Doing events on my own leaves me more receptive to the event. I can focus attention which a companion would receive on what is going on around me.

Enjoy!!! Concerts are one of the thing that almost gets this lone wolf out of the wilderness. Almost. . . My guitar's closer and already paid for. . .

It's kind of a personal vindication for me to like the band Rush and to go see them despite my dysfunctional family. I was telling 52 that I mentioned them to my nieces and nephews the last time I was with them and my parents at our last Christmas. They mocked me and called me a "fag" because Geddy Lee has such a high voice. Not long after that my elderly father joined in the bullying. He was always beating me when he was young and fit and I was a kid. By now I was a 52 year old man, mind you. But he punched me in the face because i was "fag." By the way, not that it matters because I'm proud to be a lifelong gay ally, but it so happens I'm straight.

It was surprising and odd to get punched in the face after saying I liked Rush, but that's how far out, weird, and mean my whole family is. When I was a teenager I was a fan of Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis (with Peter Gabriel back then), who are also "progressive rock." But for some reason in Uruguay back then we didn't know about Rush, so I found out about them later when I came up here.

I bought Neil Peart's book Ghost Rider about his travels as he grieved the tragic death of is wife and daughter. I may mention it this fall when I teach death and dying classes to nursing students next time.

So I expect it will be deep on several levels, the first of all being that it's another idea that originated here on DS PTSD and that carries on in positive action in the real world offline. I imagine I will weep tears of joy if Rush plays the song Bravado. It's given me the strength to go on sometimes when the chips were down.

I've had quite a few losses with PTSD over the years. I've lost marriage, I've gone bankrupt and lost my house, I've lost a career, I've even just lost it and ended up in the hospital twice. So it means a lot when I hear the lyrics sung proudly:

"If we keep our pride
though paradise is lost
we will pay the price
but we will not count the cost . . . ."

". . . And if the love remains
though everything is lost
we will pay the price
but we will not count the cost."

I've paid the price in full a few times with PTSD, but the song says pride can still be kept and love can remain even though I've lost everything more than once. Thankfully I'm back now, having returned from losing it all 4 years ago. So I don't think I'll be able to hear those words I've lived and keep a dry eye, and that gratitude moment will probably worth the price of admission to the show all by itself.

Total jealousy attacking me right now, OMG, my husband will drool--- he's a bigger Rush fan than I by far and that says a lot.

Happy dance for you, Muji!

(BTW, who judges sexuality by singing voice? Sheesh.)

Hugs and purrs,
Leo

I'm a big fan of Rush.

Enjoy !!

Good for you Muji! Do a jig for me. I love Rush!

My friend, I hope you have a fantastic time and it is not just a good time, but a healing time too. I told you bore, we are not just twin, we are clones. Two lost marriages, bankruptcy, lost 2 houses as well as most of my personal belongings twice. But guess what, I could care less about stuff. We stand tall and proud today not because we were worried about stuff. We stand tall and proud today because despite it all, we have an inherent optimism in the good of humanity, despite the few that choose evil. You take that wonderful, warm, optimistic, loving spirit to the concert tomorrow and let it go. It is infectious and that is an infection that all of those people at the concert would love to have.

good job Muji!! Hope you have a good time and anxiety stays away :)

Rush is awesome!!!

It's always nice to hear about how DS PTSD group suggestions can translate into positive change towards healing. I hope you enjoy the concert and have a good time!

I almost didn't go to the RUSH because it was pouring rain where I live on Saturday and the concert was outdoors. But I got in my car anyway, and it was sunny in the DC area. It went off without a hitch. Because the venue was vast, I had to use my cane and I got a couple of golf cart rides from very nice staff. I met some really nice guys from Baltimore at the show.

The only scary moment for me with my PTSD was concerning this old hippie guy whose mind was altered by an unknown substance. He kept going through the crowd shirtless, sneaking up on people and then shrieking at them at the top of his lungs face to face inches from their nose. I have a killer PTSD startle response, one reason I'm more comfortable living alone, so I worried what I'm do to the poor guy by involuntary reflex if he sneaked up on me. Fortunately, he did it to the couple next to me and the family in front of me, but not to me. Whew!

Speaking of families, that was one of the notable things at this RUSH--the presence of families. That's remarkable, since they're a heavy metal/progressive rock band. But it was really wholesome and nice, and the kids really enjoyed it. I didn't realize how funny the guys in RUSH are. There were lots of funny self-deprecating videos played on the big screens, one of them making fun of the lead singer Geddy Lee. It was hilarious.

It was a big effort to get me out of the house, not to mention out of town and into a big crowd, but once again, I'm really glad I did it. It keeps me putting the support I get here at DS PTSD to use as far as my being functional. Mostly thanks to DS PTSD I go to work and have a really good work attendance record now, not missing a day in 2 years (I used to miss a lot of work). I go to the grocery store, and I go to speak at a church once a month.

That's pretty much it, until one of these concerts or sporting events I cross my fingers and buy a ticket to, asking for prayers here every time so I'll have the gumption to go. Once in Feb. I sat out an NBA game that I'd bought a ticket for. I just didn't feel up to going to it. So I don't have a 100% follow through record. Still, almost, and it's been good for me overall to feel like I participate some in society, too, despite all. Thank you all for the support that makes the courage to try to do that possible.

Here's the May 30, 2015 set list from the show I just saw in Bristow, VA, then. They didn't play my personal favorite, Bravado, but they put YYZ back in, and earlier in this tour they hadn't played that one. It was really fun to hear them play these songs live. They are AMAZING live musicians. It boggles the mind that only 3 guys make that sound. :-)


Set 1:
The Anarchist
Clockwork Angels
Headlong Flight (with Drumbastica mini drum solo)
Far Cry
The Main Monkey Business
One Little Victory
Animate
Roll The Bones (with celebrity rappers video)
Distant Early Warning
Subdivisions
(Intermission)
Set 2:
Tom Sawyer
YYZ
The Spirit of Radio
Natural Science
Jacob's Ladder
Cygnus X-1 Book Two: Hemispheres - Prelude

How awesome Muji!!!