Normally, one would write their candid thoughts and not publish them. I, however, have done the opposite by publishing my first book, hoping my candidness is met with head-nods and understanding. I called it, The Art of Self-Deprecation

Simply put, The Art of Self-Deprecation is a rambling of personal opinions and stories that are supported by the question “what matters?”, in order to discuss why it’s important to be amused by our flaws instead of fearing them.

Some type of reasoning - whether initiated by our teachers in school or by literary works we’ve read - states that books require congruence or methodical structure. I agree that, when reading, this is proper and good, and all the other positive adjectives. But I also think that our brains don’t work that way. We don’t think straight and arrowed in a singular direction. We think in abstract patterns with spurts of passion and astonishment that fire quickly. And we a think a whole fucking lot. And that’s important to note because each thought, like each action, leads to some type of final destination where we acknowledge a specific thought as the one we want to share. I’ve come to realize, too, that sharing abstract thoughts is the way to seek answers. Even if we don’t find the answer, we are still gaining knowledge by wondering and asking and being open to the what-ifs and the whys. We have an obligation to ask ourselves these questions because it is deeply rooted within us to find out. With these questions comes thoughts about ourselves - who am I; what does my past say about my future; will I be better than I was yesterday or does that even matter. With so much in the world that appears to matter, the only way to really know is to ask yourself “what matters?” And that question isn’t for anyone else but you. So, this book is about asking these questions and not expecting any answers. This book, really, is about the randomness that I think about in my life and re-asking myself, constantly, “what really matters to me.” It’s not some type of self-help book where I tell you to grab the bull by the horns, or balls, or whichever part of the animal you prefer. It’s simply a book of questions that I may or may not have the answers to one day.

I hope the following brings light to you in some way.