diff --git a/constants.hpp b/constants.hpp
index 7e5a7f1..7d4e114 100644
--- a/constants.hpp
+++ b/constants.hpp
@@ -6,5 +6,5 @@ constexpr const int FRAME_LIMIT=60;
 constexpr const bool VSYNC=true;
 constexpr const int TITLE_SIZE=124;
 constexpr const int CONTENT_SIZE=94;
-constexpr const int CONTROL_WIDTH=400;
-constexpr const int CONTROL_HEIGHT=400;
+constexpr const int CONTROL_WIDTH=1000;
+constexpr const int CONTROL_HEIGHT=1000;
diff --git a/control.cpp b/control.cpp
index f0834dd..c027096 100644
--- a/control.cpp
+++ b/control.cpp
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ ControlUI::ControlUI(sf::RenderWindow& presenter) :
 {
   $gui.position(0, 0, CONTROL_WIDTH, CONTROL_HEIGHT);
   $gui.layout(
-      "[status]"
-      "[docs]"
+      "[status|=%(100,100)current]"
+      "[docs|=%(100,100)next]"
       );
 }
 
@@ -29,12 +29,24 @@ void ControlUI::init() {
   auto docs_id = $gui.entity("docs");
   $gui.set<guecs::Text>(docs_id, {L"A: win left\nD: win right\nQ: quit"});
 
-  $status = $gui.get_if<guecs::Text>(status_id);
+  auto current = $gui.entity("current");
+  $gui.set<guecs::Text>(current, {L"Current Slide"});
+  $gui.set<guecs::Rectangle>(current, {});
+
+  auto next = $gui.entity("next");
+  $gui.set<guecs::Text>(next, {L"Next Slide"});
+  $gui.set<guecs::Rectangle>(next, {});
 
   $gui.init();
+
+  // warning! must come after init so the thing is there
+  $status = $gui.get_if<guecs::Text>(status_id);
+  dbc::check($status != nullptr, "failed to setup the status text");
 }
 
 void ControlUI::render(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
+  dbc::check($status != nullptr, "called render before init?");
+
   auto pos = $presenter.getPosition();
   auto size = $presenter.getSize();
 
@@ -46,12 +58,14 @@ void ControlUI::render(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
 }
 
 void ControlUI::handle_events(sf::RenderWindow& controller, const sf::Event& event) {
-  if(const auto* key = event.getIf<sf::Event::KeyPressed>()) {
-    if(event.is<sf::Event::Closed>()) {
-      controller.close();
-      return;
-    }
+  dbc::check($status != nullptr, "handle_events called before init?!");
 
+  if(event.is<sf::Event::Closed>()) {
+    controller.close();
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if(const auto* key = event.getIf<sf::Event::KeyPressed>()) {
     auto pos = $presenter.getPosition();
     auto size = $presenter.getSize();
 
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 8201b0b..34e8a67 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   presenter.setFramerateLimit(FRAME_LIMIT);
   presenter.setVerticalSyncEnabled(VSYNC);
 
-
   auto data = parse_slides(argv[1]);
 
   SlidesUI slides(data);
@@ -35,6 +34,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   ControlUI control_ui(presenter);
   control_ui.init();
 
+  dbc::check(control_ui.$status != nullptr, "bad ptr");
+
   while(controller.isOpen()) {
     while (const auto event = presenter.pollEvent()) {
       if(const auto* mouse = event->getIf<sf::Event::MouseButtonPressed>()) {