Marriage and relationships

Human Tourniquets And Freaks Who Love Them

March 29, 2013 Communication skills for the crazy

I originally wrote this three years ago. Looking at it again, it’s an important post describing a time when not even best friends were safe from my insanity. I’ve updated it for the present.  Mood music:  TourniquetMarilyn MansonAntichrist Superstar You know the type. They hang  out with people who act more like abusive spouses than [...]

Read the full article →

Why I Skipped #ShmooCon — Again

February 16, 2013 Family

Like last year, a lot of people have asked me why I’m not at the ShmooCon security conference in Washington D.C. After all, it is one of my favorite events. Mood music:  Stay FrostyVan HalenA Different Kind Of Truth Simply put, it’s too close to the RSA Security Conference in San Francisco the week after [...]

Read the full article →

14 Years, and She Still Turns My Heart to Jelly

August 1, 2012 Marriage and relationships

You would think that after 14 years of marriage, I’d get over that gushy feeling you walk around with when you first fall in love. But the truth is that I still get that way. All the time. Because I know how blessed I am to have Erin as my wife. Mood music:  Living Of [...]

Read the full article →

Celebrating Erin

June 30, 2012 Love

Today is Erin’s birthday, and it feels like a national holiday to me. My life is crammed with blessings because of her, so it’s perfectly appropriate to celebrate her life this way. Mood music:  Love My WayThe Psychedelic FursGreatest Hits A few things you should know about Erin: She’s the best mom on the planet. [...]

Read the full article →

Fatherhood Saved Ozzy, Eddie & Me

May 4, 2012 Addiction

Yesterday I watched the “God Bless Ozzy Osbourne” documentary, which focused heavily on how his addictions maimed him and his family over four decades. Though my addictive behavior pales by comparison, it still struck a chord. Mood music:  DreamerOzzy OsbourneThe Essential Ozzy Osbourne What hit me deepest is how Ozzy finally decided to get real [...]

Read the full article →

The Monkey Will ALWAYS Be On Your Back

April 25, 2012 Addiction

I’m standing at a bar in Boston with my wife and stepmom. They order wine and I order coffee. My stepmom beams and says something about how awesome it is that I beat my demons. I appreciate the pride and the sentiment. But it’s also dangerous when someone tells a recovering addict that they’ve pulled [...]

Read the full article →

Strong Too Long, Or Weak Too Often?

April 23, 2012 Addiction

There’s a saying on Facebook that depression isn’t a sign of weakness, but simply the result of being strong for too long. Somewhat true — though weakness does feed the beast. Mood music: I’m feeling it this morning. I’ve always taken a certain level of satisfaction from my ability to stay standing in the face [...]

Read the full article →

When The Going Gets Tough, I Disconnect

April 17, 2012 Addiction

I’m leaving my weekly therapy sessions with a headache these days, because I’m working through another deeply embedded flaw in my soul. Mood music: It’s not nearly as bad as the therapy I had in 2004-2006, when I had to endlessly churn the sewage of my childhood memories in search of clues on what was [...]

Read the full article →

Guilt Chestnut Number 5: ‘You Never Call’

April 16, 2012 Communication skills for the crazy

In a dysfunctional family few are without blame for the things that go wrong. But there’s one criticism I’ve heard time and again that makes me bristle: “You never call.” Mood music: It’s not just that I don’t call the person who says that. It’s that I don’t call a lot of people. I’ve never [...]

Read the full article →

I Pity The Fool — Especially When The Fool Is Me

April 10, 2012 Communication skills for the crazy

“I don’t know how much more I can take.” I’ve told myself that a million times, as I’m sure you have. We say it in times of desperation, pain and blueness. But here’s an uncomfortable truth — Sometimes we like feeling this way. Mood music: There’s something about feeling bad for oneself that’s so satisfying. [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries