I Am Back. | October 2021 - May 2022
Acquiring 2 New Languages In 11 Months, Aquaperla, & The Art Of Stillness
Hello! Let me briefly introduce myself if you do not know me. My name is Carlos Jarquín. I am passionate about making a positive impact in the material science sector. I am currently working on my knowledge of aerogels and a research proposal called Aquaperla.
But Carlos! Which rock were you hiding under for the past 8 months? I could not find you!
I have been mastering my inner self while moving the needle on my vision and projects. I had no concrete idea what I wanted to do or become since I published my last newsletter. It took me 8 months to create a new list of “commandments”: Values that I submit my will to and defend.
These new values have provided these outcomes:
Speaking 2 New Languages In 11 Months! 🗣️
My passion for acquiring languages started when I was recording a podcast with Bryam Loiza. (The Baltocast) I noticed that he became more open with me and grinned wider when I started speaking Spanish. Language is something powerful to connect with talent and individuals across the world.
The first language that I would acquire was Portuguese. I acquired the language with intense focus from June 2021 to November 2021 using children’s stories, music, and native speakers. I am grateful and confident to say that I can speak it to a semi-native level without problems.
The current language that I am acquiring is Modern Greek. The phonetics sound similar to Spanish, the writing system is aesthetic, and it provides a new perspective on the maths and sciences of the past and present. Modern Greek has been more challenging than Portuguese because the grammar is another ballgame. I used the same strategy from February 2022 to the Present to acquire Modern Greek: children’s stories, mythology (lol), music, and native speakers. I am privileged to say that I can maintain small talk and 20-minute conversations in Greek with occasional grammatical errors.
Language is a journey. But even a journey needs a destination. My goal with languages is to use them for my personalized daily life. My vocabulary in each language will become a personalized Memorandum of who I am.
Aquaperla: Filtering Water For 0.02 - 0.05 USD 🚰
I have kept my trap shut for 2 years acquiring the knowledge about aerogels. You cannot make a mountain out of a molehill. I am now humbled to announce Aquaperla: Aerogel-Derivative Cellulose Beads & Aerogel-Derivative Calcium Alginate Beads to filter organic compounds and heavy metal ions for 0.02 - 0.05 per liter.
Here Is Your Dose Of Reality… 📔
I will go straight to the point: This is what I learned & understood from the 8 months of being absent from monthly updates. Some of my lessons may offend people. Trigger Warning Is Advised.
From my mentor, Brandon J. “[Young] people have the advantage of being able to speak on stages without knowing in-depth about their subject. This gift of youth and innocence will wear off. Only true talent, knowledge, and understanding of their craft will remain in the headlights once the gift is erased. The expectations are raised. How fast can you adapt?
Whisper the whisper first. Then write the write. Then do the work. Walk the walk. You now have permission to raise your voice and talk the talk. Then whisper again.
The most important resource for an adolescent is not their time. It is their attention. Everyone gets the same quantity of hours per day. That is time. Attention turns the hours into *quality* time or *just* time.
Attention is the real money. Not time. | If attention and time were real-world objects; Time is a debit card with $24, and Attention is the $24. For everything you do during the day, a certain task may require more money from the card. But the card may run out of money when attention is truly needed for a large task.
Never sacrifice and go against your values for an opportunity or person.
Think in days, weeks, & months for direction. Think in years & decades for a vision. The goal is to think *a minimum* of 2 steps ahead.
Accept your first offers to go on a podcast or speaking opportunities. You now need to acquire the decision-making of which opportunities to say no. I rejected 18 opportunities from October 2021 to May 2022. I only accepted 2 offers because these opportunities were aligned with my vision and values. But I was only able to make these decisions because…
I knew what I wanted. You will hate people that are accomplishing incredible feats because you might not know what you want from your life.
There will be a “Rocky Period” when building something above your current standards AND you are not overhyping your skills.
Friends are like shoes. There is a good chance that you will outgrow them. Knowing when to let go of friends is like shoes. They do not fit your feet anymore and they do not support you or your feet during any times [or the hard pavement lol].
If you can read this, <60 seconds away from clean water, and have a roof over your head, you are already a millionaire… of decisions and choices. You just do not own it. I have learned that these decisions are like my Google Calendar: I wanted to have it filled to the brim. But now I want it as empty as possible.
Talk to people older than you if you want a preview of the next mountain range ahead of you. They will not tell you how to climb the mountain range. Don’t get illusional. They will *just* tell you what is on the other side. You decide if you want to climb.
Talk to people who have solved your specific problems to go faster. Make these people your friend to go further.
If it is 21:00 in your local time… What are you doing!? Go to bed :-)
Well… before you do…
How You Can Help Me! 📝
If you know someone who works in EcoWorth Tech, Aspen Aerogels, Aerogel Technologies, AERoGELS Cost Action Europe, Active Aerogels, Cabot Corporation (Aerogels), Svenska Aerogel AB, Thermulon, or any other aerogel startup, I would like feedback on our proposal and learn from you.
If you are researching/have researched aerogels, I would like feedback on our proposal.
If you know of Grants, Scholarships, or Travel Grants to build our product, let me know! Aquaperla is seeking 3000 USD - 5000 USD.
If you have space in a lab in Los Angeles (school institutions, college/university, or private), let me know! This is a big one!
Let me know if any of these are of interest to you, or if you'd like to contact me about anything else!
Music Time! 🎵
One song per language! (plus Arabic… take a wild guess what I am doing in my spare time)
Balti - Khaliha 3la Rabi | خليها على ربي
Μου 'χε Πει | Γιώργος Παπαδόπουλος (Lyrics)
MC Poze do Rodo - Eu Fiz o Jogo Virar (prod. Ajaxx, Galdino)
Meltt - It Could Grow Anywhere (Visualizer)