I recently found out that Tom Ridge and I have the same problem. Well, maybe not exactly the same, but similar at least.

You see, Ridge is thinking about resigning as Homeland Security Director next spring, whether Bush wins or not. Seems he can't afford to send two teenagers to college on the measly $175,000 a year he gets now.

I recently had to give up my job because the $300 (or less) I was making a week wasn't enough to justify the $100 (or more) we were spending on gas, additionally my health was failing making it harder to work, so I understand when you have to make those tough decisions.

Of course Ridge is lucky enough right now to be getting that generous government health insurance, another important thing if you've got teens. I recently tried to get myself and my daughter on the state healthcare plan here, but the exorbitant $1,200 or so a month my husband makes on social security disability was too much for me to qualify. They did put my daughter on it.

My husband is on Medicare. So he's covered for emergencies, but they didn't take into consideration the $200 to $300 we spend every month on his medications, or any of our other bills. Seems whether we can have health care is only based on income, not outgo.

Hopefully the better paying job Ridge is looking at in the private sector, the job that pays more than the one he has now, has insurance included. I know as someone without insurance that you cross your fingers and hope you don't need medical attention. You trade medications with your friends, get them on the black market, go to Mexico (or Canada).

As for having two teenagers, I totally understand that; I have two teens, too. My problem is providing enough nukables, fruit, and cereal to keep nonstop eating machines and their friends fed. My son lives with his dad, but he's still here regularly going through the fridge. My daughter is here all the time, along with her regular entourage of fellow skateboarders. They are always hungry if they aren't skateboarding. Must be good exercise though; it keeps them skinny.

My son just turned 16, so he's been looking everywhere within walking or bussing distance for a job. But the market is tight. I'll bet jobs are scarce in those college towns Ridge's kids are looking at too.

Which brings us back to Tom Ridge and me, and our jobs ...

You can get to a point with your job sometimes that it occurs to you that it's time to bail. What you're doing is going nowhere, and it's only getting worse.

I got to that point. Ridge is definitely there too. Whether you make his $175,000, or my less than $15,000, there comes a time when you have to give up and move on.

$175,000 sounds pretty good to me.

I hear there's an opening ...

http://www.unknownnews.net/040806a-te.html