There's no doubt our economy isn't what it was several years ago, but from where I'm sitting, I think there are certain groups that would like us to believe things are much worse than they really are. I'm in the decorative surfaces (countertops, tile, hardwood flooring, etc) industry, and we've seen huge increases in volume and revenue over the last year or so. We defiantly aren't doing the type of business we were prior to the bursting of the bubble, but because the type of products we deal in aren't necessities, I think it's a good sign. We've even seen decent increases in new construction.
My father is in the demolition business, and he was telling me today that they've also seen a substantial increase over the last several months. The same thing can be said for the local mattress manufacturer where my girlfriend is employed. And all three of us are making more money than we were a few years ago.
I'm not going to say things are where we want them to be, but I do have a difficult time buying into the hype that the world as we know it is going to end any day now.