Addiction

Sometimes, Sobriety Sucks

by Bill Brenner June 1, 2012 Sobriety and abstinence

Some days I wish I could have a glass of wine or six. This leaves me with two choices: Fall off the wagon with zeal or stay sober and resent the world with zeal. It’s funny, because binge eating was the addictive behavior that got me into the most trouble and I don’t get this way over the flour and sugar I used to stuff myself with. Mood music: [spotify:track:1LHi4OZluPAa2iCf3QatBJ] Yesterday afternoon I was really…  [Read More]

Welcome to the New OCD DIARIES!

by Bill Brenner May 25, 2012 Adventures in writing

After many hours spent re-categorizing 900-plus posts, buying a new domain and building a new blog from scratch on WordPress.org — plus a few spousal disagreements along the way —  I give you the new OCD DIARIES. Mood music: [spotify:track:7zKPPqSGLAfc8nfuCmg4PF] What’s new besides the new banner, design and background color, you ask? Quite a bit: A broader theme that captures our ongoing struggles between darkness and light. I started this adventure a couple years ago to focus…  [Read More]

Parental Overload: No Big Deal

by Bill Brenner April 25, 2010 Children's issues

Nothing like a week of screaming kids to realize OCD aint what it used to be. Mood music for this post: “Mama Weer all Crazee Now” by The Runaways: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0nKcHaQowY&hl=en_US&fs=1&] A week like the one I’ve just had would have been impossible just a couple years ago. The kids were on school vacation, the same week as Sean’s 9th birthday and some very big security events in Boston. I did a lot of speeding back…  [Read More]

MomDay Monday – School Daze

by Bill Brenner April 22, 2010 Children's issues

Every school has its issues. Issues with teachers. Issues with other parents. Miscommunication. Problems with other students. Every school. There’s no getting around it. We’re all human. We all have failings. And a school is, after all, made up of us imperfect humans. But at what point does a school have so many issues it becomes dysfunctional? Is it when the faculty talks out of turn to your child about their parents’ divorce? Or perhaps…  [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]

We’re All Broken

by Bill Brenner April 19, 2010 Communication Skills

The author finds that sometimes his church family is too judgmental. Mood music: [spotify:track:3p7XSsT6AFs9lCkv6FtLbj] Father Mike went on another tirade against politicians in his Homily yesterday. He always makes a lot of points I agree with when it comes to politics and corruption, but this time I walked away feeling that he was judging people in a way we’re not supposed to do. His main gripe was against the idea that there are people who…  [Read More]

Clean Living Things You Can Do: Part 1

by Bill Brenner April 18, 2010 Addiction

Former Guns ‘N Roses guitarist Slash spent much of his early career drunk and stoned. He has since cleaned up, and his stunning new album is proof. This post is for those who want to hear the new Slash album. If you’re not interested, come back later. Slash just put out a most brilliant album with such guest vocalists as Ian Astbury, Chris Cornell, Kid Rock, Lemmy from Motorhead and even Fergie. It’s the most…  [Read More]

Skeptic Slang and Charles Manson: Six Degrees of Separation

by Bill Brenner April 17, 2010 Communication Skills

Skeptic Slang and a glimpse at mental illness in the making. Mood music for this post: “My Monkey” by Marylin Manson: A note about the music: Marilyn Manson put this on his “Portrait of an American Family” album, which was recorded in the Sharon Tate murder house. The title and chorus were taken from a Charles Manson song called “Mechanical Man.” Bits of Manson interviews are sprinkled throughout. It just seemed appropriate for some reason……  [Read More]

Why the Cigars Must Go (and Why it Pisses Me Off)

by Bill Brenner April 16, 2010 Addiction

The author needs many coaches to keep clean and sane. Sometimes it sucks. Mood music for this post: “Sludge Factory” by Alice in Chains: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej39l_aqkLc&hl=en_US&fs=1&] Like anyone in recovery, I rely on several coaches to keep me from falling back into the sludge pit. The OA sponsor keeps me on the path of abstinence (OA-speak for not eating compulsively; like an AA sponsor who helps you stay sober). I have to call her every morning…  [Read More]

Bad Behavior, Easily Defined

by Bill Brenner April 14, 2010 Addiction

The author turns to his musical hero for some easy-to-remember descriptions of depression and addictive behavior. Mood music for this post: “Pray for me” by Sixx A.M.: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFjz6O7ewwg&hl=en_US&fs=1&] Many times by now, I’ve mentioned that one of my inspirations for this blog is Nikki Sixx, bassist and lyricist for Motley Crue. That’s because he gave the world a naked view of his madness at the hands of addiction in his book, “The Heroin Diaries.” I’m…  [Read More]

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