Get Your Mind Right!

By now, most of you know about the new job waiting for me when I return from this adventure with John.  I am still consulting for my prior company until the end of the year, so I ritually check the daily sales report and stand ready to receive calls and dispense advice or ask more questions at the very least!  The point about the new job is an important one.  I am thankful that the new company is willing to wait for me to complete these two, important family and business commitments.  However, it is in my nature to engage and prepare immediately.

I wanted to think about my next career step, with serious contemplation, between Sevilla and Salzburg, with an epiphany somewhere in Bavaria and full action plan vetted by Vienna, or Gdansk at the latest.  Well, it didn’t work out that way.  I had signs that this opportunity was too good of a match to pass up.  I truly believe I can help this company, especially its people—so after lots of intense dialogue with many mentors, advisors and friends, Belinda and I decided to move forward.  Now I need to replace, surgically, the planned contemplation time with the prep time and not let the prep time usurp the main mission at hand, which is the education of young John. 

As many of you know, I often call John, João, which is John in Portuguese leftover from my time in Brazil.  We are calling him Juan here in Spain after seeing a Vueling airplane named after him!  He is soaking up the history of Spain: the many layers of civilizations, the religious conflict overtones, the current events, the culture.  I love answering his questions or Googling to figure out what the options are for the truth.  Then we try to figure it out together.

Funny story-- we wanted to go to this specific, but small restaurant in Granada.  We wanted to sit inside, because everyone was smoking outside.  The hostess asked our name for the waiting list, and I did what I always do in Latin countries without thinking about it, I said, “Carlos Castelo.”  When we were walking out to get John a gelato dessert before dinner, John said- “what did you say?”  And I told him the story that that is the name I used in Brazil (except at Embraer of course) and it is a simple translation of our family name origin “Blenkinsopp” which was a castle on the border of England and Scotland.  I therefore said—nice to meet you, Juan Castillo (Spanish version).  The purpose of speaking is communication, and I have found that our name is difficult to get right in some countries.  In Switzerland and Austria, I might as well say "Blankenstein," anyway, because that is what they will write down!  Why make it difficult?

John has completed our 4th book, the one on Magellan, and is halfway thru my list of questions which he deemed too complicated, and said that I am one of those teachers everyone tries to avoid!  We are almost done with Chapter 5 in math (test coming up soon), and he has designed a glider using a simulation program from his brother Ben’s engineering class.  He returns to Spanish classes starting this weekend.  Busy, but he still finds time to play video games and watch youtube! 

I am leaning into the motto of my strength and conditioning coach to focus my energy on the education of Juan the Young: Get your mind right.  Attack.  Finish Strong.  I know this will help me stay the course, remain focused, yet accomplish enough preparation to lead a new team in January. 

Air Force Juan !  Unfortunately, we did not fly that A320.  We flew a sister aircraft, didn't catch her name, but it could have been "Vueling Me Softly", "Vueling the World", or "My Name is Ling.  Vue Ling".  Among others...