For the first time this semester, I hit a little bit of a wall when it came to an assignment during week four. It wasn?t writer?s block. The assignment ? to describe a day in the life of a Crocs customer ? actually appealed to me.

My problem was plain old procrastination. I seemed to come up with every excuse in the book not to write my paper, including attending the annual Wings Over Pittsburgh Airshow with my husband Tom and son JT on a hazy summer Sunday afternoon.

(JT uses dad’s binoculars to get a closer view of the show)

The stars of the show this year were the Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying team. These men and women fly F-16 fighter jets in ways you?ll never believe possible until you actually see them. Their signature formation is four aircraft flying in a diamond shape, with noses, tails and wings so close together that from the ground they look as if they?re almost touching. The effect is absolutely breathtaking: the straight lines of the white aircraft, perfectly aligned, framed by the blue sky. It looked like a piece of art.

(Look closely in the sky and you might be able to see the Thunderbirds in a triangle formation)

That got me to thinking. I wouldn?t have necessarily have put an Air Force fighter pilot on my list of the most creative people. But someone had to come up with the big ideas for the formations and tricks the Thunderbirds do, and someone had to bring the ideas to fruition. Kind of like the account planners, copywriters and creative directors in an agency work together to come up with a great advertising idea and make it come alive.

We?ve talked a lot in this class about the need to ruminate on a creative problem before the big idea comes. We?ve also discussed how getting away from the problem and participating in something creative (like attending a play, movie or concert) can get the juices flowing.

After seeing beauty in the skies during my afternoon at the air show, I was able to go home and finish my paper in no time. This just goes to show that you never know where you?ll find beauty, creativity ? and inspiration.

(JT had his picture taken and got an autograph from one of the Thunderbirds pilots)

By the way, there were plenty of people at the air show wearing Crocs, but for one afternoon I put away my reporter?s notebook and stopped in my quest for primary research on the brand. I don?t want people to start thinking I?m a stalker!