Lighthearted

OCD Humor

by Bill Brenner May 8, 2010 Lighthearted

It’s Saturday morning and my brain is fried (but sober and abstinent, so it’s all good). I’m waking up to some videos that do a delicious job of poking fun at my condition. Since I love videos that poke fun at my condition, I must share: Ringu the OCD cat: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyHaSYvwrY4&hl=en_US&fs=1&] OCD granny: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEleD6klvhc&hl=en_US&fs=1&] As Good As It Gets: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44DCWslbsNM&hl=en_US&fs=1&] Howard Hughes OCD (not meant to be funny, but with my sense of humor, well…)…  [Read More]

How to Freak Out a Mouse with OCD!

by Bill Brenner April 23, 2010 Lighthearted

Brilliant find from my cousin Andy: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeXTMzP7ijk&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Happy and Productive in the Debris Field

by Bill Brenner April 20, 2010 Children's issues

The author used to come unglued around chaos. Now it floats past him. Mood music for this post: “Sons and Daughters” by The Decemberists: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5H8DwJI0uA&hl=en_US&fs=1&] Looking at the week ahead, it’s amazing I’m not hiding in a foxhole right now. I’m working from home the first part of the week while the kids are on vacation. Call it half a vacation, though I’m tackling a full plate of work each day. Sean’s birthday is this…  [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]

Pain in the Lent

by Bill Brenner February 19, 2010 Faith

The author gives a progress report on the Lenten sacrifices. It’s holding steady, but it aint pretty. I didn’t expect to have cigar withdrawal. I didn’t think I had them often enough to get withdrawal. But here it is, day 3 of Lent, and giving ’em up for Lent is proving tougher than I expected. AP photo at right by Jose Goitia The thing about having an addictive personality is that the brain, in its…  [Read More]

When the Back Breaks…

by Bill Brenner February 11, 2010 Coping tools

The author offers words of encouragement to a friend going through a rough patch. An old friend of mine — I won’t name the person here — is going through a rough time with some very painful back problems. This post is my attempt to cheer that person up. I won’t get into all the “everything’s going to be ok/I’ve been through similar stuff” talk. We’ve done that already. Nope. This time, I’m just going…  [Read More]

Why So Serious? The Case for Self-Deprecation

by Bill Brenner January 29, 2010 Depression

The author on why self-deprecation is a handy tool for controlling demons. Mood music: [spotify:track:0g1HLSNG4KxjDXdeYMnLym] A few readers have told me I put myself down too much in these blog posts. Since I’m really not trying to put myself down — I do have a monster ego, after all — it’s time to say a bit about the power of self-deprecating humor. It’s true that I like to poke fun at myself. I do it…  [Read More]

Serious Films I Can’t Take Seriously

by Bill Brenner January 23, 2010 Lighthearted

Part 2 of the author’s list of serious songs/films that are meant to be serious but only succeed in making him laugh. Yesterday I went on for a bit about songs that were meant to be serious that instead tickle my dark sense of humor. Today, I share some films that have the same impact on me. What does all this have to do with managing my mental illness? As I’ve said, humor is an…  [Read More]

Serious Songs I Can’t Take Seriously

by Bill Brenner January 22, 2010 Lighthearted

For some reason, the author always seems to get the most comic relief from things that are supposed to be serious. I’ve spent a lot of time in this blog talking about music and humor as therapy. Today, I share some more favorites. The thing is, everything I’m about to share isn’t meant to be funny. But for someone with a dark sense of humor, these things offer true levity. Seriously. Poison: “Every Rose Has…  [Read More]

Sarcasm or Gallows Humor?

by Bill Brenner January 14, 2010 Lighthearted

It’s appropriate to start with Dilbert’s take on the topic at hand: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO1UWmRS7yc&hl=en_US&fs=1&] My wife just read my post on the Power of Sarcasm and decided to go digging for the actual definition. She’s an editor. That’s what she does. Here’s what she found: “Sarcasm” is “a keen or bitter taunt : a cutting gibe or rebuke often delivered in a tone of contempt or disgust” or “the use of caustic or stinging remarks or…  [Read More]

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