I can appreciate your perspective, Jon A., based upon the short time you have "known" me through the board. Just so you know, I am on worker's compensation, not unemployed or disabled, and I am certainly not lazy. I am a full time employee of the State of CT DCF. I am injured from over 6 years of subduing and restraining some of the 200 worst and most violent juvenile offenders in the state, aged 12 to 17, some of whom are over 6 feet tall and weigh well over 200 pounds. I have 3 herniated discs in my lower back, thank you for inquiring as to the nature and extent of my injury and my prognosis. Please, don't worry yourself, I will be fine. I am waiting to hear from my Dr., who is waiting to hear from the insurance company, so that I can schedule an appointment for an epidural cortisone injection, since I am trying my best to avoid surgery. I expect to return to work by the end of this month.

When I am working, which has been the rule 99% of my life for the past 23 years, I am up at 5:30AM, my tour of duty begins at 6:45AM and concludes at 3:08PM. I often work voluntary overtime to try to make some extra money. In addition, because my postition as a Youth Services Officer is one which is hazardous duty and which is related to criminal/juvenile justice and therefore is considered by the state to be related to public safety, I am subject to being held over at work for a second tour of duty. This happens quite frequently on weekends and holidays. For example, this year I was forced on Mothers Day and New Years Eve, among many others. So unlike you my work week is seldom limited to 40 hours.

BTW, congratulations on your home being paid for at such an early age. I am sure that you worked very hard and sacrificed to make that happen. Good for you!

FYI, I am 43, I just bought my first home a little over 2 years ago. I got married when I was 20 and we had children right away. My eldest daughter just graduated from college in May, and is teaching Middle School history in inner city Houston. My second daughter will graduate from Syracuse University next May. She is graduating a year early with a double major, because she earned 21 AP credits during High School. My son is 14 and just started High School, also an honor student.

When I got married, in 1981, I earned about $4.50 per hour. My wife also worked part time when our kids were small, but we thought it was more important for her to be home with them than it was for us to earn two incomes and advance our financial status. This would have required us to put our children in daycare, like so many others, and we just did not agree with that, and did not believe it was in our children's best interest. I often worked two, sometimes three, jobs. Up until I went to work for the state and she began teaching full time, we supported our family of five on less than $30,000.00 per year for most of our lives. Judging from the way our children have turned out, we are confident we made the right choice and it was well worth the sacrifices we made.

She later ran a daycare business from our apartment to earn some extra money and still be home. We decided that she should return to college and earn her degree, so once our kids were a little older she went back to school. We put her through school, and are still paying back her loans, in addition to paying for her masters classes, cash. She is a teacher and is required by law and contract to earn a masters within 10 years of her initial certification. There is no assistance available from her employer even though it is required. BTW she earned her BA magna cum laude, as did my eldest, and my second has the highest GPA of any Syracuse English major. My wife's masters GPA is also over 3.8.

Since I could not even afford to by a house until I was 41, my house will not be paid for for some time. But all in all, if I had to do it all over again, I would make pretty much the same choices.

So you see, Jon, before you go around passing judgements and making condescending remarks about people, maybe you should get to know a little more about them. Son.