Gratitude

Easter Morning

by Bill Brenner April 4, 2010 Faith

No real message about overcoming OCD, depression and addiction. I’ll get back to that tomorrow. Today, just a quick Happy Easter to you all. All is well here. We experienced a brilliant Easter Vigil Mass last night. Not even my starting in on the wrong reading could have spoiled it. I helped out with this year’s RCIA group, so seeing them Baptized was particularly special for me. The kids got up at 5:30 a.m. all…  [Read More]

An OCD Diaries Primer

by Bill Brenner March 20, 2010 Addiction

A collection of posts that form the back story of this blog. Mood music: [spotify:track:19n9s9SfnLtwPEODqk8KCT] The Long History of OCD An OCD Christmas. The first entry, where I give an overview of how I got to crazy and found my way to sane. The Bad Pill Kept Me from the Good Pill. How the drug Prednisone brought me to the brink, and how Prozac was part of my salvation. The Crazy-Ass Guy in the Newsroom….  [Read More]

Early Morning

by Bill Brenner March 2, 2010 For travelers

I slept in this morning, which means I didn’t roll out of bed until 6 a.m. San Francisco time. Back home it was 9 a.m. It feels like I slept half the day away. That might not sound right to those of you who sleep more normal hours. But the truth is, I prefer getting up at 4 a.m. The house is quiet. I can write as the coffee seeps into my bloodstream. It’s peaceful….  [Read More]

Rain in the Wound

by Bill Brenner March 1, 2010 Coping tools

A couple months ago I told you about my friend Penny Richards, whose beautiful 25-year-old daughter was killed in a motorcycle accident in November. I read her blog every day, and let me tell you: The stuff she’s writing is going to help a lot of grieving people get through their melancholy in years to come. I really wish she didn’t have to be the one to set the example because she has to carry…  [Read More]

Friends Who Help You Heal

by Bill Brenner February 28, 2010 Coping tools

The following was written one winter in a moment of absolute clarity. Mood  music: [spotify:track:27xIf7tzHPQFX068pFYlAh] Today was sunny and warm in San Francisco. After the never-ending winter back home, I got what I needed today: A walk all over the city with my good friend, Rob Westervelt. We started by walking along Fisherman’s Wharf, then Golden Gate Park and covered a lot of ground in between. It brought back memories of when I came here…  [Read More]

I’m On My Way

by Bill Brenner February 28, 2010 For travelers

I’m sitting at Gate C21 at Logan Airport, waiting to board a flight to San Francisco for this week’s RSA security conference. My VPN to the company network isn’t working, which means I’ll have to send my articles to somebody else to post. That pisses me off. It’s a lack of control. But it’ll all work out in the end. I’ll write my stories and they’ll get posted. Gotta have a little Faith. A lot…  [Read More]

OCD Diaries: The Office Mom

by Bill Brenner February 9, 2010 Coping tools

The author salutes Anne Saita, a former co-worker who showed me how to stand up to people and face down my fears — and whose blog is a must-read. I’ve been reading the blog Run DMZ a lot lately.The main reason is that it’s chock full of excellent content on how to eat and exercise properly. The other reason is that the author is someone near and dear to me: Anne Saita, my former boss…  [Read More]

Headed Home

by Bill Brenner February 7, 2010 Fear and anxiety

The Shmoobus is slowly rolling northward, away from Washington DC, the snow and #ShmooCon. It was an excellent security conference, and a productive one. Six pieces of content written and produced in three days: 1 opinion column, three articles and two podcasts. I just wrote and posted the column from the RV. Because I could. Everyone is settled in with their Blackberries, iPhones, laptops and hand-held games. Thanks to the blizzard and the inability of…  [Read More]

ShmooCon and Snowmageddon

by Bill Brenner February 6, 2010 Fear and anxiety

Well, it’s day 2 of the ShmooCon security conference in the nation’s capital, and so far, so good. The booze is flowing all around. Folks are outside drinking scotch from plastic cups and juice bottles. I’m sober. I’m keeping the food plan together. I’m writing and podcasting. I’m drinking some damn good coffee. It wasn’t easy at breakfast this morning. The oatmeal was vile. But I ate it anyway. Got a plan to stick to….  [Read More]

The Third Brother

by Bill Brenner January 9, 2010 Depression

Remembering Peter Sugarman, another adopted brother who died too early — but not before teaching the author some important lessons about life. The first time I met him was my second day as a reporter for The Stoneham Sun. He was an oddball who wore a jacket and tie to go with his sneakers and sweatpants. He was rail thin with a mustache that could comfortably hide a pound of whatever crumbs got caught there….  [Read More]

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