--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How come I can pick my ears but not my…" description: "\"How come I can pick my ears but not my nose?\" — Ani DiFranco" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/ani-difranco-813_ears_how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-n_624230.png" --- # How come I can pick my ears but not my nose? ![“How come I can pick my ears but not my nose?” quote by Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/ani-difranco-813_ears_how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-n_624230.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/ani-difranco-813_ears_how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-n_624230.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/ani-difranco-813_ears_how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-n_624230.png) > “How come I can pick my ears but not my nose?” [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal control is limited to some aspects of the body, highlighting the absurdity of selective autonomy. **In simple terms:** We can control some parts, not others. Key Takeaway Accept bodily limits. Themes body control humor Mood lighthearted reflective Type humor philosophical When to use this quote - daily routines - self‑care - personal habits Key Concepts autonomy biological constraints Questions to Reflect On - Which bodily functions feel most controllable? - How does this perception affect self‑esteem? A Different Perspective The joke may trivialize deeper health concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) [Ears Nose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears-nose-1437330/) [Nose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nose/) [Noses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noses/) [Pick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pick/) [Pick Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pick-ears-2303781/) ## Related quotes > [How come I can pick my ears, but not my nose? Who made up that rule anyway? How can you say that's the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-nose-who-made-up-that-rule/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Give a boy - ANY boy - enough time, and he WILL eventually pick his nose!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-peirce/give-a-boy-any-boy-enough-time-and-he-will-eventually-pick-his-nose/) [Lincoln Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-peirce/) > [“His ears and nose were raspberry red, and when he spoke, a cloud of vapor billowed from his mouth. I wanted to tell him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-reichs/his-ears-and-nose-were-raspberry-red-and-when-he-spoke-a-cloud-of/) [Kathy Reichs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-reichs/) > [I have a dog and sometimes I'll be the littlest kid with my dog and marvel at his ears and his nose and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-eckhart/i-have-a-dog-and-sometimes-i-ll-be-the-littlest-kid-with-my-dog-and/) [Aaron Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-eckhart/) > [We all have eyes, ears, a nose, mouth, 206 bones, and skin stretching over them. It is odd to me to think that some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-have-eyes-ears-a-nose-mouth-206-bones-and-skin-stretching-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“the neuron bundle comes from our eyes, ears, nose, mouth or skin. The key difference lies not in the neurons that carry this information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/the-neuron-bundle-comes-from-our-eyes-ears-nose-mouth-or-skin-the-key/) [Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/) > [I like my old nose. If I could get it out the cupboard and put it on, then I would.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-price/i-like-my-old-nose-if-i-could-get-it-out-the-cupboard-and-put-it-on/) [Katie Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-price/) > [One has a nose. The nose scents and it chooses. An artist is simply a kind of pig snouting truffles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-stravinsky/one-has-a-nose-the-nose-scents-and-it-chooses-an-artist-is-simply-a/) [Igor Stravinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-stravinsky/) > [I always have this red nose in my pocket, and if it looks like I'm taking things too seriously, or the person I'm talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-glassman/i-always-have-this-red-nose-in-my-pocket-and-if-it-looks-like-i-m/) [Bernie Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-glassman/) > [To hell with Trish's nose!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ross/to-hell-with-trish-s-nose/) [Jim Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ross/) > [No nose hair. Ever. You'd be surprised at all the little twigs sticking out. I just can't get it. How can you see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyan-douglas/no-nose-hair-ever-you-d-be-surprised-at-all-the-little-twigs-sticking/) [Kyan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyan-douglas/) > [I follow my nose. It’s as simple as that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilda-swinton/i-follow-my-nose-it-s-as-simple-as-that/) [Tilda Swinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilda-swinton/) > [Sometimes you just have to hold your nose and jump into something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-carillo/sometimes-you-just-have-to-hold-your-nose-and-jump-into-something/) [Mary Carillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-carillo/) > [If you keep your nose to the grindstone, you don’t have any nose,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-wexner/if-you-keep-your-nose-to-the-grindstone-you-don-t-have-any-nose/) [Les Wexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-wexner/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) ## More by Ani DiFranco > [I am getting nowhere with you and I can't let you go and I cant get through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-am-getting-nowhere-with-you-and-i-can-t-let-you-go-and-i-cant-get/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [You've decided to love me for eternity, I'm still deciding who I want to be today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/you-ve-decided-to-love-me-for-eternity-i-m-still-deciding-who-i-want/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I'll walk the plank and I'll jump with a smile, cause if I'm gonna go down I'm gonna do it with style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-ll-walk-the-plank-and-i-ll-jump-with-a-smile-cause-if-i-m-gonna-go/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Having more exposure is kind of a bittersweet thing for me, honestly, because it's nice to have a little more job security in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/having-more-exposure-is-kind-of-a-bittersweet-thing-for-me-honestly/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I can jump ship and swim-- that the ocean will hold me, that there's got to be more than this boat I'm in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-can-jump-ship-and-swim-that-the-ocean-will-hold-me-that-there-s-got/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [God help you if you are an ugly girl, 'course too pretty is also your doom, 'cause everyone harbors a secret hatred for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/god-help-you-if-you-are-an-ugly-girl-course-too-pretty-is-also-your/) [Ani Difranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I cannot name this, I cannot explain this, and I really don't want to so just call me shameless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-cannot-name-this-i-cannot-explain-this-and-i-really-don-t-want-to/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Somedays the line I walk turns out to be straight - Other days the line tends to deviate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/somedays-the-line-i-walk-turns-out-to-be-straight-other-days-the-line/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Taking me seriously is a big mistake. I certainly wouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/taking-me-seriously-is-a-big-mistake-i-certainly-wouldn-t/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I am a work in progress Dressed in the fabric of a world unfolding Offering me intricate patterns of questions Rhythms that never come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-am-a-work-in-progress-dressed-in-the-fabric-of-a-world-unfolding/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [We have a complete void of progressive politics in this country right now. The will of the people goes ignored and unrealized. I'm searching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/we-have-a-complete-void-of-progressive-politics-in-this-country-right/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I'm home in New Orleans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-m-home-in-new-orleans/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I don't take good pictures 'cause I have the kind of beauty that moves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-don-t-take-good-pictures-cause-i-have-the-kind-of-beauty-that-moves/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [The scary truth is, you have to scratch some veneer off to gauge where the moral fiber really is in certain pockets of society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/the-scary-truth-is-you-have-to-scratch-some-veneer-off-to-gauge-where/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Both hands... Now use both hands. Oh no, don't close your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/both-hands-now-use-both-hands-oh-no-don-t-close-your-eyes/) [Ani Difranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) [Explore all 363 Ani DiFranco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) ## More Ears quotes > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Story is about pulling the reader in and a plot is a more externalized mechanism of revelation. A plot is more antic, more performative,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/story-is-about-pulling-the-reader-in-and-a-plot-is-a-more/) [Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/) > [The nineteenth century lynching mob cuts off ears, toes, and fingers, strips off flesh, and distributes portions of the body as souvenirs among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells/the-nineteenth-century-lynching-mob-cuts-off-ears-toes-and-fingers/) [Ida B. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells/) > [Somehow the river is louder when you cover your ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-williams/somehow-the-river-is-louder-when-you-cover-your-ears/) [Niall Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-williams/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Well the first time I performed, my mom was like how she is now when sees me on stage – all red, smiling from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/well-the-first-time-i-performed-my-mom-was-like-how-she-is-now-when/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Words are substance strange. Speak one and the air ripples into another's ears. Write one and the eye laps it up. But the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-beachy-quick/words-are-substance-strange-speak-one-and-the-air-ripples-into/) [Dan Beachy-Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-beachy-quick/) > [I had never done anything with blue screen before, or prosthetics, or anything like that. Lord of the Rings was like stepping into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-had-never-done-anything-with-blue-screen-before-or-prosthetics-or/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Seek ye counsel of the aged for their eyes have looked on the faces of the years and their ears have hardened to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/seek-ye-counsel-of-the-aged-for-their-eyes-have-looked-on-the-faces/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [The more that you act on your intuition fearlessly, the more your intuition will serve you. Intuition is the ear of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/the-more-that-you-act-on-your-intuition-fearlessly-the-more-your/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [it'll be this kind of deep blue”she said. “The kind of color that somehow sucks your eyes and your ears and all your words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/it-ll-be-this-kind-of-deep-blue-she-said-the-kind-of-color-that/) [Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Browse all 2,987 Ears quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How come I can pick my ears but not my nose?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ani DiFranco" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-nose/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ears" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-nose/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/ani-difranco-813_ears_how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-n_624230.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/ani-difranco-813_ears_how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-n_624230.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/ani-difranco-813_ears_how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-n_624230.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How come I can pick my ears but not my nose?” — Ani DiFranco", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ani DiFranco", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How come I can pick my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-nose/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/how-come-i-can-pick-my-ears-but-not-my-nose/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```