Bill Brenner

Who We Were/Who We Are

by Bill Brenner April 26, 2011 Courage

Last night I fell asleep while leafing through my high school yearbook. I’m connected to a lot of old classmates on Facebook, and it’s funny how different many of us are now. It’s no surprise, of course. We have to change. In appearance and in mindset. That’s what we do. Yet we still fixate on the old days sometimes. Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QP6H4ov7FE&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] I came across pictures of folks I never talked to in high school….  [Read More]

Dueling Priests: A Religious Adventure

by Bill Brenner April 25, 2011 Faith

You would think everyone could get along at church. But, it turns out, people get as political and competitive as they would in the corporate setting. Here’s why these human imperfections actually strengthen my faith. Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lspjLG9nHXk&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] First, a little history: In September, our beloved pastor, Father Dennis Nason, passed away, leaving a gaping hole in the church community. The parochial vicar, Father Michael Harvey, performed practically every Mass from that point until…  [Read More]

‘Binge Eating? Come On, Man’

by Bill Brenner April 23, 2011 Addiction

Every now and then, someone expresses shock at my classifying a compulsive binge eating disorder as addictive behavior. So it was when an acquaintance in the infosec world contacted me this morning. Mood music: [spotify:track:0ydzdWYWIFlGBurhjEXwit] Rather than run the entire message verbatim, I’m going to address certain chunks. His text is in italics, followed my my responses. First, I want to point out that I like this guy. He does great work in our industry….  [Read More]

Jesus Has My Back

by Bill Brenner April 23, 2011 Faith

This is a very special Easter for me. Five years ago tonight, I was Baptized and got a new chance at life. Since then, I’ve tried to live a Holy life. I’ve come up short much of the time, but I just keep trying. It’s a massive, sometimes overwhelming challenge to get it right these days. Everywhere you look there’s something to temp you. For an addictive personality like mine, being weak in that environment…  [Read More]

Prayers for Old Friends

by Bill Brenner April 22, 2011 Coping tools

This morning my thoughts and prayers are with the Jones family, who mourn the loss of a daughter and sister. Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKbPUzhWeeI&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] Twenty years ago, I would hang out with this family for days on end. Jeff Jones (he goes by Geoff Wolfe today) was my fellow Doors freak, and I remember many pleasant afternoon’s and evenings in their back yard. I was there for July 4 1991, which I remember because someone…  [Read More]

To Sean on His 10th Birthday

by Bill Brenner April 21, 2011 Children's issues

Sean turns 10 today, and this is my birthday message to him. Let’s start with the appropriate mood music, a song you are very fond of: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpOxjOj0zhk&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] You entered the world on Earth Day, 10 years ago. Wow. A full decade. As I wrote to you last year, you were graced with a beautiful Mom and a Dad with just a few kinks in him. I would always try to hide my OCD, depression and addictive behavior from you, but…  [Read More]

Wanted: Psychiatric Specialists in the Emergency Room

by Bill Brenner April 20, 2011 Medicine

A friend directed me toward a disturbing story on NPR’s website about the mentally ill languishing in ERs. Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkJOZOOXJWk&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] Here’s the first few paragraphs of the report by Jenny Gold: As he lay on a gurney in the emergency department of Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Erik grew increasingly upset. He had called the police to report a theft from his apartment, but wound up being taken to the hospital. The ER…  [Read More]

Reinforcing the Stigma Instead of Breaking It

by Bill Brenner April 20, 2011 Mental disorders

Lost in my most recent tirade against employers who discriminate against the mentally ill is a point that’s very important: People like us have a responsibility to prove we’re up to the challenges we seek. Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QanVuQIXU5s&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] In my opinion, employers have no legal right to deny someone a job simply because they were diagnosed with a mental illness. They do, however, have the right to pass over a candidate who doesn’t seem…  [Read More]

The World of “Crazy Mike” (Knowing Who You Pick On)

by Bill Brenner April 20, 2011 Communication Skills

Got a lot of comments on yesterday’s post about the mentally ill guy in Haverhill people call “Crazy Mike.” Read on and you’ll know him better. Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYyK-ZvpR_M&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] The most insight on Mike comes from Katherine Doot, an old friend of Erin’s and recent discoverer of this blog. She lives in Arizona now, but as a Haverhill native she got to know Mike pretty well. Here’s what she had to say: Mike in…  [Read More]

“Liking” The Crazy Mike of Haverhill Page is Sad and Stupid

by Bill Brenner April 19, 2011 Communication Skills

Here’s the part where I lose some of my Haverhill friends. I don’t care. In any city there’s a guy like “Crazy Mike.” The stereotype is usually a long beard, ratty clothes and the fellow is usually living on the street. He talks aloud to no one in particular and falls asleep on playground equipment. People like to laugh at him. I’m no saint. I’ve made my share of fun of people like this, and…  [Read More]

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