Adventures in writing

THE OCD DIARIES, Three Years Later

by Bill Brenner December 7, 2012 Adventures in writing

Three years ago today, in a moment of Christmas-induced depression, I started this blog. I meant for it to be a place where I could go and spill out the insanity in my head so I could carry on with life. In short order, it snowballed into much more than that. Mood music: [spotify:track:2o3ZNeSBuMEt7e3zZbTLk9] About a year into my recovery from serious mental illness and addiction — the most uncool, unglamorous addiction at that — I started thinking about…  [Read More]

Lost In Brooklyn. Be Back Soon

by Bill Brenner September 10, 2012 Adventures in writing

I’ll be lost in work for the next couple days as I cover a security conference here in Brooklyn, NYC. I also have to do a lot of work on this blog’s resources sections. Therefore, no new posts until next week. [spotify:track:1PoDKV1zc35dfbMX0OWjjG] This trip began yesterday morning, with a five-hour drive to Amityville. I’m doing one of my slideshows on building security for the work site and needed a couple photos of the famous Amityville…  [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]

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!

Hit Me Again, I Can Take It

by Bill Brenner June 6, 2012 Adventures in writing

Despite the sometimes divisive topics I write about daily, most of the comments people leave under my posts are positive. But don’t you worry — I take my share of  barbed rebukes as well. Since it can be terribly difficult for some to take criticism, I thought I should share what I’ve learned. Mood music: [spotify:track:2ZIyAatdOPqpQNsjVNAAoj] To show I’m an equal opportunity kinda guy, let me start by sharing the not-so-nice reactions readers have had…  [Read More]

How I Spent My Writing Blackout

by Bill Brenner May 25, 2012 Adventures in writing

While prepping this new site, I decided to take a break from writing fresh posts. I didn’t want to live between two sites. Doing this and writing a security blog in my day job can be confusing enough. During this break, I’ve learned some important things about myself. Mood music: [spotify:track:4VMAmxsxncyRhZGsT1IQep] Breaking wasn’t easy for me. Daily writing has been a vital tool for me for a long time now, and while I continued to…  [Read More]

Welcome to the New OCD DIARIES!

by Bill Brenner May 25, 2012 Adventures in writing

After many hours spent re-categorizing 900-plus posts, buying a new domain and building a new blog from scratch on WordPress.org — plus a few spousal disagreements along the way —  I give you the new OCD DIARIES. Mood music: [spotify:track:7zKPPqSGLAfc8nfuCmg4PF] What’s new besides the new banner, design and background color, you ask? Quite a bit: A broader theme that captures our ongoing struggles between darkness and light. I started this adventure a couple years ago to focus…  [Read More]

‘Fixing OCD’ Article Is Badly Misleading

by Bill Brenner May 2, 2012 Adventures in writing

An article in The Atlantic called “5 Very Specific Ways to Fix Your OCD” blows it from the start — in the headline. OCD sufferers know damn well that you can’t fix OCD. You can only learn to manage it and make it less of a disrupting force in your life. Mood music: [spotify:track:74gJqWYjsfTyG4tSjhkoh7] Knowing that as I do, I’m dissapointed that the writer would give OCD sufferers false hope, followed by five pieces of advice…  [Read More]

Addiction — And Security Journalism — Showed Me That Anonymity Matters

by Bill Brenner April 27, 2012 Addiction

Journalists like me have never been particularly comfortable using anonymous sources. When you don’t name names, someone inevitably questions if your source is real or imagined. But after dealing with some addictions in recent years, I feel differently about it. Mood music: There are some important distinctions to be made from the outset: I’ve written opinion pieces in my day job as a security journalist that have been critical of the hacker group Anonymous for…  [Read More]

Godspeed, Barney Gallagher

by Bill Brenner April 12, 2012 Adventures in writing

Update: Barney Gallagher passed away this morning. He was a wonderful man who lived his life in a way we should all learn from. Godspeed, Barney. Like everyone else who has worked at The Eagle-Tribune, my life has been touched by Barney Gallagher, an old-time journalist who reminded us young ones what the profession was about. Mood music: I’ve been informed that Barney is gravely ill. This post is to honor the man and ask that…  [Read More]

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