Bill Brenner

Funeral Details for Jessica Cormier

by Bill Brenner January 9, 2012 Uncategorized

Today is the wake and funeral for Jessica Cormier, the girl who worked for my parents and was murdered last week. I was at the family business Saturday and you could tell everyone there is devastated by the loss. I’m told she could handle any task around there. Having worked there as a teenager and early twenty-something, I can tell you that’s no small feat. I’m sorry I never got to know her, but I’m…  [Read More]

Celebrating A Lost Sibling

by Bill Brenner January 7, 2012 Family

My brother died Jan. 7, 1984. On this anniversary, I find myself grateful that he was in my life. He left a positive mark on me and left plenty of amusing family stories. Mood music: I’ve already written plenty about the darker side of dealing with his death. You can read about it in “Death of a Sibling” if you’re interested. In this post, I just want to celebrate a few things: 1.) Michael is…  [Read More]

Jessica’s Alleged Killer Arrested

by Bill Brenner January 7, 2012 Uncategorized

An update from yesterday’s post. Police have arrested someone in connection with Jessica Cormier‘s murder. Here’s a report from CBS news: EVERETT (CBS) – A 59-year-old Chelsea man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 20-year-old woman in Everett. Clarence Earl Berry is charged with the fatal stabbing of Jessica Cormier. “This is a horrific and senseless case in which we allege that the defendant fatally stabbed the young victim numerous times, causing…  [Read More]

RIP Jessica Cormier

by Bill Brenner January 6, 2012 Uncategorized

I didn’t really know Jessica Cormier. I met her a couple times in passing. But to my father and stepmom, she was important. Mood music: I was very sad to learn that Jessica was murdered earlier this week — stabbed in the heart by some deranged punk. A life cut short far too young. She was only 20 years old. I met her a couple times in my father’s wharehouse, where she worked. She helped out…  [Read More]

Traci Foust Talks OCD on NPR

by Bill Brenner January 5, 2012 Adventures in writing

Erin is playing me an NPR broadcast about OCD. I went looking for the link to include here and tripped over another good NPR segment. This one is an interview with Traci Foust, author of “Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir of OCD.” I recently connected with Traci on Facebook and she’s a great resource for understanding the disorder. Do yourself a favor and listen to it HERE. While we’re on the topic, it’s also worth checking…  [Read More]

My Happy Lamp Isn’t Working As I’d Hoped

by Bill Brenner January 5, 2012 Depression

Me and the happy lamp Erin bought me to combat winter depression aren’t seeing eye to eye. Everyone I talk to who uses one says it works. But here’s my problem… Mood music: http://youtu.be/UXFUnnoSphY As I stare at the florescent glow that’s supposed to simulate sunlight, a nagging thought dogs me: “It’s just not the same as real sunlight,” I keep telling myself. There’s something about genuine sunlight — how it bounces off trees and…  [Read More]

Hey, Mom, Read This

by Bill Brenner January 4, 2012 Depression

I got a call from my mother this morning. She says she’s been reading every post in this blog and that she’s very worried about me. “You have a beautiful wife, two healthy kids and a wonderful job, yet I read your blog and see someone who is very unhappy and disturbed,” she told me. Incredibly, she was worried that I might try to hurt myself someday. Nothing is further from the truth. Which brings…  [Read More]

Do I Think About My Disease 24-7?

by Bill Brenner January 4, 2012 Addiction

Someone recently asked if I think about my disease 24-7 and, if so, whether doing so is perilous to those around me. In this case, the disease is OCD and the addictions that go with it. Mood music: Let me try to take a stab at addressing that: I don’t think my disease should define me and keep me in a box. But it’s also a major part of who I am and how I…  [Read More]

Another Brick In The Wall

by Bill Brenner January 3, 2012 Depression

I’ve tried hard to demolish the wall I hide behind when my mind isn’t right. But whenever I think I’ve made progress, shit happens and I find it’s taller and thicker than ever. Mood music: My latest mood swing has me thinking hard about how I allow this to happen. Far as I can tell, I do make progress, but then I take my eye off the wrecking ball and the wall rebuilds itself when I’m…  [Read More]

Prozac Winter Has Set In

by Bill Brenner January 2, 2012 Depression

I’ve had some sharp mood swings in recent days. Now that it seems to be leveling off, I can write about it. Mood music: I made it through the usual Christmas blues in one piece and even enjoyed the holiday once it arrived. A week of vacation followed, and we Brenners did something we rarely do: Sit around like slugs. We needed it. We must have needed it really bad, in fact, because God sent…  [Read More]

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