Love

The Brenners Invade The White House

by Bill Brenner May 17, 2010 Addiction

The author on returning from a journey that would have been impossible a few years ago. It’s 5:30 a.m. and I’m running on less than four hours of sleep, so excuse any typos that follow… I’m back in my “sunrise chair” the morning after returning from one hell of a road trip that included a private tour of the White House West Wing, a stay at buddy Alex Howard’s place and a stay with our…  [Read More]

Road Kill (a Family Adventure)

by Bill Brenner May 12, 2010 Addiction

The author on why he’s taking the family on a 10-hour car ride. Mood music for this post: “Heading Out to the Highway” by Judas Priest: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoDbAd4fYBA&hl=en_US&fs=1&] A few years ago, this would have been impossible. I never would have put the whole family in the car and driven 10 hours south to Washington D.C. Too scary. Too much planning. Someone might break into the house while we’re gone. Well, the house part is a…  [Read More]

Granny

by Bill Brenner May 9, 2010 Family

The author introduces his Granny, a funny gal with an edge. Mood music: http://youtu.be/9mcloY9BlOU During my storage dive yesterday, I found a bunch of photos of me and my late great-grandmother, Jesse Wiener. She was Granny to me. My first memories of Granny are from the basement in the old house in Revere. I’ve written about that basement as my hiding place, but a decade before I took the space over Granny lived there. We…  [Read More]

The Healers (Adventures in Step 9)

by Bill Brenner May 4, 2010 Gratitude

Tripped on Step 9 many times. But I got back up. Here’s what happened next. Mood music for this post: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrUdulMG4Qg&hl=en_US&fs=1&] Of the 12 Steps of Recovery, three are the thorns of my existence: 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 10. Continued to…  [Read More]

Birthdays of the Dead

by Bill Brenner May 3, 2010 Addiction

The author observes another birthday for someone who isn’t around to celebrate. Mood music for this post: “On With The Show” by Motley Crue: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyapJ9iCWxA&hl=en_US&fs=1&] I’m a lot better at remembering the day someone died than the day they were born. I guess that’s understandable. Birthdays come and go. Death dates for those who are close burn a scar into your brain that makes the moment feel like it only happened seconds ago. Even if…  [Read More]

Happy Birthday, My Sweet Boy

by Bill Brenner April 21, 2010 Children's issues

Mood music for this post: “Beautiful Boy” by John Lennon: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uldu_1-JCJE&hl=en_US&fs=1&] You entered the world on Earth Day, nine years ago. Nine years. Wow. You were graced with a beautiful Mom and a Dad with just a few kinks in him. I would always try to hide my OCD, depression and addictive behavior from you, but I wasn’t always good at that. You didn’t seem to mind. In fact, you helped me get well. We…  [Read More]

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]

Random Madness

by Bill Brenner April 17, 2010 Gratitude

It’s Saturday morning, and me and the kids are engaging in our weekly ritual. In a few hours, we go to Salem, Mass., home of former Skeptic Slang guitarist Chris Casey, his wife, Nancy and their kids, Mark and Melissa. I’m going to help them get some old photos online and start a blog for Nancy’s writing. I’m going to look his kids in the eye and tell them that I’m a little bit responsible…  [Read More]

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]

The OCD Diaries 4-2-10: Long-haired Freaks

by Bill Brenner April 2, 2010 Depression

Mood music for this post: “Hurt,” by Johnny Cash (cover of the Nine Inch Nails song): [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o22eIJDtKho&hl=en_US&fs=1&] Going through an old stack of books this afternoon, I found this photo: I’m on the left holding the bass. On the right is Sean Marley. I told you about him in the post “Marley and Me.” The photo is one of those stupid mock rock magazine covers, shot in the summer of 1989 at a carnival on…  [Read More]

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