When I was back at my desk after the holidays, one of the first calls I received was from a fabricator that I've gotten to truly know and respect over the years. After wishing him a Happy New Year, he replied, "2014 is looking to be a promising year." This is not a guy who looks at the world through rose-colored glasses; he is a realist who has been very candid about how tough the last few years have been.
So when he says something like that, I take it as a very positive sign.