SC: Tell Florida to kiss your Palmetto Tree.

Dear Florida --

I realize you want to have an early primary. It brings a lot of attention to your state - your leaders get to rub shoulders with would-be-presidents. Heck, who doesn't want to play a part in choosing a national candidate?

However, shove off.

_________________

Florida's political parties are having a shoving match with South Carolina. Both the Dems and the R's want to have early primaries -- before South Carolina's. I get that Florida is a big and bad state with a lot of electoral votes. And there is a lot more diversity here in Florida than anywhere in the South. Period.

But, if you take away South Carolina's early primary you negate the South's impact on the general election. Not only is not good for message, it's not good for the very folks you're courting. You want a southerner's vote? You need to come visit.

And for the love of God, Florida is not the South. Not even the southern parts of Florida (meaning North Florida) are Southern. It's close -- it's darn close, but it's not the South.

Plus, Florida, do you really think it's a good idea for candidates to waste money in high-priced media markets when they could be advertising in Greenville? Seriously?

Florida already gets tons of attention from potential nominees and then, nominees. Y'all already get the opportunity to have a bigger say in the election than any other Southern State. And, I hate to say it -- but what makes you think you can even handle this? You guys couldn't even get it together to defeat Bush! Why should we reward you by having an early primary???

Quite possibly the best bachelor party story ever.

My groom is not really all that big into planning. It's difficult for me; me being a planner and all. So, when it came to his bachelor party, he was having some difficulty creating a list. I looked at our guest list and made another spreadsheet and sent it to one of his groomsmen. Now, since my groom wanted his dad and grandfather to attend some of the bachelor party festivities, I also included their contact information. I stressed with Fish, the groomsman, that the grandfather's email address is a shared address. Grandad shares the email account with his wife.

Unfortunately -- or fortunately depending on how you look at it, Fish didn't heed my advice. The list of guys invited to celebrate the end of Kramp's single life grew and the guys started responding to the planned activities. Gotta love Reply All emails.

These gentleman didn't stop at alerting the coordinator of their availability for the planned weekend -- oh no! There were comments about stripper glitter, midgets and a $1K tab at a club in New Orleans. Emails were flying... And all of these lovely stories and comments - from a mojito overdose to questioning my sanity - were also sent to the grandfather.

And, hence, the grandmother. Because every grandmother needs to know about her grandson's strip club habits. Priceless.

HYSTERICAL! OH MY GOD! I AM STILL LAUGHING! OH MY GOD!
GOOD THING I REALLY LIKE THIS GUY.

V-Day.

I have a good guy - a really good guy. And, Valentine's Day is not my favorite day... I mean, I like Conversation Hearts and chocolate. But, I'm not a roses girl. And stuffed animals are not, um, me.

It's funny, the small gift I got my Valentine arrived late - today. And, although he pre-ordered the re-release of my favorite movie - it comes in tomorrow. However, I did get the chance to watch Breakfast at Tiffany's - and that was quite nice.

Oh, and OMG -- I made dessert. A small flourless chocolate cake with a rosemary chocolate ganache. It was so freakin' good. It has the potential to be my signature dessert.

Oh, and I cannot explain the joy of being in love with this man. I am so unbelievably lucky.

Seriously?

I am not quite sure why the melodrama of Grey's Anatomy is making me weepy tonight. I suppose, that part of all of this is that it's been a hell of a week.

Damn, sometimes I wish I had the balls of Dooce and I would tell y'all some of the things that actually happen in my life. I would write with a clever wit that would make you smile (wryly of course) and admire my courage. However, since I do not have that damn clever wit, I will spare you the whining/heartache/desire to write an episode of a bad Spanish soap opera that is the permanent companion of having a mother with borderline personality disorder.

George, the puppy that eats too much paper, had quite a week. He's been recovering from his surgery. Tomorrow is supposed to be the big day that the stitches come out.K. is convinced (convinced!) that George still has one remaining testicle. I'm so not thinking about this. You have no idea how much I am not thinking about this.

Also, this week - I have discovered that I am really excited about my wedding. So is my groom. And, the fact that I'm getting married - it's really quite awesome.

We <3 Lindsay Osborne.

I was sick all week. Sick as in my coloring was gray, I had no voice and I lived in a pair of cut off sweat pants and an FSU sweatshirt. There were various TShirts last week, but by God I had on that sweatshirt.

I haven't been that sick since I was an elementary school kid -- as an example of my hallucinations while on the fabulous gold elixir also known as my cough medicine, I allegedly asked for my mother. I was sick.

I had, however, weeks ago scheduled our engagement photo shoot for Saturday afternoon. I wanted to cancel, but our schedule is packed. If I wanted a picture in the Tampa Trib or the Greenville News in any sort of timely fashion, Saturday afternoon I needed to show my smile.

OMG. I love our photographer - Lindsay Osborne is absolutely amazing. We both had such a good time - we giggled and smooched all over downtown Tallahassee. Goodness, while in front of the Old Capitol someone yelled for us to get a room! I was relaxed, Chris was happy and I'm pretty sure the pictures are going to be fantastic. Lindsay was disarmingly gentle -- she caught exactly the type of pictures we wanted. Plus, her husband is from Easley! Small world strikes again. I totally recommend her. I cannot wait for the wedding!

Meanwhile, Kramps and I have been giggling like newlyweds all weekend. I think the timing was perfect. While I might still sound like Rita Cosby and Saturday required a whole new technique of concealer application - kicking off the remaining three months of our engagement with our photo shoot was a great idea. I am really (and finally) getting into the whole wedding excitement. Perfect. Gosh, I am so blessed!

ps. Totally figured out the engagement announcement wording this morning. I'm vain enough, don't worry, I will link the announcement in a couple of weeks.

A fond farewell...

And a heck of a lot of best wishes.

I, like many of you, am used to checking the LaurinLine - run by the talented Laurin Manning several times a day. Honestly, sometimes more. During the past few months while Laurin determined the future of her blog, I waited. I lived through registering and Alex Stroman-the-idiot-boy and a whole host of new folks posting on her blog. There were new banners and blog lists and I love them all. And now, she's closing it down and starting something new.

I met Laurin as a teenager. We traveled to USC to participate in the American Legion Auxiliary Girl State program. I was elected Governor - and she was awarded the very very high honor of First Citizen. She had (has) it all -- she was well liked and smart and put South Carolina first. As counselors the next year, I remember laughing with her, late one night in the computer lab as I struggled with the newspaper.

She is bright and incredibly funny. A gal as comfortable in flip-flops as her aptly named Roach Killers. I deeply share her love of Diet Coke - seriously, no one has ever understood my need for a cold aluminum can like this woman. Everyone she meets is greeted with her warm graciousness and a rich dose of South Carolina politics. I have appreciated her since I met her - even more so since I moved out of state.

Laurin, your website will missed. Your thoughts - easily digestible, often challenging and always interesting will be missed. I wish you all the luck on your next project - as you graduate, etc. Good luck girl. And not to be entirely corny, but I really hope you'd appreciate the reference -- be progressive, wise and strong...

"Raise your voices, Raise them high
Sing to Girls State, And here's why
Look to Girls State, and you'll find
Tomorrow's leaders of mankind

We are the future builders, Builders in a band -
And we come from Girls State, the best state in the land.
We are up and coming, progressive, wise and strong -
And to our own Girls State we proudly sing this song..."

I suddenly turned into a four year old.

And no, it wasn't the temper tantrum I threw when I met with the lady from the White Chapel. I have an eye infection, ear infections and some sort of upper respiratory/bronchitis thing. Apparently, the nastiness that infected my life a couple of weeks ago stuck around and invited some friends.

This time, however, my dearest beau is being the very example of a loving, attentive caretaker. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that I have no voice. Let me repeat that - no voice. I can whisper at best.

Meanwhile, life goes on. I'm having engagement pictures taken this weekend - provided the swelling and redness of my right eye goes away. I'm fairly certain there have been some political happenings this week, but as this is the first time I have opened a computer for more than my gmail, I have no idea what is going on...