I open my browser daily with great anticipation of the day–hopes of a correspondence from a friend or, even better (no offense to my friends), an e-mail notifying me of an upcoming editing assignment. But lately I’m not only finding fewer friendly e-mails, I’m also finding fewer e-mails of proposed work assignments that would typically give me fulfilling work, a purpose to get up in the morning, and money, which would help my family’s economic needs.

“You have no new email” is the unkindest cut in a bad economy, when your lifeline to an income is an inbox full of messages offering pending assignments.

A year ago, two years ago I had the ability to pick and choose assignments depending on my availability (although I always tend to accept everything that comes my way, knowing that a dry spell/the poor house is just around the corner). This year I’m practically begging for work from all the clients who have sent me assignments over the past few years. But they either have nothing at the time or they have had to cut way back on farming out their work, leaving little for the rest of us down the food chain.

What keeps my chin up, besides a decent musculoskeletal system, is the prospect that things will turn around, that along with that poor house (but on opposite sides of the street) there’s hope around the corner. I voted for hope, and I’m hoping hope is what I indeed receive. And may it fill my inbox, one message at a time.