Crock’s Thoughts

There’s a strange thing that happens when I start writing. I sit down at the keyboard with a simple plan. You know… maybe write a few paragraphs… and then boom! The next thing I know, two hours have vanished, my coffee is cold, and I’m pretty sure I forgot to blink for most of that time.

It’s not that I intend to disappear… it just kinda sorta kind happens.

So, my day job involves writing technical details about corporate jets. Now, to some people that might sound about as exciting as reading the ingredients on a cereal box. But for me, once I start digging into the details—systems, performance numbers, procedures—I fall down the rabbit hole. One minute I’m describing a component… the next minute I’m three manuals deep thinking, “Huh… that’s actually really cool!”

Then there’s the other side of writing—that creative side. Blogging is where my brain really runs wild. That’s where I get to chase ideas like a golden retriever chasing tennis balls. Except instead of tennis balls, it’s random thoughts like, “Maybe I should write about wind barbs? Wait… or maybe that frustrating day I was stuck behind a school bus? Hmmm… I kinda wanna write about some aviation history, too.”

Next thing you know I’ve got twelve new blog ideas, three half-written drafts, and approximately zero extra hours in the day. I mean, I really am the dog in UP… ”Squirrel!”

That’s the real problem. I don’t run out of ideas… I run out of time.

Writing isn’t the only place I get lost, though. Photography does the same thing to me.

When I’m out walking, I’m not just walking. My brain is constantly framing things like an imaginary camera viewfinder is floating in front of my face. I’m like, “Oooh… look at that light hitting that barn. Those shadows under those trees are perfect! If I stand over here and tilt the camera just a little…”

Meanwhile, normal people are just… you know, walking.

I’m over there crouching near a fence post thinking, “This could be a great shot.”

Because whether it’s writing or photography, it’s the same feeling: getting completely absorbed in something creative. The world gets quiet, time slips away, and ideas start stacking up faster than I can keep up with them.

Of course, the downside is that my brain is now basically a crowded airport with ideas circling overhead waiting for clearance to land.

Unfortunately, the runway—also kinda known as my free time—is very short.

But that’s okay. Getting a little lost in something you enjoy is a great way to live.