Is It Over Yet?

In today’s (4/19) edition of The New York Times, the title of an article says it all—“Recession Is Ending? Some Americans Don't Buy It.” Economists and pundits are starting to speak of a moderate recovery in the U.S. economy, although the official keeper of recessions, The Business Cycle Dating Committee, has not formally stated the recession has ended. The Times article interviews Americans whose circumstances don’t quite match up with the sentiment of economists. Unemployment has essentially remained steady in the past few months, and consumer spending has begun to tick up slightly. But most of us measure our economic health by our own jobs and prospects. So has the recession ended for you? How healthy is your appointment calendar?