Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Rant & Rave
WHILE working on my school's yearbook, I suddenly began to feel as if I was in scenes straight out of "Hamlet." It’s not always
good to be kingThis is partly because I am the yearbook's editor-in-chief. As I mulled over those thoughts, three important revelations came to me:
1. Although I am tempted to yell, "O, from this time forth, My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!" to my staff members, it is important to remember that since I have already fired, laid off or forced the resignation of 50 percent of the yearbook staff, this comment is probably, uhh, inappropriate.But none of my dreams scared me more than the image of my section editor, "Laertes" Guinto saying, "My lord, I'll hit him (the editor-in-chief) now," and promptly striking me with a poisoned sword.
2. It is, generally speaking, not a good idea to yell, "To hell allegiance, vows to the blackest devil, Conscience and grace to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation!" to your advisor, the school, company representative, book factory plant or computer over upcoming deadlines. Especially the computer, because it will promptly retaliate by crashing.
3. It's time to study for AP Calculus, because if I'm thinking about AP English reading assignments, then I'm not concentrating hard enough on AP Calculus.Why would I imagine he would do that? Because of my management style.
The problem is that my high school is one of two schools in Hawaii that offer yearbook production as an after-school activity, rather than as a class. With no specialized journalism courses to entice and guide them, staff members either:
1. Need to get a life -- as in getting a girlfriend -- (me for instance), orIn any case, this doesn't make my life easier.
2. Are incompetent, inept, and incapable of knowing the difference between Viagra and Viacom. OK, maybe some of the staff members just procrastinate. Some really don't do the job. It's sad, when considering the principles of "senioritis," that the most effective yearbook workers on staff are seniors and that "Laertes" fellow.From 35 students, we're down to 13 on staff. And, as if the rules of inverse multiplication are in effect, more work is being done now with 13 than with 35 students.
Yes, getting rid of slackers does work miracles!
But by cleaning up, I've gained more enemies, just as when Hamlet slew Polonius
It's hard enough to be strict on having to be on time, to work on job assignments, to manage the pages, to operate the always-crashing computer, and to open the bathroom on weekends so we can have access to the washroom sink, but when the staff ridicules you over everything, then you know something's up.
To be quick about it, I'll admit I have no idea whether what I do is right, and it's my guess that a lot of bosses sometimes feel the same way. But if my senses are right, it doesn't matter.
The advisor has brought in a new batch of trainees from the freshmen class, which I predict will become Fortinbras' army.
Those freshmen shall come, and will preside over the death of all the current yearbook staffers, just after my murder by that "Laertes" fellow.
In any case, before I am "slain", there is the problem of the next calculus test.
So will anyone say "Go, bid the soldiers shoot" for me, please?
Sechyi Laiu is a senior at
Damien Memorial High School.Rant & Rave is a Tuesday Star-Bulletin feature
allowing those 12 to 22 to serve up fresh perspectives.
Speak up by fax at 523-8509; by answering machine at 525-8666;
snail mail at P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802;
or e-mail, features@starbulletin.com