Journalists and fishermen

Today came breaking news, nothing earth-shattering but still breaking news, related directly to one of my writing assignments, then an ensuing flurry of emails involving me, my assigning editor, a government official and a CEO. It was fun, a kind of madness I couldn't handle every day, but a reminder -- a taste of something I loved about journalism 25 years ago. It felt good to receive an email from the editor: "What does this mean?" because she knew I' spent the past two weeks getting a handle on this obscure controversy. It's like fishing (which I have never enjoyed, and yet can perceive the attraction): usually you release the fish because it isn't worth taking home and eating or showing off, but there's still the thrill of the struggle. Journalists and fishermen must both be present and alert and they are both storytellers, but journalists must refrain from hyperbole.