I think Kingfrog said it all. Good for him.
Here in the Dallas area I would say things are slightly less than normal. I am a real estate broker and we are having the best year EVER! Homes are selling if priced right and the buyers are truly qualified.
I have seen a slow down in new construction - but the builders here have overbuilt the area for years. Now they are having a hard time getting rid of inventory. But that will pass too.

Personally, when I retired 11 years ago I knew I could survive without ever having to work again. Sure, our 3-4 cruises a year would have to be put on hold, and new toys would become just a wish - but what the hell - it all passes with time. This is the 3rd time I have seen this type of economic problems in the last 30 years and things always seem to work out ok.

I do feel sorry for the "debt ridden" families who never learned how to control spending or understand how much trouble they were in finacially.

As for the music industry -it has been on a down turn for years in Dallas. It is really hard now to make your living playing live music in our area. I play my senior gigs each week(about 4 of them weekly) and am paid well for my efforts - but I know a lot of guys playing for peanuts who are gifted players. The studio work is gone, the big band days are over - and the public, in my opinion, couldn't care less if the guy playing can or can't.

Last week I spoke to a friend who played a lot of studio jobs with me in the late 60's. He said when he even gets a call he plays for less money today than we made then. Go figure.

I hope all is well with each of you and that all this worry turns out to be just that -nothing but worry.

Hammer