Laissez le Bon Temp Rouler!

No, I don't know French. I got that phrase from a Mardi Gras website. But I fooled you for a second, no??

Sneaky, I am!

Well, I'm finally off to the deep south. Louisiana will mark the 37th state I've visited in the US. Most of the states I have yet to see are actually in the South, so I think I'm making some headway ... not that I'm rushing right off to go visit Mississippi or Arkansas. No offense to anyone from either of those states, I'm just not anxious to feel like a walking hate crime any time soon.

That last statement didn't make it any better, did it? Oh well.

As I've mentioned previously, I will take copious amounts of photos. It's truly a momentous occasion when a Polar Bear heads South, and I will not let you down. Megan has promised to feed me things called "King Cakes," which apparently have little baby Jesus' in them? I'm excited!

I'm leaving in just a bit to go to the airport, where hopefully my plane won't have come from some snow-drenched city, and will not be late. From LAX, I fly into George Bush International Airport (yippee), where I will rent a car, and drive the 4 hours to Baton Rouge. Why did I chose this path of insanity? I don't know. I was in Long Island at the time - apparently I needed an adventure. On Friday, there will be much wedding prep; I'll probably miss the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics (a howling bear-scream of pain!). Saturday, my best friend Megan is getting hitched at 9:00 a.m. (repeat howling bear-scream of pain!), with a reception and the Baton Rouge Spanish Town Parade to follow (hooray!). Sunday, we're all going to N'awlins. Monday/Tuesday? Who knows. The world is my Walrus (get it? Polar Bears don't eat Oysters?...anyway).

If I can live blog from either Baton Rouge or NOLA, I totally will.

As for you, my fine and fancy friends, I hope you have a gorgeous weekend, I hope you watch the Olympics (and send me copious updates!!), and I hope you picture me, your ever devoted Polar Bear, covered in hot pink, with beads, eating King Cakes, and drinking mint juleps. If I can achieve that? Well ... My 20's might be complete.
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This blog post brought to you by:

The Louisiana travel board
Continental Airlines
My best friend Megan
The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

[writer's note: I really love my friend Megan. There is nothing in the world I wouldn't do for her. I've turned down three jobs just so I could come to this wedding... so as I howl in pain about getting up early, and missing the Olympics, please know, I'm bluffing for comic effect, which totally ruins the joke. But oh well.]