AEE 2614: Don't Turn Your Back on the Weather as a Great Connection Topic

Summary

All Ears English Podcast

Episode 2614: Don't Turn Your Back on the Weather as a Great Connection Topic

Released: May 11, 2026 | Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Michelle Kaplan

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Lindsay and Michelle explore why the weather is not just "boring small talk," but instead a great topic for connection, especially for English learners. By delving into subtle vocabulary distinctions—like "cloudy" vs. "overcast," and "humid" vs. "muggy"—they highlight the natural, nuanced ways native speakers discuss the weather, and how these topics can grow into engaging conversations. The hosts provide practical examples and roleplays, consider regional differences, and underscore the weather’s universality as a jumping-off point for deeper discussions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Value of Weather Talk for Connection

• Weather as Relatable Small Talk: Contrary to being just "boring" small talk, weather is an effective way to break the ice, offer empathy, and connect on shared experiences.
  • “Everybody experiences it. So, yeah, it's a great connection topic.” — Michelle (03:37)
• Universality and Approachability: Because everyone experiences weather, it’s an accessible topic for all English levels and backgrounds.
• Nuances Create Depth: Using more precise or varied language to discuss weather makes you sound more natural and interesting.

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Exploring Weather Vocabulary: Subtle Differences

1. Cloudy vs. Overcast

• Cloudy: Clouds cover most of the sky, but there are some clear patches.
  • “When it's cloudy, there are mostly clouds, but there are some breaks. So you might see patches of sky here and there.” — Michelle (05:43)
• Overcast: Complete, thick cloud cover with no sun or blue sky visible, creating a gray “blanket.”
  • "Overcast is a little bit different... a deeper coverage of clouds." — Lindsay (06:03)
  • “It looks like one big cloud... that's pretty much the difference.” — Michelle (06:25)
• No need for perfection: In everyday conversations, natives won’t correct you for using one or the other.

2. Sunny vs. Bright

• Sunny: The sun is visible and shining.
• Bright: There's lots of natural light; may or may not see the sun directly.
  • “Bright means there's a lot of light even if you can't see the sun. ...When it's bright, you need your sunglasses!” — Lindsay (08:50)
• Example: It's possible to have a “bright” day that's also cloudy or overcast.

3. Gloomy vs. Gray

• Gloomy: Mood-oriented, suggests sadness or dreariness.
• Gray: Focuses more on the literal color and lack of sunlight.
  • “Gloomy is kind of that focus on the feeling—sad and moody—whereas gray is focusing on the literal color of the sky.” — Michelle (12:30)
• They often go together, but the order doesn’t matter: “gray and gloomy” or “gloomy and gray.”

4. Muggy vs. Humid

• Humid: Technical, measurable moisture in the air—hot and wet.
• Muggy: More casual, describes uncomfortable, sticky heat; more sensory.
  • “Muggy is a little bit more... less technical. It's more casual, and it kind of describes how it feels on your body.”— Lindsay (16:26)
• Often used conversationally: “It just feels super muggy today.” — Lindsay (16:41)

5. Cool vs. Chilly

• Cool: Slightly cold but comfortable.
• Chilly: A bit colder; you notice it more; likely need a jacket.
  • “Cool again is slightly cold but comfortable. Chilly is colder and just a little bit uncomfortable.” — Lindsay (17:02)

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Regional Weather Conversation as Connection

• The hosts compare weather across US regions:
  • Colorado: “It's sunny a lot in Colorado...they call it the Colorado blue.” — Lindsay (02:36)
  • East Coast vs. West: On the East Coast, rain lasts all day; in Colorado, rain is brief and weather changes quickly.
    • “On the east coast if it's...raining, it's a rainy day...But here it's...a rainy hour.” — Lindsay (14:12)
• Humidity: East Coast stays warm at night, while Colorado cools off quickly after sunset.
  • “On the east coast...at night it stays warm, whereas here, it gets cold at night.” — Lindsay (17:30)
  • “My mother-in-law always says her favorite time of year is when it's hot enough where at night you don't need to wear any...I love that too.” — Michelle (17:56, 18:07)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Weather as a Conversation Opener:

  • “It would be a disservice if we didn't teach you guys about this, even though it seems mundane.” — Michelle (04:25)
  • “The topic of the weather is not dead, guys. It is alive and well.” — Lindsay (20:22)

• On Nuances and Deeper Knowledge:

  • “This is really getting into the nuances so that our listeners can speak more precisely. But no one's going to correct you here, guys. We're just giving you a variety of options.” — Lindsay (07:04)

• On How Weather Affects Mood and Activities:

  • “We really are affected by [the weather]. The temperature, the amount of light in the sky, the blue—we really are affected by it.” — Lindsay (15:21)
  • “Do you get affected by the weather like that? Do you just want to cuddle up?” — Michelle (13:22)

• On Making Your English Sound Natural:

  • “Fluency isn't just about correctness. It's about sounding natural, choosing the right phrase, responding quickly…” — Michelle (01:11)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 02:11 | Hosts greet each other; intro to weather talk | | 03:07 | Why weather is an important connection skill | | 05:16 | Listener question: Cloudy vs. Overcast | | 06:25 | Definitions and nuances: Cloudy vs. Overcast | | 08:30 | Sunny vs. Bright—clarifying the difference | | 10:27 | Real-life consequences: Having bad weather in Hawaii | | 12:21 | Gloomy vs. Gray—inferring mood and color | | 13:22 | Discussing personal mood’s link to weather | | 14:12 | East Coast vs. West Coast regional weather behavior | | 15:36 | Humid vs. Muggy—technical vs. casual distinctions | | 17:02 | Cool vs. Chilly—how cold is it really? | | 18:41 | Roleplay: Friends opening a call talking about weather | | 20:22 | Recap: Weather is an ongoing, valuable connection topic |

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Roleplay Example: Weather As Conversation Starter

[18:47]

• Lindsay: "Hey, how's the weather there today? I heard it's been crazy."
• Michelle: "Yeah, it's summer, but it's been super gray and gloomy."
• Lindsay: "That's terrible. It's usually sunny this time of year. But is it chilly?"
• Michelle: "No, thankfully. Just a bit cool at night. How's the weather there?"
• Lindsay: "Super hot and muggy."
• Michelle: "I'm not sure what's worse, honestly. I'd take cloudy weather over humidity any day."

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Key Takeaways

• Don’t dismiss weather talk: It’s practical, relatable, and naturally leads to deeper conversation, even among friends.
• Nuance matters: Expanding your vocabulary for similar weather conditions helps you sound more natural and precise.
• Weather varies across regions: Comparing and contrasting weather can reveal differences in lifestyle, habits, and even personal mood.
• Practice makes connection: Use these phrases and distinctions to build confidence and forge stronger connections in English.

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Related Episode Recommendation:

• Ep. 2564: "Human or Person: What's the Difference?" (20:05)—for more common nuances in everyday English.

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Final Message

Don’t "turn your back" on the weather as a connection topic! Whether you’re learning to be more nuanced or just looking for a safe way to start a conversation, talking about weather—when done naturally—can build connection and open doors to richer discussions in English.

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For questions, topic suggestions, or feedback, email [e-mail] or leave a review on your podcast app.

Transcript

[Michelle Kaplan]

This is an All Ears English podcast. Episode 26 14. Don't turn your back on the weather as a great connection topic.

[Podcast Announcer]

Welcome to the All Ears English podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection, with your American hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com subscribe what is the difference between cloudy and overcast or humid and muggy? Today we go next level on the weather topic and explore why this topic still gets you deeper into connection in English.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Many English learners focus on grammar. They want their sentences to be correct. But fluency isn't just about correctness. It's about sounding natural, choosing the right phrase, responding quickly without translating every thought in your head. That's why someone can know a lot of grammar rules and still feel uncomfortable in conversations. Real fluency comes from understanding patterns, tone and natural expressions. Our free 2 minute fluency quiz helps you discover your level and what skills will move you forward. Go to allearsenglish.comfluencyscore I that's allearsenglish.com F L U E N C Y S C O R E.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Hey, Michelle, how are you today? How's it going?

[Michelle Kaplan]

I'm good. How are you, Lindsay?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Good. Michelle, what's the weather like where you are today on the East Coast? Is it cold, cloudy, overcast, sunny? What's it like?

[Michelle Kaplan]

It's cold and I would say it's overcast today. Okay. It's not. Not beautiful outside.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Beautiful.

[Michelle Kaplan]

The worst, but certainly not inspiring. What about you?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Well, it is sunny today. It's sunny a lot in Colorado. Yesterday it sort of rained like a tiny droplet. And then I asked my parts like, did it rain yesterday? And just, I don't know. It doesn't really rain out here. And we do. We get a lot of sunshine, a lot of blue sky. They call it the Colorado blue, where it's just this pure blue a lot of the days.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh.

[Lindsay McMahon]

But it means we have high rates of skin cancer out here.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh, that's not good. Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

But I do like it. I like it. It's nice. Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. Well, Lindsay, talking about the weather is actually. I mean, we've talked about the weather a lot on this show. It's an important skill for connection. And it is always this joke that this is like boring small talk.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

But sometimes we need to have that skill. And people do talk about the weather. I mean, they really, really do. So it's a great way to ease your way into a conversation, especially in English. And the weather is relatable. I mean, we. Here, where I live, it. We had terrible storms and we had. It was. It's been freezing. So I mean, what better. I mean, everybody experiences it. So, yeah, it's a great connection topic.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Everybody experiences and everybody hears about it, especially in different parts of the country and world. I mean, we hear when there are like earthquake. Well, I guess earthquakes isn't technically weather, but like we hear when there are big storms in certain places in Europe, flooding maybe. And I know that there were big storms on the East Coast. Like, I. That was just in the New York Times today. Right. So I would bring that up to you if I hadn't seen you in a while. You know, how are those big storms?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right? Y. It is.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I know it seems mundane. It seems kind of basic. And we. We talk a lot about more interesting things on this show, but we still talk about it as human being. Definitely.

[Michelle Kaplan]

It would. If it would. We would be doing a disservice if we didn't teach you guys about this, even though it seems mundane. Right. So today we're going to talk about different ways to describe the weather, which we definitely have touched on about this on this show before. But we're gonna. Somebody asked us a great listener question that we're gonna answer. So someone. When somebody asks you how's the weather, you don't always have to say the same exact thing. You can be more precise. You can be more interesting. So, guys, make sure that you hit the follow button wherever you're listening to Allers English. So you never miss anything from us.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, guys, hit that follow button right now and make sure that Allers English drops into your listening queue five days a week. So, yeah, we want to make you sound more interesting when you do talk about the weather. So we're going to pull from a listener question today. Michelle, shall I go ahead and read the question?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Please do.

[Lindsay McMahon]

All right, so the question comes from YouTube. And don't forget, guys, we have an entire YouTube channel. Go and hit subscribe over there. This is from Ardalan Bookart 24. Can you talk about the differences between cloudy weather and overcast? Now, this is a good question, Michelle, because it's quite nuanced.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, these terms are really similar. And yeah, with both. I mean, they're definitely clouds.

[Lindsay McMahon]

That's the one thing we can count on is clouds.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Clouds. So let's start with cloudy weather. So when it's cloudy, there are mostly clouds, but there are some breaks. So you might see patches of sky here and there throughout the day. And so you do. There, there. It's not just all clouds. Right, right, right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

The cloud. But the breaks, they, the clouds do move, of course. Right. And so you see them break up maybe for a moment. You do have clear skies and then it's cloudy again, right? Yeah. But then overcast is a little bit different, Right. It's a bit of a deeper, deeper coverage of clouds, don't you think?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, yeah, yeah. So I would think of like a gray cover or a blanket. So basically there's more gray and more clouds. I mean. Yeah, today I'm looking outside right now and I, and I said I think it's overcast because it's just, it's just blah. Right? It's not. I don't see any break in the blah. Like there's, it looks like one big cloud. It's. It doesn't, you know, so that's, that's what I. Yeah, I would say that that's pretty much the difference. But I don't think that in typical conversations, if, if I said, oh, it's so cloudy outside today, to my neighbor, I don'. She would say, what are you talking about? It's overcast. Right?

[Lindsay McMahon]

No way. No way. This is really getting into the nuances so that our listeners can speak more precisely. But no one's going to correct you here, guys. We're just giving you a variety of options.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Okay? Exactly. So let's show how this might sound.

[Lindsay McMahon]

What cities in the US Usually have cloudy weather? Weather, Michelle?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh, Portland or Seattle often have cloudy weather. Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I have to say. Well, I would say in terms of overcast, I mean, we're going to talk about this in a minute. A global city. But I was in Michigan a couple of summers ago and I went out for breakfast with a friend and I came out of that breakfast. I have never seen such a heavy overcast sky. It was another, another kind of overcast. Michelle.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Wait, where was this?

[Lindsay McMahon]

This is Michigan.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh, Michigan.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Michigan. It was so like. Oh, blah. Yeah, that's the word. It really can kind of get you down sometimes. Yeah. It was just such a heavy, thick blanket of pure gray everywhere. It was incredible. Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

And here's another little role play. Where is the weather often overcast?

[Lindsay McMahon]

London. Lots of gray skies.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. Famous for that.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Well, London's famous. But the times I've been in London, it's been beautiful, so I don't know. Yeah, well, you studied there. I mean.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I did, yeah. There's a lot of rain, but there's a. You know, there's also a lot of beautiful weather, so.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

So. But now we're going to go into some words that could describe the opposite, and we're going to. Because there are a lot of words that are nuanced like this with the weather. So we want to go over some similar ones. So you know the difference. So this first one, so it's sunny and bright.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Okay. So sunny means the sun is out and you can see it. Right. But bright means there's a lot of light even if you can't see the sun. It's like, I need my sunglasses. When it's bright, there could be the sun, but it could just be like, maybe you just came in from an afternoon movie. You ever go to a daytime movie? Oh. And then you walk out, it's like, oh, it's so bright. Oh, my gosh, my eyes. Oh.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Or what about when you get your eyes dilated?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Oh, yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Like you got to wear the sunglasses. Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I mean, usually they go hand in hand. It's a bright, sunny day. Bright sunny day.

[Michelle Kaplan]

But.

[Lindsay McMahon]

But they do mean slightly different things.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Very slightly. Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Mm. How's the weather in Hawaii?

[Michelle Kaplan]

It's bright and sunny today. Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. And that's similar to the. The west here where Aubrey lives and where I live in Colorado. I would get a lot of this bright and sunny. And often when you fly, you'll hear the captain will come on the radio as you're just landing and let you know what the weather is in. In that place. And that's why I love flying into LA every time. Bright sunny day, mid-70s.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

No matter.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Well, actually, the Hawaii example is funny because I have. My friends actually just went to Hawaii and everybody's asking them, oh, my gosh, how was it? You know, all jealous. Oh, you went to Hawaii? They say it rained most of the time and.

[Podcast Announcer]

Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

And they said, you know, they feel weird, you know, because people ask them how they it. It was, and they don't want to say, oh, it wasn't. You know, they don't want to complain, but they. It just wasn't what you hope for, you know, be with the weather.

[Lindsay McMahon]

That's so sad. I'm so sorry for them.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I mean, that happened to us in Norway, but I would expect that in Norway, you know, in September, not in Hawaii, you know.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, exactly. So. But what's interesting is Sometimes it can be cloudy or overcast, but still bright.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Right.

[Michelle Kaplan]

So there are cloudy days where you need sunglasses.

[Lindsay McMahon]

100. 100. That can happen. So I love that today we really are getting into some interesting nuances of these words, right? It's actually not that simple. You can always go a level deeper with ENG guys, right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

That's right. Yeah.

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[Lindsay McMahon]

All right, so more weather words that are kind of similar to each other. So gloomy and gray. Gloomy and gray. So what about these, Michelle?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, well, both of these describe dark and dull weather. So gloomy is kind of that focus on the feeling sad and moody, whereas gray is focusing on the literal color of the sky. Right. So it could be gray and gloomy. So again, sunny and bright, gray and gloomy. They off and go hand in hand. So, yeah, if. If it's gray outside, you're probably getting a little bit of that gloomy feel.

[Lindsay McMahon]

And. And by the way, sometimes we teach you guys on this show chunks that matter, what word comes first, but in this case, I would say it doesn't matter. You could say, how's the weather? Oh, it's gloomy. And gray outside is gray and gloomy. Right. There's no wrong way to. And you don't have to say them

[Michelle Kaplan]

together, of course, but no, you don't have to. You don't have to. So how's the weather there?

[Lindsay McMahon]

It's really gray and kind of gloomy makes me want to stay inside.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Do you get affected by the weather like that? Do you feel like when it's those just not so great days, do you just want to cuddle up?

[Lindsay McMahon]

I think we all do, to be honest. I think I, I know people that live in the Pacific Northwest, like Portland or Washington. I know someone who lives here that grew up in Washington State and she said she feels guilty when she doesn't like that it's sunny all the time in Colorado because she feels like she should be outside doing something. But I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, so she's used to more rain. But 100. It affects your mood.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes, yes, it's true. Oh my gosh. I have days like that too. When it's a beautiful day, you just feel like, yeah, even sometimes it not might not match up with your, your mood, your feeling of what you want to do that day. You might want to have an indoor day with, you know, oh, there's bad weather, so I have to be inside. But the weather is beautiful. And now what do you do?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Or over here in the west, the difference is. So I grew up on the east coast and on the east coast, if you have, if it's raining, it's a rainy day, it's not really going to clear up most of the time, right. But here it's, we never have a rainy day. We have like a rainy hour, especially in the summer where it'll rain. So the problem is your mood gets flipped and you get all confused. So I'll wake up, it's sunny and beautiful. Okay, I'm going to go to the park today and I'll play Frisbee and then it rains, like, okay, I'm going to go in and read a book and cozy up with a cup of tea. At three o' clock, it's sunny again and I have to go back outside. And it really kind of messes with your mentality a little bit. It's kind of funny.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Are you just constantly looking at the hour by hour or do you just let it happen?

[Lindsay McMahon]

I just let it happen. But it's so different from the East Coast. Wouldn't you say that on the east coast if it's like you wake up, it's raining, it's going to be a rainy day. Like it's usually not going to clear

[Michelle Kaplan]

up most, for the most part there might be one shift, you know, but I mean, I think also in Florida they have like a lot of those sun showers, right, where it's, it's sunny but it's Raining. And it happens for eight minutes, and then it's over, you know, and you're all ready to run inside, and then it's like, oh, okay. I guess we're good.

[Lindsay McMahon]

So it kind of. This speaks to how humans are truly affected by the environment. Like, we really are. The temperature, the amount of light in the sky, the blue. We really are affected by it. So this is why we talk about it so much.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, Definitely. So then there's also muggy and humid. So both describe weather that's heavy and wet. So humid is more of a technical term, but still very common. Right. It's that. That hot and wet as well.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. This is. This is in your wheelhouse. From the East Coast. On the East. Yeah. But I miss it because it's good for your skin, you know, it's good for your skin. You got a lot of moisture in the air. It's good.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. Yeah. But then my hair, it's just. Yeah. Good for the skin, bad for the hair. Or maybe it's good for the hair, but it doesn't look good. But. But what about muggy?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, muggy is a little bit more. My mom used to use this word a lot. It means humid, but it's just like a little more.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I don't.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I guess you could hear a weatherman or weather woman say this, but it's a little less technical.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

It's more casual, and it kind of describes how it feels on your body. You might say, God, it's so muggy out here. I have to go inside, you know?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, yeah. So, yeah. Lindsay, why does it feel so uncomfortable outside?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Because it's so hot and humid. It just feels super muggy today. Yeah. Very common. Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. All right. And we're gonna do one more. That's close. So cool and chilly. We may have talked about this once before, but these are really good. So both of these describe temperatures that are a little cold but not freezing.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, this is good. So cool again, is slightly cold but comfortable. Right. And chili is colder and just a little bit uncomfortable. You probably need a jacket, but it's not intolerable. It's not freezing. You're not going to need to go inside. You're gonna just need to bundle up a tiny bit more. Right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

That's right. That's right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. So do I need a jacket today?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Probably. It's cool in the sun, but quite chilly once the sun goes down. Oh, yeah. That's always.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I don't know.

[Lindsay McMahon]

On the east coast, you guys don't like. That's What I kind of miss about the east coast lifestyle is that you do have humidity in the air, so at night it stays warm, whereas here it gets cold at night. Like you can't go out in July and shorts at night.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh, really?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Generally not. Sometimes like the deepest, deepest, middle of the summer maybe, but most nights you need something. You need. You can't go out on a tank top. You need an extra top because.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, yeah, I would, I would. I mean, like there are definitely. There's actually my mother in law always says that her favorite time of year is when it's hot enough where at night you don't need to wear any.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I love that too.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, yeah. And it is nice, but it also means during the day it's so. It's so hot if it's gonna be that hot at night. Yeah. What's happening in the day? So I don't, I mean, yeah, it's a trade off.

[Lindsay McMahon]

It's a trade off. Look at how much conversation we're getting just out of the weather, the nuances in the weather and also comparing regions. You know, if you've lived in different regions of your country or the world, you've got a lot to talk about here, guys. All right, so here, Michelle, in our role play, we are two friends on opposite sides of the world. We're having a call to chat and start we, of course, we start off by talking about the weather.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Of course.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Even if we're two good friends, we might do that, right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, definitely.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. So hey, how's the weather there today? I heard it's been crazy.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, it's summer, but it's been super gray and gloomy.

[Podcast Announcer]

Oh, that's terrible.

[Lindsay McMahon]

It's usually sunny this time of year. But is it chilly?

[Michelle Kaplan]

No, thankfully. Just a bit cool at night. How's the weather there?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Super hot and muggy.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I'm not sure what's worse, honestly. I'd take cloudy weather over humidity any day.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, so we got a lot of our chunks in here. In our conversation, you asked me how the weather was and I said it's summer, but it's been super gray and gloomy. And again, you could say gloomy and gray, right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes, exactly.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

And then you said, that's terrible. It's usually sunn this time of the, this time of year. But is it chilly?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Right? And then you said just a bit cool at night. How's the weather there? You said. And I said super hot and muggy. Again, that means humid. That might be a new word for our listeners because I feel like, that word's not muggy.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah.

[Podcast Announcer]

Not common.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I don't know. It's just not out there in the world. Never hear it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

And then I said, honestly, I'd take cloudy weather over humidity any day.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, well, some people really hate the humidity.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

It just depends on. On what you like, what you're used to. Michelle, what's another awesome episode our listeners could keep going to listen to?

[Michelle Kaplan]

All right, guys, head on over to 2564. That was human or person, what's the difference? So that's also similar words. So we're doing a lot of that over here on Ollie's English because this is so really important, these nuances and learning more than one way to say something.

[Lindsay McMahon]

And I think the connection skill here has been very clear throughout the episode. The weather. The topic of the weather is not dead, guys. It is alive and well. Right. Even though we love to go into things that we say are more interesting, you're always going to end up in these conversations about the weather, even with people you know well or don't know well. But today we've given you some nuances, some interesting chunks that you probably haven't heard before, right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. And this is. It's so true. I mean, it brought us to a lot of other things. I mean, I ended up sharing something my mother in law says and I ended up, you know, we were talking about my friends in Hawaii, how it rained the whole time. It does bring. It's. We can all. We all experience the weather. So it is a good connection topic.

[Lindsay McMahon]

It's a connection topic and it's a jumping off point. I mentioned Norway. I mentioned my move from the east coast to the west. There is so much more that we could do to learn about each other if we didn't know each other well, based on all the things that came out of this conversation. Right, Michelle?

[Michelle Kaplan]

So, yeah, it's true. It was fun. Like, I found that we were having a lot of natural conversations.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Good conversation. So definitely, you know, don't. Don't poo poo the weather as a small talk topic.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Exactly. Don't turn your back on the weather. And maybe if anyone has a more specific question based on today's episode, do let us [e-mail] or write it in your review of the show.

[Michelle Kaplan]

All right, all right. All right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Excellent. Michelle, we'll see you very soon. You have a good day. All right. All right.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Bye, Lindsay.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Bye.

[Podcast Announcer]

Thanks for listening.

[Lindsay McMahon]

To all ears.

[Podcast Announcer]

English. Would you like to know your English level take our two minute quiz. Go to allearsenglish.com fluencyscore and if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Some Follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money because behind every headline is a bottom line. Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings. There's a money side to every story. And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe [e-mail] Spring just slid into your DMs. Grab that boho, look for that rooftop dinner, those sandals that can keep up with you, and hang some string lights to give your patio a glow up. Spring's calling. Ross, work your magic.