I've had mine for about three years. Just now coming off the ramen.
It is my most used and useful lens. It doesn't do any one thing in a spectacular fashion but it does pretty much everything very well. It was a last minute decision for me to purchase the 17-55 instead of some others and, as it turns out, it was a great decision. I think you will find it living on your cam.
BTW, it matches up VERY well with the 70-200, just a killer pair.
Phil