#It's like a transcendent experience just to gaze upon digital snow

[icewindandboringhorror]

i can tell summer has been very hot and annoying to me this year because just seeing snow in the sims is enough to be deeply emotionally moving 

#like it doesn't even look that nice. its just a plain default house with pixelly trees and stuff but literally even seeing reminders #of snow and winter it's just like aAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA i feel like i could cry ghhj #It's like a transcendent experience just to gaze upon digital snow #I feel like I have the opposite of that seasonal affective disorder thing where people get depressed in the winter and are so happy #to see summer and warm weather. for me it's like the second it starts to get warm I am filled with nothing but dread and miserable until #it's finally fall again and ESPECIALLY winter. my only complaint is that I hate being out at night or driving in the dark #or going anywhere and doing anything if it's not daylight. so in the winter when it starts to get dark at like 4pm its super limiting #IF it were reversed where winter had the longest daylight and summer had the shortest then winter would legitimately be the absolute perfect #season in every way. Short days is it's only solitary flaw #Just like longer days/more daylight is summers ONLY positive #I'm sure this is also different for people with central heating and air but for those of us with either zero ac or a tiny little #dinky window ac thats hard to install and uninstall every year and doesnt actually get the whole house and etc. etc. etc. #then it's just like.. idk how I'm supposed to enjoy constant headaches and being drenched in sweat #and unable to sleep half the time because it's 85F INSIDE OF MY ROOM when tryong to get comfortable and being basically unable #to go outside because you feel like you're going to pass out and you have to keep like 5 layers of heat/light blocking curtains up #just to try and reduce it a little so it's just like 2-3 months sitting in a steaming dark box sweating and miserable #And then people are like 'thats why we go on vacation! it's my favorite season because I get to travel away from the heat and go to the rive #r or the coast!' and it's like.. okay.. if it was REALLY a good season then you wouldnt have to travel just to get away from it like hghb #that argument just makes it look bad? 'Summer is good because I can enjoy spending my time escaping the conditions of summer!' #ANYWAY.. i hope cooler weather will finally arrive soon. there are STILL days in the mid-high 80s here... why was is like #87 degrees this afternoon on fucking September 25th .... w h y #I know climate changes is affecting the entire everywhere but it seems to be heating up so quickly on the west coast #If I cant get to the uk or canada or at least back to the northeast US in the next few years I am going to become an evil villain #idk how much longer I can take this before I transform into a rabid beaste #ANYWAY.. as always.. my mood is craving the cold.. craving snow.. I love being cold so much. I used to sneak into the walk in cooler at #daycare when I was a kid legit like cold has just always been so comforting for me. I am not built to be even moderately warm ever at all lo #l... It is so draining and the longer that summer goes on the more intense it is until I'm like crying at sims pictures ghjbj

[balticacoloringbooksblog-blog]

Beginning of “Baltica” coloring books

It all started with sentiment followed by nostalgia and culminating in patriotic devotion. Everyone experiences different impacts when someone passes away... Death, to me, has always been a point of reflection and time of re-evaluation. When grandpa's journey on this planet ended a few years ago, our family started a new chapter. Sorting through his relics and thousands of knick knacks, grandma sharing stories from the past, grandkids trying to be supportive and helpful in the process... On one of those “load a donation truck ” days (as official bookworm of the family) I was going through mountains of books and folders. Worn out and dusty covers, incomprehensible handwritten notes, old pictures, mysterious pamphlets and a lot of newspaper clippings. Between sneezing, historian curiosity, obsessive organizing, and lots of coffee; the puzzle of grandpa's life was coming together. Materials in Latvian, Russian, German and English unfolded his life – a man who was taken from his country at a young age into the German army in WWII, lost his leg and immigrated with nothing but a few dollars and a wooden box to America! Embracing the thought of fragility of life and sentiment my eyes continuously rested on traditional Latvian folk art symbols all over the house – souvenirs, pillows, quilts etc. Grandma handed me a folder filled with Latvian folk art embroidery and patterns by aunty Viola; who was amateur folk costume maker. I paged through it and added it to my pile, thinking not much of it.... At some point later in the year, I stumbled upon it again and something struck me.... The pages once were white as snow were now slowly turning into yellow dust (falling apart and it was mine). Staring admiringly at the beauty and antiquity of drawings my thoughts wandered. For some reason numbers of decreased Latvian population and statistician projection of Latvia vanishing from the world map came to mind. How uplifting – I thought to myself! Then I asked; What can I do about it? There must be something I can do to preserve the art! Thoughts picked up tempo and took off like Porsche without brakes! The decision was made – I will redraw all of this and share it with the world. So it's not just another thing that gets swallowed by the past but merges onward into future. There is beauty and value in this! Let's Latvianize the world by continuing legacy in this digital age! Immediately I shared this with the woman whose material served as inspiration for this endeavor – Viola Snitke. She was flattered and happy for the idea. She has always been a great encourager for me to pursue arts. The process began slowly but surely. Online store “European Index” was born in 2015 representing Latvian national art patterns and designs. Somewhere in the middle of 2016 long time dream to illustrate books came to life and within the midst of working on several coloring books, it dawned on me... Why not to make a folk art coloring book? In a vigorous pursuit to accomplish this task by November 18th (Latvian Independence day) added extra heat. A week before publishing deadline, the book was submitted to the printing company and I waited for the proof to arrive. Thrilled and proud about the process I sent update emails to Viola. She didn't respond and it was alright as I knew she hasn't been feeling her best lately. I wanted her to be the first to hold the book! Fidgeting in excitement countdown was on! On September 16th I went to visit granny, don't remember was it sunny or not, did we have coffee as usual or not because as I entered the house she sat me down and told me that aunty Viola had passed away. The unexpected news threw me into shock! Why? How? Are you kidding me?! From uncontrollable tears and sobbing embrace with granny to going on about my work day like a zombie with sudden teary outbursts. Next day “Baltica” arrived …."isn't that ironic?" I opened the package and silently laid it on the desk. After some time I picked it up and paged it with a critical eye. Have to edit more, I nodded to myself and went for a walk. The dark sky was home of million sparkles. Gazing up I asked “Couldn't you wait? Like really? Few days at least! ” I felt back into silence and anger mixed with calmness washed over me..... night chill biting my bones made me turn back. I don't remember exactly when it came to me, but I had this realization of her blessing, that she has transcended into this project … It gave me strength to continue. After successfully launching the first “Baltica” coloring book I started to create the second with even greater zeal and am now working on the next in line. My hope is that “Baltica” coloring books will brighten your day and bring relaxation with every colorful stroke you make. Sincerely, Alice Koko

#baltica #latvian #coloringbook #sentimental #true story #latvia #heritage #european #heritage project #onceuponatime