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We all know the current economy, the ailing automotive industry and the recession that's finally been declared is bringing trouble to our county and many others throughout Michigan. We know because we see it every day: foreclosures, unemployment, high need at the community's charitable organizations.

What I did not realize was how different the situation is here compared to many other parts of the country. As I drove down to Detroit last week to head home to Arlington, Va. for the holidays I spoke to one of my friends on the phone. She is a Michigan native but lives in New Hampshire. She had recently spoke to her parents, both who earn livings in Michigan that depend on sales, who told her how rough it is to have people spending so much less.

I told her the same, as I have lots of stories from the pages of this newspaper that document the struggle in Michigan. I shared how the day before I'd had a heartbreaking talk with Bill Avery, who just couldn't make his business keep working.

She was pretty surprised, because where she lives the problems with the economy are far less noticeable. I found the same when I got home to the Washington D.C. area.

Many of my friends and family have felt no impact. They still have jobs that pay the same and I didn't hear of any working for a company, organization or business they fear is about to go under. How much you go out to dinner, travel or spend on Christmas gifts isn't being impacted as greatly as in Michigan. There are still long waits at restaurants and new shops opening for business.

One friend in small town Illinois told me she went shopping on Black Friday early and when she and her mother went to a more upscale department store, there were no lines or crowds. She theorized that most were shopping at Walmart and discount stores, where we all know there were great crowds, to the point where one man was trampled Friday.

At the Pentagon City mall in Arlington Sunday, the place was packed and many stores were sold out of many items. Not just Walmart either, even high end shoe shops.

Talking to friends back there, many were shocked at the severe circumstances I was describing in Michigan. Many were surprised that in other spots, the recession is more than a news story.

It is a good thing that not everywhere is having layoffs and closures frequently and severely as we are here. And it may be that some cities and states are more immune to recession, especially if they are based on industries that are thriving or industries that won't go away, like the federal government. Maybe problems in some industries like automotive or banking will start having more of an affect in some of these other cities or maybe the economy will start to turn around before the river of recession flows that far.