A knock on the head

on vulnerability and super powers potentially diminished

Last week I got clobbered by a car trunk which was coming down rather forcefully while I was not paying attention . If this has happened to you you know all about seeing stars ,and crumpling with the pain of impact on your tender head.

It seems to me that I am prone to such mishaps -and often when I’m not paying attention..daydreaming..preoccupied.

Afterwards I felt a bit swoony although experienced no major worrisome symptoms other than a sore head. When I started to think about potential concussion/brain injury (my numerous head bumps must indicate cumulative cause for concern ! I started to get a bit worried. I recalled the main thing I had learned about head injury was to rest..give your brain and eyes distance from screens and strain. What occurred to me foremost was the feeling of being vulnerable. Of not perhaps having those bounceback skills of my youth. I reduced my time both on screen and reading and my eyes (and brain?) seemed to appreciate the pause . I had recently been starting to do the 20-20 -20 thing giving my eyesight a breather from reading ,phone and computer if i caught myself sitting too long!

The concept is simple:Every 20 minutes, look up from your screen and focus on an item approximately 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Focusing on an item in the distance allows our eye muscles to relax after being subjected to prolonged screen time.

I had all of these ideas swimming in my head ..and yet no energy or impetus to create or write or even socialize with others. Louder music offended, and I found myself seeking quiet alone moments . Yes this seemed to also be a symptom of a head /brain injury ..the sensory part. Oh no! Of course every little change experienced in my functioning seemed magnified ! I wondered if my broken sleep and monster sized allergies might also be affecting how I felt,how I healed..

I thought about how much I value my health and how so easily all can change. Also that I can’t predict or count on my body’s ability to spring back in the same way as before

I attribute feeling in a bit of a funk to my head bump (but maybe it just was a funk!)

A few days later after not wishing to draw,read or subject myself to screens for any length of time I felt antsy to do something..make something ..

Participating in@HollySurplice wonderful Fox and Feather drawing date online via zoom was a definite tonic!

I was able to get cracking again and draw some lovely creatures live -rekindling my passion once more. ! Thanks also to the Icarus Falconry Holdenby for sharing their beautiful creatures with us :-) It would be impossible to witness these amazing creatures live without this kind of personalized experience .

Another post by@MarkGould was a refreshing and timely dip into dealing with those artistic voids..I read this on a day where I was a bit frustrated from not taking myself to the drawing table. It’s a quandary I revisit frequently -just being content with practising, playing, experimenting rather than producing for an end product.

In Search Of the Lost Muse

Sometimes a health issue or accident forces us into putting the brakes on ..sometimes things we love to do as well as things we have to do. As an artist I find a cold, an injury , or being just weary has impact on my creative practise. Of course it feels like my age must factor into this elongated recovery process! My appreciation for my health has risen tenfold -and this has set me into an action mode of attending to my art business with a little more focus and return to my daily drawing practise. Over the past few days I seem to have recovered more of my old self and the strongest indication of my return has been an interest in drawing again-coupled with some thoughts for this newsletter.

I thought this was interesting ..

“knock something on the head”

idiomUKinformal

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to prevent something from happening, or to finally finish something:

It's nearly done - another couple of hours should knock it on the head.

So if to knock something on the head sort of feels like a wake up call perhaps another way to look at it is

perhaps its time to get back at it again !

Have you recently experienced a gap in making due to something beyond your control?

What has helped you get back on track?