Bill Brenner

Merry Christmas, Mr. And Mrs. @gattaca

by Bill Brenner December 19, 2011 Courage

My friend Dave Lewis and his wife Diana have had a brutal year, with her fight against cancer and all. But she has made huge progress since her summer diagnosis. Mood music: Many of you know Dave (@gattaca on Twitter) as founder of the Liquidmatrix Security Digest. He is also senior security analyst at AMD and someone who works tirelessly to promote events that make security professionals smarter and better. Diana had to go back…  [Read More]

R.I.P., Karen LaPierre

by Bill Brenner December 19, 2011 Faith

I’m sad to hear that Haverhill resident Karen LaPierre was killed yesterday morning by an alleged drunk driver. Mood music: Here’s what happened, as told by Eagle-Tribune reporter Mike LaBella: Karen LaPierre, who with her husband Bill LaPierre ran the Angelo Petrozzelli Food Pantry at Sacred Hearts Church, was standing behind her 2010 Ford Taurus parked in front of 55 South Main St. at 5:20 a.m. Police said she was struck from behind by a 2003 Nissan…  [Read More]

This Zippo Raid Clip Reminds Me…

by Bill Brenner December 16, 2011 Music therapy

The second annual Joe “Zippo” Kelley benefit is in a little under a month from now. I’ll have much more to write about this as the date gets closer, but for now I’m just going to share this:

You Win Some, You Lose Some

by Bill Brenner December 16, 2011 Children's issues

Yup.

Yes, Virginia, There Is A Grinch

by Bill Brenner December 16, 2011 Depression

Everything about Christmas is infuriating me today. It’s progress, because Christmas once brought out deep feelings of sadness, and I prefer self-righteous fury over sadness. Still, this is supposed to be a joyful season and I’m trying to find that joy. After all, nobody wants a cranky bastard in the room ruining the party. So I’ve been seeking  THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, and I must admit the results have been mixed. One thing that makes me…  [Read More]

When You’re A Kid, Little Incidents Are A Big Deal

by Bill Brenner December 15, 2011 Children's issues

A point my mother made regarding some of what I’ve written about the past: “I remember differently than you on most entries. Not because I am blind but because children are little and see things big.” Mood music: I don’t disagree with that. When you’re little you do see things big. In this case, my mother was referring to the stuff I’ve written about my childhood and whether things really happened as I remember it….  [Read More]

To The Child Who Thinks Obsessively

by Bill Brenner December 13, 2011 Children's issues

A few months back I wrote a letter to a girl named Addie, who has struggled with OCD. This is a similar letter for the child of a friend who is struggling with OCD and other mental disorders. Some of what follows was in Addie’s letter. But I’ve added to the previous thoughts because I’ve learned even more about myself and how to manage my own OCD since that was written. Mood music: Hey, there. My…  [Read More]

Seeds Of Rage At The Paul Revere School

by Bill Brenner December 12, 2011 Children's issues

My friend Marc Serra posted an eighth-grade class picture from the Paul Revere School, circa 1984-85. The scowl on my face says a lot about the time. Here I am, first from left in the back, looking like I want to stab someone in the eye: The photo was snapped maybe a year or so after my brother died. I was gaining weight by the boatload and couldn’t seem to stop. Some of the kids…  [Read More]

Because It’s Not All About Me

by Bill Brenner December 11, 2011 Adventures in writing

A friend nominated this blog for a Liebster Blog Award. I had no idea what it was until I looked it up, and it seems I may not qualify. But many others do, and I’m going to tell you about five of ’em. Mood music: First, a few words about this award: It’s meant for blogs with less than 200 followers that a fellow blogger feels deserves more attention. As part of getting nominated, you’re asked to pay…  [Read More]

My Mother Found The Blog

by Bill Brenner December 9, 2011 Children's issues

In my slow effort to reconcile with my mother, I made it easier for her to find this blog. Given the raw emotion to be found here, I was pretty sure it would be rough. Mood music: I suspect it hasn’t been easy for her to read through this thing. Not at all. But her initial comments suggest she’s really trying to get it and put it in the proper perspective. Some of my memories…  [Read More]

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