AARP, the association for seniors, poses that question to luminaries and ordinary folk in the new issue of its AARP Bulletin.
Among the answers:
When my patients go back to talking about how much they hate their mother, rather than how much they hate the government for getting them into this financial mess. Carole Lieberman, psychiatrist, Beverly Hills, Calif.
When my commission is more than I pay my baby-sitter. Kelly Brockington, high-end retail saleswoman, New York
When I no longer count mail-in rebates as income. Nancy Lombardo, comedian, New York
When the car ads on television replace those for depression meds.Tom Pryor, director, Small Business Development Center for Enterprise Excellence, Fort Worth, Texas
When I become first in line at the stroke of noon at our local thrift shop and the pickins are more like they were two years ago. Ohhhh, we used to get some gooood stuff. Joy Cadden, handbag designer, Millville, Del.
How will you know the recession is really over?