It has been 25 years.

This morning I realized it is 9/11/2026.  It has been 25 years.  I cannot believe it  has been that long.  

I had one of my busy days ahead.  Cristina was now a student in Gainesville, Elena was on her second year at LaSalle High School, Paula was at Blessed Trinity Catholic School and Robert was at John I. Smith Elementary.  I was going through everything I had to do every day before I went to work. Elena was already at school, Paula got her ride to Blessed Trinity with one of her school mates.  Cristina was at Gainesville and that was all the specifics I knew at the time.  

I had prepared breakfast or they had prepared breakfast, depending on how independent they were or which school they were attending.   Robbie, I took to John I Smith elementary.  Right before I left, I noticed something strange had happenned at the world trace center.  I kind of wanted to stay home and become aware of what was going on.  I decided to take just go and take Robbie to school at John I Smith.  I did not want him to be late.  I quickly packed him into the car and drove over, it was only 4  blocks to the school.  I did not say anything, I did not really suspect anything.  On the way to school, my sister in law called me.  She told me something was going on at the World Trade Center.  A plane had hit the center.  They did not know if it was on purpose or what.  I did not tell Rob anything.  He was only 7 years old. I rushed over to the school, dropped him off and then I hurried back home.  

Upon my arrival at home I turned the television on. I saw a plane hit the tower,  I thought it was a replay.  It wasn't. It was the second plane. It was only now that I realized this was being done on purpose. 

In time I heard about the other occurrences, the plane hitting the pentagon and the plane landing in a field in Pennsylvania.  I find it amazing how much I do not remember from that day. I also find it amazing how little I remember.  I do not think we took the kids out of school that day.  This happenned on a Tuesday.  I did not have class that day since I believe I was teaching a class that only met on MWF.  Although I may have gone to school if only to be able to speak to people. 

As I watched the coverage I kept thinking of the firefighters going into a building and not coming out; I thought of all that had died there and what it must be like working as first responder.  I never seriously thought about being a first responder; I had my own job to do.  By that I mean being an example to my children.  When things like this, that is probably the most important job we have. 

Although I will probably remember soon, I find it amazing how little I remember from that day.  I remember talking to my kids about it, to my mom and in laws.  I remember speakng to students about it also.  I have always found that the more loudly pronounced the happennings are, the less you remember of what else was going on. 

Be well my friends.  

Forty Years

I woke up this morning and saw an email from empower@fiu.edu.  I was pleasantly surprised that I was being congratulated for reaching an important milestone at FIU, the 40 year service anniversary.  Forty years ago today I accepted the position of assistant professor of chemistry.  I am surprised when I realize I was only 27 at the time.  Time does fly!

My job then was very simple.  I would teach one full class of CHM 1045, in OE 134, and one class of a senior level course, CHM 4610, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry.  Additionally, I would have to perform some yet to be identified service for the department. Oh, and I had to establish a research program. It was and is a very nice job.  There was no graduate program, no  Ph.D. program,  A lot has happenned since then.  The department has changed since then.  Only one other faculty member remains from that time.  I went through the process of becoming chair, graduate program coordinator, and associate chair.  I am beginning my tenth year as associate chair.  I wil also be 69 years old tomorrow. 

I joined in 1986, a little bit after the Challenger shuttle crashed.  I remember being at the UM and professor Carl Hoff letting me know the challenger had exploded as I was taking a very important melting point in the laboratory.  This was in January of 1986. At the time I had no idea where I would be for the next year.  I had not even applied for a position yet.  On March 10, 1986, Elena was born. Elena is my second daughter in age.  Cristina was at home. She was in school.  She was three and and a half years old and was attending a preschool in West Miami.   I am surprised that both of those things occurred, not simultaneously but close to each other. I have always marveled at how my brain can separate things like that.  I had never even associated those things until I started writing this.  

I remember I was actively thinking about what to do with my degree.  It is not as if I had any offers. Actually I did have one offer, to go to MIT and work on who would later become a Nobel Prize Winner.  

In 1986, I was the first faculty member hired by the chemistry department at FIU.  It had just been created.  Prior to that it was known as the Department of Physical Sciences and was a combination of Chemistry, Physics and Geology.  The Department of Biological Sciences was made up of Biological Sciences and various other subdivisions which I do not remember right away. I later was hired by the Department.  I was happy and frankly I still am, but at the time it was a strange situation to be in. 

In time I was the department chair from 1992-1995, was the graduate coordinator from 1990-1992 and from 1995-1997.  I later became associate chair from 2017-2026.  We had four children, two grandchildren, a lot was accomplished. 

University of MIami

 Today was interesting.  

I heard that they had torn down the Mahoney - Pearson halls at the University of Miami.  They had pictures of the halls on the web.  And pictures of what remains.

I was surprised.  To me those were the buildings that defined the entrance to the University of Miami.  Once you saw those buildings, you knew one had arrived at the University.  I decided to read about them They were not twin buildings but they looked similar enough that you could tell they were built as part of a complex, although first Mahoney was built and then the Pearson building was built.

Ramon drove from LMT’s to the University of Miami.  The Mahoney/Pearson complex were the two dormitory buildings at the front of the University.  One would see these buildings from US1 when one arrived at the University.  Today, Ramon saw the buildings and they had been destroyed.  Interestingly they looked like they were actually larger than they really were.  Ramon then drove to the back of the university to see the Science Building and realized there was a new Science Building right next to the fountain and West of the Library, kind of behind the Ashe Building. The former Science Building was still present.  It looked as if it was being renovated.  The Learning Center building was no longer visible from the student parking lot in behind the Memorial Building.  There were two other buildings in front of it.  Ramon then went into the campus just to see what was going on.  New students were already arriving, and Ramon did not see that many changes going on there.  The campus seemed different, as if a lot of the smaller buildings had been torn down and replaced by huge dormitory buildings.  Then again, sometime when we go back to a place we remember, it all seems smaller or tighter than it once did. Here is the address to the blog. https://lafamilialopezdelnautico.blogspot.com/

I first noticed the buildings when Robert became a student at the University of Miami.  He did not like the UM and the next year he would go to University of Florida in Gainesville.  That University he liked a lot better.  Robert graduated in 1970.  This meant he went to the University of Miami beginning in 1970 until 1971.  

I remember seeing the Mahoney Pearson buildings during his year at UM.  These were college dorms.  I do not know if he lived there or if he actually drove from home to there.  Or if he lived in another building altogether.  I have been trying to think back to see what I remembered but I remember nothing.  During that time the school kept different dorm buildings for each gender.  The ladies were in the Mahoney Building while the gentlemen occupied the Pearson Building, although I am not sure if these were the actual names of the buildings at the time.  They may also have been named the 720 and 730 buildings, due to their occupancy. 

The buildings were built in the late 50s.   

I remember first seeing or possibly noticing these building in 1970-1971.  Robert told me that one of these was for ladies and one was for gentlemen.  It was easy to tell which one was which by how many windows were pulled up.  In the Mahoney building, most of the privacy shades were down, in the Pearson building most of them were up.  I do not think Robert actually lived there.  He may also have lived at home.  I am honestly not sure. 

I later became more aware of the buildings when I actually attended the University Fall of 1975 all the way through Fall of 1986. I received my Bachelors of Science, Ph.D. and Postdoctoral studies.  At times I felt that I would never leave.  Oh, and I forgot, I had my first two children and got married then as well.  I am actually very proud of my education there, although sometimes it seemed interminable at the time.  The two buildings were joined by a common lobby and dining facilities.  

I only went into the buildings once.  I was studying for an exam and the whole group got together in a room in Pearson hall joined by our classmates.  We had a great time and we actually studied.  There I learned that I did not like the idea of living in a dormitory. Although the students that lived there seemed to be happy.  I on the other hand could go home at the end of the day.  I remember during that time one of the students had left the family and no one could find him.  He did not return although much later, I did see him at the UM. I was in the graduate school at the time so it may have been around six years later. 

While attending the University, I almost never went by that area.  Although they present at the front of the University, in practice, for the chemists particularly, they were way back where no students actually were.  

I just went by the University for the first time in years and was amazed at how much it had changed.  There seems to be a new science building which one of these days I will visit, just to see what it is like. 

I miss him.

 Tomorrow is Carlos's Birthday.  I miss  him.  

He was born on July 19, 1956.  He passed away on 1/14/2021.  We had a memorial for him at the Optimist Club in Pembroke Pines.  

At the Optimist Club baseball field, Ramon and LMT participated in the Celebration of Life of Carlos Lopez.  There were more than 100 attendees. Considering this was during a pandemic where everyone was encouraged to not gather, that is saying something.  

Present were Betty Juan Lopez & Carlos and Betty’s 4 kids: Melissa, Stephanie, Carlos “Chuckie” and Gabriel “Gabby”.  Each child came to the park with their significant other: Chuckie with Alejandra, Gabby with Shelby, Melissa with her girlfriend, and Stephanie with her boyfriend. Most of the Lopez-Trigo’s were there: LMT & Ramon, Elena & Elena’s boyfriend-Grant, and Paula were present. Cristina was out of town in Georgia where she lives, she was attending remotely via phone and Robbie was busy working for Apple. Rob worked for Apple till 9pm and then needed to work on coding for his IT boot camp. Others present were: 1) Gus Caballero and his wife Lilly; Gus and Carlos Lopez were friends and Gus temporarily worked with Carlos; 2) Pedrin and his wife Lourdes; Pedrin is Betty’s brother; 2) Teresa, Glenn, & Frederica, Glenn’s girlfriend;  3)  Ana & Armando and their 2 daughters: Emily and Jennifer; 4) Rosa Maria; 5) Marta, the second cousin of Betty Juan Lopez. 6) Friends of Carlos and Betty and their children : Camping friends and sports-related friends and work friends including Del, Carlos’s former boss; 7) Elvis, a La Salle alumni, and classmate of Ramon. Juanpi could not make it since he had an upset stomach. Paula & Rosa Maria broadcasted the event via zoom to Cristina, Juanpi, Anna Julia, Josh, and Danny. The music that was playing were all of Carlos’s favorites. LMT & Ramon entered the park via west fence entrance in the area to the right of first base & beyond the baseball diamond. The main table up was up against the west fence and to the right as one entered the baseball field. On the table were numerous frames containing photos of Carlos with family and friends during the many stages of his life. Hung on the fence in back of the table and to the right was a photo of Carlos and to the left of the table was another copy of the same photo. This photo of Carlos seems to capture his essence and is one of his kids’ favorite images of their father taken while he was sitting by a lamp. On the table were also bouquets of flowers and a box with numerous lined stationary papers each labeled Memories. The attendees were asked to write a memory they had of Carlos. LMT wrote: “Carlos I remember talking to you when my child and your child were both ill. I wish I could have had more of those conversations with you!” Other tables were set up against the north fence. The tables had chicken wraps, fried boneless chicken, pastelitos, croquetas, Colombian empanadas, cupcakes, and assorted drinks in coolers with ice. Drinks included soft drinks and Francis Ford Coppola Sofia sparkling Rose wine. LMT ate 3 fried boneless chicken pieces & a Colombian empanada and drank a cup of Rose wine. At first every one set up their chairs and tents and mingled and ate and drank and talked while social distancing and while wearing masks due to COVID-19 Pandemic!. 

Rosa Maria opened the ceremony by talking about Carlos. She said that when he married Betty, his main role in life was to be Betty’s husband and a father to Melissa, Stephani, Chucky and Gaby.  She said he did his best for all for them.  She said that he has not left.  He is still here, among us.  And he is very proud of what his family had done for him and is now doing. Rosa then led everyone with “The Lord’s Prayer”  

Melissa followed with a story of how Carlos was always quiet and set the example of making things not so complicated. She said  Carlos was not prone to anger except when it came to sports. She told us of one particular event where she was on a volleyball team and the coach did not let her play at all. After the game Carlos went to the coach and started yelling at him. He said to the coach: “How can you not put her in; she is only 10 years old.”  Ramon thinks that what he meant was that at 10, after working so hard, not being put in to play the game, even for a while, can leave a lasting impression on a child. This was Ramon’s impression since he has had the same feelings. .

Stephanie followed up by saying he was a simple man who enjoyed life. He worked very hard; but he always made sure that he enjoyed life. Chuckie talked about how he provided for his family and at no time did he ever complain about it. He worked very hard.  Even towards the end, when he returned home, he woke up, and started saying that he had to hand in a lot of work assignments to Del, his former boss before Carlos set up his own company!  Ramon was behind Del at the time and just saw Del look down. Del was with the company who gave Carlos many of the cases. Del also helped Carlos and is helping Chuckie with the business right now.  

Gaby then talked about Carlos. Gabby said that Carlos was always there for him always there to converse with him.  No matter how late Gabby got home, he could speak with his dad and his dad was always there to listen and talk about Gabby’s problems. 

Gus Caballero then spoke about how Carlos and he were both Dolphin fans to the extreme and today Gus wore his Dolphin Jersey, which Gus got when he turned 60, in honor of Carlos. A fellow member of the Cuban American Camping Association otherwise known as the “ CACA” club also spoke and said Carlos loved to go camping with him and another gentleman, whose wife is from New York. Carlos would always greet her with a New York accent saying “So How you doing?” similar to how Joey in the TV show “Friends” would greet others! He said Carlos just enjoyed to sit around and share food and drinks and carry on “small talk” - conversation with his fellow campers. 

Ramon then spoke of childhood memories of Carlos. Ramon spoke of one particular memory of Carlos; he believes it is his earliest clear memory. Carlos and Ramon for some reason both slept in the same bed when they were children. There was a reason, but Ramon does not remember what it was. Apparently, during the night, Ramon would move in bed and hit Carlos while asleep. Carlos kept talking about dividing the bed in half; Carlos drew an imaginary line. Ramon did not know how he would be able to know where the imaginary line was, particularly when he was asleep, so Ramon kept coming up with ways of building a barrier. Carlos just kept it simple. The imaginary line was sufficient. Carlos and Ramon were treated as one in those days. It was always Carlos y Ramon. One word: Carlos y Ramon. One time a stranger said Ramon y Carlos; no one answered since it was said it reverse.  It was always said: “ Carlos y Ramon”. Carlos y Ramon did everything together. We learned English together.  Papi would teach us English. We had one book.  Papi was able to teach us only a few sentences. We only knew one verb.  When we arrived in 1965 Carlos was 9 and I was 8.  We were both placed in the same school. It is amazing how much easier things are when you have a big brother in the same class. Carlos and I were together in Coral Way Elementary.  

The first day, Mrs. Lecours gave us an assignment. We could not leave until we finished it. We had to write 10 complete sentences.  I remember all the other students left because it was time to go home and they had finished the assignment. Carlos and I remained in the back of the portable classroom, trying to think of how to do the assignment. I remember I asked Carlos “Carlos tu sabes que es un sentence?” (Carlos do you know what a sentence is?).  I think his first sentence was “I have a book”  mine was “I have a tree”. We were there for quite a while. I am not sure how we were allowed to leave. I know we did not write 10 sentences. This was a mixed classroom.  Half of it was for third graders, the other for fourth graders.  I was in third grade and he was in fourth grade. We did not sit together.  In fact I sat on the second seat in the second row.  He sat way in the back in the fourth or fifth row.  During class I would look back to find him and he was always there. One day, after around a week, Carlos was transferred to another school, Citrus Grove Elementary.  In order to arrive early at school, Carlos had to wait for a school bus to pick him up and take him there. This change alarmed me since it was the first time we would not be together. 

I remember looking back, searching, and he was not there.  I got a bad a feeling.  A feeling similar to the one I am feeling now. I look around this field and I see all of you.  I am expecting to find Carlos and I cannot find him. But, I know he is here. At the event, Ramon was pleasantly surprised to see Elvis a fellow alumni from Ramon’s La Salle class of 1975.  Ramon, LMT, Paula, Elena and Grant spent some time speaking to Elvis.  Elvis wrote an email to the  Class of 1975 alumni:  “Yesterday’s memorial to Carlos Lopez, brother of our beloved Dr. Ramon “Moose” Lopez, was a very nice event.  The family set up this beautiful tribute, with a custom-made banner and photo table with flowers. This was against the outfield fence of a baseball field at a park, a place which was significant to his brother.  Overall Ramon thought it was a beautiful event.  His family said goodbye to him in a way he would have been proud of.  

This park was were Carlos would help coach his kids; Melissa and Stephanie in volleyball and Chuckie and Gabby in baseball. As the family was packing up; to the sounds of Jimmy Buffet singing Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitudes: It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes / Nothing remains quite the same / With all of our running and all of our cunning / If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane.

Ramon kept thinking that it was a very fitting ending to a wonderful afternoon.

July 4th

Tomorrow is the fourth of July.  I can remember three fourth of July's in  particular in my mind.  The first one is July 4, 1976.  The other was on July 4th 1978.  The last one was once when we went to the Epcot Center for the second time and watched a huge fireworks show. I do not remember the exact year.  It may have been 1992, since I do not remember Rob being there and I was carrying Paula.  

On July 4, 1976 I became a citizen on the United States.  I began working towards it when I  had to do a paper for Mr. Koziol in 1975, our senior year in high school. I did it  to kill two birds with one stone.  I had to write a paper and I needed to find out how the citizenship papers were filed so I came up with a paper entitled "becoming a citizen of the United States".  I cannot remember at all the paper but it did get me to file.  At some point someone from the Social Security Office interviewed me.  In my case it may have been a little different. Teresa was already working for the social security office.  I remember because Teresa ran the interview and I made the decision to change my name to Lopez de la Vega, rather than my legal name previously which was Lopez.  Once you become a citizen you can change your name for free.  Lopez de la Vega was my original name but it was changed once I landed here on November 1965.  I am not sure why my name was changed to just Lopez but it was.  I remember Teresa was already working at the social security office and she handled the name change etc...  Teresa did not like that I was changing my name. I should not say she did not like it but she was worried about other things that might occur due to the name change.  I only did it since the name Lopez was so common that I thought it was best to change it to Lopez de la Vega.   Around half of us did change it.  In the end, Teresa changed hers also many years later since there was a person who had her same name and the social security differred in only the last two numbers and was a criminal of some type.  Teresa was almost arrested once because of that issue.  

On that day mom and I had to go to a ceremony since we were both becoming Citizens of the United States. I remember being unsure of whether to go through with it or not.  I was proud and still I am proud of my heritage.  I had never really wanted to become a citizen of the United States.  In part that was because dad did not want to do it either.  The reason I did become a citizen is that I had heard that there were numerous scholarships that would only be availalbe to us if we were citizens.  However, I cannot remember which ones they were.  They may have been either the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant or one which was sponsored by the state of florida, I believe it was the State of Florida Assistant Grant. I may be wrong.  It would not make that much of a difference in the beginning of my college career.  But it may make a difference later, and it did.  I decided it was best for me to go through with it and become a citizen.  This was literally the only reason I did this.  

The ceremony was not extravagant, but I felt I was in a different place.  Only mom and I attended the ceremony, I am not really sure why.  Since mine occurred on the bicentennial, it was kind of a big deal.  There were ceremonies all through the United States.  I believed there was one in the orange bowl but I looked it up and did not find it.  I was with mom at the Miami Beach Convention Center.   Halfway through the ceremony I could tell mom was sad.  She may even have been crying.  I never asked her why. I knew.  It was the drummer.  There was a drummer in a band that was playing.  He was a very enthusiastic drummer.  Sometimes his bandmates would have to tell him to take it easy.  And, he looked more than a little like my own brother, Robert.  He did not remind me of Robert, but when I saw my mom crying, he did.  This was only 7 months afterwards.  I never spoke to her about it, in fact I pretended not to notice, but it was obvious. I love my mom. 

The second fourth of July I remember was in 1978.  Lourdes and I began going out approximately May 27, 1978.  I say approximately because that is what I and Lourdes determined at that time.  I am not actually sure that was the date.  It is our best estimate.  We had been going dancing and getting to know each other all summer going out with mostly with Maria and Victor and Fabio and Marlene.   I am not sure if Fabio and Marlene had gone on the picnic. We decided to go to TY park in Broward County.    We actually had a great time.  I was trying to find pictures of that time.  I have not been able to find them, although I know I have them  

Chuck Lebess

 Early in our Junior we were in football practice, and we were told we would be going one-on-one today. That meant I was going to be going full out trying to not be blocked out of the play and to tackle one of our classmates; and send a message. I loved the drill. You have to understand that Coach Parsons always criticized me for not being mean enough. He would say “Do not apologize to the quarterback after you hit him!!”  I actually did that. Today I was going to make it a point to have no friends. Mean Moose had entered the building.  

In this drill the goal of the offensive tackle (OT) is to block the defensive tackle out (DT). I was the DT. The running back just had to get past me. The DT had to stop the running back and hit the running back as hard as possible.  

We began the drill. I am not sure who the OT was, I have been trying to figure it out, but I really do not remember. The running back however I do remember well.  

I saw who was playing against me and was not worried. All I had to do was resist. If the OT pushed you to left, you push back to the right. If he pushed to right you pushed to the left and try to get a clear shot at the Running Back, Chuck Lebess.  

The play began. OT tried to push me towards his left. I maneuvered and was able to push hitting hard to the right. I was able to get rid of whoever it was. I had a clear shot at Lebess.  

Lebess is a good guy. He ran track (hurdles) good running back, surprisingly nice guy but, during this exercise we had no friends. I put my head down. He put his head down. I was going to hit him as hard as it was possible. At this time, you really do not think. You just run forward and hit. I hit him as hard as I could. Apparently, so did he. At least I hope he did. It was such a hard hit that it really hurt. I really do remember the collision. I do not think I had a concussion, but I was worried. He was unscathed.  

 I have never been hit so hard during the years I played football.  That day Chuck Lebess earned my respect as a football player.

Someone’s toughness as exemplified by how hard they hit or how well they played in football games pales in comparison to that measured by how one handles the hard knocks one has been dealt with in life.  After reading our friends comments about Chuck Lebess and how he is doing, I can honestly say that Chuck Lebess is one tough dude.  

-Fight on  

Moose 

Crazy thing called computers.

I have been working with computers for a long time now.  I can remember my first time. 

It was my freshman year in college, at the University of Miami and Fabio told me about how they used computers in his line of work.  Fabio was a business or accounting major.  I am not sure.  I frankly cannot tell the difference.  Fabio asked me if I wanted to go to the place where the computers were at the UM.  I said sure.  I am not talking about the computer facility, I am talking about the classroom building at the UM.  The first thing was connecting to the mainframe.  This was done via a modem connected to the phone.  The phone literally sat on a modem and you would dial the number sand it would connect.  I am not talking about the phone line, I am speaking about the actual phone.  It was a very slow connection, I believe it was a 300 baud which all I knew was that it was the slowest way to communicate with the computer.  It literally asked me if I wanted to play a game?  This later reminded of that movie War games with Mathew Broderick.  The computer did not talk, we just wrote to each other.  The movie was made in 1983.  My experience with Fabio was on or about 1977.  It is amazing how far we have come. 

I was asked if I wanted to play tic tac toe.  I did, and I was hooked. 

I never thought of it as something that would be so useful.  I was just very curious at the time.  I then took a course in the basic computer language (Beginners all purpose symbolic instruction code) and later would expand how much I would use and depend on computers. In that course, as a final project, I made up a program that would play chess with you.  I am being very generous to myself here.  All I did was begin the game when you only had two pieces left.  And your opponent had one piece left.  I had to get the new queen with the pawn.  It worked okay but both players had to know something about chess.  If the defending player just moved away, the player with the pawn would just move back and forth.  He acted as if he was confused.  Oh well.   

As I am sure all of you are aware, I am part of a large family.  My oldest brother, most probably never used a computer.  Nowadays I find that hard to believe.  As one looks at the whole family, all of used computers to varying degrees. The younger members of the family used computers or actually studied computer science or engineering.  I always wondered at the time if I would have finished my career in chemistry if I had the opportunity to work with computers.  I think I would have in the end. I know some colleagues that later studied computer science after chemistry.