I was sipping on a cup of joe at my favorite chill spot the other day. To the table on my left sat a guy and his "student." She was Japanese and he was (it's implied) a per hour freelance consultant.
It seemed that he was very prepared, toting around many items and books in his napsack. There were workbooks and homework to be given out. Yes, I did "observe" the conversation because of the interest in how consultants conduct their business. It's wonderful insight into how they manage, or fail to manage, clients.
The one thing which struck me as out of tune was...his grammar. Repeatedly, he used the word "like" as if it were a comma. I sat a bit confused because as someone who majored in Japanese this individual undestands the nuances of language yet still speaks with that modern broken English?
Before they parted, I did introduce myself to him (a personal rule, always meet others who are conducting the same model of business) to find out more. My specific interest was how he met clients (i.e. word of mouth, internet postings and website) because during their conversation he referenced "my website." In a twist of irony, he supposed I was giving him a business pitch and told me "I don't need help conveying my message."
I sat - bubbling with thought - "it wasn't being offered, but now that you mention it..." there is one thing. Observation as a practice is a huge resource for learning. Self-reflective observation, though, can be immensely difficult.
