Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982
Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982
138 Brian Nelson - Engineering All Over The World
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In our 40th year, I interview friends from my graduating class of 1982, The College High Wildcats. This class held the distinction of being the last graduating class of College High School before the name was changed to Bartlesville High School. Sooner High School and College High were combined into one school called Bartlesville High School.
In this episode, I visit with Col-Hi Wildcat Brian Nelson. Brian and I talk about his biggest challenge since graduating high school, his greatest accomplishments, talks about his crazy travel schedule all over the world, and shares what advice he would give his 18-year-old self.
You can contact Brian at briandnelson5440@gmail.com
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Dennis Pannell:Try one of the students I have no idea who he was. But he had he was in woodshop. And he took that picture and put it on some masonite. And then in cut them up into puzzle pieces is picture College High. And I got every piece but one was why put it together and had one missing piece. That's pretty good out of all those.
Keith Richards:Tell you what, later on looking back, it was their parents who I grew up without a dad in the home and their parents had a huge impact on me cheated.
Kurt Rovenstine:And this young man asked why he cheated, you know, to win. And in the course of that conversation. You know, he said he wanted to get the gold, you know, he had to get the gold medal. But it came to the realization that hey, if you're not enough, without the gold medal, you're never going to be enough with a gold medal. And I think that's you know, to me, that's I do I love that
Scott Townsend:Hey, this is Scott Townsend. Welcome back to the Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast. And today I have with me, fellow Wildcatter Brian Nelson. Brian, how's it going?
Brian Nelson:Oh, it's going good. How about you today Scott?
Scott Townsend:is doing great. Good to have you on the show.
Brian Nelson:Yeah, thanks for doing this. This is fun. Yeah,
Scott Townsend:we haven't probably talked since 82.
Brian Nelson:Yeah. Yeah. I think we saw each other maybe occasionally on campus or something.
Scott Townsend:But right at Oklahoma State. And I see you have the right sweatshirt on. So that's cool. Yeah, Go Pokes Go Pokes. So you know, like everybody else. Tell us what's been going on. Bring us up to speed on the Life of Brian for the last 39 years.
Brian Nelson:Well, as you as you know, we're we're Pokes fans. So after high school, we both went to Oklahoma State. I graduated from an industrial engineering school. And then after that, I started working at Delta Faucet and Swagelok as a kind of a project engineer. Got my MBA from Oklahoma City University. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And so did that when we're in Oklahoma City, for I don't know, three, three and a half years. And then we started having some kids. And then from that point, I started doing more project management with lots of aerospace companies. That's cool. 20 plus years, and now I'm trying to be less on the road. And so working for Evoqua water technologies now. And
Scott Townsend:I was wondering how you said that I saw the name on your letterhead, the Evoqua. I was trying to you know, Evoqua?
Brian Nelson:yeah, Evoqua where they're trying to be, like, some of the other companies all sexy and come up with some weird name. So that's what they call it's the old Siemens Water, you know. So it is the basis of the company. So
Scott Townsend:yeah, so what do you do for them?
Brian Nelson:I'm a senior project manager. Okay.
Scott Townsend:Evoqua, so so they're into I guess you guys are into wastewater or
Brian Nelson:Yeah, the process water and then wastewater. So in the process water side, IT projects with Intel, which is high purity water. The project that I was working on was with Intel, Ireland. And so doing high purity water systems, you know, to basically wash their chips before as before and after, you know, manufacturing and stuff like, right, right. And we worked on the wastewater side with handling the, the copper waste that's associated with making those chips. So yeah, it's, it's, it's fun dealing with the guys from Ireland. So they're fun group versus other countries I've dealt with aren't so fun. So yeah.
Scott Townsend:Well, that's cool. Yeah. So you're so where are you? Where are we? We're, where are you now? Or where are we talking to you? Where are you where you're coming from?
Brian Nelson:I am coming from Colorado Springs. And so we are, as some people would know, we're somewhat proud of, we're called the Olympic city because you know, the Olympics headquarters is based in Colorado Springs, and then yeah, and then we're at the base of Pikes Peak, which is a 14,110 foot peak. That I've actually climbed along with the nine other 14rs in the State of Colorado. So it's yeah, it's fun. Little, little thin air, though you get past 12,000 feet, it gets a little thin in the air. So it's.
Scott Townsend:So what was that like?
Brian Nelson:Well, climbing 14rs is it's actually you know, people can get into trouble depending on what they do. But yeah, it's a lot of fun. So you obviously have to be in somewhat decent physical condition. Yeah. Because once you get above 12,000 feet above treeline, then the air gets thin, and especially when you're above 14,000 foot, the air's real thin. So it's more like, you know, even friends that I've taken up, they are in phenomenal condition. I'm in good condition, but I'm not phenomenal condition. You know, you get above 14,000 feet, you know, it's more like, you know, go 100 yards, take a little break and go 100 yards, take a little break. So Wow. The air's thin up there.
Scott Townsend:Yeah. So So do you hike for a hobby? I mean, what are you what are your what is Brian do for fun and recreation? Sounds like you like to hike for one.
Brian Nelson:Oh, yeah. I love hike. I've got a dog that he loves to hike better than I do. So when I'm on the road. He misses me more than anybody else. Probably. So yeah. But yeah, we go hiking almost every day. You know, we go into a couple of local areas. There's one about five minutes from the house Blodgett Peak, and so we gain 500 750 foot a day normally. And then mountain biking on the weekends. And then, you know, obviously it ski season right now. So do a little skiing, and then a little camping during the summer. So yeah, it's a great area. I mean, you know, I love Oklahoma. I love the people in the food, but I don't miss the mosquitoes and the humidity. So
Scott Townsend:yeah, that's those are those two are drawbacks, for sure.
Brian Nelson:Well, I guess that's probably why we've lived in Colorado or Washington State now for, I don't know, 25 plus years. So
Scott Townsend:that's what Darla Windle was talking about. She lives in like Utah, I think it was and it was talking about the absence of mosquitoes and stuff until she comes back to Oklahoma and then remembers. Oh, yeah, mosquitoes. Yeah. And humidity.
Brian Nelson:Oh, yeah. Well, I enjoyed that. This summer, we went back. And so I've got a mother and mother in law and two sister in laws that live in Stillwater. So we get back to Stillwater only once a year and stuff. But I try not to time that in summer as much as spring or fall.
Scott Townsend:So you're right, right. So going back to College High. Who were your friends? And do you still stay in touch with any of your?
Brian Nelson:Yeah, yeah. So most people would probably remember Paul Kastner and I were kind of thick thieves at the time. And then also Joe Mikulecky more from the band side. And then Brian Hopkins more in the evening side of shenanigans and stuff like that.
Scott Townsend:Paul Kastner he's in police work or yeah,
Brian Nelson:he was a prison warden. So he retired out so yeah, you got to get him on the show. He's got lots of funny stories. So it's so he'd be a good one to get on the show. So
Scott Townsend:yeah, yeah, definitely reach out and see if we can get him on. So Joe Mikulecky and Brian Hopkins.
Brian Nelson:Yeah. So I've kept up a little bit with Brian and Joe. I caught up with Bryan Hopkins of all people, I don't know, two or three years ago, before, and he was living someplace in Missouri, you know, and kayaking still and doing all his fun things. He was always kind of a naturalist. And so if I remember, right, he was doing, you know, water, water items and stuff. So it was fun to catch up with him for a little bit. Yeah.
Scott Townsend:So what was life like for you growing up in Bartlesville? Are you have you join us live in Bartlesville? Or?
Brian Nelson:Nah, I mean, Bartlesville was a little bit like Mayberry for me, it's, uh, you know, I always lived in either, you know, like Tulsa, Jacksonville, you know, Knoxville, and so, you know, lived in different areas. So, from that standpoint, you know, Bartlesville is pretty small. And so it's a nice town, but I've mostly worked and so from the time, you know, really arrived in Bartlesville I think I arrived my was I started going to Central, in eighth grade. And so right there then, and you really, you know, from that point, mainly worked and then did band, you know, the two things that kind of did but Bartlesville I guess when I tell people about Bartlesville I always tell them that the police officers were a little aggressive. It's kind of funny to me, because it's, you know, there's nothing I was I was working H&H at the time and it was I don't know what time of night it was, but I was out with a couple of friends and and so from I think from work, and so I had a girlfriend at the time that she went to sooner and instead It's kind of funny because it's going through and you know, we were teepeeing in her house, you know and stuff, she TP'd my house. So I returned the favor said, right. So I'm out there and of course one of their neighbors called the cops and stuff. And so you know, they show up and we all two of my friends hid in the bushes I hid underneath, you know, her her daddy's car or no, not car truck. And so, you know, we see the police pull up, they catch the other two guys in the bushes and then you know, they rat me out and say I'm underneath the truck. And so, I hear this, you know, you know, click, you know, and then I hear this "Boy better, you know, roll out from underneath that truck real slowly." So I put my hands out, I rolled out, you know, I raised my hands up, and lo and behold, I was looking at 38 looking right at me. So it's kind of funny, you know, my TPing and a house, you know that Bartlesville finest was drawn down on 17 year old kid,
Scott Townsend:but Right. That's life in Bartlesville. So life in the fast lane,
Brian Nelson:but they had to have something to do. So I guess TPing was the, I think at that time, it was 25 bucks a role, though. So it was they were all mad because when my girlfriend's parents came out, you know, I, you know, they're like, oh, Brian, how are you doing? And you know, I'm cuffed up in the backseat and all this other stuff. Oh, I'm doing fine. You know, you know, they wouldn't press charges. So that made them mad because they wouldn't press charges. So it's
Scott Townsend:that's so funny
Brian Nelson:Yeah. That's life in the fast lanes of Bartlesville. Right? Yeah.
Scott Townsend:What you said you worked at H&H?
Brian Nelson:Yeah, I worked at that. H & H food center was I can't remember it's right across from Overlees Woods. From where? From Overlees Woods. So yeah, I worked at the Eggberts up on the highway highway 75 when I was 14. And then went to Kerr McGee and pumped gas for like a year in that area of H&H and Overlees Woods and then went to H&H and worked there for a couple of years. And then I did my senior at Overlees Woods to know Okay, Paul, and I were on work, I think they call it work release whatever else. So we only took four credits. The other two credits, we were working in the afternoon, which was great. And, you know, for your senior year, how fun is that to only have to go to school for 4 periods. So Oh, yeah.
Scott Townsend:Did you live on that side of town over there?
Brian Nelson:Yeah, I lived back off there off of 75. Back from where that I think U Totem was in Eggberts? Was I live back in that neighborhood back over there.
Scott Townsend:So. Okay, okay. U Totem man that's a store I haven't heard about
Brian Nelson:Yeah, I think that's all gone. I haven't Yeah, driven through Bartlesville. I don't know it's been 25 years or something like that. So it's
Scott Townsend:what's Mikulecky up to these days?
Brian Nelson:What's that?
Scott Townsend:What's Mikulecky up to these days.
Brian Nelson:I talked to Joe during Christmas. So he's been working for a a&e firm an engineering firm up in Illinois now for quite a while I think for almost his whole career, like 30 plus years. So he's getting ready to retire. So no, yeah, they're, they're I think they're gonna retire to Knoxville if I remember. Right, so it's so he's closing in. So I think they're going to build a house and he's closing in on retirement. And I'm hoping to follow me on here in a couple years. So I'm, I'm working for benefits as I like to tell my crews. So don't don't make me mad. You may not see me. The dog would be happy. Yeah. All right. You're here full time.
Scott Townsend:Have you been in any other reunions? Up to those? No, I
Brian Nelson:wish I had, you know, a lot of the times I think they reached me for the was it the 20 year, I think reunion somebody reached out and we were living in Spokane, Washington. And somebody found me and they got my information, I think for the reunion booklet, but I couldn't make it because we were we were going on vacation up to to Banff. And so I couldn't make it because it was corresponding with that vacation. So. Right, right. Yeah. I don't know. Have they set a date for the 40th? Yeah.
Scott Townsend:So you know, I just saw Kathy Clear. Was Kathy Phillips, this last weekend, and a bunch of us met for lunch. She was she was talking about when is it September? September 20. I can't remember now. I have to look it up. But September 26, something like that. Oh, cool. Yeah, it was earlier in the day to make it. It was earlier in the month and then they had to change it up. And so I think it's 20 something, you know. Yeah. And it's on the Facebook though Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats Facebook page. They have a she wrote a note about that. So you might join that page if you're not already joined up with it. And then
Brian Nelson:yeah, I'll have to do that. Yeah. That'd be fun. So,
Scott Townsend:plus, yeah. Plus, we'll try to keep people informed through this podcast as well. That's great. As best we can doing this. It's fun. Yeah. So yeah, you need to go to the 40th.
Unknown:I do I do. So I've still got a brother lives part time in Tulsa. So maybe I can make it a combined trip. So.
Narrator:Thank you for listening to the Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast. And we'll be right back after this
Scott Townsend:If you've enjoyed this podcast in 2021, you have my patrons to thank for that. A bunch of Wildcats got together and created a GoFundMe account to help in the production of this podcast. So with that in mind, I've started a Patreon page so that listeners can help support the Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast on a month to month basis. So please check out my Patreon page patreon.com/Wildcats1982. And now back to the show. So what's, you know, what's been one of your biggest accomplishments in the last 39 years?
Brian Nelson:You know, I've been very fortunate. So I feel very blessed. So it's I was, you know, good enough to get married to a kind and pretty Oklahoma girl and Laurie Bourbon. She was from the other side. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So she was had the enjoyment of being the first graduating class of B'ville, which I don't think anybody was too excited about that. But right. And so she's a teacher, she's got a big heart. And like I said, you know, we were married for about five years. And we've got three sons. I've got Matthew, who's 30. And he's a tree hugger. He's an arborist and Jeremy 27. And he's kind of a business guy, and does a lot of work with young children mountain biking things. And then he learning to be an electrician. And he's 23. So all the boys are Eagle Scouts, which I think my wife and I are really proud of and had series of drama, cuz not everybody wants to be an Eagle Scout these days. And this is before all that sexual harassment and all the other things came up. But yeah, but you know, my wife, she enjoys being the queen of the house, and even our dog's the boy so. So she's definitely the queen of the house. And I guess the other accomplishment would be, you know, I was lucky enough that made decent enough money to where she could stay at home with the boys, you know, that whole time. And so, you know, until they went into grade school and stuff. And so it's, as most people know, it's hard to do that these days. And so I guess I'm happy with that. And
Scott Townsend:that's a big, that's a big deal. Yeah. My wife was able to do that. And it's probably one of the graph decisions. Yeah.
Brian Nelson:It just give them a great foundation, you know, and so it's fine. You do that, and, you know, get them into college and stuff like that, or enter a professional trade. You know, you feel like you've done your, your job by the kids.
Scott Townsend:Yeah. There's, I interviewed Ken Rusk, he, hang on a second, he's got a book out, called Blue Collar Cash. I interviewed him on the other podcast that I have, and fun, he. He's all about trades. And he talks a lot about, you know, he said, your son's electrician or learning to be one. There are no electricians anymore. I mean, people don't know how to do the carpentry, plumbing, electric, welding, all these things are just kind of going... We haven't, we haven't lost all of them yet. But there's so there's such a huge need for them I guess, is what I'm trying to say. And they can make all the money they want, you know,
Brian Nelson:Exactly. They can make good figures I've dealt with, you know, a lot of my project management work has been constructing factories and doing things like that. So I'm working with the trades all the time. And so a lot of these trades, you know, it's not unusual, you know, to be making $100,000 plus, so it's, you know, it's, it's on how many hours you want to work so it's
Scott Townsend:right, right. What's been what's been one of your biggest challenges over the last 39 years what's was one of the
Brian Nelson:it seems like it's always time there's never enough time between my professional life and my personal life and, you know, with all the travel that I've done and kind of across the world, you know, it's, it's been challenging at times, I was working on one project where I had project teams and in two different project teams in two different areas of Germany, and then in the UK, and then two different project teams in Florida and Tampa, Florida, or Tampa, Florida, and in Phoenix, Arizona, and then teams over in India. And so, you know, there's nothing like waking up on
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30am to start my day to, you know, with the, with the teams and over in India and over in, you know, Germany and stuff. So, so it's been a challenge with that, you know, but, you know, once I'm retired, I think to be a lot easier to manage, you know, on the time side,
Scott Townsend:so, so how did you manage that?
Brian Nelson:You know, it's tough. That was two and a half years. And so I was every other week either in India, Germany, or travelling in the States. And so that was that was a, that was a challenge. So that wouldn't that wouldn't fun times.
Scott Townsend:A lot of frequent flyer miles. Oh, yeah.
Brian Nelson:You know, me and United were were best friends still. So. Wow. But it comes with upside. I mean, so like I said, you know, prefer, you know, my wife's deal is if you travel, then I travel. And so she and I have been to New Zealand, we've been to Japan, you know, Thailand. So, you know, we've been a lot of places in the world, and especially all over Europe, you know, extensively in France, Germany, the UK. And so, you know, it comes with some upside, and we've been able to take the boys on, you know, trips to Hawaii, you know, and trips, you know, over to the UK and stuff. So it's been fun. So there's a lot of upside. And, you know, the fun thing is, is, you know, I've made friends all over the world. So it's, like I said, I feel very blessed. So it's been good work to do. But it's been time consuming. Right.
Scott Townsend:So if you woke up at 530, when did you shut it down?
Brian Nelson:Well, I woke up at 5:30am. And then typically those days we'd go until Phoenix, you know, until the day was done with Phoenix. So it'd be 6pm depending on the day, because our headquarters was in Phoenix. So I'd have to take calls all the way through. But, you know, there's nothing like being over in Bangalore and getting a call at 2am in the morning. It's my dentist calling me say hey, you've got an appointment on Friday. Okay, oh, you sound really tired. Brian. Well, I'm over in Bangalore and it's 2:00am my time so
Scott Townsend:what are some of the you told the toilet paper story. Any other funny stories from high school your senior year specifically?
Brian Nelson:Not I think the toilet paper was my junior year. I don't remember anything. All that exciting happening in my, my senior year, we used to like the I can't remember that go kart track that was over there. But a lot of times we go over that go kart track and and be a little rambunctious over there and knock each other off the track and get close to getting thrown off the track and all this other stuff. So yeah. You know, Kastner, Hopkins and I, we, the three of us who get together, it was...I am surprised we never got arrested. So
Scott Townsend:that's so funny.Do you remember? What were your What was your favorite class in high school?
Brian Nelson:You know, I really enjoyed band. So I mean, ban was fun. And you know, I think even then, it wasn't really cool. And certainly these days, I think it's probably less cool. All my son's with, cuz my wife, Laurie, she, she was in the band, she played a flute, say, I played the trumpet and baritone and so so we expected our kids to at least try band, and so really never took with any of them. You know, my older son, he was a terror. He was playing the trombone. I was there was I always want them to practice before I got home, but sometimes it wouldn't work that way. So but, but band really never took off with any of the kids. But I guess I really enjoy it because of all the fun things we did. So making a lot of friends. And then, you know, we went on trips to Huntington Beach, and then to St. Louis for the band trips. And they were just a hoot. You know, but it was you know, getting up and marching and things like that, and the stinky shoes from marching in the wet grass and stuff. And so, a lot of really fun memories. And you know, Mr. French was really a great guy. So I really liked him is probably probably my favorite teacher there at Col-Hi. And then my most unfavorite teacher was in German. So unfortunately, Paul and I taken that class together and that was probably not a good idea. I can't remember her name, but she she told me she gave me a B if I didn't take German II, and I told her that was a deal. So
Scott Townsend:if you wouldn't take German II?
Brian Nelson:Yeah, I wouldn't take well, she kind of set herself up for disaster there. A little bit. I mean, there's gummy bears they used to sell and all this other stuff. So yeah, people throwing gummy bears and people throwing things during the movie and stuff. So there's a lot of shenanigans going on there. She probably didn't have a lot of classroom management, as my wife would tell. She's a grade school teacher, she teaches first grade, so it's classroom management wouldn't be her strongest suit. So
Scott Townsend:yeah, that's one question I haven't asked. I need to start asking that. What was your least favorite teacher who was your least favorite teacher?
Brian Nelson:Yeah, that would probably be her other than, you know, I, I only got one B and mathematics. And that was from what was it Gaylord, right? Mr Gay? Yeah, there's only B I got. So in, you know, did really well in science and math. I guess that's why I became an engineer. But yeah, I got to a B in geometry of all things. It kind of torqued me off. So. But that's life.
Scott Townsend:Wow, you did a whole lot better than I did. I'll tell you that. I wish I got a B.
Brian Nelson:I don't know that class. But it didn't make as much sense as the other mathematics classes. So it's
Scott Townsend:it's so funny. Let me read the my questions here real quick. I'll cut this part out. Yeah, no worries.
Brian Nelson:Yeah, it was fun to listen to some of the other ones. I listened to Kurt and Darla, and then who else. I listened to one more. So I'm trying remember who else but I listened to another one. So it was fun to listen to them. So it's, everybody's life has turned out to be So.
Scott Townsend:Looking back on 1982? What was this? The song or the album that takes you back to 1982? Every time you hear it?
Brian Nelson:I listened to a lot of Cars at that time. So it's Oh, yeah. Yeah, I drove that old Datsun B210. So it's, you know, I think it was an$1,800 car and I put $300 worth of stereo and stuff. So you know, like all the other, you know, youngsters at the time. But yeah, the Cars is mine. But, you know, Journey. I mean, there's all the, you know, one of them is 38 Special that we used to listen to, so
Scott Townsend:it's, yeah, yeah. The Cars, what was the song they sang, or,
Brian Nelson:I like, Round and Round was the song that I liked the most. So it's
Scott Townsend:Round and Round?
Brian Nelson:But they had a, you know, My Best Friend's Girlfriend, they had a lot of them, you know, they were, you know, classic hits that, you know, kind of carried on into college. So,
Scott Townsend:right, right. Round and round, I have to look that one up. I got almost like an almost here. Yeah,
Brian Nelson:that's right. You have to pull out those CDs. Now, you know, today's you know, you can just pull it up on your computer back then you had to do your mixtapes and all the other stuff. So it's which it's funny, you know, you I was telling my kids, I was in Germany, going through a museum and I took a photo of, you know, rotary phones and different things like that, you know, that was a big hoot to them, you know, how times have changed and my calculator and all the other stuff that I used to use and stuff. So
Scott Townsend:The phone with a really long cord on it.
Brian Nelson:That's right, everybody had to stretch that someplace where your parents couldn't hear you. Ours was in the kitchen so I could get out to the garage. And so that was Oh, yeah. I didn't...they didn't want to hear it. And you know, I didn't want them to hear it either. So yeah, phone cord. I think they go what, 20 foot or
Scott Townsend:something? Or 50. And I think we had one. And then it got all tangled up when you tried to put the phone back on the Oh, I know, you know, and then the, the cord would all tangle up and Yeah,
Brian Nelson:Well, those are funny times, you know, all the things that we thought were really important. Because I'd be working and then the girlfriend at the time, you know, she she'd be all upset that we didn't go on a date or something like that. So I'd be trying to calm her down and be midnight. And I'm like, you know, I gotta go back to work at 7am So we need to wrap this up. So I understand this is important, but it's I gotta sleep too. So
Scott Townsend:oh, man, do you do you remember your phone number growing up in Bartlesville?
Brian Nelson:I don't I don't I remember a lot of phone numbers. I'm pretty good with numbers. I can still remember some addresses but I can remember when we lived on Wayside Drive. And so it's we're way down there by I can't remember the grade school name. But it's we're like three houses off to grade school. So it's but yeah, I can't remember a phone number. So
Scott Townsend:yeah, I couldn't remember. We grew up in Waco, Texas, until the third grade and then we moved to Bartlesville nice but the I still remember the phone number from I mean, golly, that was in the second grade, you know? 7725574 I'm not sure the area code but
Brian Nelson:918 I can remember the area code.
Scott Townsend:Well, area code for Waco. I can't remember the area code for Waco.
Brian Nelson:Yeah, Waco is a nice town. We just went there for fall break. Saw my brother he lives in Salado, Texas. So we were down there.
Scott Townsend:Did you go to Magnolia Cafe and all that stuff?
Brian Nelson:Of course, of course, yeah. Went and had my cookie.
Scott Townsend:So Brian Nelson is graduating, he's 18 years old, and you're at his graduation. And he, you know, he's walking across the graduation platform, there, 18 years old, knowing what you know, now, what would you tell your 18 year old self?
Brian Nelson:Well, you know, I'd probably say work less and travel more, you know, have more adventures. So it's, I mean, that's, you know, like I was saying earlier, you know, really been blessed that it was traveled the world and you, you see a lot of things that are grand, you know, there's great museums and architecture and great food. And you see some things that aren't so grand, you know, there's, you know, in particular, like India and stuff like that, Mexico, you know, you, it makes you when you come back home, you think, you know, it's we're very lucky to live in the country that we live in, because we've got so many things and so many good things about our country, I think we tend to focus a little bit on the negative, but when you go and travel the world, you'll you'll figure out that United States is it's pretty doggone good. So
Scott Townsend:what's one of the best places you've been? I mean, what's the one place is your hall of fame for best places to visit?
Brian Nelson:That's a good question. If it's a city, it's probably Paris, it's my favorite. And if it's a country, it's probably New Zealand, New Zealand, it's it's got everything that you can do. So you can you can hike, bike kayak in the ocean, you know, you can see things you know, you've just never seen that where all the Lord the Rings was filmed and things like that. Oh, yeah. I mean, like Auckland, it's a big city, but you go to Nelson and Wellington, you know, they're just, they're just phenomenal. You know, and Hamilton was really good. And funny enough, my wife, always has to put her little handprint on the trip. So she, because I'm kind of a as a project manager, I do a lot of organizing and planning. So I plan all the trips. Like says she's got to put her little handprint. So we were in City of Hamilton, and she, you know, she goes, Oh, you know, I want to go see, you know, where they do, they call it Hobbiton. And I'm like, where's that? And she goes, Well, I don't know. You're gonna figure it out, aren't you? And I was like, sounds like I am so. So funny enough. You know, we, I went to the we were staying at this motel/ hotel and talk to the gal and she's, she's like, Do you have reservations and I'm like, No reservation. She goes, Well, honey, I'll call in the morning. And she said, We'll, we'll get you in. So but yeah, just phenomenally nice people, you know, because you drive on the opposite side of the road. You know, we're over there for two weeks. And no one's honking at me or doing anything and kind of the same thing as Ireland, Ireland a really nice place to go with just really nice, nice people. Where if you look lost on the street, I mean, literally, they'll stop, "Now where are you trying to go?" you know, and they'll give you directions, they'll actually go out of their way and walk you around. This is where you need to go and go down to the end of the street, but they're just phenomenally nice people. You know. That's cool.
Scott Townsend:Yeah. The worst place?
Brian Nelson:Bangalore Yeah, India, it's, it's tough. It's tough to be there. Because of the time change. You're 12 and a half hours difference in the United States. And just absolute poverty that you see. I mean, I was got impatient and the driver, you know, from our hotel that takes us to the plant was running late. So I finally took Greg Spencer, one of the guys I was working with, and I said, Hey, I'm walking, you know, and I said, you can say here and wait for the taxi. But I got I got to make a meeting. And and so we're walking along and, and he's, you know, he's just absolutely fascinated, because, you know, when you're walking through town, I mean, when you go into car ride, it's one thing to go from A to B, but when you walk through town, and you see three legged dogs, you see dead rats, you see people, you know, begging and all this other stuff. And you see that all in 20 minutes of a walk to go from A to B, you know, he's taking pictures, and it's kind of what I said earlier, he's taking pictures to send to his girls and saying, you know, you really don't know how lucky you got it. You know, and obviously they don't really have traffic lanes there and the traffic's a mess and everybody's honking their horns and so it's it's tough place to be you know, I thought Mexico was bad did a lot of travels down to plants down in Mexico that I was working at. And but yeah, I mean, India was or Bangalore in particular. It was kind of a new. Okay, this I'm really, really lucky. So I literally fly back into Germany and be kissing the ground because I'm like, All right.
Scott Townsend:Please don't make me go back there again.
Brian Nelson:Oh, yeah, he was my last three trips over there I got because, you know, companies are always trying to save money and a business class fare versus economy fares is a big difference. And my last three trips, I just told my boss, I'm not going unless it's business class, because it's just, it's a mean journey. I mean, literally, leave Colorado Springs at eight o'clock in the morning arrive Chicago, get into Chicago, it's a eight hour flight from Chicago to Frankfurt and then another eight and a half, nine hour flight to go from to Frankfurt to Bangalore. And so you arrive at 2:30am in the morning, and you know, and that's on Monday morning, when you left Saturday, you know, and so you walk out, and it's just a throng of people and stuff. So it's, it's easier said than done. So. So needless to say, my visa is, has expired. I don't plan to go back.
Scott Townsend:So you know, this is I'm asked this question for totally different reason. On my other podcast, my brother and I are talking about meetings and talking about virtual meetings and things like that. In a situation like that. I'm not questioning that you went to Bangalore, I'm wondering, can trips like that be done virtually through Zoom or a conference call, rather than physically being there? Or is the need to be physically there? You've got to actually lay eyes on something. But
Brian Nelson:Yeah, I would say it's both I mean, so with my teams, and I'm kind of old school, you know, if you can't develop a relationship to me over the phone, or the computer, and so I, from my standpoint, and so, you know, a lot of times, when we were going over, we would go over and meet the various teams. So I was working at a company that had several, you know, strategic business units over there. And so I was dealing with the different, you know, segments of the airplane, one was cargo, one was, you know, aircraft lighting, you know, one was seats. And so dealing with these different groups. So whenever we went over there, we went and met with the groups. And so I bring my project team from the United States over to meet their team. And then correspondingly, you know, then the India team would come over to United States and meet a more extensive team in the United States. And I did that selfishly, because it leads to better results. When you have those face to face interactions. When you've had dinner together, when you spent time together, then shake hands, do lots of Zoom meetings, and you can do things, right, because you've got the foundation of a relationship, but you can't Yeah, you know, I still keep up with my friends in Germany, or Bangalore, or, you know, wherever, in Thailand, you know, Bangkok, but I, you know, it's because we had that face to face time. And we spent, you know, a week together. And so they got to know me, and I got to know them. And like I said, I still keep up with all these cats. And it's, it's a lot of fun. Because I mean, these projects were 20 years ago, or whatever else. Wow, we still stay together. So if I'm in the area, I mean, I go see my friends in Germany. I mean, they've, they've driven from Germany over to Amsterdam, and you know, we'll spend the weekend together and stuff. And so that's, that's been a blast. And so you see, and have good project teams, but I know a lot of people think that you know, okay, well I can do this and long as I Zoom with people and keep a track of milestones and actions and stuff like that. That's a real relationship. But I guess like I said, I'm old school I just think it's it's better face to face, right. My generation's dying out so well, for companies it's very expensive, I mean, those trips over to India or wherever else I was going in the world and they're expensive trips, you know, so I mean
Scott Townsend:you know, and I think you know, if you can do it, if you can at least what do I know if you can at least get one good face to face meeting. You know, it takes a lot of time takes a lot of energy. It takes a lot of money to get over there but you meet people shake their hands go out to dinner, blah, blah, blah and all that stuff and then back then you can you have the relationship like you said, the baseline so now when you want to do a phone call or a Zoom meeting or teleconference, whatever, you know each other, so to speak, it's a little easier, I guess it is
Brian Nelson:like, I call it putting cookies in the jar and taking cookies out of the jar. So when I go over a meet with my project team, I tried to outline you know what the project is going to be. Here's the scope. Here's some, here's some guidelines, I'd like us to follow. And, of course, then we socialize, we do things in the evening time we have dinner, I always tried to go out and do some other activity that's local to the area and give that foundation and then from a project manager standpoint, I'm no different than anybody else. I've got to drive for results. So it's really tough to drive for results if you don't have any cookies in that jar. So
Scott Townsend:yeah, that's true. That's a good point. Well, any last words anyway, you know, to the Wildcats, they're listening, watching. What would you like to say?
Brian Nelson:I'd like to say, you know, I hope that I can see you guys for the 40th there in September and Go Wildcats!
Scott Townsend:There you go. Well, if anybody wants to get in touch with you how would they do that? What's the best way?
Brian Nelson:Best way would be is by my Gmail account, and that's a BrianDNelson5440@gmail.com.
Scott Townsend:Cool, I'll, put that down below and make sure it's in the show notes too for anybody that wants to get in touch with you and follow up with a conversation or so. Well Brien I really appreciate your time. Thanks for making the time to visit with us and it's good to get back in touch. Yeah, yeah,
Brian Nelson:that's great. So like said, thanks for doing this. I think it's a it's a real hoot. Especially coming up on the 40th allows everybody to have a little foundation of
Narrator:The Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast is a thing going on.
Scott Townsend:Exactly. All right. Well, I guess that's about it. For Brian Nelson, this is Scott Townsend. Thanks for watching listening to the Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast. Have a great day and we'll talk to you later. Deetsoman Production. Visit the Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast YouTube channel. Listen on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. This podcast is made possible by our Patreon members Butch Bolen, Ben Townsend, Mark Thompson, Sandra Yeager, and Kristi Brooks. And by the generous donations made via the GoFundMe campaign.