Bill Brenner

The Best Laugh I’ve Had All Week

by Bill Brenner June 10, 2011 Food

My office colleague John Gallant sent me a video that made the coffee shoot from my nose. “Vegan Death Metal Chef.” It’s good; even better than the Muppets performing Slayer songs. Given the ups and downs of the last two weeks, I needed a good laugh, so thanks, John. Here it is. All music and video is made by the Vegan Black Metal Chef (Brian Manowitz). Enjoy:

The ‘Woe Is Me’ Disease

by Bill Brenner June 10, 2011 Communication Skills

Funny thing about us OCD-addict types: When the going gets tough, we blame it on someone else. Call it the Woe Is Me Disease, where the sufferer is an eternal victim, forever screwed by everyone but his or her self. Mood music: http://youtu.be/-q-MorIES5I It used to be that it was impossible for me to see the problems as my own. It was always the result of something someone else did to me or failed to…  [Read More]

Marital Differences in Style

by Bill Brenner June 9, 2011 Adventures in writing

I interrupt the usual theme of this blog for a little discussion on writing style and technique. To make things more interesting, my wife, Erin, is coming along for the ride. Mood music (“You Know You’re Right Write” by Nirvana): It’s appropriate that we do this now, because it’s been a year since I wrote about why writing is so important to my sanity and survival. Now, Erin and I have our differences like every couple. One…  [Read More]

Hospital Phobia

by Bill Brenner June 8, 2011 Crohn's Disease

During visits to my father in the hospital, I find myself jittery and all-around uncomfortable. It’s not the sight of my father, who is starting the long road to recovery after a stroke. Sure, he’s looked better. But you could say that of anyone stuck in a hospital bed. Mood music: http://youtu.be/C6LCttYOO9Q The discomfort, I’m starting to realize, has to do with the hospital itself. He’s at one of the best hospitals in Boston, and…  [Read More]

A Letter to Addie, a Child Fighting OCD

by Bill Brenner June 7, 2011 Children's issues

This is an open letter to a girl named Addie. She is fighting OCD and the anxiety that goes with it, and her mom has been blogging about it. I suggest you read her blog. Meantime, I want to share some experiences with Addie… Mood music: Hi, Addie, My name’s Bill, and I know a thing or two about what you are going through. It’s gonna be rough at times, but let me tell you…  [Read More]

A Boy’s Life on Prednisone: A Class Photo History

by Bill Brenner June 6, 2011 Crohn's Disease

I’ve mentioned before that I had to take a lot of this nasty drug called Prednisone as a kid, and how the side effects were almost as bad as the Crohn’s Disease flare-ups the drug was meant to snuff out. Well, my old elementary school friend Myles Lynch posted some class pics on Facebook that show the physical impact. Looking at them brings back memories good and bad. Let’s start with first grade, before the…  [Read More]

I’m Getting Too Old For This, But It’s Worth it

by Bill Brenner June 3, 2011 Love

Erin and I drove 90 minutes north yesterday to see The Avett Brothers perform in Portland, Maine. By the end of the night, we realized we just don’t have the concert-going energy we had in our early 20s. Mood music: The band didn’t begin until 9, and we were surrounded by people in their 20s and early 30s. The smell of pot hung in the air, giving us headaches. It used to be the smell…  [Read More]

The Perfect Gift For The OCD Chef In Your Life

by Bill Brenner June 3, 2011 Lighthearted

Though OCD is no laughing matter for the sufferer, I personally like a good gag that pokes fun at my disorder. If you can’t laugh at the problem, you’re going to have a much tougher time getting a handle on things. But it has to be a gag that’s cleverly done. My friend Andrea Holbrook found just the thing for the OCD case in your life who likes to cook, on the Perpetual Kid website: I don’t…  [Read More]

Soundtrack For The Pissed Off

by Bill Brenner June 2, 2011 Music therapy

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’m in an uneasy state. Fortunately for me, music is the perfect coping drug. Since my uneasiness is mixed with a feeling of being pissed off, I’m turning to my prescription of heavier, louder fare: http://youtu.be/Yxa3li_Zjgk This stuff won’t send me to a happy, shiny place, but it will keep me from punching someone in the face. For now, that’s all I need.

Morning After The Twisters

by Bill Brenner June 2, 2011 Coping tools

This is one of those mornings where I wake up uneasy. Several tornadoes tore through our state yesterday, but that’s not it. Mood music: I used to panic at the sight of a yellow-green sky, because that’s usually a sign of imminent tornadoes and hurricanes. But as I looked out the window, all I could muster was a “meh.” I guess that’s progress. But then I had other things on my mind. Yesterday I visited…  [Read More]

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