By – Andy Boyle

Before posting any more (I add after adding the foe honorifics above) of my rambling, I feel obligated to provide a general disclaimer about myself and my writing. The following qualification really applies to pretty much anything I ever say as well, but due to its length I tend to avoid rattling it off on a regular basis. With that in mind…

I would first and foremost describe myself as a fool. A lovable one, I hope, but a fool none the less. And I’ll be the first to admit that on a daily basis I struggle to live up to my most deeply held values and ideals. I’m a flawed and eccentric individual who believes that my most redeeming quality, at least in my own eyes, is the fact that I strive to forge from failures and flaws a greater sense of compassion and empathy – I struggle with it – but that’s always the perspective I strive to maintain. I don’t think I’m better than anyone, and I don’t want to be in the business of throwing stones. But I also like to be direct and get to the point in conversation instead of leaning into small talk, which can oftentimes involve stumbling headfirst into sensitive subject. To me, while uncomfortable sometimes, that’s really where all meaningful conversations (and relationships) begin. One thing I’ve tried to do better at as I’ve grown older is being a more present and active listener when speaking with people. I’ve got a long way to go in that regard still, and this is even weirder because it’s inherently designed to facilitated more communication outward than inward… But I digress. Although fitting given how I tend to roll, this disclaimer is no time to go down a rabbit hole on the nature of blogs.