Won Wicked Weekend

*No, I didn't spell "one" incorrectly, I'll explain shortly.*

This weekend was pretty awesome. Let me explain:

Friday
The arts council I work at brought in Walter Parks, famous guitarist for Richie Havens. We basically got a private show because our theater only holds 85 people. He tells amazing stories about where his songs come from and things he's done in his life.

Listen and love. 

Walter Parks - Tallahassee

Unfortunately we had to leave about halfway through the show for another show next door. One of Keegan's co-workers has a local band and they were playing at the restaurant/bar next door to the council. This was a totally different experience than Walter Parks. There were probably the same amount of people, but the atmosphere was a total 180. The band played a lot of covers of well known songs which was fun. The music was loud, the drinks were flowin' and we all had a great time. I met a few more of Keegan's co-works that I hadn't met before and they were a lot of fun. I also met his boss (well one of his bosses,) and he was nothing I had imagined. For some reason I had imagined him as a short, kind of portly guy, but he was tall, skinny and looked like the bad guy from a movie I can't remember. His face was very angular and he had a goatee. He was kind of intimidating at first, but he turned out to be a really nice guy.

(And funny enough, he just walked into my work with his wife. Apparently he's on a lunch break from jury duty.) 

Saturday, Keegan and I ran some errands and then I had to work from 5-11. In the middle of my shift, my dad called to tell me that my sister, Bri, and her girls high school swim team had just won the state championships! This is most definitely a big deal. The girls hardly ever win the championships (the teams have been a little weak in the past years,) but the boys almost always do well. This time, the girls kicked butt and took names. Besides winning the overall, many of the girls took individuals wins and one of their relays even set a new record. I'm so proud of my sister and of my old high school.

I love this picture! Bri is on the left with her hand over her mouth. What a great way to end your high school swimming career than to be state champs?! 

Way to go Bruins! 

*you see where the "won" came from now?*

Anyways, Sunday Keegan and I loaded up in a van with my boss, co-worker and some volunteers for the council and drove to Birmingham, Alabama to see Wicked! 

I've been wanting to see this play ever since my choir class sang "For Good" to my choir teacher. While it was a good play, I was a little disappointed. I decided to read the book before we went to see the play and I was about 85% through once we landed in Birmingham. I was wondering how they were going to take such a deep and intricate book and turn it into a 2 hour play, and I was disappointed about how they made the switch. They left out main parts of the book and changed the order of things. I realize that a 500 page book can't be said word for word on the stage, but I found it odd how they left certain important things out but included small details. An example is, a male figure in the book was portrayed as the hero in the play which, as far as I know, he really isn't in the book. He was also supposed to have blue diamonds all over his body because of his race, but they left that out as well and made him out to be the typical prince charming character. I think that if I hadn't read the book before seeing the play, I would have enjoyed it more, but the entire time I was comparing the book to the play and noting what wasn't right.

It was fun overall and the singers were beyond amazing. The stage and effects were incredible. I recommend anyone who has the chance to see the play to go see it. 

Overall, this weekend was pretty kick-butt. Hopefully we'll have more weekends like it.