Self-made Bo — the implementation of success philosophy

We already had 6 video collaborations with Zirka for  "French Reportage".  But this time, after her announcement, there was a long silence. Politely, I didn't ask Zirka about working on her plan: maybe something doesn't work out, luck of time, of energy ?  In the end, I received another confirmation of Zirka's sociotype - "Administrator" - , one of the main features of which is to bring what's started to logical completion under any conditions.

So, on February 9, 2020, a bunch of information came to my e-mail box: 67 minutes of video from Chicago, almost fifty historic photos, and a recorded audio script.  As I got acquainted with the text, I began to realize the complexity of the task at hand: in a 13-mn video, it was necessary to somehow “shove” 60 years of one person's life, to touch the lives of past and future generations, as well as some activities of the diaspora, and even historical figures. Only now did I fully appreciate the length of the preparatory process. 

Active joint work on installation lasted 43 days. Already during this period, Zirka, in some incredible way, managed to get not only a photo of a phonographic record with a chorus, recorded under the direction of the heroine's mother, but also all the digitized audio recordings.  Was it possible not to include such material, at least fragmentarily, in the final version? So, at the end, symbolically sounds "Boje Velykyj jedynyj..." ("Great God is one ..."). 

During our joint action, we talked a lot with Zirka about the involved topics. For example, I was surprised by the fact that Dratvinsky's Choir had been recorded ! And it was in 1966 !  It turned out that all happened thanks to the sacrifices of the diaspora!  At one of the pictures, I saw a clergyman, but I didnt recognize Joseph Slipyj!  I still am amazed at how many photos and letters have been saved. After all, this story began in the middle of the last century ...

I ask Zirka Witochynska about the history of this creation ...

V.M. - How did the idea of ​​this story come about ?

Z.W. - The subject of Ukrainian-American cooperation, at the Strategic News Portal "Narodnyi Ohladach", and the first Ukrainian Post-Industrial Research Center UKRAINE-USA, established here, have inspired me.  I also wanted to shed light on the embodied concept of success philosophy.  I wondered : who, in my environment, can be involved in these two topics? 

And suddenly, came to my mind Bohdana, a friend of mine, from across the Atlantic.  But will she agree?  I had to understand her personal development, which was facilitated by numerous e-mails and Skype conversations.  Accordingly, the fact was considerably enriched, hence the delay over the blank page, and later, the filling along the seams of the "ball", which I was preparing to pass to you ... 

In the course of our collaboration, Viktor, our duality has been successfully expressed. It is the synergy of our sociotypes - mine, the "Administrator" you mentioned, and yours, of trustworthy "Peacemaker" - with your keen eye, engineering curiosity, and a penchant for creative collaboration, that made this acrobatic endeavor fun.  And yet, its quality will be appreciated by our dear viewers... 

V.M. - Where did you get such a wealth of historical information?

Z.W. -

• First of all from America; by the way, through this mass of data, I will immediately correct two items, which were pointed to by Bohdana Dratvinska-Golovan upon careful reviewing: 1) her son Raphael was born 1991, when she was 36. And she remarried in 2001; 2) I clarify at 6'45 '': "Because I created and managed the American subsidiary in Chicago of a large French inter-bank brokerage company, operating on the U.S. Financial Futures markets";
• from a remote place in France, where my sister Laryssa lives (500 km from Paris), whom I happily visited in the mids of transport strikes, and who carefully preserves some of the family archives;
• from Ukraine, to which I happilly made "a jump" as well miraculously in the same circumstances, where the Ben family retains another part of our archives - a special thanks to her;
• from the diaspora, which I forced to pick out documents by crumbs...

V.M.  - How did react to this video the heroine, Bohdana Dratvinska-Golovan?

Z.W. - Viewers to judge, we are dealing with a positive psychology's mentor : “Great work, Zirka! I fully recognize myself in this portrait - you have completely synthesized my mindset, the essence of who I am, the trajectory of my life...".

And that applies to your direction, Viktor: “This is a real art to do that in 13 minutes ! Also, I really like our 2 photos, posted at the beginning, and your playful expression."

Warm gratitude for cooperation to the Dratvinsky and Golovan families, Markian Mykula, Lara Witochynsky, the Ben' family, the Kopchuk family, Natalka and Tarass Horiszny, Odarka and Svyatoslav Mazuryk, Olha Wilson and Benedicte Howel.