Three beautiful things from the last week:

1. Our building served make your own sundaes today. We took our lunch break to coincide with them and ate outside. Brownies, whipped cream, two flavors of ice cream, and various other toppings filled my waffle cone bowl.

2. I took a bit too relaxed an exit of my parents’ home on Monday afternoon and we realized en route to the airport that we were not going to make it in time for me to catch my flight. I called the airline to reschedule my flight and we went to Marshalls instead. I came away with a cute new pair of shoes, a fetching tweed newspaper boy hat, and two darling baby doll cardigans. (If I’d planned to go, none of it would have been there. I’m sure of it. Best shopping trip I’ve had in ages…)

3. En route to work Tuesday morning, I pass three people wearing black and white vertically striped shirts. Was it a mass escape from prison? A fashion coincidence? A conference? Either way, I kept expecting someone to blow a whistle and call me for traveling.

A bonus beautiful thing: It would be impossible for me to pick just three beautiful things from my long weekend in Connecticut, so I’m selecting the weekend as a whole. It was three days filled with relaxation, sleeping late, watching videos and movies, buying yarn, and visiting with Gramma, Mum and Dad, and Karen. I ate pizza, peach pie, berry muffins, barbecued chicken, and a phenomenal turkey sandwich and drank a strawberry daiquiri and a raspberry-lime rickey. I came back to D.C. feeling rested and relaxed and ready to fire on all cylinders.

Check out what eBay has for sale.

I’m stealing this from Kat because it’s been days since I last posted and because I have so little to offer otherwise:

Copy this list, leave in the bands you’ve seen perform live, delete the ones you haven’t, and add new ones that you have seen until you reach 25. An asterisk means the previous person had it on their list. Two asterisks means the last two people who did this before you had that band on their list. Three asterisks, etc. [I have put asterisks inside parentheses if the band was on the list earlier but was skipped by the last person.]

1. U2* — Best concert of ’05. We were in “the Pit” but it was still lots of fun! Bono really does put on a show worth seeing.
2. The Boston Pops** — We saw them perform as part of the gala concert for volunteers after the Democratic National Convention of ’04.
3. CSN (with or without Y)* — Another terrific band, totally worth the price of admission, particularly if the concert is held outside in the summer.
4. Sweet Honey in the Rock(**) — ECN and I saw them perform at Conn on their 25th anniversary tour. Thanks for giving me your ticket, Rebs.
5. Dar Williams(*) — Over and over and over again. The first time at Wesleyan may have been the best, though, with Rudi and Eri and Rebs. Or maybe the Millennium Eve show in Northampton.
6. Janice Ian(*) — At Falcon Ridge one year. She still has a beautiful voice. And a wicked sense of humor.
7. They Might Be Giants — A Floralia band at Conn our … sophomore(?) … year. I’d love to see them again.
8. Bob Dylan — A perennial favorite despite the fact that we used to cover our ears and holler every time Dad played his music when Josh and I were growing up.
9. Simon and Garfunkel (or in their solo capacities) — It was nice to see the two of them enjoy being together when Rudi and I saw them a couple years back. And Paul’s solo show last year was phenomenal. You could feel his passion for his music all the way back in the lawn seats.
10. Joni Mitchell — Sam invited me to come see Joni and Dylan perform at Madison Square Garden a number of years ago now. Her rendition of “Magdalen Laundry” was particularly memorable.
11. Peter, Paul, and Mary — This is a group I’ve seen live numerous times since I was a little kid. But their most stirring performance must have been the 2003 performance from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during a candlelight vigil on the eve of the Iraq War. Goosebumps.
12. James Taylor — The first concert I bought tickets for as a gift for someone and the only time I’ve sat inside at the Meadows (two nights before their official opening and on a folding chair). Many sitings since then.
13. Ani DiFranco — We’ve seen Ani several times at Falcon Ridge, but the most memorable time must have been when she came to Conn as part of the Earth Day celebration. A cut from her live album was recorded at that show.
14. Billy Joel — The best show of ’06. Seriously worth $75. He’s still got the goods.
15. Pink Martini — A fun show if you ever get the chance. They make you want to dance in the aisles.
16. New Kids on the Block — Yup. Twice. Once as the opening act for Tiffany and the next summer as the headliner. Both times at Lake Compounce, a local amusement park near where I grew up.
17. Pete Seeger — A concert of a lifetime. Probably six years ago today or so. Days after 9/11. He filled us with hope. Magical.
18. Sting — A decidedly middling experience. The first concert was okay. The second was abysmal.
19. Odetta — Her voice can awaken the spirit of the dead. (That’s meant as a compliment in case you can’t tell…)
20. K.T. Tunstall — We gave Sam tickets for his birthday and then invited ourselves along. Even though I was battling a terrific fever during the show, I could still tell this young artist was going to go far.
21. Erin McKeown — Karen and I saw her perform in a New Haven living room. Rudi and I saw her first on a guitar case. Wherever and whenever I can see her, I will.
22. Brian Wilson — Another fine show from last year. It’s too late to catch the Beach Boys but not too late to catch the soul behind it.
23. John Mayer — BW bought me a ticket for this show during his first solo tour when he stopped at the Oakdale. I admit it; I didn’t know who he was nor had I heard his music before we went. But I enjoyed him a great deal and appreciate his stints on Conan O’Brien’s show quite a bit.
24. Richie Havens — He plays the guitar upside down. That’s just so cool!
25. Franz Ferdinand — As fun live as on tv or cd.

Feel free to play along, either in the comments or on your own blog.