So says GDP stats released this morning, even beating market expectation for value of overall U.S. national economic production in the 3rd quarter, July-September.  From Lucia Mutikani of Reuters:

The Commerce Department, in its first estimate of third-quarter gross domestic product on Thursday, said the economy grew at a 3.5 percent annual rate, the fastest pace since the third quarter of 2007...

What can we expect of this? Well we can expect some glad tidings and cheer, and that is most welcome. I think we can expect some less shallow breathing in boardrooms across the country and the world, and I think the belt buckle notches can hold steady for a while. This is progress.

 

Just as with politics, people are always looking forward. Our collective storyline has gotten a little better today, and that should start to inflect a little light into the storylines of our jobs and economic prospects and ultimately -- the holy grail -- our hopes.

 

As we regain our economic confidence, our economic inspiration, and our economic hope, these data-driven headlines will move from numbers and stories-about-numbers-on-pages to real-life results and positive differences in our daily lives.

 

For many that will include not only how we live, but where we live, and the homes we live in, the neighborhoods we choose, whether to remodel an existing home or sell it and buy another home, or whether to add a pool or put in those wood floors, maybe go get that acreage that's been on your mind, the home on the golf course, the downsize single story you need, the downtown or Galveston condominium...

 

So sure, jobs and job confidence are a lagging element of any recovery, so today's headline doesn't make a huge difference in the lives of most of us today. But my advice is this: let's take all the good news we can get. Especially at this time of year: let the sugar plumbs dance.