I stumbled upon a great list of 11 Questions That Mess With Your Head on digg the other day. This one almost got me angry as I tried to solve it in the middle of the Birmingham airport – Q10.

(Perform this in your head!) Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30. Add another 1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000. Now add 10. What is the total?

Hint: It’s NOT 5,000

Ugh. I had to use my calculator 3 times to understand that I was wrong.

Ya’ll know I loved these types of lists. I answer these types of questions with both seriousness and sarcasm because, well, people who create these types of question lists always feel as if they have to send out questions in certain numbers (ie-5, 10, 20, 25, etc) therefore they usually get to 22 and decide that they can either take away two good questions, or make up 3 crappy ones.

Feel free to copy-n-paste the questions, inserting your own answers into the comments section below.

1.) Where did you ring in 2006? Watching fireworks from the top of Sugar Mountain in North Carolina.

2.) What was your status by Valentine’s Day? I was in London… I couldn’t have cared less if my status was “hairy guy who has giant boogers”.

3.) Were you in school (anytime this year)? No… technically.

4.) How did you earn your keep? JND

5.) Did you ever have to go to the hospital? To help deliver a baby. It’s a loooong story.

6.) Have you ever encountered the police? Yes… 87 in a 60… and the ticket was removed. It’s all about who you know.

7.) Where did you go on vacation? London, Paris, Switzerland, Florence, Rome, Torino, Pisa, Venice, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, Belgium, Boston, Destin, Atlanta

8.) What did you purchase that was over $500? My new auto – Chevrolet Equinox.

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Free wi-fi in the Birmingham airport. I’ve only got an hour to kill before my flight leaves… but being able to get an hour’s worth of work lolly-gagging done makes a big difference.

So, you got an iPod for Chritmas and what do you have to say for it?

“I don’t know what to do next.”

I’ve had mine for a year and a day as of December 26th. I wonder what I ever did without it. However, I was the exact same way this time last year.
“What do I do?” “Where do I go? “How to I buy things”

So, I’ve taken the liberty of posting some of my favorite iPod links below.

Some tips and tricks?
Remember that your iPod is not just for music. If you see me at the gym, most of the time I’m listening to sermons I downloaded or free. Free speeches are also available at Audible. Don’t forget about books-on-tape… errr, books-on-ipod. Audible is great for that.

But first, download itunes and then connect your iPod. After that, have fun.

If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email or call me.

Some of my favorite iLinks (cute, huh?)
- iLounge – I bought all my iPod gear here.

- NPR Podcast Directory

- iPod Subway Maps – Perfect for your vacation.

- Lifehacker iPod Archives – Everything iPod from one of my favorite websites. Updated daily.

- 50 Fun Things to do With Your iPod

- Top 6 Gym iPod Accessories – They’re ok, but I got this one to workout in, and this one for travelling.

- The Ultimate Freeware Package for your iPod

- iWay – Like Yahoo! Maps on your iPod.

- Sparknotes for iPod

- iPod Family Cemetary – Very funny.

- iPod Vending Machine – Very cool.

Merry Christmas from the whole Howell clan!!! Conrad, Beth, Landon, and Aaron.

Here’s wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year in 2007. This is the photo for this year’s official Howell Family Christmas Card for 2006 (just in the case that we don’t have your address… OR we just didn’t want to waste 39 cents on you.)

Thank you to all the faithful readers who show up to read and comment everyday. 2006 was grand, but let’s look forward to an even better 2007!

God Bless!

In what was the most popular yearly feature on Juicee News for years, the infamous Letters To Santa have once again returned for their 2007 installment on the blog.

All of the letters are actual letters written by real people to Santa Claus taken from the AL.com website. We have simply chosen to let Santa reply in the way we think he might… if he were a little grumpy and overly honest.

Now you should know that I have no idea who writes these (wink, wink) but we think that these are always funny… in a mildly disturbing way.

Now, the 2007 edition of Letters To Santa:

Dear Santa

From: Cooper
Age: 5

Dear Cooper

Writing guide, English tutor, kindergarten.

Love,
Santa

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I Love you santa and I belive you and I hope you and mrs. claus have a merry cristmas this year and I love you to mrs. claus.

From: Keirra
Age: 7

Keirra

You “believe me”? What did I do?

Also, you would love you me to _____ Mrs. Claus? Keirra… there are just too many jokes here.

____ you too,
Santa

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Dear Santa,

Age: 11

Robert… you’re 11-years-old… please tell your parents that it’s time for “the Santa talk.”

Love,
Santa (but not really)

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Hi, I want a real modercicle please.

From: Andrew
Age: 4

You couldn’t even reach the handle bars.

Retard.

Love,
Santa

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Santa I have been a good girl. I want a scoder that runs with keys.

From: Ashley
Age: 8

A scooter (spell check) that runs with keys?!?!

Why didn’t you just ask for some soup that is served in a bowl. Or some shoes that tighten with laces. Or maybe some water that happens to be wet.

Moron.

Love (from my heart),
Santa

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Dear Santa,

From: The three bad sisters
Ages: 8, 5, and 4

Dear girls,

Your mom was no saint either. That’s why she works the night shift at Taco Bell and makes a funny face whenever someone mentions their Junior Prom… because that’s where the 8-year-old came from.

I’ll refer your account to Toys 4 Tots.

Good luck (in life),
Santa

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My name is ayana and I love you and mrs claus and the elvles. love ayana

From: ayana
Age: 4

Well, thank you Ayana. Nobody ever thanks the elves. After all, they’re the only ones who do any work around here.

You didn’t ask me for anything, but I’ll overlook that in light of your thoughtfulness.

Love,
Santa

It’s Christmas Eve, and around these parts that means that it’s once again time for the Vespers Service at Jasper’s First Baptist Church. For those not from Jasper, this (for me and many others) symbolizes the entire meaning of Christmas… and Christmas would not be complete without it. It’s a short service where songs are sung, candles are lit, and praise is given. It may be my favorite 30-45 minutes of the year.

For the second year in a row I have been asked to perform a solo during the service. I say this not to brag, but rather to emphasize the pleasure and honor it is to have the ears of my home church for just three short minutes on Christmas Eve.

I’d rather sing at Vespers than sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. To me, Christmas is the Super Bowl… and the music of Vespers is its’ national anthem. I don’t take it lightly, and quite honestly it is the only thing in life that makes me nervous.

If you’re going to be in town, I would love to see you there. I don’t know if we’ll be able to record the audio, so if you can’t make it just ask me to sing it to you next time I see you. I’m kidding.

I’ve always loved this song… it makes me laugh.

If you’ve never heard it, here’s your chance.

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This is still one of my favorite Christmas movies…

Some of the best 9 minutes in cinematic history.

Someone sent me this last year, the The Clinton Administration reminded me of it the other day.

While I do love all my Democrat and Liberal friends, I must say that you continue to entertain me… and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if people in Seattle were sending this email to their friends as their serious Christmas Holiday/Off-day/Rest-Day card.

Merry Christmas from the Democratic Party:

“Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.”

…it must be Italian.