While my children may disagree, I don`t believe that my husband and I have too many rules that we expect them to abide by. Besides the obvious of being courteous and respectful to others and keeping their rooms relatively neat, they all still have curfews and are, generally, not allowed out with their friends on school nights.

The New York Times has a story on the first page of the Travel section today on "The 46 Places to Go in 2013."  I like these types of stories, like SKI magazine's list of best new places to ski, so I took at look at the list.

The photo is pretty cool to look at...snow in Jerusalem.   But unfortunately that really doesn't look good for the planet. Can anybody say global warming? Here's some interesting facts.

Most everyone knows I went to Syracuse. However, a little known fact is that two of the most significant people in my life graduated neighboring Colgate University (as did International Breakfast Group Chair Lucas Meyer and my best friend Dr. David Berger). They are Andrew Zelman, my "Super Lawyer"  partner and friend for 41 years and David Klein, my law partner for 14 years and first born son of 45 years.

As I looked through the newspaper on New Year's Day morning, I couldn't help but notice the listing of college football bowl games that would be inundating the television screen during the day and evening. I saw that Northwestern was playing and, since I was home, I put on the TV to watch.

Ester's guest blog spurred my thought process when she spoke about her fears regarding physical conditioning.  I too have resolved myself to overcoming fears in the upcoming year.  I have always considered myself mechanically challenged.  I know it is more an interest and time factor than an aptitude factor because occasionally when I have guidance and motivation, I have actually done some good work (I actually now have become quite adept at sheetrocking and limited spackling after re-doing my first two homes).

Have you seen the video of the young boy, maybe 10 years old, melting down because his mother let him believe he had mistakenly purchased a $50,000 Mustang on the internet? His mother, the videographer, can be heard encouraging the boy's misconception and laughing in the background as he cries "I am going to have to sell everything I own" and his sister offers to share her allowance.

Ester Horowitz posted this inspiration story on Facebook. After reading it, I asked her to allow me to post it as a guest blog for my first blog of 2013. I hope it inspires you.