--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When one spends little time outside one's…" description: "\"“When one spends little time outside one's rooms, one gains information in bits and pieces. I encountered your name and reputation in passing.\" \"Everyt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02b/alissa-johnson-27899_bits-and-pieces_when-one-spends-little-time-outside-one_3158015.jpg" --- # When one spends little time outside one's rooms, one gains… ![“When one spends little time outside one's rooms, one gains information in bits and pieces. I encountered your name and reputation in passing." "Everything you do is in passing. A moment in the ballroom, a mere peek out of the opera box. I've never met the man to have spent more than thirty seconds…” quote by Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02b/alissa-johnson-27899_bits-and-pieces_when-one-spends-little-time-outside-one_3158015.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02b/alissa-johnson-27899_bits-and-pieces_when-one-spends-little-time-outside-one_3158015.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02b/alissa-johnson-27899_bits-and-pieces_when-one-spends-little-time-outside-one_3158015.jpg) > ““When one spends little time outside one's rooms, one gains information in bits and pieces. I encountered your name and reputation in passing." "Everything you do is in passing. A moment in the ballroom, a mere peek out of the opera box. I've never met the man to have spent more than thirty seconds in your company." A flicker of unease crossed her features, but it was gone almost the instant it arrived.”” [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It portrays fleeting, superficial encounters that leave only fragmented impressions, highlighting the emptiness of brief social interactions. **In simple terms:** Brief meetings give only shallow insights. Key Takeaway Seek deeper, lasting connections. Themes social interaction superficiality perception Mood reflective melancholic Type literary conversational When to use this quote - networking events - first dates - business meetings - social gatherings Key Concepts psychology communication Questions to Reflect On - What lasting impact can a brief encounter have? - How can you move beyond surface impressions? A Different Perspective Depth cannot be forced in brief moments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bits and pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits-and-pieces/) [Little time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-time/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Passing Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-moment-404855/) [Pieces Encountered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces-encountered-5697328/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Unease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unease/) [Unease Crossed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unease-crossed-5697329/) ## Related quotes > [Old age likes to dwell in the recollections of the past, and, mistaking, the speedy march of years, often is inclined to take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lajos-kossuth/old-age-likes-to-dwell-in-the-recollections-of-the-past-and-mistaking/) [Lajos Kossuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lajos-kossuth/) > [To snatch the passing moment and examine it for signs of eternity is the noblest of occupations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-j-halle/to-snatch-the-passing-moment-and-examine-it-for-signs-of-eternity-is/) [Louis J. Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-j-halle/) > [With each passing moment, a Soul sets off to find Itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/with-each-passing-moment-a-soul-sets-off-to-find-itself/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Right now a moment of time is passing by!... We must become that moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cezanne/right-now-a-moment-of-time-is-passing-by-we-must-become-that-moment/) [Paul Cezanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cezanne/) > [I wish I could leave you certain of the images in my mind, because they are so beautiful that I hate to think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/i-wish-i-could-leave-you-certain-of-the-images-in-my-mind-because/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [Time is like a river you cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Enjoy every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-like-a-river-you-cannot-touch-the-same-water-twice-because-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Has it ever struck you ... that life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quickly you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kandel/has-it-ever-struck-you-that-life-is-all-memory-except-for-the-one-2/) [Eric Kandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kandel/) > [The passing moment is all we can be sure of; it is only common sense to extract its utmost value from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-passing-moment-is-all-we-can-be-sure-of-it-is-only-common-sense/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [But Goethe tells us in his greatest poem that Faust lost the liberty of his soul when he said to the passing moment: "Stay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/but-goethe-tells-us-in-his-greatest-poem-that-faust-lost-the-liberty/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We have to keep an eye on the future with a sense of the past in every passing moment of the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-harlech/we-have-to-keep-an-eye-on-the-future-with-a-sense-of-the-past-in/) [Amanda Harlech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-harlech/) > [With each passing moment I'm becoming part of the past. There is no future for me, just the past steadily accumulating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/with-each-passing-moment-i-m-becoming-part-of-the-past-there-is-no/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Every moment of your life is precious. You must make each passing moment stepping stone to move forward with a bang. Moments passed may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/every-moment-of-your-life-is-precious-you-must-make-each-passing/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [I have the happiness of a passing moment, and what more can mortal ask?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/i-have-the-happiness-of-a-passing-moment-and-what-more-can-mortal-ask/) [George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/) > [“Because we believe that one moment is more or less like the next, we lose touch with the essential urgency of the present, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-grudin/because-we-believe-that-one-moment-is-more-or-less-like-the-next-we/) [Robert Grudin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-grudin/) > [A sketch book freezes time. It is an instantaneous form of meditation focusing us on the worth of every passing moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/a-sketch-book-freezes-time-it-is-an-instantaneous-form-of-meditation/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) ## More by Alissa Johnson > [“She might ban me from the library." "The marvelous thing about libraries is that their contents can be easily moved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/she-might-ban-me-from-the-library-the-marvelous-thing-about-libraries/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“Regrets are like mistresses," he informed her. "I ..." Her hand dropped from the handle. "What?" "Good men don't have them." She blinked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/regrets-are-like-mistresses-he-informed-her-i-her-hand-dropped-from/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“Do you mean to stay on at Caldwell?" "For a time," he replied. It took all her courage and determination to meet his eyes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/do-you-mean-to-stay-on-at-caldwell-for-a-time-he-replied-it-took-all/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“After Mrs. Culpepper, Max probably knew more about her than any other person in her life. They were the only two people who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/after-mrs-culpepper-max-probably-knew-more-about-her-than-any-other/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“How had things gone so terribly wrong? She wasn't supposed to be returning to Murdoch House in defeat, and she most certainly was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/how-had-things-gone-so-terribly-wrong-she-wasn-t-supposed-to-be/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“Choose the one you want," he told her. She giggled as the puppy contorted itself in an effort to lick her hand without rolling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/choose-the-one-you-want-he-told-her-she-giggled-as-the-puppy/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“Dreams of freedom and country cottages were all well and good, but Anna rather thought that she was nothing, if not practical. She would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/dreams-of-freedom-and-country-cottages-were-all-well-and-good-but/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“Max offered his hand. "One of us needs to take the higher road, sweet." Again, the use of an endearment. What the devil had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/max-offered-his-hand-one-of-us-needs-to-take-the-higher-road-sweet/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“The drawing Anna was thinking of wasn't particularly wicked, not so far as drawings in Anover House went. It was a colored sketch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/the-drawing-anna-was-thinking-of-wasn-t-particularly-wicked-not-so/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“She's from your world. Your presence might well put her at ease." "We live in the same world, Lucien," Max drawled. "I just know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/she-s-from-your-world-your-presence-might-well-put-her-at-ease-we/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“He'd become so accustomed to having her there, right there next to him, that he found he could no longer go the day without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/he-d-become-so-accustomed-to-having-her-there-right-there-next-to-him/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“Much of how a person defined himself was through his interactions with the world. When that world was very small, it probably felt as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/much-of-how-a-person-defined-himself-was-through-his-interactions/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“Perhaps we might start again?" she suggested. It was never truly possible to start over, of course. One could no more erase the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/perhaps-we-might-start-again-she-suggested-it-was-never-truly/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“He sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "Yes, all right. Call on you tomorrow." "Next week," she reminded him softly. His eyes remained closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/he-sighed-heavily-and-closed-his-eyes-yes-all-right-call-on-you/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [“She was fascinated by Max Dane. And not simply because he was handsome, though that detail had not escaped her notice. He seemed such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/she-was-fascinated-by-max-dane-and-not-simply-because-he-was-handsome/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) [Explore all 20 Alissa Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) ## More Bits and pieces quotes > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [You can't fool an audience with lots of bits and pieces. You have to lead them somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-rampling/you-can-t-fool-an-audience-with-lots-of-bits-and-pieces-you-have-to/) [Charlotte Rampling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-rampling/) > [ Our revolution is like Wikipedia, okay? Everyone is contributing content, \[but\] you don't know the names of the people contributing the content. This is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wael-ghonim/our-revolution-is-like-wikipedia-okay-everyone-is-contributing/) [Wael Ghonim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wael-ghonim/) > [“I sat at her desk and turned one page after another, staring at what looked like bits and pieces of black lace laid cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-sat-at-her-desk-and-turned-one-page-after-another-staring-at-what/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Someone who is reinventing always has spare time. Part of reinvention is collecting little bits and pieces of time and carving them the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/someone-who-is-reinventing-always-has-spare-time-part-of-reinvention/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“A clearing of a gravelly throat pulled him from his thoughts. He turned and looked at Thomas, the boat captain, who was seventy if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/a-clearing-of-a-gravelly-throat-pulled-him-from-his-thoughts-he/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [At this point we've answered about every question you could possibly imagine about Deep Space Nine, so we do this thing called Theatrical Jazz,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-auberjonois/at-this-point-we-ve-answered-about-every-question-you-could-possibly/) [Rene Auberjonois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-auberjonois/) > [ I missed the whole thing \[X-files series\]. And I know it went for nine seasons, and I think I saw bits and pieces of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-darby/i-missed-the-whole-thing-x-files-series-and-i-know-it-went-for-nine/) [Rhys Darby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-darby/) > [“Novelist Sinclair Lewis was supposed to deliver an hour-long lecture to a group of college students who planned to be writers. Lewis opened his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-prichard/novelist-sinclair-lewis-was-supposed-to-deliver-an-hour-long-lecture/) [Peter Prichard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-prichard/) > [If you can't imagine it, think clumsy silence. Think bits and pieces of floating despair. And drowning in a train.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/if-you-can-t-imagine-it-think-clumsy-silence-think-bits-and-pieces-of/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I knew that in the last few minutes everything had changed. I'd tried to hold myself apart, showing only what I wanted, doling out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-knew-that-in-the-last-few-minutes-everything-had-changed-i-d-tried/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But everyone remembered; what she loved was this, here, now, in front of her; the fat lady in the cab. Did it matter then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/but-everyone-remembered-what-she-loved-was-this-here-now-in-front-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Growing up, for years and years I had no idea what the plots of operas were, and that's part of what fascinated me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/growing-up-for-years-and-years-i-had-no-idea-what-the-plots-of-operas/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [“I have to admit that most of the time I read in the same way that I smoke and chew gum and jiggle my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-have-to-admit-that-most-of-the-time-i-read-in-the-same-way-that-i/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [I take little bits and pieces of ideas that I may or may not believe in but I give them to this character and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/i-take-little-bits-and-pieces-of-ideas-that-i-may-or-may-not-believe/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) [Browse all 259 Bits and pieces quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits-and-pieces/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When one spends little time outside one's rooms, one gains information in bits and pieces. 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