Spring has got to be my favorite time of the year. This despite having spent the first 44 years of my life in Florida where they say the seasons are barely detectible. Fact is, when I lived in the Sunshine State, spring was still my favorite time of year.

Spring has got to be my favorite time of the year. This despite having spent the first 44 years of my life in Florida where they say the seasons are barely detectible. Fact is, when I lived in the Sunshine State, spring was still my favorite time of year. The cars and motorcycles return to Daytona and the spring breakers are everywhere. No matter where you live, the days are getting longer and the weather is moderating and you no longer have to dread the tax deadline (until the extension runs out anyway).

Spring is a time when the spirit of hope for things to come. Economic reports this week were mostly “spring-like” for a change. I got home from a week on the road to a pile of IRA and SEP and 401(k) reports that are looking pretty good for a change. Long way to go from their peak, but I have a sense that the peak was a house of cards anyway.

Let’s hope our fortunes continue to improve. At least for a while.

Fact is, business and life cycles all have their ups and downs. Some ups are better than others (though we never seem to recognize them or appreciate them in real time) and some downs are worse than others (and we always feel it when we are spiraling downward). I’m just glad to have some good news. Sadly it is not universal and everyone is not in the “up” mode right now, but I am convinced that the world economy is in recovery mode even now and relief is right around the corner. Ups just are not as easily detectable as downs.

There are lots of things to beef about this week with our friends in D.C. launching an all-out offensive on American business. I choose to enjoy the spring. They can tax me to death and they can put every barrier to productivity out there that they want. But they can only depress me if I let them.