Here’s one of my favorite little touches about Charleston. These gas lanterns are everywhere in downtown, and add to the natural warmth and charm of the city.

This is Middleton Place, a beautiful old plantation near Charleston. While this isn’t really the prettiest photo I took there, it is an interesting one because it shows the most famous feature of the place from ground level. From the air, these apparently minor hills rolling down to the water are spectacular. A tour of the plantation reveals manicured gardens, hidden picnic spots, dramatic wilderness, elegant statues and more. There is even a working blacksmith and carpenter. I even considered taking a job there, since the normally mule-powered rice mill was lacking in motive power. It could have been a workout and a career for me. Hey, it worked for Conan.

Here’s a photo of the plane I took home being de-iced. In South Carolina. My flight was delayed about an hour because of the de-icing, but fortunately I had plenty of time to make my connecting flight in Charlotte. Which is more than I can say for my original flight, which was to take place the day before. The airline called me just as I was about to head to the airport to tell me that my flight was delayed and I wouldn’t be able to make my connector. I would have been annoyed, except that it was entirely my own fault. After all, who books a return flight through Washington, D.C. on Inauguration Day? Yup, that would be me.

This is the pineapple fountain in Waterfront Park in Charleston. The pineapple is a symbol of welcoming, and that’s certainly the feeling I received in South Carolina. The first time I saw this fountain, there was a couple getting married next to it, which is a frequent occurrence, apparently. The second time I came by, it was the coldest day there, which explains the winter hat and bundled up appearance (not to mention the fact that I was literally the only person in the park) in this photo. Please note that I aped the spirit of the fountain with my open palms, which is also a sign of welcoming.

Well, I’m back from South Carolina, and I had a fun trip despite the weather getting much colder than it was when I booked the flight. But it was still much warmer than the ridiculously cold northeast. So this is Angel Oak, a Southern live oak tree that is estimated to be 1,500 years old. The thing is gigantic, as you can see here with me standing next to the trunk.

Meet my new toy. Yes, it’s not supposed to be a toy - it’s an important defense against identity theft. But I have way too much fun using it to call it that. And unlike shredders I’ve been around in the past, it has yet to jam and force me to take it apart. No, this one is heavy duty and can shred 20 sheets at once (I haven’t tested that yet) and has an overheating light to keep it out of danger. And it’s even red, which is prefer for all my small appliances.

The world definitely needs more giant balloon animals.

Happy New Year, everyone. Jazzy and I wish you all the best in 2009!