Once, in college, Julie went roaring through a school zone and the crossing guard waggled her sign and yelled at us "Slow Down!  It's a school zone!"  (no AC in the early days, so we heard her clearly through the open window).

I, too, have a speed problem.  My first speeding ticket in a school zone was in the Year of the Ear - when Grace was almost 1, with a crooked head and a perpetual ear infection.  This was the year my doctor (who I saw every week for Grace's ears or breathing) asked me what my "backup plan" was - I wasn't sleeping, or probably eating.  A backup plan - as is I were some celebrity and people were volunteering to stay up all night with my crying baby.  Without a backup plan, it was busy season, and I was on the phone on my way to work.  School zone?  What school zone?  Unfortunately for me, the cop saw the school zone.  Bam. Ticket.

This year, I got stopped the first week of school - cops out in force, trying to set an example.  And in I rolled going 19 miles per hour when I hit the 15 miles per hour sign.  Just a warning, but clearly, I needed correction.

What is funny about speed, is that it appears the ways to slow us down are expanding.  We are all familiar with speed bumps.  I have noticed recently how these are turning into speed HUMPS as if that is somehow more chilling than a bump.  "Oooh, this is a speed HUMP!  Better slow that down.  Thank goodness it wasn't just a speed bump...." I have a sense that speed humps are bigger than speed bumps - bigger is better right?  So today?  I came across a speed TABLE.  Really?  A speed table?  I am starting to think that the universe is telling me personally that I need to slow down. 

To clinch it, I just saw a sign at a 4 way stop, and one with no speed anythings - no bumps no humps no tables - and it had a sign next to it.  "Only you can prevent speed bumps"  And I think maybe this time?  When the sign said "you" it was looking right at me.