It's that time again.  Time for the Beacon Weekend Reader: Our weekly compilation of interesting articles and videos designed to keep you informed and engaged in the areas of economics, personal finance and life. We hope you enjoy this week's edition. Please send us your thoughts on this week's articles and suggestions for future posts.

We will get to the economic data shortly, but a good self-evaluation is appropriate every so often, particularly at the first of a new year. When you consider your investments do you make your most significant decisions according to a plan which looks well into the future, or do you tend to let the daily price, data, and tongue wiggles wag those decisions? Consider carefully, because the answer could well impact the quality of your lifestyle.