Adventures in writing

Coming Soon: The OCD Diaries Book Series

by Bill Brenner October 14, 2015 Adventures in writing

For years, people have told me to write a book based on this blog. And for years I’ve resisted because life was busy enough between work, family and writing for three blogs. But after some brainstorming with Erin last weekend, the decision is made: I’m diving in. The time is right. Mood music: In 2016 I’ll still write fresh posts here, but my main focus as far as The OCD Diaries goes will be on book writing. Not…  [Read More]

A Musical Approach to Blog Writing

by Bill Brenner September 2, 2015 Adventures in writing

I’m often asked how I came up with my process for writing and promoting my blog posts. Each time I offer a musician’s analogy. Mood music: I write posts the way a musician writes a song: scrawling lyrics down on napkins and notepads, perfecting the chorus and bridge of each song by playing them over and over, tweaking them as the mood dictates. Sometimes I’m writing a one-off post and sometimes I’m writing a series,…  [Read More]

The Boy Inside the Man: An Inspirational Story

by Bill Brenner August 25, 2015 Adventures in writing

This blog is my personal tale. That it helps some people because they can relate to it was an unexpected bonus that I try to live up to. As part of that I will share personal tales from other people that have taught me a lot. The latest example is “Being ‘Whole’ Isn’t My Goal” by Paul Nobles. I don’t know Nobles personally, but the man captures things I relate to. He writes of things…  [Read More]

Emily Dickinson: Proof You Can Be a Happy Recluse?

by Bill Brenner August 12, 2015 Adventures in writing

Much has been written about the reclusive later years of poet Emily Dickinson. Eventually she rarely left her room, where she sat and wrote thousands of poems that didn’t see publication until years after her death. Mood music: During a tour of her house last week, people in the group speculated on why she wouldn’t leave the house in those years. Did she suffer a mental affliction or phobia? Probably. But whenever I look at…  [Read More]

The OCD Diaries in the News (UPDATED)

by Bill Brenner June 8, 2015 Adventures in writing

Update: Here’s an audio interview I did for the Standard Deviant Podcast a couple weeks ago… Episode #1 – Bill Brenner on security journalism, airplane hacking, OCD and heavy metal “Bill Brenner: 3 Books that Changed My Life“: By Jennifer Minella — In this series, I asked infosec professionals to name 3 books that changed their life. This entry includes picks from journalist, writer and podcaster Bill Brenner. “In the Right Frame of Mind“: Man’s blog…  [Read More]

Just Admit You Were Wrong

by Bill Brenner June 1, 2015 Adventures in writing

When you passionately push opinions, it sucks to be proven wrong later. It’s happened to me plenty of times, and I’ve learned to simply correct the record as I go. Doing so keeps me honest. What follows are posts I’ve done here and in my work-related blogs when I’ve had a change of heart. The lesson: When you’re wrong, just admit it. It’s the right thing to do, and it will keep your credibility intact. “The Women…  [Read More]

8 Things You Should Know About This Blog

by Bill Brenner February 16, 2015 Adventures in writing

Many family members have recently started reading this blog. Given the semi-autobiographical nature of this beast, misunderstandings have caused friction with a couple people along the way. I’ve written what follows in hopes of clarifying a few things. Mood music: I don’t come here to complain about life. Parts of the blog are dark. Other parts are chock-full of my blunt opinions. Some misinterpret that as unhappiness on my part. That’s not the case. Everyone has…  [Read More]

New OCD Diaries Banner

by Bill Brenner February 9, 2015 Adventures in writing

So, you might have noticed something different about the blog’s appearance in recent days. Your eyes do not deceive you. That IS a new banner. It’s the work of Eddie Mize, a security professional popularly known as EddieTheYeti. I’ve written a lot about his art and have done a lot of posts where I put words to his images. Think of the new banner as a continuation of that project. Like the last banner, this…  [Read More]

The Imperfect Art of Coming Out

by Bill Brenner February 3, 2015 Adventures in writing

As new readers find this blog, they often ask the question I’ve heard many times before: Why the hell did I out myself? Wasn’t I afraid people would blackball me at work? Don’t I worry that I’ll be defined by my struggle with OCD above all else? It’s a fair question. Mood music: First, let’s get the notions of courage and bravery off the table. Some have used those words to describe what I’m doing,…  [Read More]

Want Cheese With That Whine?

by Bill Brenner January 28, 2015 Adventures in writing

A few weeks back, a reader suggested that I whine a lot. She said I’m badly depressed and need more help than I’m getting. She’s not the first person to misunderstand the purpose of this blog. Mood music: For those who don’t know by now, I started this blog because writing is powerful therapy. When you type out your feelings on paper or in a forum like this, it’s very freeing. You don’t keep stuff…  [Read More]

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