This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.
This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf
This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf
The prompt for the week is:
Iconic and Famous Figures Dinner
The Brief:
If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 special people who would you invite?
You can NOT include family in this – the special people could be famous or historical people.
What meals would you serve and why.
Perhaps include the recipe or a photo if you decided to actually cook the items!
Please look at the video for this week as it explains about week 14 too!
Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/#sthash.LXywwwLd.dpuf
I have to admit, I've been putting both prompts for dinner's off. The next one, on who would I have to dinner with family and friends (alive and dead), took me awhile to come around to, and I do have some thoughts on that one. However, this one? I don't have a clue what to do about it.
At first I thought, maybe people who influenced me? Nope, I have to say only family and friends (and in some cases people who were NOT friends or family) have done that. Then I thought about people important to where I grew up (New York USA) and where I now live (Australia). Yes, there are some influential people in either country, but honestly, it doesn't really interest me.
Then I started to think - what else can I do for the prompt? I thought if I could have a few sit downs with Famous & Iconic people who made decisions that affected others it might be interesting. So here are a few people I'd sit down with (along with a interpreter!) and the reasons why I chose them.
 |
| Bolesław II The Generous |
Bolesław II the Generous - When I first read about Bolesław's father, I thought that he was great because as a Duke of Poland, he reunited and gave people what they deserved - if you worked for it, you were rewarded. Upon reading more into the history, I found Bolesław. He was given a stable country people liked him and thought of him as a capable ruler. He gave the country many
monasteries and churches. Further, he also was one of the first to produce their own coinage or currency and this helped bring in money into the royals pockets. Because of this the economic and cultural development of the country flourished and was able to become sustainable in its own right. However, when he declared himself King of Poland, this upset many people. Remember Bolesław's father stayed a Duke of Poland because he knew once he declared himself a King, it would result in uprisings. Bolesław didn't seem to care and declared himself a King and the Polish nobles and others revolted and ended up having the King overthrown (to say the least).
I would loved to have a talk with him about why he decided to make himself a King, didn't he know why his father never took up being a King? Once the unrest started going towards revolt, what motivated him to keep going while the people were getting more upset, why didn't he listen? If he could have changed things, what he would have changed in how he did things. Would he have given up the Kingship and go back to a Duke or would he have stayed?
Josef Pilsudski - I have mixed feelings about this person. He was Poland chief of state in 1918, but wanted reestablishment of Poland’s independence which had been lost. He became leader of the Polish Socialist Party (PPS) and traveled to gain
 |
| Josef Pilsudski looking over the Polish Army |
some assistance with gaining back independence. Once revolutionary movement began, he returned to Russian Poland (as Russia had a majority of the land that was Poland when it was split up into 3 partitions) to help with the movement. He was highly instrumental in putting together a Polish Army. In 1916, they declared Poland an independent country which the other countries did not like and they set out to attack these armies. He refused to comply with the other countries to stand down and they arrested him in 1917. In 1918, West Germany collapsed and Pilsudski returned to Warsaw and became a hero and head and chief of Poland's Army.
I loved that he was a fighter and came from basically nothing. I can understand him wanting his country free again instead of split into 3 other countries. I'd love to ask him if it was worth all the fighting? Or would he have waited until the Polish Army was more set up and functional before setting out and declaring Poland an independent country. Would he have changed anything? Would there have been any kind of self defense taught? I would have talked about what the men that served in the Army would haven like and what the conditions were. This is due to a Great Uncle of mine serving in the Polish Army.
Princess Diana - Everyone knows Princess Diana's story or about it. Her struggles and only wanting to do right for her family, children, and anyone she could help. She started off as a shy teacher and became quite good at public speaking.
I loved that she had the courage to meet any challenges that were thrown at her. She did what was right and her way no matter what anyone else thought once she had enough of "doing the right thing" as she was probably instructed to do. I would love to sit down with her and chat about how she found the courage to do what was right and her way faced with the pressures she would have gotten from the crown. How she could pick herself back up once she was down and pressed on. What tips should would give all of us for doing the same?
Danny Thomas - Most people know that he was an comedian and actor. I was fortunate enough to actually talk to Danny Thomas when he was alive. Growing up, I did many charity things for babies and children. Many of these charity bike rides, walks and runs were for St. Judes. I was about 7 or 8 when I first got into doing these things. I just knew I was helping sick kids have a chance at getting better. Then I stopped for awhile doing this due to spending time with family. Anyhow, when my
sister, Theresa, decided to do something for charity, I suggested St. Judes as I had done things before with them. I told her to write to the company and ask them for support in advertising materials (bags, t-shirts were big things back in the 1980's). She did write to them and in return, Danny called her. I picked up the phone and passed it along to her. To say the phone call didn't go well is an understatement - in polite terms she told him that she didn't think it was him and hung up. I asked what was going on and she told me that someone pranked her and said it was Danny Thomas. I told it was probably him as he runs that charity. She didn't know this and when the phone rang again, she was very sorry over and over again to him. We did ended up getting the advertising materials and using them and donating the money to the hospital.
I would love to ask Danny if he ever would change what he did? I know he said that he would always open a shrine to St Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes.I know of this saint and is one of the ones I look up to as well. What other saints does he look up to? Why did he choose St. Jude Thaddeus to pray to that one night? What else does he wish he could have done? What tips would he give?
Patrick Swayze - Again most people would know that he was a singer, dancer and actor. He had made some mistakes and admitted to it and got help over the years. However, he was always faithful to his mother and wife from what I understand. When the chips were down, he backed out of the spotlight and kept what was most precious close - his family. When most people would have either given up or died from horrible pancreatic cancer, he stayed and fought like no tomorrow. However, it wasn't to be and he was taken from us.
I would love to sit there and talk to him about how he was able to back away from the spotlight. Also, ask and compare notes on how he and his wife, Lisa, were able to keep their marriage alive and survive not having children which is much like us. I think it would be interesting to compare notes and see what we did the same and what we did differently.
Besides, he was always a good looking man - who wouldn't want to sit and look at him all night?
The Dinner
 |
| Pierogi |
After sitting and talking to each person, I'd bring them together in the dining room and would serve a mixture of foods. This is due to the different influences. It would be like a Thanksgiving but would be more traditionally Polish. Some things would include: flatbread, forest berries, nuts and wild cabbage, beets, turnip, carrots, peas and cauliflower. Pickled cucumber or Pickles, oranges, lemons, olives, figs, tomatoes, pierogi, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage (Gołąbki) & peppers, steak (Karkówka) and chicken (Kurczak pieczony po wiejsku). For drinks: Vodka, milk, buttermilk and various herb infusions, tea, and coffee.
.jpg/300px-Faworki_(plate).jpg) |
| Faworki (we also call them Bow Ties in our family) |
honey,
Desert would be more of chocolate, Pączki and Bow Ties (or Faworki).
Discussion
This would include why we help who we help or fight for. What gives or gave us the strength to be as strong as we were/are. I would ask about religion as before I wrote this, I didn't know everyone (except for 1) had some kind of tie to the Roman Catholic Church. Some were the rulers or fighters, and others celebrated a Roman Catholic Saint. There's only one, Patrick, which I could find no connection to any church, which is interesting.
I would love to find out why each of us considers family or important and our love of them. Did they help with their strength when they needed it? How did they influence the decisions they made?
I think it would be a very interesting dinner and discussion overall.
Check back for the continuation of "The Book of me,
Written by You" series.
Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/#sthash.2yfPO9gS.dpuf
Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/#sthash.LXywwwLd.dpuf
The video is http://youtu.be/P8hzm6vq5Tg
The video is http://youtu.be/P8hzm6vq5T
The video is http://youtu.be/P8hzm6vq5Tg
