Marriage and relationships

Facebook Changed My Social Dysfunction

by Bill Brenner July 16, 2011 Communication Skills

Going to see The 360s last night drove home an interesting point for me: The Facebook world and the real world are indeed two different places. And it may have made my social dysfunction worse. Mood music: First, I want to thank The 360s for a great show last night. When I leave a show with my ears ringing, feeling like I’ve been kicked in the gut, I know I’ve had a good, healthy dose…  [Read More]

Prayers For A Friend and His Wife

by Bill Brenner July 15, 2011 Courage

Dave Lewis, a good friend from the information security community, posted this yesterday: “My wife, Diana, was diagnosed with leukemia today.” Mood music: Many of you know Dave (@gattaca on Twitter) as founder of the Liquidmatrix Security Digest. He is also senior security analyst at AMD and someone who works tirelessly to promote events that make security professionals smarter and better. I’m asking those who read this to keep Dave, Diana and their young daughter…  [Read More]

You CAN Revisit Your Past (A Trip to Revere)

by Bill Brenner July 15, 2011 Addiction

Erin had an audio conference to record Thursday morning, so to ensure a quiet house, I put the kids in the car and went to Revere Beach, the scene of my tumultuous, painful, angry yet beautiful upbringing. I’ve written a lot about Revere in this blog. How could I avoid it? But I’ve been short on photos to show you. I fixed that problem with this latest journey back in time. Sean and Duncan had…  [Read More]

My Changes, Your Frustration

by Bill Brenner July 7, 2011 Family

Recovery over addiction, fear and anxiety has been a miraculous, beautiful thing. I thank God every day. But when a man changes, a whole new set of problems arise. The changes have been especially challenging for Erin. I’ll let her explain it from her perspective in a future guest post, but I can tell you this much: It’s a confusing, frustrating thing when your spouse acts one way for a bunch of years and then,…  [Read More]

A Tried & True Marriage, A Blessed Anniversary

by Bill Brenner July 1, 2011 Family

Dad and Dianne were married on this day back in 1984, and theirs is one of the most tried and true marriages I’ve seen. Mood music: They married months after my brother’s death and, a little over a year later, had a daughter who brought enormous joy to a family that was still trying to get over that death. They’ve lasted through the many illnesses of their children and have kept a business going together…  [Read More]

Erin’s Avett Brothers Birthday Present, Part 2

by Bill Brenner June 30, 2011 Family

This post is for Erin on her birthday. Mood music: http://youtu.be/3uy4tK5q0KE I know I gave you your birthday present early: an Avett Brothers concert almost a month ago. But I’ve been thinking about this band lately and realize that one reason I like them so much is that a lot of their songs make me think of you. A lot of their songs are about love that gets tested only to grow stronger than before,…  [Read More]

Screwing Your Kids In The Divorce, Part 3

by Bill Brenner June 27, 2011 Children's issues

This is one of those things that is technically none of my business. But when I see a beautiful little girl suffering the consequences of someone else’s stupidity, it’s hard to stand there and say nothing. Mood music: There’s a guy I know who is staring divorce in the face. This is a message for him. When a marriage falls apart it’s never a one-way street. Husband and wife are both guilty of falling short…  [Read More]

Fear and Resentment. Resentment and Fear

by Bill Brenner June 20, 2011 Addiction

For mental defects like me, a lot of what goes wrong is driven by fear. One thing I’ve learned in a 12-Step program for addiction is that the root of many fears is resentment. Mood music: You don’t have to be an addict to have resentments, of course. Most typical families, work environments and fellowships come packed with people you’re inevitably going to clash with. The more you disagree with someone, the more you’ll resent…  [Read More]

Marital Differences in Style, Part 2

by Bill Brenner June 16, 2011 Adventures in writing

Last week, my wife Erin and I shared some dirty laundry about our differences in writing styles. We’re back for round two. This week isn’t as removed from my usual subject matter as last week, because my approach to writing today is far different from the days when my OCD ran out of control. See Erin’s full post on her blog, “The Writing Resource.” Mood music (“Right Write Now,” Van Halen): Like last week, I’m pulling out…  [Read More]

Marital Differences in Style

by Bill Brenner June 9, 2011 Adventures in writing

I interrupt the usual theme of this blog for a little discussion on writing style and technique. To make things more interesting, my wife, Erin, is coming along for the ride. Mood music (“You Know You’re Right Write” by Nirvana): It’s appropriate that we do this now, because it’s been a year since I wrote about why writing is so important to my sanity and survival. Now, Erin and I have our differences like every couple. One…  [Read More]

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →