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I only read the title but I already know that yes, you should dump her.

You know how it starts on the first beat of a measure? Try starting it with a little run in a little before that, and maybe start that run at a slightly lower volume and quickly fade it in. That may or may not work - every transition is different so you'll just have to try it and see if you like it.

I really dug your bonus mix, FreakyT. I was worried, based on the first 15 seconds or so, that it was going to be kind of sparse and boring but boy was I wrong about that! You did all kinds of great stuff that came together really well and kept me eager to hear what was next, and I thought the ending was sublime. The only jarring thing for me was when that trumpet-like lead entered at :47, but then it works well after that.

My Uncle was actually a firechief and his sons were firefighters, so I have some knowledge of it. In my opinion, and this just being honest (that's what you want right?) It doesn't sound like you're the type of person with the mentality for that job. First off, I wouldn't want someone whose primary motivation for the job is a "Kushy schedule" when people's lives are at stake. Secondly, are you certain that you are physically capable for the job? I hate to make assumptions, but generally people working long hours in chairs at any sort of call center and a relaxed schedule (which from my knowledge, firefighters don't actually have) is not typically the mark of someone who gets up and runs a mile every day at 5 am. Are you able to sprint for a long period of time? Are you able to lift a grown man or woman with minimal effort? Etc? Could you pass their tests? and from what my family told me, the tests (which vary by location) are usually a joke compared to what the job actually demands. Further, and I know that you hear crazy shit as a dispatcher, but actually dealing with the situation in person is dramatically different: Are you going to be able to remain calm when it's you who has to pull the bodies out of the building? Seeing children who are suffering smoke inhalation and might even have horrific injuries? Car accidents leaving people mangled or dead? Are you prepared to die saving a stranger? The list goes on But in my opinion, if the answer to any of those questions is "no" — then it's not the job for you. So for you and the sake of your community, I hope that you really take a good look within before deciding to pursue this further.

(Working in a call center was actually one of my last jobs before going back to lots of school for a big career change. And scheduling control will actually be one of the benefits of the change.) It's a hard question to answer because, if you're starting a new path, there are so many job paths to attempt. There are certainly other jobs besides firefighting that may have better schedules than the one you have, so you have to ask yourself "why firefighting?" For example, I have an acquaintance who was finishing medical school and chose to do emergency medicine because of the schedule. They can work ridiculous shifts but then have loads of time off, depending on how you and the hospital want to set it up. (We're talking every other week off.) He was right about the schedule, but he underestimated how much the job would drain his soul. Now he apparently regrets choosing it, wishing he had just done family medicine. My point is, if scheduling is what you're going for, and if you're willing to do some extra training such as firefighter school, I have to think that there are many options besides firefighting open to you. Firefighting might be the right choice. But I don't think scheduling is the single reason that should guide you towards it, especially if you're hesitant about the other aspects of the job. Reading between the lines, though, maybe there are other reasons firefighting interests you right now? You have some proximity to it right now as a dispatcher, it probably wouldn't require too many years of your life to switch into it, you probably wouldn't have to move cities, it's a very respectable vocation, it doesn't have a lot of employment uncertainty (as far as I know)... many of those things may feel emotionally desirable to you right now as a father/boyfriend. So, it might be the right choice for some of those reasons, but make sure it's for the right long term reasons. My general feeling is that, if you are willing to put in the resources to switch careers and you're young enough to make the investment worth it, make it a damn good switch.