The Art of Being Present is a philosophical meditation born from a raw moment of struggle, "Day two. 1:43 pm. Still don't feel like getting out." Written by someone who has navigated physical limitation, chronic pain, and the profound questions that come with being human, this book explores what it means to be truly present in a world that often feels too beautiful and too brutal to comprehend.

Through ten intimate chapters, the book examines themes offear and empathy as dance partners rather than enemies, the possibility that our limitations are self-imposed, and the revolutionary power of gratitude that emerges from difficulty rather than comfort. Each chapter includes practicalexercises and concludes with an original limerick that distills its essence into something memorable and grounding.

This isn't a self-help manual or prescription for happiness.It's an honest conversation about the magic that surrounds us constantly, the snakes and ladders of existence, and the profound gift of learning to feel fully rather than just feeling good. The book culminates in recognizing that we are temporary arrangements of stardust learning to wonder about ourselves, and that presence, not perfection, is the point.

The Art of Being Present offers breadcrumbs for anyone finding their way through the fog, reminding us that sometimes the deepest wisdom comes not from rising but from learning to be present exactly where we are.

The Unfortunate Revelations of Oldman Clifford is a humorous and reflective monologue delivered by a middle-aged recliner philosopher who suspects the universe is running a sloppy cosmic experiment. Through wine-soaked musings and dry wit, Clifford questions why mortality is the one constant in a world full of random design flaws, like lactose intolerance, male pattern baldness, and the inability to fold fitted sheets. Blending satire with philosophical depth, this short piece explores the absurd beauty of being human, one existential sigh at a time.

In a near-future world still recovering from the memory of pandemics past, a new and mysterious virus emerges, not one that attacks the body, but the human need for space.

Dubbed the ProxiVirus, it begins with a whisper: victims compulsively seek physical closeness, politely at first, then with increasing desperation. As the Centers for Disease Control scrambles to contain this contagion of connection, lead virologist Dr. Elara Sinclair discovers that the virus doesn’t destroy humanity, it enhances it.

The infected called Proxies develop stronger empathy, deeper bonds, and a primal, almost spiritual need for community. They eliminate violence and poverty through shared care. But they also abandon individuality, privacy, and ambition. It’s not just a pandemic, it’s speciation.

With society collapsing under the weight of enforced distance and emotional longing, Elara faces an impossible choice: cure the infection and restore humanity’s old identity, or embrace the virus’s evolutionary gift and reshape what it means to be human.

From the abandoned subways of New York to playgrounds haunted by caregivers tending to invisible children, Closer: The Pandemic is a poignant, mind-bending exploration of intimacy, fear, and what happens when love itself becomes contagious.