Bill Brenner

The Friends Joe “Zippo” Kelley Left Behind

by Bill Brenner January 18, 2014 Gratitude

The fourth annual Joe “Zippo” Kelley Memorial show is tonight. Sadly, I can’t be there this year because of business travel. But I hope many of you will make it out to pay homage to a golden soul. Mood music: Joe died in August 2010. At the time, it had been years since I had last seen him, and I didn’t know people like Anne Genovese, Audrey Clark, James Melanson, Harry Zarkades and Gretchen Shae….  [Read More]

New Doctors, New Pressures

by Bill Brenner January 15, 2014 Well-Being

Late last year, as I was looking for a new therapist to replace the one who retired, I decided to clean the slate and get a new primary care physician, too. Choosing a new doctor can be a difficult process. We can get comfortable with the doctors we have, even if they’re not doing us any good. We might not like doctors at all, making us resistant to seeking one out. But if we all…  [Read More]

Fear of Déjà Vu

by Bill Brenner January 14, 2014 Fear and anxiety

Déjà vu, literally “already seen,” is the strong sensation that a current event has been experienced in the past, whether it has actually happened or not. When my OCD, anxiety and depression were at their worst, I used to constantly have bad thoughts. It usually involved people close to me dying. I forgot about it until it started happening again recently. Mood music: My mind used to spin so fast with worry that I would…  [Read More]

RIP Gary Cioffi

by Bill Brenner January 13, 2014 Gratitude

Last week a treasured friend and brother to many in the Revere, Mass., music scene passed away after fighting cancer for several years. I didn’t know Gary Cioffi nearly as well as many of you, but he touched my life all the same. Mood music: Gary and I were connected on Facebook, where I enjoyed the jokes he posted almost every morning. I also followed his cancer battle, which he waged with grace and humor. I’ll miss those…  [Read More]

So You Wanna Boycott RSA Conference 2014

by Bill Brenner January 9, 2014 Communication Skills

Disclaimer: This is my opinion. I do not speak on behalf of my employer. Folks in the information security industry are debating whether to boycott RSA Conference 2014 to protest RSA’s reported misdeeds concerning the National Security Agency (NSA). Boycotts can be powerful tools. But they can also lead to trolling or a loss of your own voice. Mood music: One of this blog’s missions is to promote more reasonable discussion. I’ve seen how people…  [Read More]

My Brother Lives on in the Nephew He Never Met

by Bill Brenner January 9, 2014 Grief management

Thirty-one years ago this week, my older brother Michael died at age 17. I felt the need to write something to mark the anniversary. But to be honest, I didn’t know what to say. Mood music: Part of that is because I wrote the whole “how his death affected me” post three years ago in “Death of a Sibling.” I also delved into the lighter memories — the outrageous and hilarious shit he used to…  [Read More]

The Year That Will Be: 15 Goals

by Bill Brenner January 7, 2014 Adventures in writing

It turns out I have a lot of goals for 2014. Here’s a list. Wring all the sloppiness from my eating program. Find a cheap elliptical machine and use it for at least 30 minutes a day. Earn my way off the blood pressure pills. Get the first-ever security section of Akamai.com up and running. Learn how to play one new song a week on guitar. Start recording the original music I’ve been working on….  [Read More]

The Year That Was

by Bill Brenner January 6, 2014 Adventures in writing

A lot of folks have made comments about what a shitty year 2013 was. There were deaths, divorces, miserable jobs, layoffs, etc. I didn’t end the year feeling bitter, though. Many good things happened. Mood music: In 2013 I started an excellent job, made a lot of new friends, got in lots of quality time with my wife and kids, and learned to play guitar chords written by my musical heroes. We made more progress…  [Read More]

Quoted in Forbes Again

by Bill Brenner December 19, 2013 Adventures in writing

For the second time this year, I’m quoted in a Forbes article. Cheryl Snapp Conner and Tom Lowery have been too kind. 🙂 The earlier story was about how mental illness can actually make people stronger in their jobs. The latest is an article called “Fifty Shades of Effort: The Writer’s Life, and Why We Choose It.” In it, I talk about why I started writing the OCD Diaries, and what, in general, continues to fuel my passion for writing.

Paying It Forward

by Bill Brenner December 19, 2013 Inspiration

Lately I’ve been doing profiles on people who inspire me. Last week, it was Trey Ford. This week, it’s Microsoft senior security strategist Katie Moussouris. I’m doing so because they deserve the honors. But it’s all part of a bigger strategy. Mood music: As I’ve noted before, my emotions this time of year tend to tilt toward the negative, and I’m definitely feeling depressed and prickly lately. Though I’ve overcome a lot, I still get a huge shot…  [Read More]

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