It's tough to turn on the news or look at anything online these days without being beat about the head with the news that the world as we know it - at least the financial and investment world - is in the middle of a spectacular implosion that will forever change the course of history.  It reminds me of Spiro Agnew's great quote about the press, calling them "nattering nabobs of negativism that have formed their own 4-H club - hopeless, hysterical, hypochondriacs of history."

In my own little effort to create a bit of positive karma, I'm intentionally trying to push out some good news.  Here's our good news:

• We are having a great year - our best ever in both revenue and profit - and this quarter, amidst all of the economic turmoil, will likely end up as our best quarter ever.
• We are setting ambitious, not timid, goals for 2009.
• We have added two staff to our team this year, and they are exceptional people that are off to great starts.
• Our entire staff is energized and excited and ready for an even better year in 2009.
• After years - decades, really - of having far too many research intiatives where the methodology was confined to the same old tools and processes, clients and prospects are more interested than ever in pursuing unique and innovative research solutions.
• Our local football teams are playing great.  The Tennessee Titans are 6-0 and Vanderbilt is 5-2. 
• My family is happy and healthy.  I took a one month vacation with my family this summer that turned out to be the most exciting, fun, relaxing, interesting and adventurous thing we have ever done - five countries, two continents and an unbelievable experience for all four of us.

So, to those nattering nabobs of negativism, I say "take that!"