This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 1314.
Do you play it by ear when you travel?
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You may already know the idiom play it by ear, but how do you use it?
Today, we answer a listener question on this phrase.
Plus we talk about how we like to travel and why.
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Hey, Lindsay, how you doing?
Hey, Michelle, I'm feeling great.
I'm excited to do a little traveling coming up this spring.
Yeah.
Oh, that's awesome.
That's awesome.
Where are you thinking?
Oh, man, we have a bunch of countries written out a bunch of ideas, maybe Egypt, maybe Turkey.
We're thinking we're thinking about Senegal.
Yeah.
There's a lot of places that we want to go.
And so I don't know yet.
I will let you know when we decide.
Awesome.
Okay, that's cool.
Well, I am excited for that.
I like hearing about your travels, Lindsay.
I like hearing about yours.
Weren't you just traveling a few days ago?
I was.
Where'd you go?
I was in France, actually.
Ooh, I love a good trip to France.
Yeah, so I was in Paris and yeah, it was good I'd been there a couple times before, but it was.
It was fun to be back and yeah, I had a great time.
So I don't know, it got me thinking a lot about travel for the show and I got to practice a little bit of my French, which I know from high school and college.
But you know it was, it was interesting to practice it.
I tried to kind of push myself, mostly because I
I don't know.
I was thinking about our listeners Lindsay, and how we're always trying to get them to push themselves and connect.
Even when I made a mistake, I was like, it's okay, or just try a little bit here and there.
And one thing I noticed is that, Even when I did I mean, because my French is really really not good
But even when I tried to do like one thing, like even if I did like order, I'm going to say my order in French.
And then I know it's likely somebody may respond to me in English, right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
But I'm just going to do it anyway.
And I would do that.
I would feel proud of myself.
That's nice.
And you can build on that confidence like a virtuous cycle.
Right.
Exactly.
So I was thinking about our listeners a lot, a lot on our trip, because I was trying to use the language a little bit.
So, yeah.
But, you know, today we're going to be talking a little bit about travel styles.
Yes.
I love that.
I mean, Lindsay, what kind of a what kind of a traveler are you?
Are you flexible?
Do you, do you usually like to make like an itinerary where you decide, or do you decide when you get there what you want to do?
Well, I think I've changed a lot since I was in my 20s, right?
When I went backpacking for my year away at 26, I just had a backpack.
And most days, I didn't have a schedule at all.
Maybe there was... If there was a famous thing in the town that I was in, I would go see that.
But I definitely didn't have an itinerary.
That was... I was living in hostels.
I was...
I was meeting local... It was very different, right?
But now that I'm taking trips that are more like a few weeks at a time, I do have to be a little bit more strict about where I'm going and when.
But when I travel, I actually like to...
I have a mix of playing it by ear and also having a set itinerary.
So maybe I have one thing planned for the day and then the rest is free to do whatever I want.
I also really like to get a variety of situations for where I stay.
I like to do two nights in a cheap hostel and then get a fancy hotel and then get an Airbnb.
I like to mix it up.
A lot.
I don't like to stay in the same... Yeah.
Variety.
Okay.
Let's say you were staying in the same city for two weeks.
Would you be switching hotels?
No.
No, no, no.
That's not what I mean.
No.
If it's the same city, I wouldn't stay... I probably wouldn't stay in the same city for two weeks.
I feel like I'd get bored in one city.
Maybe there are some cities in the world that could entertain me for two weeks, but...
You know, mostly it'd be more like when we went to Cambodia last year.
Right.
So we spent a few days in Siem Reap and we were at an Airbnb and then we were at a fancier hotel in the capital.
And then we went down to the beach and we stayed in like a bungalow and like a hostel.
So like what? every time we move, I like to stay in a different kind of place.
So it's not always exactly the same in terms of the vibe, you know?
Okay, that's interesting.
Yeah, that's kind of fun.
I like that.
It is fun.
So then you never, I don't know, you always feel like you're in a new place.
It ends up feeling like you've had a really long vacation because you've been in so many different situations.
Yeah, yeah, it keeps it exciting keeps you on your toes.
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah, I mean, I don't really like schedules.
I like to be pretty flexible when I travel.
So like, I don't know that I'd be good.
I mean, I've been on some like larger tours, like when I was little like with my family.
We went sometimes on a large tour.
I don't know if I'd be great at traveling in a large group, because you know, I changed my mind from moment to moment about what I want to do.
And I'm also.
I'm completely OK with spending my time in a cafe or just hanging out feeling What I like to do in the moment, like really just playing it by ear.
And, you know, so we know, like, where are we going to be?
What hotel?
And like you said, maybe like a couple of the highlights that we want to do.
But other than that, I don't I don't want it to be too boxed in.
It makes me nervous, especially for a vacation.
Well, yeah.
I mean, especially in a place like Paris.
I mean Paris.
You know, we also went to Paris last November, and it's all about just sitting in cafe.
We spent so much time just sitting in those sidewalk cafes drinking French beer, drinking coffee, having breakfast like the whole trip and just walking the entire city.
I mean, it's great.
Yeah, definitely.
Oh my gosh, I love it.
So guys, we've been saying this little phrase a couple times.
It's play it by ear.
And that's what we're going to be talking about today, this awesome phrase.
But before we get started and Lindsay's going to read the question from Masoud in a second I want you to take a moment.
To hit subscribe on your podcast player, guys.
It is so important because if you hit subscribe, you're going to get notifications from us when we do things like bonus episodes, right?
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So you've got to hit subscribe.
Exactly.
So we'll give you three seconds.
Three, two.
Oh, well, that's good.
I was going to count down and you counted up.
I'll let you count.
One, two.
Two, three.
Good.
Boom.
Okay.
All right.
I'm going to read the listener question, Michelle.
Are you ready?
Yes.
All right.
The person says, hey, hello.
Hello, great All Ears English team.
I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday and you're ready for another nice week.
I'm in Sacramento right now and after a long weekend, I have to drive to the Bay Area early tomorrow morning.
Per my weather app, it will be rainy.
I texted my manager and asked him about tomorrow morning's meeting, which might be affected by rain.
He texted me back, We'll play it by ear.
I Googled it and I kind of got the meaning.
I thought it might be a good topic to talk and you could teach us when we use it and what else could be used instead.
What could we say in response to this?
Truly appreciate your help and hope you enjoy the week ahead.
Thank you, Masood.
Oh, very cool.
Thank you so much.
Yeah, oh my gosh, i love this question.
I know because it's such a great phrase to play it by ear.
Um yeah, it's so great, and guys, we've done some episodes.
Uh, that could be useful about kind of flexibility or about the phrase in general.
So here we have, episode 720 is.
This episode will be music to your ears because you'll learn how to add color to your language.
So get that one.
Lindsay, what else?
Yeah, how to show flexibility without sounding apathetic in English.
Guys, very specific situation that we want you to know.
It's episode 999.
And how about another one, Michelle?
And also episode 1178, it's learn about approximation in 15 minutes, give or take.
So these are all good ones for you guys to listen to as well.
Yeah, awesome.
You know, I think this idiom is one that a lot of students might know.
It might be on a lot of idiom lists, but they may not know how to use it.
That's my sense.
What do you think, Misha?
Yes, yes, definitely.
I feel like it's pretty, pretty common.
And yeah, I wanted to really talk about it today.
Because I think it's very useful.
So Lindsay, I mean I was asking you about travel because to me that's when I hear played by ear.
I kind of think of that kind of context.
Yeah, but it can be used in other ways as well.
Right, Lindsay?
Yeah.
Yeah, I mean, even with this episode, we're playing it by ear a little bit.
A lot of this is prepared as planned.
So we know what we're going to teach you guys, but some parts of it we are going to play by ear.
So there you go.
Good example.
Exactly.
Yeah, so i mean it means like, you know, we're gonna decide what happens when the time comes right.
Yeah, so like with our, with the listener talking to the manager.
I think it was right.
Yeah oh, because of the rain, it might be affected.
The manager said uh, we'll play it by ear, which is like oh, we'll see what happens and then we'll make the decision.
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
So do we have a little mini role play here?
Exactly.
Yes, let's do it.
All right.
So, Lindsay, should we go to the museum or try the tour tomorrow?
I don't know.
Let's see how it's going tomorrow.
Let's just play it by ear.
Okay.
Awesome.
Yeah.
So I feel like this is a really good one for trying to make plans.
Like, oh, do you want to do this?
Oh, let's just play it by ear.
You know, maybe someone like it sounds a little bit like you're procrastinating on making the decision.
Yeah, I mean it's really important to make sure that you are traveling with someone who has the same travel style or something very similar, or that you can balance.
Your two styles are a balance and you meet in the middle, right?
Yeah, I am very lucky.
Dan and I are the exact same same with traveling.
That's so good.
We are always like, oh yeah, that's a good idea.
That's a good.
It's like it makes it so much easier.
I don't know um, because people travel very differently.
Yeah, it's such an important thing in a life partner, right?
Especially if you value travel, which I really do.
It's kind of something you have to make sure you vet the person before you get married, before you commit to them.
You have to travel with them to make sure you share the same values.
That's true.
That's true.
That's so true.
It's very important.
So, yeah, another example with this.
So, for example, if I said to you, Lindsay, we can go to lunch at 12 or 1.
I'm not really sure when we'll be hungry.
Let's just play it by ear.
Yeah.
Nice.
I like that.
And also, I think I like this phrase because it helps you to relax a little bit.
I get kind of stressed out when I feel like I have to plan everything because it feels like it's going to be mentally taxing.
Oh, my gosh.
I so agree.
Too many decisions.
I think it's like decision fatigue.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
Right.
Right.
Exactly.
I don't know.
I feel like I'm always just putting off the decision.
We'll just play it by ear because I feel like not everything needs to be planned.
Yeah.
It's good to be flexible in life, too.
For sure.
Because you just don't know what's going to come up.
Right.
Right, right, right.
Definitely.
And you know what's also interesting about this phrase, though?
It can also be used in music.
Right?
Oh, yeah.
That's probably where it comes from.
That's what I was thinking.
I don't know for sure.
But I mean, what does it mean if you can play by ear in music?
I'm not a musician, but I think I've heard like pieces of this from musicians, where they just they don't read music.
They just like sense into it and they're able to play and create music that way.
That's the best definition I can give you.
Maybe our listeners can come to this blog post and let us know a better definition.
No, you're right, Lindsay.
I mean, maybe they can read the music, but they don't have to.
For example, I'm so jealous.
My brother has this skill because my brother and I both play piano.
And I can't play by ear, but my brother is amazing.
Like he can.
I mean I don't want him to hear that because I don't want him to get it into his head that I said that.
Just kidding.
But he can hear a song and just play it right away.
And some people have that gift.
I mean, it's really a gift.
So that, oh my gosh.
And I'm so jealous because I could have really used that.
Like, I really would have liked that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Did your brother like take piano?
Did you guys both take piano lessons when you were kids?
But he can.
But he can.
And it was really fun growing up like that, because he would just like play a song and then I would sing, because I love to sing.
And, you know, we would.
Oh, that's cool.
Yeah.
I mean, I think that this phrase could come with this idea that you kind of, like you said, just get a feel for something, rather than reading or planning.
Yeah, I love that.
Yeah, and I'd be curious to know what our listeners' styles are.
You know, especially when you guys travel.
So it'd be cool if you guys could come back to our blog, right, Michelle?
Maybe they could come back to episode 1313 and let us know. what their style is.
Definitely.
Yeah, for sure.
It's funny to like kind of unpack idioms sometimes.
So this is yeah, let us know, you know, do you like to play it by ear?
Are you more rigid when it comes to making plans, especially with travel?
Definitely let us know.
And guys, we're going to do a follow up on this episode.
So again, like I said before, you got to hit subscribe.
This time I will count down three.
Two, one.
I didn't change it this time.
But you got to hit subscribe.
So you know, and you are looking out for that episode, because we are going to talk more about other ways to say this.
We didn't get into it today, but we're going to go on because this is a really big topic.
Yeah, so we'll be back to this topic soon.
Don't miss it.
Hit subscribe, guys.
And Michelle, it's been fun talking about travel.
Yeah, it has been so much fun.
All right, guys.
Thanks for listening.
Have a good one.
All right.
Take care.
Bye.
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