How can you be optimistic short term at this point?

[niko]

Ten seconds after reading the OP, I can't even recall the supposed list of reasons to be pessimistic.

Bitcoin works perfectly fine. I quit using gox a while ago.  Most of my savings are in btc. I've been cashing out a little bit at predecided price points. Now I'm buying back at a profit. I can pay for more and more services and goods with btc. I can continue to use it to move money across borders, quickly and easily. There are even some arbitrage opportunities if I bother to watch and wait. Finally, the big pictute - Bitcoin is doing great, with some growing pains:

[Wekkel]

BTC is doing fine; the exchanges have some growing pains. Wait until Wall Street wants a piece of the action..... 

[simplydt]

I suggest obtaining BTC for their purchasing power, not their exchange rate into USD.

This will only work once people start selling for BTC, and not for BTC based on how much FIAT they will get for their BTC. If you look at all BTC sales everybody adjusts BTC for inflation/deflation; so if you are a buyer with FIAT and want to buy BTC for their purchasing power, doesnt it make sense to wait until it levels out?