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o-kemono — BrainWontShutOff
Published: 2012-02-08 16:13:40 +0000 UTC; Views: 3346; Favourites: 137; Downloads: 45
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"At work, my mind never slows down. I never have time to think about my or worries. After work, I focus on TV, video games and chatting with friends. I focus a lot of attention on my friends. The TV distracts my mind from the outside world. Video games put me in a state of bliss by just focusing on something that has a lot of colors and lights - my thumbs and fingers moving quickly to progress further in the game, revealing more of the story to me with every level I beat. My mind is too busy to think about my worries and my issues. Work, Games, Friends, Movies, Food. Thats all it thinks about. But when it's time for me to go to bed, when I hear nothing but silence, when my body lies still in bed, my mind slowly goes through personal memories, finding ways to have less respect for myself. It comes up with questions why I'm not doing what I "should" be doing in my life. It reminds me of my age and where I should be in my life compared to friends and family. It compares my life to others and how my life seems pathetic. ' Why can't I be here? Why can't you do this? Why aren't you there yet? ' I try to answer those questions as I lay still, but more questions comes up, making it harder and harder to answer or try to find the right answer. In the end, I find myself sitting up in the darkness, holding my stuff animal in my arms. My brain doesn't shut off, my eyes remain open. Sitting up or laying down, I remain awake until I can see a hint of the sun off in the distance. In order for me to answer the sea of questions my mind float upon, I have to make changes. But due to lack of work, money and freedom, I feel confined where I am. Feeling stuck, I get more depressed. More questions come up. When the time is near for me to get ready for work, those questions fade and I'm now on 'work' mode. I just know that those questions will haunt me again the next night. I just don't know how to answer them all..."Brain Wont Shut Off © 2012 Alex Cockburn
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Comments: 33
The reason I write this critique is not out of mere admiration for the piece and its accompanying story, but for how well it relates to my own life as well as many others. Many of us can be found in this exact scene, whether or not we'd ever admit it to ourselves or others. We question our purpose, our motives, what we're doing and should be doing but not for one reason or another. We worry about what every day will bring: Will there be failures? Will there be success? Have we made the right decisions to get where we are now?
The pose and facial expressions convey these emotions immensely well. It is unmistakeable, and invokes the urge to try and comfort or help the individual pictured. The disheveled hair enhances the image of worry you can see, and her laid back ears and downcast eyes turned to the stuffed animal for comfort confirm it.
Color would not help this image; the contrast of black and white shades keep the emotional context of the picture straightforward and easy to interpret. To add color would confuse it, distort the message.
An incredible image, in both art and emotion. Kudos to you, 0-kemono, for so well done a piece. I wipe my tears from my eyes as I finish this, and hope for myself that I too can pick myself back up for the next day to come, and those that follow after.
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That is very true for each and everyone one of us.
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Ho hum, that's the current state I'm in... I just came to the decision of.....Of...
To be honest not quite sure. But I just try and enjoy my life as it is now. ^^ Cause I know one day I'll get to where I want.
Btw, love all your art. =O Alll the emotions are absolutely bloitin beautifulllll!!!
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I'm gonna agree with the Critique again on this one. I blame the Economy, the government, various other things in the world today that have cause so many to end up in this situation. No job, no money, some, or many of us, living in the nest when we're long over due to have packed up and left, with those supporting us breathing down our necks saying "so, when you gonna move?" and what not. Or maybe that last part is just me. I could be wrong. Either way, this clicks to alot of things in the world right now. Well done once again, and thank you for sharing your beautiful work with us all <3
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Too much stimulus anymore in today's world, oh well.
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I've had this problem myself, though perhaps not as bad. There's just times my mind starts spinning and I can't seem to get it to slow down. And the best thing to do is talk with someone, yet it tends to make me think "No one understands" or that I'll be judged, or I'll just hear stuff I don't want to. So instead of doing what I need to in order to slow down, I go crazy. My heart suffers, work gets neglected, I withdraw into my room... it gets bad.
I think the best thing you can do is just talk to people. And if one person doesn't understand, try the next. Eventually, you'll find someone who does, or who can at least spin you down.
Lovely work again. Keep it up.
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Everyone goes through the same dang thing. a good solution to sleepamnia (unwrestlessness, cant sleep) is to find a comfortable position, relax the intire body, take deep breaths, and about a picture or a place that holds presonal sagnifagence. first start with a pre-school style illistration of the picture or place then slowly start to add detail and sound to the picture or place. then let the creative capabilities of the mind take over.
but about those questions, write them down and then later have a discution to yourself. write down your answers to those questions and talk to a good freind when you're good and ready to talk about it.
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Sleepamnia?
You mean 'insomnia'.
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yaugh sorry brain fart
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It's all right.
But to address the content of your message, insomnia works differently for people. There are many, many, many different causes for insomnia. The insomniacs I know have tried what you suggested and it doesn't work. Their insomnia (and mine) is caused by other things. Insomnia isn't a quick fix for a lot of people, and telling someone to 'think of something of great personal significance and slowly add details' is, in my mind, a mite offensive. Myself, and the insomniacs I know, have tried tactics like this but to no avail. Honestly, it's in the same camp as telling someone who suffers from clinical depression to 'just try yoga'. These issues aren't as easy to fix as some would believe, and there's a difference between 'insomnia' and 'a sleepless night'.
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ok I agree with insomnia has many different causes, I wasnt trying to be offensive. I've had some moment of sleep deprevation but only for two hours but that is only from a deep emotion of pure rage and I know that sleep deprevation for two hours is nowhere close to insomnia. thats why I sudjested ingaging in a deep discution with oneself to get rid of some of the stress. then write down the questions and answers for either later disutions or for a conversation with a good freind
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type-O: and think about a picture or place that holds personal signifagence
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*hugs* Been there...Still there. I feel ya. You've captured the idea and anguish in this picture and the accompanying description. It's very well done.
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I very rarely find something so well-drawn that I can relate to so profoundly. This is a beautifully done piece.
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I have been there all too aften
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i had this sitiation last night... this sint good at all D:
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Anais Nin wrote " The goal of a writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say." I think you got it down pat, the drawing and the blurb are very tale telling of things we can all experience at one point or another but usually cannot describe so vividly.
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I used to think the same way, but then I got myself onto a course at University. Maybe you should try the same, an adult learning course or something just to top up on your skills?
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Very nice, and I really like the teddy, so cute .3.
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You got a awesome style on your art and you seem to put so much thought into each and everyone you make. That is the reasons I watch your art.
This one, I actually like the thing you written more.
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I can identify very well with this.
Eventually the frustrations we feel subconsciously will surface when we have a moment of rest. Loneliness, fears and unhappiness at the very bottom of the heart, which we can push aside during activity will wait until we have no more distractions and engulf the entire world as we lie staring at the ceiling.
There is no cure for this...and I wish there was.
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...have had this problem all my life....oh well, there are worse things....great job on the art and story...
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I've asked myself the same questions. In the end it's all because of one person: Me. Because of my choices and actions I am not where I should be. Thus, due to my previous mistakes I find it harder and harder to make big choices that I know will impact my life. It all depends on how much I really want it. Or do I want to end up depending on other people for the rest of my life. Fortunately, that changes now, for me at least.
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oh boy, how I know these feelings. Its that kind of feeling that wont let get you back to sleep.
and I dont know a way to get out of this dead-end. I talked to a mental expert once and he said I need a long time in a mental health clinic to get better. getting away from the old life is the only chance to change.
I ignored that and face the fact that its my destiny to stay behind. behind others. being handicaped for ever. until my time on this planet is over.
true story
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I can relate to this all too well. To distract myself from my own life I focus on the lives of fictional characters... making up little "bedtime stories" for myself helps me sleep.
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