--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was when I first observed a…" description: "\"“That was when I first observed a phenomenon I now call the \"New York Slide\": you offer your words to try to communicate and connect with someone, but ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/kelly-cutrone-7382_brick-wall_that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenome_1991631.png" --- # That was when I first observed a phenomenon I now call the… ![“That was when I first observed a phenomenon I now call the "New York Slide": you offer your words to try to communicate and connect with someone, but your words just hit a brick wall the person has erected to ward off human contact- the words slide down it and roll away.” quote by Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/kelly-cutrone-7382_brick-wall_that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenome_1991631.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/kelly-cutrone-7382_brick-wall_that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenome_1991631.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/kelly-cutrone-7382_brick-wall_that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenome_1991631.png) > ““That was when I first observed a phenomenon I now call the "New York Slide": you offer your words to try to communicate and connect with someone, but your words just hit a brick wall the person has erected to ward off human contact- the words slide down it and roll away.”” [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Communication can be blocked when a person builds emotional barriers, rendering attempts ineffective. **In simple terms:** Words hit a wall when barriers exist. Key Takeaway Find ways to lower defenses. Themes communication barriers connection Mood empathetic insightful Type advice observational When to use this quote - relationships - customer service - teamwork - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology emotional walls Questions to Reflect On - How can you recognize a defensive wall? - What strategies break through emotional barriers? A Different Perspective Not all walls are intentional; some stem from trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brick wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brick-wall/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Human behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-behavior/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Life lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-lessons/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) ## Related quotes > [No more than six words on a slide. Ever. There is no presentation so complex that this rule needs to be broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/no-more-than-six-words-on-a-slide-ever-there-is-no-presentation-so/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Like that whole Nicole Richie look was SO over”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarra-manning/like-that-whole-nicole-richie-look-was-so-over/) [Sarra Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarra-manning/) > [“In the town where I live, I have frequently observed a phenomenon I have come to think of as Samish-Sex Marriage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-the-town-where-i-live-i-have-frequently-observed-a-phenomenon-i/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [If I want people to connect to my words and my stories, I need to tell them where they came from. Because then, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/if-i-want-people-to-connect-to-my-words-and-my-stories-i-need-to-tell/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [No phenomenon is a real phenomenon until it is an observed phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/no-phenomenon-is-a-real-phenomenon-until-it-is-an-observed-phenomenon/) [John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/) > [I feel that when you connect something that you do, especially serving food, and connect that together with words - I think it's very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-crenn/i-feel-that-when-you-connect-something-that-you-do-especially-serving/) [Dominique Crenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-crenn/) > [Sometimes I think that if it were possible to tell a story often enough to make the hurt ease up, to make the words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-shreve/sometimes-i-think-that-if-it-were-possible-to-tell-a-story-often/) [Anita Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-shreve/) > [“Before the words slide into their slots, they are just discrete items, pointing everywhere and nowhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-fish/before-the-words-slide-into-their-slots-they-are-just-discrete-items/) [Stanley Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-fish/) > [I had a scene where the chair was meant to slide off the table, but do you think it would slide off? No. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dannii-minogue/i-had-a-scene-where-the-chair-was-meant-to-slide-off-the-table-but-do/) [Dannii Minogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dannii-minogue/) > [Even a very little girl can wield a slide rule, the cursor serving as a haft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-jahren/even-a-very-little-girl-can-wield-a-slide-rule-the-cursor-serving-as/) [Hope Jahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-jahren/) > [When you have been lucky enough to move up the ladder, all you see, really, is the slide back down. You don't see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-hodgson/when-you-have-been-lucky-enough-to-move-up-the-ladder-all-you-see/) [Roy Hodgson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-hodgson/) > [You have to see if the batsman is coming out, if he is staying back, what his grip is like, to gauge his intentions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/you-have-to-see-if-the-batsman-is-coming-out-if-he-is-staying-back/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [Your Just Another Splinter in My Ass as I Slide Down The Banister of Life...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-just-another-splinter-in-my-ass-as-i-slide-down-the-banister-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When life rains on your parade, bring out the Slip'n'Slide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-life-rains-on-your-parade-bring-out-the-slip-n-slide/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are a lot of people who can slide on talent their whole lives; they're just naturally gifted. I've never considered myself one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-can-slide-on-talent-their-whole-lives/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) ## More by Kelly Cutrone > [“Things will change: you won't feel this way forever. And anyway, sometimes the hardest lessons to learn are the ones your soul needs most.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/things-will-change-you-won-t-feel-this-way-forever-and-anyway/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [I believe all women know in their heart of hearts that they truly are divine and magical, even if they've temporarily forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/i-believe-all-women-know-in-their-heart-of-hearts-that-they-truly-are/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [It seems like thin people should not be running around dissing overweight people, and overweight people should not be running around dissing thinner people...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/it-seems-like-thin-people-should-not-be-running-around-dissing/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [For some reason, everyone says "fashion is responsible for skinny models." I don't believe that myself. I believe consumers dictate commercial success and trends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/for-some-reason-everyone-says-fashion-is-responsible-for-skinny/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [The hardest lessons to learn are the ones your soul needs most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/the-hardest-lessons-to-learn-are-the-ones-your-soul-needs-most/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [People want to express themselves - that's what fashion is for. You can go to Target and get something that Rodarte designed for $34,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/people-want-to-express-themselves-that-s-what-fashion-is-for-you-can/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [“After all, you can’t truly be happy if you’ve never known pain. You can’t truly feel joy if you’ve never felt heartbreak. You can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/after-all-you-can-t-truly-be-happy-if-you-ve-never-known-pain-you-can/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [After all, you can't truly be happy if you've never known pain. You can't truly feel joy if you've never felt heartbreak. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/after-all-you-can-t-truly-be-happy-if-you-ve-never-known-pain-you-can-2/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [You know where nice people end up? On welfare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/you-know-where-nice-people-end-up-on-welfare/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [This is an important lesson to remember when you're having a bad day, a bad month, or a shitty year. Things will change: you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/this-is-an-important-lesson-to-remember-when-you-re-having-a-bad-day/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [“The road to your dreams is sometimes dark, and it sometimes magical, but The Wizard of Oz had one thing right: it's ultimately about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/the-road-to-your-dreams-is-sometimes-dark-and-it-sometimes-magical/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [Most fashion models do not look good in bikinis because they're too thin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/most-fashion-models-do-not-look-good-in-bikinis-because-they-re-too/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [For the consumer, fashion is fashion. You can buy something beautiful for $20 and you can buy something ugly for $1,000. It comes down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/for-the-consumer-fashion-is-fashion-you-can-buy-something-beautiful/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [“Sometimes, if not most of the time, you find out who you are by figuring out who and what you are not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/sometimes-if-not-most-of-the-time-you-find-out-who-you-are-by/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [I hope that you, too, will choose to have a journey instead of just a life. Actually, I hope it's a full on expedition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/i-hope-that-you-too-will-choose-to-have-a-journey-instead-of-just-a/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) [Explore all 92 Kelly Cutrone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) ## More Brick wall quotes > [“he can see through a brick wall in time (as they say in Bree). But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/he-can-see-through-a-brick-wall-in-time-as-they-say-in-bree-but/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“How did you know it was me?” she asked. “My dear Professor, I’ve never seen a cat sit so stiffly.” “You’d be stiff if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/how-did-you-know-it-was-me-she-asked-my-dear-professor-i-ve-never/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [I am always really buzzed after each performance, and at around one in the morning, Ill hit a brick wall and need to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hattie-morahan/i-am-always-really-buzzed-after-each-performance-and-at-around-one-in/) [Hattie Morahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hattie-morahan/) > [I still have the desire to do the job of acting. It's just a matter of whether I'll be allowed to do the job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-coleman/i-still-have-the-desire-to-do-the-job-of-acting-it-s-just-a-matter-of/) [Gary Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-coleman/) > [Vladimir Putin is a smart guy. I don't like him, smart guy. He is going to advance the cause of Russia until he hits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-kinzinger/vladimir-putin-is-a-smart-guy-i-don-t-like-him-smart-guy-he-is-going/) [Adam Kinzinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-kinzinger/) > [I fell down the stairs of the one level mental institute.so they put me in the safe cusion room but they found a bruise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-mcswain/i-fell-down-the-stairs-of-the-one-level-mental-institute-so-they-put/) Trinity McSwain > [If you don't break a hole through the brick wall, don't just start digging a new hole. Keep going until you break through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/if-you-don-t-break-a-hole-through-the-brick-wall-don-t-just-start/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [“The brick walls are there for a reason. they're not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/the-brick-walls-are-there-for-a-reason-they-re-not-there-to-keep-us/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [“I cursed. (S-word, f-word, s-word, d-word, s-word times three, f-word, and a z-word I made up on the spot.) I kicked a brick wall.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-strand/i-cursed-s-word-f-word-s-word-d-word-s-word-times-three-f-word-and-a/) [Jeff Strand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-strand/) > [People who avoid the brick walls - all power to ya, but we all have to hit them sometimes in order to push through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/people-who-avoid-the-brick-walls-all-power-to-ya-but-we-all-have-to/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) > [“Shortly after this exchange my roommate suggested we start throwing water balloons at the construction workers. Not really at them because, I know, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/shortly-after-this-exchange-my-roommate-suggested-we-start-throwing/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [“...when you’re property-hunting and you’re running out of patience it’s easy to make bad decisions. New York in particular has a way of making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-ryder-howe/when-you-re-property-hunting-and-you-re-running-out-of-patience-it-s/) Ben Ryder Howe > [“If ants had a language they would, no doubt, call their anthill an artifact and describe the brick wall in its neighborhood as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-ants-had-a-language-they-would-no-doubt-call-their-anthill-an/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Martha would come over every week and check on Mia and work with her on relaxation and breathing exercises to prepare for the natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-carlino/martha-would-come-over-every-week-and-check-on-mia-and-work-with-her/) [Renee Carlino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-carlino/) > [“Grief is nothing but a painful waiting, a horrible patience. Grief cannot be torn down or scaled or overcome or outsmarted. It can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glennon-doyle-melton/grief-is-nothing-but-a-painful-waiting-a-horrible-patience-grief/) [Glennon Doyle Melton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glennon-doyle-melton/) [Browse all 253 Brick wall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brick-wall/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That was when I first observed a phenomenon I now call the \"New York Slide\": you offer your words to try to communicate and connect with someone, but your words just hit a brick wall the person has erected to ward off human contact- the words slide down it and roll away.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kelly Cutrone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenomenon-i-now-call-the-new-york/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brick wall" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenomenon-i-now-call-the-new-york/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/kelly-cutrone-7382_brick-wall_that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenome_1991631.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/kelly-cutrone-7382_brick-wall_that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenome_1991631.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/kelly-cutrone-7382_brick-wall_that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenome_1991631.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That was when I first observed a phenomenon I now call the \"New York Slide\": you offer your words to try to…” — Kelly Cutrone", "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": "Kelly Cutrone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“That was when I first observed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenomenon-i-now-call-the-new-york/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/that-was-when-i-first-observed-a-phenomenon-i-now-call-the-new-york/#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 } } ] } ```