PRISCILLA CL RAJ
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Shake it Off Swift

7/18/2015

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Whenever hearing the name Taylor Swift, I often associate it with "love Story." I never bought her music or ran to her concerts, but within the past few years I appreciate her new music. It's some kind of "Love therapy" for me and a billion other people in the world. Her song, "Shake it Off" I literally listen to once a day to get myself refreshed and in a "hater free" environment mode. She has the ability to make a song that you hear only ONE time and it is stuck in your head...but not just one song, two songs, three songs, four songs....and too many to actually verbalize out loud!

When her 1989 tour was coming to Chicago, I knew it was my time to see her! I attend many concerts, but I never saw her live...ever...so I must go!
Having no interest in dragging people to a show, btw that doesn't work when the ticket cost three times the normal price, I decided to enjoy it by myself and have my "moments."

The concert was in Soldier field, which is a mile off the train so you have a large stampede all walking down the sidewalks and a mile through the park up to the stadium. Lots of families, lots of adorable kids, lots of creative posters, 1989 lights in numbers, and glow sticks.....and I met some fans who have been coming since her first show, fans who travel miles and miles to see her 1989 show again.  People who come to Soldier field two nights in a row to see her. She always talks about her fans and she has some seriously committed fans who are borderline obsessed with her in a good childlike way or an adult-perhaps should find something else to do kind of way.


My seat was a side stage seat, but everything was open the screen was in front and so was the "Taylor runway." Soldier field is huge and sitting up in the 300 or 400 level would be way too far. I was happy with my "Single seat" that happened to be available and saved for me by Ticketmaster:)  In my section,  I met these cute younger girls in their late teens who were so excited and acting like school girls- "Oh those were the days." We were sitting and watching through the side stage door to see if we saw her and caught a glimpse one time in her black leather one piece.

When we entered we received a bracelet that glows when you pull the tab, but this one was special because with each song it turned a different color and you would see the all the 55,000 people in Solider field change color! At the end, it was multi-color along with fireworks and confetti-so much fun!

About Ms. Taylor Swift:
Taylor is beautiful and the girl does not have one bad angle.
She is dating my favorite DJ Calvin Harris(also recent underwear model for Armani).
She absolutely loves the camera a bit too much, but that probably is what happens after being on it for ten years.
She loves to strut...strut...and strut on that runway they created for her! She even had two of her supermodel friends from Paris come and dance, strut, smile, pose...on her runway??
She has Selected screen that make her look thinner than she already is, which would make her 85 pounds.
She doesn't need to try so hard...she is Taylor Swift they will love her anyways!
She played "Love story" swinging through the air playing her piano-cool
 
 
I hope she eats a few cookies and doesn't develop an eating disorder(or already have one) hanging out with supermodels. Regardless, she is awesome, beautiful, and talented. Shake it off T Swift!



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Classical Revolution

7/6/2015

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Source: http://classicalrevolution.org

**Classical Revolution is an organization of musicians dedicated to performing high-quality chamber music in non-traditional settings. Founded in November 2006 at Revolution Cafe in San Francisco’s Mission District, we have two important objectives: to enrich the San Francisco Bay Area with accessible chamber music and to create a support network for local musicians.**


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Definitely fun feeling the energy of the place where Classical Revolution all began-San Francisco Mission district-great neighborhood, great music, and great restaurants. 

I

 
GO ALONE AND MEET A NEW FRIEND.....

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Priscilla has enjoys intimate moments with music and events, but almost always there is someone wonderful who is sent my way. If you give alone exploration a chance they might just come your way...

It's quite easy to meet new people in San Francisco because most people are kind and welcoming. I approximated his age to be about 65 and I was right on the money. He was an artist and also a psychologist and professor. Could it be a more perfect evening with a fellow psychoanalytic friend, classical music, and.........

The first up was a young girl from Southern Illinois who played the Cello, had vocals like an angel, and had the most melancholy yet bittersweet sound. It was mesmerizing and I lost myself in it all.

Next set were the boys above who were playing Mozart-also fantastic.
Classical Revolution-creativity, beauty, and organic sound.

After the show, we decided to walk very far, all the way next door, to "Escape from New York." This is what I ended up escaping to............

OK so this picture does not really do it justice. This place was trying to make NY style pizza and Priscilla gave them an 8 out of 10. It was pretty fantastic,  Of course, I had to have a conversation with this great mind eating pizza, but he didn't mind my tourist like ways. He had only visited the Classical Revolution since the days it opened therefore he was not escaping from pizza rather he was arriving every Monday with it in his vision.  

It's Just So Fascinating......

When you are speaking with someone who sees out of the same prescription lenses-it's a whole different kind of conversation. The accountant and the accountant, the doctor and doctor, teacher and teacher-it all usually goes the same way where common ground is found within work similarities. In this case, plain matters of the human mind and behavior. 

He shared some very interesting insights in regards to PTSD with those in military.  PTSD is actually one of the hardest things to treat clinically because it scars the unconscious on such a deep level that it can take years of therapy and years to recover from the trauma. I have little to no experience with this population, but a quick explanation from my new friend.

PTSD->>Basic training>>>Strong character Broken down>>>Dualism of the MInd-friend of enemy?>>>Extreme Paranoia>>>>Consciousness Split with Trauma>>>
No defense mechanisms in place>>Possible Suicide-identifying Enemy as yourself-the mind is split and confused

Of course, this is absolutely satisfying for me. Does the process appear to be complicated to you? Well, it this is to show you that it definitely is. This is one of the worst human traumas to the mind that could happen.  And these soldiers are risking their life everyday coming around with their minds flipped inside out. Could you imagine?

Besides PTSD, he also studied "Psychedellic therapy" at a local University and he traveled through India to do his research. I also was in Northern India meeting once with a "Trancendental Meditation Guru." This is what I would call "Jerry Garcia" methods when you take a drug to expand the conscious state of mind.  That is a suppose to be a joke, but in reality it works in certain circumstances.

Can't give it all away, but some interesting brainstorming and a spontaneous encounter with a fellow analyst living in San Francisco, California.


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Symphony in the Park  

7/6/2015

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After missing the Mountain View Sound of Music performance with SFO(San Francisco Orchestra) on Saturday after a honest effort to get there and being interrupted by Kaltrain scheduling-it was time to make up for it with this free festival in the Stern Grove Park. All you can smell while walking down to the bottom, from the main road, is fresh pine and the air you never want to stop inhaling.  

Along with Jazz, the symphony is a love of my mine, which usually sends me to different cities to spoil my senses.  Something about breathing in the fresh air, closing my eyes, and just engaging in mindfulness. To let the brain relax rather than turning on to analyze and feel concerned for others.
It brings me peace, contentment.
It allows emotions to be identified and expressed amongst our human spectrum
From love to hate
VIctory to failure 
Beauty to disaster
Fight to  flight

The audience was silent and all you could hear were sounds of music, sounds of our lives, and sounds of our being.......



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And All that Fourth of July Jazz

7/4/2015

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Priscilla loves, loves, loves all that Jazz! Jazz clubs are great, but festivals are even better getting to explore different styles of Jazz. This was a weekend event and one of the largest and best Jazz festivals on the West Coast. Blocks and blocks of food, music, promotional events, shopping, wine tasting, and dancing. Lots of red, white, and blue for the fourth of July holiday, but no visible fireworks with the fog in San Francisco.

The best part of all of this besides the food-the Calimari, the garlic fries, the smothered clams, and "Sky falling down" while eating a chocolate ganache cupcake-as usual
The PEOPLE made it all worthwhile>>>>>


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Old Friends

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             BAILAMOS

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The most adorable recreation of my old roommate and friend, Angie. Everything about her reminded me of her except her name was Natasha... and she didn't know an Angie
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New Friends

A local SF girl of Vietnamese descent who owns her own jewelry business and just recently came back from a convention in Chicago. This girl comes to the Jazz festival every year.. for one reason... to see if this 75 year old man is alive...He is a living and breathing example of enjoying life to the fullest. His face lit up and with every dance and every woman:). She never asks for his contact info. rather she just makes sure he is still shining .......


-A lovely young couple from Oakland with a strong, intelligent beautiful woman and a man appreciate for it all. She drops marriage hints and I hope he is smart enough to put a ring on it.  I was distracted by hearing about her baking of Peach cobbler and Banana cream pudding. I asked, "Can that be shipped via Fed Ex?"
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And then there was Leroy-living his purpose and living for Jazz. After thirty years, he still gets stage fright. Since I'm now a Speaking professional(not), I gave him some tips for that stage fright. Who knows if they worked?

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SIFT-WINNER OF THE CUPCAKE WARS AND.... THE SKY WAS FALLING DOWN WHEN I ATE THIS CUPCAKE!
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Minnesota and Inspiration  

6/14/2015

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On Saturday morning, my mother and I decided to take a drive...a six hour drive to Minneapolis, Minnesota. We were cruising along laughing and singing with the windows open and wind through our hair. We made a stop for gas and bought some cookies from a nice Amish man. He had his buggy behind him and happily told us about his family. His daughter and mother stay home and do all the baking. They rarely leave the house except sometimes they take the buggy to Wal-mart as a family outing-quite interesting for us to hear...And then we continued on our journey towards inspiration.

As we drove, we ate one cookie, two, three, and before you know it the whole bag of 10 Oatmeal Raisin cookies were gone. Chain grocery stores and Wal-mart could not compare to the love and care in each bite of these cookies-delicious!

When we arrived in Minnesota to our adorable hotel-the hotel I spent hours looking for as I wanted it to be charming, comfortable, well located, and always with the best customer service. It happened to be all those things and more!
  
There were only a few hours before THE event. Each hour passed and grew closer and closer to the inspirational being that is currently a tremendous support and positive influence in my life.....

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    Author

    Priscilla CL Raj is a Therapist, Missionary, Writer, English Teacher. She is an enthusiast who is passionately purposeful in her life.

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