I have a whole other life that existed prior to my teaching life. In that life, I was a police dispatcher (ok, fire too but ... ). Yes, for 13 years, I was the voice of calm saying "9-1-1, what is your emergency?" Too many years of working nights, weekends, and holidays and fitting in sleep whenever I could, made me realize that instead of being part of the reactionary process, I would like to take a shot at being part of the prevention process (plus I wanted to work when the sun was out and sleep in the dark and have a "normal" schedule). And didn't I just live in a Pollyanna world where you wave your magic wand and "fix" all the evils and everyone lived happily ever after all because of my wonderful influence in their lives? (If only that were the case). But there was a part of that "world" that exists in my current "world". In dispatching there are a couple of words you never, ever say. NEVER, EVER! Never, ever unless you want all hell to break loose. It's like the gods hear those words and then karma comes your way - sometimes in ways you could not even imagine. What are those words you might ask? The words are "slow" and "quiet". Shhhh!!! Don't repeat them - if only for the sake of some poor dispatcher somewhere in the world. However, the word quiet is not one I think I should be uddering in my current "world". Don't get me wrong, a first grade classroom is never quiet; but simply mentioning the fact that Mr. Needy hadn't had a fit in several days seems to have angered the gods and they are showing their wrath. I knew the karma those words could bring, I just didn't know I still had to abide by those "rules". So please don't say "slow" or "quiet" for my sake!