It’s been a blast
Note: explosions can be painful
By Carl Staab ‘01

	I find it hard to believe, in a way, that I’m writing a farewell article.  Despite what some people have said, it doesn’t feel to me as if freshman year, or even junior year, was “just yesterday,” but instead, sometimes I feel like I’ve been here forever.  Overall, though, it’s been a pretty good forever.
	Being copy editor has been frustrating at times (most times, it seems).  However, I seem to have sustained no permanent damage- I’m still crazy enough to do it again.  I’d like to thank the writers and editors who got their stuff in on time (you should know who you are).  Thanks to Dan Caja, who has no connection to the newspaper but inspired the “Monkeys Tapping on a Keyboard” award, responsible for saving my sanity through bitter entertainment on many late-night occasions.  I do want to apologize to Matt Hutton and Mr. Piché for venting on them sometimes when articles weren’t coming in.  (I vented on the page editors too, but they usually deserved it.)  I do wish I’d written more articles this year, but there’s nothing I can do about that now.
	To next year’s editors: Good luck.  I hope you manage to get out 15 issues.  Try to get stuff in on time (fat chance of that).  I hope the journalism-writing elective brings new writers in and improves the general quality of the articles.  I really hope this new schedule works out for you.  Please don’t use the word “quinmesters,” though.  “Terms” is probably best, though I’m personally fond of “fifths.”  Never, ever, EVER, submit to the censorship without a fight.  Someday, someone will win that fight, and the newspaper will be much better for it.
	Finally, to my successor as copy editor: You won’t always do a perfect job.  You might not even always do a good job (I didn’t, either).  But do your best.  You are at least as important as anyone else in the system.  Without you all the luck in the world won’t let the other editors make a great paper.  And have fun.  Somehow.  Like I did.