Why You Should Marry A Polish Lad

Dear sweethearts,

Today is the birthday of my wonderful better half :) The man that manages to make me swoon and sweep me off my feet on a daily basis. The man that has half of my heart replaced with his and matching his own. The man I can grown old to and still feel young. The man that makes me feel at home. The man next to which I am writing my love story - our love story.

So as a celebration for his awesomeness I thought I might share with you some reasons why one would marry a Polish guy. Stick around and listen:

• Poland is rich in art, history, architecture and natural beauty => somehow that was a pretty good environment to develop the guys into the perfect old-age gentleman. They still act like proper men, opening up the doors for the ladies and bringing them flowers. While walking through the Polish cities you will be able to see a lot of men - no matter the age and time of day - with flowers for their loved ones! 
• Polish men love to talk and always have a good discussion starter - Polish men are avid conversationalists and enjoy discussing history, politics, religion and economy. As compared to their American counterparts, Polish guys are less fanatical about sports and outdoor activities. That excludes winter sports (like sky jumping) & handball.
• Polish men are very traditional at heart - could be also due to the Catholic church influence? - Here men and women have clearly-defined roles and expectations in society. Men on the whole like women who are feminine in their appearance and behavior. The Polish women are well groomed and take particular great care of themselves. The Polish men will always be head of family and should be consulted in all family affairs.
• Polish men are proud/nationalistic and they love it - as the motto of the hussars said it "The Love To My Country Is My Law" and this runs through them, no matter the age or location/city. My husband has a tattoo with that ;) They are interested in their homelands history and will tell you all about it if you let them. They get over enthusiasted and their faces glow when they remember the good old days when hussars were the most awesome cavalry ever!
• Polish men can be very awesome cooks! I can tell you that my whole husbands family has great cooks! They can do magic in the kitchen and the results are just finger licking! You should taste my husbands leczo or zurek or spaghetti... just heavenly!

So if you have a chance, go get yourself a gentleman who seems very much take out of one of Jane Austens books. A men who cares about you and sticks to your heart like glue. This one goes for you Marek, for being the perfect awesome Polish gentleman :* Kocham cie, bardzo!

Yours truly,

The Twisted Red LadyBug (in love with the perfect Polish gentleman)

Try a New Perspective

Every photo tells a story. Although everybody now-a-days is stuck taking the same predictable pictures that lack their own unique story. The Unforgettable Photograph by George Lange and Scott Mowbray provides many tips on how to leave your comfort zone, and take a picture you might not consider "right". There are many angles and perspectives you can see the world through by laying down, standing up, sitting, crouching, looking down, or looking up, so dont limit what angle or perspectives you allow photos to have. "You never want to feel like your feet are planted in one place, that you are locked at eye level, standing up" (60).

Out of the many suggestions one was to move below a subject and look up. This gives the person or object a sense of being superior or more powerful than the photographer below (83).It is an angle at which you do not normally look at someone, unless they are much taller than you or you are sitting or laying below them, which gives it an interesting look! To accomplish this angle try laying down on your back and looking up, or have the subject raised above you and just simply take the picture standing. I took this picture of my friend by having her stand on a boulder in front of me to raise her off the ground. 

One of the other techniques that I attempted was moving the camera over the subject completely. As Lange says, "shooting from above is as simple way to eliminate the background and get an interesting picture: We dont usually look at the world this way" (92). It gives the viewer a completely different perspective on the subject than would normally be seen. I tried out this technique while in the snow, and took a picture focused on the snow that had fallen in her hair with only her head in the shot. This allowed for a picture in which rather than having a distracting background scenery or full body shot you get the clear idea of the picture instantly. It allows for a completely unique photo, as do all of the suggested techniques given by Mowbray and Lange.

What is your favorite angle or perspective to take pictures in? What types have you tried before?

Citation: 

Lange, George. The Unforgettable Photograph. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Company, 2013.

Volvo Car Corporation announces a new brand strategy Designed Around You

At a press conference in Beijing, Volvo Car Corporation today announced a new global brand strategy - "Designed Around You" - as an important part of the brands global revitalization plan. The management team from Volvo Car China also presented the progress of the China Growth Strategy including a sales improvement of 36 per cent for the first half of 2011.



At a well-attended press conference in Beijing on August 23rd, "Designed Around You" was announced as the new global brand strategy, an important component of Volvo Car Corporations global revitalization plan.



The strategy points out the direction of Volvos future brand development, and the key word is human.





"It summarizes our approach to understanding people, giving them a luxury experience that is a little more human-oriented - while at the same time linking firmly to our heritage of building safe and dependable cars.", said Richard Monturo, Vice President Global Marketing, Volvo Car Corporation, and continued;

"We are the most human-centric car brand in the industry. And we need to communicate that to our customers."

The new brand direction will be further demonstrated at the Frankfurt Motorshow in mid-September.



Also present at the press conference was the management team from Volvo Car China. Since last August, Volvo Car China has grown from a national sales company into a full-fledged organization including sales and marketing, manufacturing, purchasing, product development and all other supporting functions, headquartered in Shanghai.



In connection to the press conference, Volvo Car China also celebrated the opening of a new representation office in Beijing to strengthen its presence in the Chinese capital.



The introduction of the S60 sedan and other model year 2012 variants has won positive feedback from the market and sales volume in China surged by 36% to 21,000 units in the first six months of 2011 compared to the same period the previous year. For the first half of 2011, the XC60 crossover was the best selling Volvo model in China, followed by the S80L and the S60 sedans.



The sales network in China is expanding systematically, now totaling 117 dealerships nationwide. Further, the Chengdu plant construction has been kicked off and investigations are ongoing for a potential second plant.



"We now have the right market growth, the robust strategy and the right organization and people to successfully carry out the growth strategy in the Chinese market", said Freeman Shen, Senior Vice President and Chairman, Volvo Car China Operations.



| Volvo

A Pop of Color

One of my favorite techniques for photography is adding color to a black and white photo. I have loved this technique even before reading about it in A Beautiful Mess: Photo Idea book by Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman.

In Elsie and Emmas book, A Beautiful Mess: Photo Idea Book, they talk about how people used to add color to black and white photo prints by painting acrylic paint onto the prints. Many people, including Elsie and Emma, still use the old technique because they say, "Hand coloring is a retro technique that was used before digital photography" (98). These photographers continue to hand paint color onto their black and white prints because the result is a print that gives off a retro/vintage vibe; nowadays as time advance and technology keep getting better we no longer take the time to hand paint color onto a black and white photograph. We simply use a photo editing software to add any color we desire onto any place of the photograph, and by using a photo editing software we lose the vibe all great photographers try to capture in their work.

Below are some photos I took and used the technique of adding color to a black and white photograph. I did not use the retro technique of adding color by hand because I could not print black and white photographs nor do I have acrylic paint and photo paper.

In the first photo I decided to have the background in color instead of the hand because it would make the hand stand out more and also the blue was such a nice color. In my second photo I did the opposite of the first photo - instead of having the background in color I had the subject in color because I wanted it to be the main focus point of the photo. If the background was to be in color instead then we would not notice the light bulb that is in black and white because its so small and off centered.

 

From this technique and the book I learned adding color to a black and white photo does not just creates focus on the main subject but it also give off a vintage/retro vibe when you take the time to hand color a black and white photograph (Chapman and Larson 98). Now I know a simple way to capture the vintage/retro vibes photographers try to capture in their work. In the future I hope to be able to try hand painting color onto a black and white photograph.

 

My question for you guys is do you always try to capture a retro/vintage vibe in your photographs?

 

Citation: Chapman, Emma, and Elsie Larson. A Beautiful Mess: Photo Idea Book. New York: Amphoto, 2013. Print

Lights A Christmas Market

Dear friends,

Last weekend, on Sunday - December 1st, my awesome husbands sister dropped by in order to bring the second ring for the wedding. Oh! The whole ring story is quite a huge one, but in a nutshell we picked the most adorable rings ever! Which incorporated both my wishes and my husbands ;) We choose, measured and placed the order yet when the rings came they were not of the right size (Oh! The horror! The pain! The suffering!) so we had to return Mareks in order to get it reshaped.

That took a while and I waited in fear thinking it would not reach us before the wedding. Yet it did! :) It came to my husbands home address so his little sister came to us in the weekend and brought it to us. And, happily ever after, the 2 wedding rings got reunited ;) But after a while at our place we agreed to have a walk to the Galeria Krakowska in order to see the freshly lit Christmas decorations + The Christmas Market in the Main Market square.

I think you already know this place ;)

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadnt before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesnt come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!” ― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

“One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didnt get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone

“Christmas can be celebrated in the school room with pine trees, tinsel and reindeers, but there must be no mention of the man whose birthday is being celebrated. One wonders how a teacher would answer if a student asked why it was called Christmas.” ― Ronald Reagan (indeed! I agree with him there ;) yes I do! And we should all be ashamed of that!)

We also dropped by Carrefour in order to buy some small things for the girls back home so that my husbands sister could bring them :) Candies and such ;) And I got a present as well!!! A nice suprise from my awesome husband (then to be ;p). I always asked for a pony and a unicorn and somewhere at the beginning of our relationship he brought me a Kids Meal from Mc Donalds with a pink haired pony that I still have a love :) and now... he bought me an unicorn! with green hair! (in case you did not know, green is my absolute fav color!) - his sister thought that he actually bought that for one of the girls ;))) Well... what can I say?! I enjoy the small things :)

Me and my pretty unicorn :)

Then we headed off to the small Christmas Market next to the Galeria and further on to the main one in the Main Square :) So I will kindly leave you with the nice pictures + some Christmas quotes that I love :) you know... to get you into the Christmas spirit ;)

“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.” ― Laura Ingalls Wilder

“Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.” ― Charles M. Schulz

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ” ― Norman Vincent Peale

“And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans--and all that lives and move upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused--and to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins, He came down to earth and gave us Himself.” ― Sigrid Undset

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” ― Calvin Coolidge

Beloved Polish Painter: Jan Matejko - has a new statue :)

“What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace." ― Agnes M. Pahro

“Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart...filled it, too, with melody that would last forever.”
― Bess Streeter Aldrich, Song of Years

We had an artistic moment as a man playing an electric violin was in the Market Square. My husband liked his so very much that he bought his CD and we listened to it later on in the evening :) I love him!

Do you see the lady on the corner? The statue?

“Christmas it seems to me is a necessary festival; we require a season when we can regret all the flaws in our human relationships: it is the feast of failure, sad but consoling.” ― Graham Greene, Travels With My Aunt

A bit of an Alfred moment here with all these pidgeons ;))) And a lady with colorful hair that reminded me of my chameleonic sister :) She would have loved that color ;)

I really enjoy this picture of my husband with his sister :)

“Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!” ― Charles Dickens

Who wants some mulled wine?!

Or maybe some candies? :)

“Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given--when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes.” ― Joan Winmill Brown

“At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though Ive grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.” ― Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express

“And how did little Tim behave?” asked Mrs Cratchit, when she had rallied Bob on his credulity and Bob had hugged his daughter to his heart’s content.
“As good as gold,” said Bob, “and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

At the Market Square we could not help ourselves into buying some new earrings. I blame it all on my awesome husband who asked me if I (and his sister) wanted a pair ;))) How can I say no to such a proposal? I just could not help it so I went head on and took some pictures for you too ;)

“Remember, if Christmas isnt found in your heart, you wont find it under a tree.” ― Charlotte Carpenter

“If you desire to find the true spirit of Christmas and partake of the sweetness of it, let me make this suggestion to you. During the hurry of the festive occasion of this Christmas season, find time to turn your heart to God. Perhaps in the quiet hours, and in a quiet place, and on your knees—alone or with loved ones—give thanks for the good things that have come to you, and ask that His Spirit might dwell in you as you earnestly strive to serve Him and keep His commandments. He will take you by the hand and His promises will be kept.” ― Howard W. Hunter

“God is here. This truth should fill our lives, and every Christmas should be for us a new and special meeting with God, when we allow his light and grace to enter deep into our soul.” ― St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ Is Passing by

“At Christmas
A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas seasons here;
Then hes thinking more of others than hes thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.”
― Edgar A. Guest

I had a pair of earrings with The Lady With An Ermine :) And Dorota had some singing notes ;)

“I know what I really want for Christmas.
I want my childhood back.
Nobody is going to give me that. I might give at least the memory of it to myself if I try. I know it doesnt make sense, but since when is Christmas about sense, anyway? It is about a child, of long ago and far away, and it is about the child of now. In you and me. Waiting behind the door of or hearts for something wonderful to happen. A child who is impractical, unrealistic, simpleminded and terribly vulnerable to joy.”
― Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

A last Sunday view of the Main Market Square, before taking Dorota to the Galeria and us meeting with a dear friend over some lattes ;) But I will tell you more about that morrow ;) Loads of pictures included, of course! ;) So stay tuned!

“Christmas is a time in which, of all times in the year, the memory of every remediable sorrow, wrong, and trouble in the world around us, should be active with us, not less than our own experiences, for all good.”
― Charles Dickens, The Haunted Man and the Ghosts Bargain

“Christmas is the gentlest, loveliest festival of the revolving year - and yet, for all that, when it speaks, its voice has strong authority. ” ― W.J. Cameron

Yours truly,
The Christmas Lover LadyBug