The news of Osama bin Laden’s death makes me wonder: Are we all hoping now that things will go back to normal, to the way life was before 9-11? I can’t help but think of wars of the past, and how there was always a craving to “go back to normal.” Mood music: <object width=”640″ …
Continue reading “The Sinister Minister’s Definition of Normal”
I recently wrote about our challenges with Duncan and how I often curse myself for a lack of patience with him, given my own history with OCD. This morning I came across a column from Dr. Keith Ablow that might explain a lot. Mood music (Still some coding weirdness with the video embedding, but the music …
Yesterday I was asked about tips for dealing with children who have OCD. Neither of mine have it (not officially, anyway), but our experiences with Duncan are leading us to some pretty all-purpose action items. Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoGWe9l-OG8&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] As I’ve said before, my kids will be in a much better position to deal with …
Monday Erin and I visited with the head doctor at the medical office we’ve taken the children to since they were born. The subject: Duncan’s behavior. The boy has a heart of gold and a razor-sharp wit, but as I’ve written before, winter messes with his mind as badly as it does mine. He’s always …
Last night I spent some time in the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous, diving intently into Step 3 of the 12 Steps of recovery. This is the part where you come face-to-face with the reality that without your Higher Power, there’s no hope. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7kx5Y42Hqo&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] To quote the step: “Made a decision to turn our …
Twenty-seven years ago today, my brother, Michael S. Brenner, died of an asthma attack at age 17. I can’t blame his death on the demons I’d battle in the years that followed. But it left deep scars all the same. Mood music: I think the end came for him at 8:20 p.m., though I could …
I still go through the day like a punk sometimes. I get wrapped up in my own selfish impulses and forget everyone else around me. I’m excellent at making it all about me. But I know the truth. I have a beautiful life despite myself. And I have many to thank. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_OrWLGPQbg&fs=1&hl=en_US] I’m …
Rain is pelting my living room window as I write this. As a child, the sound was comforting. Today, it’s the opposite. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=663L-GWQdws&fs=1&hl=en_US] As a kid, I found comfort in a cloudy sky and rain. I suppose it made me appreciate the inside of my house and gave me a cozy feeling. The …
The Psych Central website has a very thorough, pretty cool test you can take to see if you have OCD. Is it wrong that I had fun taking this screening? Perhaps. Let’s see how I did… Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tBaMlAUj08&fs=1&hl=en_US] 1. concerns with contamination (dirt, germs, chemicals, radiation) or acquiring a serious illness such as AIDS? I …
This week’s soundtrack is about rising from the ashes of adversity. I’ve had more than my share of tough times, and these songs always gave me the extra shot of strength I needed to move forward… I’m a huge fan of NIN and Henry Rollins, and someone out there was brilliant enough to fuse both …
