Yes, the unemployment figures across the nation are still awful; hell, the second quarter GDP numbers were even worse. So one would not be wrong to say that we are all, economically speaking, in deep doo-doo. Yet, you can see the effects of the stimulus money reaching down into community projects; repairs to the infrastructure like subway stops and National Guard buildings. Meanwhile, the job leads seem to be flowing in in increasing numbers. In fact, I sent around a whole bunch at the end of last week, some of them great opportunities, too. The level of activity of many MPNers is high; attendance at our meetings is down, in part because people are too busy with interviews to come. It’s one of those instances where you can’t quite put your finger on it, but it just feels like the pace has picked up. If you’re going to networking meetings all the time, you may be rubbing up against a lot of depressed people, but if you take the time to network one on one with the people in your space, at your level, I think you’ll find that each one has something going. Some are studying for new career opportunities; others are contracting or consulting in steady, if not full-time, slots; and still others are launching out in new directions with new products that could change the face of their respective industries. In short, it’s spring…and time for you to pluck one of those bright flowers in the garden of the job market today: Carpe diem!