Reporter's Notebook
by Marcie Sillman
There was a popular saying when I came of age in the late 1960's and early 1970's: "don't trust anyone over 30." We were young in a young country. The new, the vibrant, the youthful, that's what mattered. Our parents were tragically square, our teachers…well, there wasn't anything we could learn from them. These days we revere things like heritage tomatoes, but for the most part, the latest thing is still most important in our culture.
Salumi artisan Armandino Batali and KUOW Reporter Marcie Sillman.
I'm no longer young. Depending how you do the math, at 55 I'm either in my old middle age, or young old age. At KUOW, I'm surrounded by 20 and 30–somethings. They're full of enthusiasm and the certainty that they've discovered truths their elders never managed to uncover. Although I've never heard them say they don't trust anyone over 30, I see my past in their present.
Nevertheless, our worlds don't often collide. They're Twittering, Facebooking and so electronically savvy they can document each personal experience in cellphone video, then post it online. I still like to write my stories with a pen, and while I do have a cellphone, I prefer to socialize face to face rather than on Facebook. But there's a certain joy I get in watching them learn the craft of journalism, and I'm happy to provide what advice I can.
And with age, I'm more likely to seek advice from people older than me. I've developed a greater respect and appreciation for their experience and knowledge. Most working artists, no matter their ages, continue to innovate, to create, to dream. The five artists I've profiled in this series, "Old Masters," are just a sampling of the many creative masters in the Puget Sound region. Each has an enthusiasm for their work, as well as the confidence that comes from years of experience.
In a youth oriented culture like ours, it's easy to fall into the trap of lamenting the passing years. The time I spent with Madeline Defrees, Dominique Gabella, Bill Smith, Fay Jones and Armandino Batali has renewed my own passion for what I do. And it has reaffirmed for me another old adage: you don't just get older, you get better!
