I watched code-switching a lot growing up in a bilingual household. Specifically, from my mother who not only code-switched at home but also at work. It was always kind of impressive to me how seamless a conversation could be even with a mix of two different languages involved. It wasn't until I was older and we spoke less Spanish in the house that she shared it isn't always easy. She explained to me that there are many different dialects of Spanish, some similar and some very different. Even though speaking with family is easy at work, it can start to get more complicated. Often making conversations longer as more descriptors are needed to make sure everyone is on the same page.

I've never thought through the step-by-step process of a conversation with a stranger or new acquaintance. A lot of people joke that all people talk about the weather or the day of the week, but I find its often true. At least for the first moments of brief interactions. It's how I always start my conversations with customers. It helps having a neutral ground to then share some little details like how our day is going, what kind of weather we enjoy, or if we have plans. This usually creates a good segway to start a deeper conversation. Until reading this paragraph, I never realized how scripted and even ritualized the process was. Having a basic but successful conversation following these rules usually leads to a good first impression on the customers and a more comfortable checkout process.

I didn't realize how much jargon is used and how confusing it can be even within one specialized field. This was something I had to learn to work around when I took my first computer science class. One of our lectures was on controlling our use of jargon as much as possible and identifying when it was appropriate to use. We were encouraged to try and explain things in layman terms regularly to avoid isolating others during work conversations. We practiced for future clients, partners, bosses, or anyone else we might need to discuss our work with. Doing this not only made explaining computer science to others easier but also deepened my understanding of the material so I could create metaphors or examples.

In the workplace is where I see sarcasm used specifically as a form of passive-aggression or a way to express the desire to be left alone. When that cue is ignored or if the topic is pressed further, the atmosphere gets award. That's when I notice sarcasm strays farther from humor and closer to aggression. I also see them use it as a form of friendly teasing between each other. However, once someone they don't get along with is involved, the same sarcasm is then used as a way to deter conversation.

This portion of the chapter reminds me a lot of different ways I communicate with my friends over text. Especially when it comes to our use of images and emojis. It seems like a simple silly thing, but we use emojis and images to help express the tone or emotion behind a text. Adding some sort of visual media along with text is the easiest way for us to give more detail without having a verbal conversation. This can get even more complicated as some emojis we have assigned meaning that has more to do with our personal relationship and less the emoji itself.

I'm never sure how to close out a speech without it feeling natural and not a dead end. I'm guilty of using some of the more artificial sounding conclusions. As mentioned earlier in the chapter conclusions don't get as much attention or as much practice. Which I think is where part of my issue stems from. Starting to treat the conclusion more as a thoughtful statement will hopefully help me get rid of abrupt endings.

Because first impressions develop so quickly and can have a significant impact on the rest of an interaction with someone, I would think it's even more important to have a good first impression on an audience you plan to be speaking to. Especially if it's a persuasive speech. Even if it's not, I wonder if it's better to always appear strictly professional or if it could be better to tailor the way you present yourself depending on the speech and audience. I could image speaking to a younger audience especially if it's about a sensitive topic, would probably go over better to have a more relaxed and relatable approach to a speech. Since this is mentioning first impressions something simple yet immediate could be altering what you wear depending on situation.

I absolutely love it when a well-done interview is included in any kind of presentation especially in documentaries. It makes me feel extra interested and engaged in the topic even if I don't know anything about it. I've seen interviews used to add a human touch, help explain a specialized topic or just to offer a new perspective. In each situation I know as an audience member I have enjoyed it when done well. Unfortunately, I have seen some not-so-great interviews as well. Which are always a little uncomfortable to watch and make me weary that the interviewer could be pushing for a specific narrative.

In high school it was stressed a lot to spot and avoid biases when chosing sources. I use to have a list of sources I knew to avoid and ones I could trust. But it felt that over times a lot of those sources started to develop biases. I always assumed it was bought out, or someone else was put in charge though I could never truly tell. But I could definitely see biases and new narratives being pushed. Sometimes it feels like struggle to find a truly neutral or unbiased source, especially if I'm looking for it in any form of general media.

I wasn't aware of refence librarians, but it sounds like a very insightful resource to have. Collecting information for any kind of research is often the most overwhelming part of the process for me. Knowing what and where to look is very helpful and I would probably save a lot of time and energy that I usually spend sifting through material. I'm a bit excited for the opportunity to work with a reference librarian and see what the process is like firsthand.

This section reminds me a lot of what I have seen some people do in arguments. They will acknowledge that the other person reality is different but then insist that it also means its incorrect. I feel like a large part of disagreements are spent on the back and forth of trying to get someone to not just understand but ultimately subscribe one sides version of reality.

I see this every time I get on any social media platform. Sometimes its subtle and sometimes advertisers are very upfront about who they are targeting and why. It seems pretty successful both ways. Though recently I have seen a lot more adds undisclosed and slipped into partner content. Content I know people are fallowing to either compare themselves or to keep up with their favorite online personality. These adds seem to be more effective. I can only assume it's because a lot of people don't even register them as adds since its presented more like a friend is sharing a link to something good, they just happened to find.

As someone who is biracial, I got to a point where I had to make a conscious decision to invest time and energy into learning both racial parts of my identity. In doing that I found a lot of similarities and a lot of differences. It's a rewarding process but also very confusing. Especially when communicating that to others rather visually or in conversation. There can be a lot of pressure to "chose", and not a whole lot of encouragement to create a new middle ground of both.

When it comes to praise and motivation, I believe that it's a touchy dynamic that can slide either way. I've seen it done where praise is only given when someone shows intrinsic motivation unprovoked. Or where intrinsic motivation is learned through watching and example rather than being coaxed into that behavior.

Knowing the difference between these different kinds of discrepancies could be useful not just for self-evaluation but for interacting with others as well. Especially when our idea of what someone ought to do isn't met or doesn't match with what they believe they ought to do. I could image this would create a lot of space for conflict and misunderstanding. Since one person could feel unfairly judged and the other could feel disappointed.

I wonder how quickly into a first impression someone assigns a stereotype onto another person. It also makes me wonder if people less exposed to a variety of cultures rely on stereotypes more heavily. I could definitely see someone stereotyping another person based off a first impression just because they only things about that stranger are features or traits that belong to a stereotype. Which reminds me a lot of the pattern searching and connections that was mentioned earlier in the chapter.

I first came across this topic when talking to a friend visiting from another country. She wanted to know why in America we say hello to everyone and make small talk. My first impulse was to tell her it's just what you're supposed to do, and not to be rude. While the concept of different countries having different norms seems obvious in the moment, I was a little surprised she didn't do the same at home. Phatic communion was something so simple yet such a regular practice for me it feels like second nature. So, I find it very interesting to learn about what is considered phatic communion in other countries.

Growing up with a culturally diverse group of friends and diverse home was a gift. It allowed me to learn how to speak to those that weren't the same as me. It also taught me that there is usually some way to relate or connect to someone despite differences. I believe it's an exposure that has made it easier for me to build connections when I am in a new place. However, I have also seen firsthand how it's not always easy. Hiccups always happen but can be sorted if one person is willing to listen and the other is willing to explain. Unfortunately, I have even been around people where it seems impossible for them to even be interested in communicating with someone that doesn't familiar or comfortable to them.

This year for the first time ever I started working with a larger team of people where we all must have a good line of communication to get our job done well. This was my first time in a job seeing how the lack of interpersonal skills could have a huge impact, not just on the two people taking but the entire team. It quickly became clear that whenever there was friction some part of communication wasn't being fulfilled. Rather differing opinions, negative talk around the work, or poor conflict resolution. In one way or another failing to meet eye to eye or failing to treat everyone with equal respect can quickly become a team rather than a two-person problem.

I never thought of self reflection or "talking to myself" as being a kind of communication that has anything to do with others. But as the text mentions in the paragraph above the way others communicate with us can then shape how we move on to the interact with the next person, It makes me wonder how many social behaviors people participate in that are an echo of a past experience they had with someone else. It makes the act of deliberate self-reflection just that much more important.

I never stopped to think what the first words might have actually been or sounded like. It reminds me a lot of talking with babies or toddlers. How sometimes they assign sounds or gestures to the things they ask for the most. I have even seen kids use a word that sound similar then pair it with hand gestures until someone understands. While it may be confusing to a stranger being around a baby or kid long enough you can start to see the connections and communicate with them easier.