First

Happy New Year, everybody! Some things I learned on my holiday break...

• Vacations aren't vacations unless you set the expectation that you won't be checking e-mail or voice mail. Period.
• Riding an ATV in the snow is just about the most fun thing you can do.
• Skeet shooting never gets boring when you have a launcher that can throw rabbits.
• New Year's Eve parties are a lot more fun when you turn them into pajama parties where everyone stays over and doesn't risk their neck on the roads.
• Making chicken burgers from scratch is much better than buying them frozen at the grocery store.
• Half-Life 2 is the best PC game ever. Without question.
• South Beach works. I'm not kidding.