My Weekend

This weekend was amazing. Friday night we had Ritchie Havens at the theater. He's an old timer who played at the original Woodstock, and he had the most amazingly warm, gracious, spiritual presence. He was part of the beatnik movement in the 50's, and was friends with Janice Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. Unfortunately, I missed all that, but I will tell you first-hand how he moved me personally: he sang Bob Dylan's "Just Like a Woman". I laced my fingers together just under my eyes and cried into them, hoping no one would see, through the entire song. But no one was looking at me; he had the entire audience captive and singing along in a respectful murmur. Glancing around, I realized I was in good company: several women sat with tears streaming down their cheeks, too.

When he did "Freedom" as an encore (a song he recorded in 1970 for the documentary Woodstock that became an international hit) everyone in the crowd moved, as one, to their feet. I stood up, too, and listened enthralled, so enthralled, in fact, that when he finished playing I realized I had been holding my breath for the entire song.

Saturday was Leslie Gore. She's most famous for "It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To!" which she sang for our crowd. I missed it though, for a good reason.

Saturday morning Rob and I went to go look at a place for our reception a second time, this time with his parents in tow. They're nice people, but it's difficult for me to make the adjustment from dealing with my parents, who approach the wedding with, "Whatever makes you happy makes us happy, too." to his parents who are very particular, (and vocal!) about everything. Where it's easy for me to have conversations with my own parents, who view me as an adult with opinions and input they seek and respect, it's rather difficult to speak to his parents, who insist that we are children and scoff at my ideas if they disagree. So, frustrated, I sat in our car and chatted on the phone with my grandma.

Sunday was Josh Kelley, rising singer song-writer who is the second cutest guy I've ever met! (He's already taken, though, ladies, by Katherine Heigl). He played a great show and we hung out with him and his band afterwards. Rob got to give the band members a John Charles CD (that he engineered and played bass on) and gave out his card, too, which was a fantastic connection for him to make.

Opening for Josh was Christina Abbott, who has the world's most comforting voice. She's a wonderful guitar player and song-writer. I linked her myspace profile so you can hear some of her music. When Christina stepped onstage, guitar in hand, she wowed everyone, and you'd never know that seconds before she came out, she was so insanely nervous she was shaking, near tears, and getting hugged and comforted by me and Samantha.

It was one of the best weekends I'd had in a while, and productive, because Rob's parents did end up liking the venue for the reception, and so the date is officially set!