May. 4th, 2003 05:40 pm
A real title
When I was hired at the Selma Times-Journal, I was given the title "desk editor." Pretty much, I was a jack of all trades. I write stories, shoot photos, updated the website, layout and designed news pages and now I compose ads. There was little I didn't know how to do in the newsroom.
Today, I come to work for only the second time since my return from Utah. As I'm talking with Paul and John, the new sports editor, Paul drops in a line about me being the paper's copy editor.
"Wait," I said. "I'm not a copy editor. I'm a desk editor."
"No, you're not," Paul replied. "You're a copy editor."
"Since when?"
"Since a couple weeks ago. How can you edit a desk?"
I grabbed a paper and looked. Sure enough, it says Megan Lavey - Copy Editor. I grinned. Paul had just given me my ticket to my way out of here. He gave me a REAL TITLE. No one knows what a desk editor does. Everyone knows what copy editors do. I wouldn't have to explain my position at the paper any longer.
So, happy and secure with my new lot in life, I start to layout pages. Then Alan, one of the other reporters, comes walking in. I ask him why he's here.
"I want to layout pages," he replied.
Now, Alan is considered our lead reporter. He must churn out at least 15 stories a week. But, he wants to learn layout ontop of that. Ambition is a good thing. However, today there isn't much for him to do. John and Paul did some of the paper before I came in and I was going to do the remaining four pages. It wouldn't take me long at all. So, I told Alan we didn't need him.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because....I want to do them. Because I haven't worked in over a week and it's MY job to do them."
Blunt, yes. But, there essentially was no point in me coming into work today if Alan was going to take over more pages. This was quickly turning into a case of waaaaaay too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
Alan kept whining. I finally forked over enough material for one page and proceeded to ignore him.
I can't wait to get out of here. This place is starting to suffocate me like the massive humidity that weighs everything down.
Today, I come to work for only the second time since my return from Utah. As I'm talking with Paul and John, the new sports editor, Paul drops in a line about me being the paper's copy editor.
"Wait," I said. "I'm not a copy editor. I'm a desk editor."
"No, you're not," Paul replied. "You're a copy editor."
"Since when?"
"Since a couple weeks ago. How can you edit a desk?"
I grabbed a paper and looked. Sure enough, it says Megan Lavey - Copy Editor. I grinned. Paul had just given me my ticket to my way out of here. He gave me a REAL TITLE. No one knows what a desk editor does. Everyone knows what copy editors do. I wouldn't have to explain my position at the paper any longer.
So, happy and secure with my new lot in life, I start to layout pages. Then Alan, one of the other reporters, comes walking in. I ask him why he's here.
"I want to layout pages," he replied.
Now, Alan is considered our lead reporter. He must churn out at least 15 stories a week. But, he wants to learn layout ontop of that. Ambition is a good thing. However, today there isn't much for him to do. John and Paul did some of the paper before I came in and I was going to do the remaining four pages. It wouldn't take me long at all. So, I told Alan we didn't need him.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because....I want to do them. Because I haven't worked in over a week and it's MY job to do them."
Blunt, yes. But, there essentially was no point in me coming into work today if Alan was going to take over more pages. This was quickly turning into a case of waaaaaay too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
Alan kept whining. I finally forked over enough material for one page and proceeded to ignore him.
I can't wait to get out of here. This place is starting to suffocate me like the massive humidity that weighs everything down.
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