Bill Brenner

When Life Jerks You Around, Go To Au Bon Pain

by Bill Brenner July 13, 2012 Coping tools

Yesterday was one of those days that didn’t go according to plan. I took Duncan to Boston Children’s Hospital at Waltham to have his cast removed and wound up in Boston because of a scheduling glitch. Such things used to throw me into anxiety-fueled rages. Here’s what happened instead. Mood music: [spotify:track:1JFQyGHeNDAqUAubIAMiXI] I got back in the car and thumbed the Rosary hanging off the directional stick next to the steering wheel. I turned on…  [Read More]

A Tale of Two C-Words

by Bill Brenner July 12, 2012 Adventures in writing

I’ve always hated the C-word. I’m from Revere, Mass., and I can cuss with the best of ’em. But that word has always crossed a line for me. I don’t even like it when someone throws it out there with the “see you next Tuesday” innuendo. I also hate the other C-word: cancer. This is a post about both. Mood music: [spotify:track:04T3Vav6UnphVew2bBUDe5] The latter C-word is the one everyone fears. I’ve known many cancer patients,…  [Read More]

Family Reading Time

by Bill Brenner July 11, 2012 Gratitude

In our house, a cool nightly ritual has taken hold. We all gather on my bed and read until the kids reach their bedtime and the grown-ups (me specifically) pass out. Mood music: [spotify:track:27xIf7tzHPQFX068pFYlAh] Here’s what I love about it: We’re all together in one cozy spot. The kids have their faces buried in books, which always makes me a proud papa. After the typically chaotic days we live, with two demanding jobs and kids…  [Read More]

Camping? Don’t Let Fear and Anxiety Ruin It for You

by Bill Brenner July 9, 2012 Fear and anxiety

I just got back from a weekend camping trip with the family. It’s the second time we did this in a camper, and I’ve done a few Cub Scout camping trips in the last year and a half. No small deal since OCD and anxiety used to make me fear such things. Mood music: [spotify:track:1v0rXeY3UipDeptRv73Xtx] Fear of dangerous situations used to keep me on the couch, and camping was one of those things that made…  [Read More]

Trump Snubbed by Poland’s First Lady? Research It Before You Share

by Bill Brenner July 8, 2012 Hyperbole

Updated July 8, 2017: People are losing their shit over a news clip showing Poland’s first lady, Agata Kornhauser-Duda, snubbing President Trump –passing by his outstretched hand and shaking First Lady Melania Trump’s hand instead. But it didn’t happen that way. Watch this UNEDITED clip and you’ll see that she did shake Donald’s hand. She simply shook FLOTUS’ first. I’m reminded of the post below, written in 2014. As I reread it, my tone comes off…  [Read More]

The OCD Diaries Is On Vacation

by Bill Brenner July 3, 2012 Adventures in writing

Aside from some repeat posts, I’m taking a break from writing the fresh stuff until Monday. Think of it as an experiment. It’s brutally hard for me to stop writing for any length of time, so this will be a character-building exercise. Have a fantabulous holiday week!

OCD and Facebook Scrabble Don’t Mix

by Bill Brenner July 2, 2012 OCD

I’ve always avoided all those Facebook games, but I recently decided to give Scrabble a shot. I’m a professional wordsmith, so I figured what the hell. I can kick a few asses and feel good about my word wizardry. But I’m the one getting my ass kicked, in more ways than one. Mood music: [spotify:track:0N7yGNvc6Oy2bAb4gM8euG] I have six games going and I’m getting beat to shit in all but one of them. I have my…  [Read More]

Celebrating Erin

by Bill Brenner 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: [spotify:track:4L8oqhumLHOrIVVKJKBk7r] A few things you should know about Erin: She’s the best mom on the planet. Our two boys have hearts and minds of gold. Their faces are always buried in books, they pray to God daily and spread joy everywhere…  [Read More]

Financial Fear and Anxiety? Try This Four-Step Exercise

by Bill Brenner June 29, 2012 Fear and anxiety

An old friend is racked with fear and anxiety. A clinical OCD case like me, he obsesses about the family budget, which he recently took over. He’s obsessed about everything that could go wrong with him in control. I know exactly what he’s going through. Mood music: [spotify:track:0vIvLrpvGepwfvmUK7i66J] Early in our marriage, Erin was chief budget keeper and bill payer. She insisted I try doing the bills so that I could get a better sense of…  [Read More]

Five Steps for a Less-Irritating Facebook Presence

by Bill Brenner June 28, 2012 Communication Skills

Editor’s note: This is a sequel to yesterday’s post, “Stupid Things People Say on Facebook.” In this installment, Bill outlines the steps he takes to be less of a jerk on Facebook. He admits he’s not perfect, especially when it comes to the fifth example. Mood music: [spotify:track:2eGGIxRfU8udVR0kX6Z2fq] My personal rules for using Facebook: No bitching. If I’m having a bad day, I don’t complain about it in my status updates. Since I hate it…  [Read More]

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