Bill Brenner

The Bright Side of This Election

by Bill Brenner November 3, 2010 Political discourse

A lot of people are depressed or elated about last night’s election results. I’m neither, because I’ve learned a few things about politics I didn’t understand in my youth. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t43VgJ4U9_Q&fs=1&hl=en_US] For me, the fate of the world always seemed to hang on the next election. In 1994, when I was a lot more liberal than I am today, I felt devastated and depressed when the GOP swept both chambers of Congress. Two years…  [Read More]

Alcohol Deadlier Than Heroin?

by Bill Brenner November 2, 2010 Addiction

I love studies that state the obvious. Especially when the no-brainer conclusions still manage to shock people . Latest example: “Alcohol More Deadly Than Heroin, Study Finds.” Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSih4o2YfmA&fs=1&hl=en_US] According to the Associated Press report, “British experts evaluated substances including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and marijuana, ranking them based on how destructive they are to the individual who takes them and to society as a whole. Researchers analyzed how addictive a drug is and how…  [Read More]

Passing Insanity to Your Kids

by Bill Brenner November 1, 2010 Children's issues

This weekend a friend asked if I worry about passing the “crazies” on to my children. The answer: Every day. But here’s why I don’t despair about it like I used to. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZeybYbTblM&fs=1&hl=en_US] First, a few facts: Some of my quirks were definitely passed down to me from my parents. The OCD comes straight from my mother, and the emotional wall I sometimes put up to deal with it comes from my father….  [Read More]

A Sunday Afternoon Meltdown

by Bill Brenner October 31, 2010 Children's issues

So Duncan is in quite a mood this afternoon. He’s easily set off, keeps rubbing his eyes and alternates between fits of laughter and just plain fits. No mystery here. The boy is suffering from way too much sugar in the form of Halloween candy. He’s also wiped out from going to bed too late and getting up too early. It’s no big deal. As parents we expect this from kids who have had too…  [Read More]

Killing in the Name of… FarmVille?

by Bill Brenner October 31, 2010 Communication Skills

We’ve all had our tough roads to travel. Some roads are harder than others. Is that any excuse to kill your own child because your fake FarmVille universe was intruded upon? Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNzIKoAy2pk&fs=1&hl=en_US] This story makes me want to slam my head through a closed window: JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) Alexandra Tobias, a Florida mother accused of shaking her 3-month-old son to death after he interrupted her FarmVille game on Facebook, has pleaded guilty to…  [Read More]

Why Halloween Doesn’t Scare Me Anymore

by Bill Brenner October 30, 2010 Addiction

I used to hate Halloween with a passion. It’s one of the worst days for someone with a compulsive binge eating addiction. Now that I’ve broken the binging cycle, I find myself in the odd position of looking forward to the holiday. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sohB922c2uQ&fs=1&hl=en_US] I used to dread it because I knew there would be candy everywhere. I would stuff it in my pockets, in the car and every other hiding space. Then I’d…  [Read More]

Soundtrack of the Week: 10-30

by Bill Brenner October 30, 2010 Music therapy

Since music — especially metal — has been a vital tool in my recovery from OCD and addiction, I celebrate each Saturday by sharing songs that got me through the week. I must be getting into the Halloween spirit or something, as you’re about to see. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6pRJhP4Lrw&fs=1&hl=en_US] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU6iP0WLsU8&fs=1&hl=en_US] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKYALsp-sIg&fs=1&hl=en_US] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xcwt9mSbYE&fs=1&hl=en_US] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awi14wDTxNw&fs=1&hl=en_US] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rC3l3niTaE&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Facebook Follow Friday

by Bill Brenner October 29, 2010 Communication Skills

There’s a thing we do on Twitter called Follow Friday, where we list people we follow and suggest others do the same. I’m starting a new tradition: Facebook Follow Friday. Here’s why: Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TksqEIl1uxU&fs=1&hl=en_US] Facebook has become a place where people spill out their state of mind like blood. Sometimes, it’s beautiful to see and I get something from it. Other times I just roll my eyes. I use it as a place to…  [Read More]

The Cab Driver

by Bill Brenner October 28, 2010 Gratitude

I used to have this dumb, ego-driven idea that I was better than people who did things for work that were “beneath me.” Here’s how I learned to stop being stupid. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG1FlsgLQQY&fs=1&hl=en_US] The lesson came from an obvious place that wasn’t so obvious once upon a time: God. I expected a lightening flash or something like that, not realizing God works through other people instead. I’ve needed these graces, because as a thick-skulled…  [Read More]

Moderation is a Myth

by Bill Brenner October 27, 2010 Addiction

Some interesting conversation with friends in Toronto this evening about addictive behavior. At one point, the focus turned to another truth about people like me: Moderation doesn’t exist. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eVQh0TPbos&fs=1&hl=en_US] People like to say it all the time: “Why do you have to give certain things up? Can’t you just have everything in moderation?” Well, my friends, that’s the problem. Moderation is an alien concept to me. When someone leaves half the food on…  [Read More]

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