and hopefully it will prove beneficial in the long run.

That's all for now. Be sure to keep an eye on ChrisLugo.com for more updates and developments! Tell your friends and family about the site. Also, make sure you keep up with the site, and this blog, throughout the summer. I won't be able to update frequently, but there will be updates!!!

Soon to be graduate...

2005-04-27T19:40:00.000-04:00

Go Gators!!!

It's coming!

2005-04-27T19:03:00.000-04:00

I awake at noon for one of the last times, and I realize this week is quickly coming to completion, along with my college career at the University of Florida. It's hard to believe that I've spent the better of four years here in Gainesville planning and preparing for the future and for life. The projected path has changed continuously, but the goal has found its roots in consistency. I require a robust life packed with discovery, excitement, spontaneity, integrity and love. Is that too much to ask? If it is, then I dare say you are not reaching for the stars.

I’m striving to constantly improve life through education. Whether it is in a classroom or on the Internet, I am always searching for the most effective route. This is why I am developing ChrisLugo.com. I want to provide friends and family with a vehicle to connect with my life regardless of distance.

It’s truly going to be a sad day this Saturday, April 30th, 2005. Especially since I’ll be venturing to Chicago soon after and officially leaving my home state. The friendships that have developed in turn have forced me to develop as a colleague, a friend, and a person. I hope to never lose touch of the people who have changed my life.

As I begin to think about the emotional culmination this weekend, I start envision of the amazing journey the rest of my life is going to be. I just can’t wait for everything to come. I think I’m optimistic, but maybe a tad overboard for my first entry, huh?

Today is a day of growing…the website that is. First, let’s get some food and a shower.

Much more to come!