Instinct is when you just KNOW

Yesterday I listened to 4 of my class read the same book, one after the other practically. Fortunately it was not too dull. It was about tigers. A word which popped up was 'instinct' and because they're clever and have a good teacher, they used the glossary to look it up.
We talked about the fact it's when you just KNOW something, you're not told.
I should trust mine more.
My neighbour tried to panic monger the other day by telling me he thought my cat's collar was too tight. I said- didn't you take it off him then? I pointed out the fact that he sees my cat far more than I do and that I had not seen him in 2 weeks. His partner then said- 'I'm sure it's alright, he seems to be able to eat ok'
OH MY GOD!
So I am left standing there, trying not to hyperventilate with thoughts of my small strangulated cat wandering the village, slowly starving. I should have trusted my instincts. He came in this morning at 3am, miaowed and I got up, checked his collar and fed him. The collar is perfect. It has not moved. I have taken it off anyway. It was to discourage people putting their own on him, which happened once. I trust that the little ginger man will come home every so often so I'll check he's collar free when he does.

My instinct told me a few weeks ago, the school inspector was an arse. Before he came, we had our pre visit calls. Amongst many other demands, he asked for "a platter of mixed sandwiches". I was quite outspoken (not like me) about the fact that he seemed to think he was Elton John giving us his rider. I was told that he was a nice man and not to pre judge.
Some weeks later, I was right. He is an arse.

First impressions are often correct. Very often correct.
I've made this mistake before, decided I don't like someone on first impressions, then been convinced to give them the benefit of the doubt. In one case, this was a MASSIVE error.
When you go to someone's home for the first time and they
a) don't offer you a drink/seat etc and then b) offer everyone except you a doughnut, you are not mistaken in the fact that this person is a malicious cow.
When some years later they begin bombarding you with imtimidatory text messages telling you that you only give people the time of day if they have a degree and that you look down your nose at all and sundry, and that they intended to give your mother a hard time, but had been prevented, you can sit back, satisfied that your first impressions were correct.

What I often do, apparently to my detriment, is be quite harsh on people in the early stages of meeting.
I never liked a friend of my ex. Every time I saw him he would make some comment about how it was good to see me washing up/cooking/cleaning as that's what I should be doing as the little woman. I let this go a while, asked the ex to have a word, which he didn't. This friend came to the house where I live now. He came only once. It went a little like this;
Idiot- Ah there you are, washing up, good to see,
Me - Do you know, that is all you ever say to me?
This is MY house, I work full time and I pay ALL the bills.
I'm a bit sick of you speaking to me like that and actually I won't have it in my own home anymore.
He never came back - shame.I missed the misogynistic gems.

Today I am going to meet the woman who may be my boss in September. I will go on my first impressions and will hope that the interview panel does the same. For us staff, we are to enjoy a breakfast meeting this morning to get to know her. We'll see.