Tony Dovolani & Melissa Rycroft -Dancing with the Stars Champs

Another Storybook Line: Tony & Melissa Prove Underdogs can be the All_Star Champions for Dancing with the Stars.




Last night I voted for team Tony Dovolani & Melissa Rycroft to win the All Star Championship Mirror Ball Trophy. And win they did.   Tony Dovolani who is a real ballroom dancer with seven professional ballroom championships title to his name never won a Mirror Ball Trophy from Season 1 to Season 14.
Season 15 made history because all three finalist stars were females(Kelly Monaco,Shawn Johnson & Melissa Rycroft). Usually the females are eliminated early because majority of female votes vote for the male stars who are usually star athletes or movie stars.

 It took 15 seasons in Dancing With the Stars  for Tony  to win the trophy where popularity of stars counts rather than dancing skills . Majority of the competitors had already won Mirror Balls Trophy but not Melissa Rycroft where she placed third in Season 8 behind 1st place Shawn Johnson an Olympic Gold Medalist gymnast and 2nd place actor Gilles Marini of "Sex & City" fame.  Melissa Rycroft was selected in the Bachelor series final episode by the bachelor but Jason dumped her for another lady. After being dumped, Rycroft was asked to join the Dancing With the Stars competition after only a few days notice. She danced well.

Last night they got perfect 10s in their samba and freestyle. Tonight they got all 9.5 for the instant samba. But they got  the  votes. The fans noted that it's about time Tony wins and the underdog Melissa take home the trophy.

Congratulations Melissa & Tony for winning the All Star Championship at DWTS. Here's a look at their samba in week 3.

My Four Gigantic Scrolls on the Altar For November

Becoming  a Soferet or a Scribe





The Blogger's four  scrolls displayed for the entire month of  November at the two side altars. This is  a Thanksgiving Mass 

   Soferet  means  a scribe , a traditionally male position who  transcribes Jewish Hebrew  texts like the Torah. In today's world a scribe can be a woman like Julie Seltzer. Generally a scribe in ancient tradition is one who writes spiritual text and the writings are presented or displayed on holy place like an altar.  In the Christian world, they are called evangelists like Luke,Matthew, Mark, & John . These scribes who wrote Gospels for the Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Thanksgiving at St. Veronica's. Scrolls are 15 feet long, 3 feet wide.

  Does a scribe need to be a star calligrapher with 30 to 40 years of experience who can calligraph  the best letters you can possibly imagine?  A calligrapher with tons of accolades? One who is heavily published in journals and displayed in several galleries or museum? Not so fast. Take for example Julie Seltzer a baker who was self-studying a Hebrew script for one and a half year and while walking on the street had an awakening to write the Torah. She doesn't not belong to an exclusive Society where only the very best becomes member.  Her story suggest she was  called upon and recruited by a powerful force , like the Creator of the Universe to write something spiritual.



Thanksgiving  at St Veronica's Church



After Kalligraphia 13 ended, I was asked if I'd like to do a scroll to honor the parishioners who passed away for the year. They were going to be displayed for "All Souls Day " in November. I said yes immediately because I though there would only two scrolls of small sizes. The requirement was the names would be readable.

When I was given the paper , "Oh my these scrolls are big." Not only they are long (two scrolls of 15 feet, two scrolls of 13 feet in length; 36 inches or 3 feet wide). Where I would write these scrolls? My little studio at the backyard doesn't have a long big table? I almost withdrew my yes. I wrote each name on smaller pieces of paper and remembered how these people who are now gone had lived their lives.

  Good--- the St Veronica's Pastoral Center had a room full of  tables  where I can lay down the scroll.  I also got help from my sister-in-law Gina and my sister Cora and her husband Joe to put the scroll together. My problem was some names are long and some are short - so there was not an eveness of my letterweight. My border is a simple line colored in purple, color for sorrow.

                                             names in scroll separated by a circle of gold with a simple purple border

This little project of making four gigantic scrolls left me exhausted in October because I also work full time. However it was  about honoring other people who have changed their address from earth to another unknown world.  I felt good when I saw my scrolls displayed on two side altars for the entire month of November. A work  displayed on an altar,a sacred holy place makes me feel  like a scribe of  the ancient evangelists. Better than being displayed on a gallery or on a journal. When your work is placed on an altar, it is as if the Creator chooses you to be a part of his Divine Universe.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

A  day to exercise gratitude.  List all the things you're thankful for .

 thanksgiving poem passed from email to email:

TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING,
BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP.
I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS,
I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.
THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED -
THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE,
BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION
WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT.
TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION,
THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION.
SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR,
AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.
GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,
PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.
I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND,
'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.
I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY,
WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.
BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES....
HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.


MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY,
MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP.
MAY YOUR POTATOES 'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.
MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS.
MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!!
HAPPY   THANKSGIVING   TO  ALL
click on pumplin pie to see an animated card

PUMPKIN PIE 

 

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MVP

YES! SF GIANTS  Catcher & First Baseman  Buster Posey is the MVP for  National League in a Landslide Vote




Buster Posey Speaking at Civic Center  on World Series 2012 Parade Celebration

 Congratulations to  San Francisco Giants catcher  Buster Posey & member of the World Series 2012 Championship team  for being the  National League Most Valuable Player. Well-Deserved.

Let's also congratulate Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers(the World Series opponent  of the SF Giants) as MVP for the American League.

Fans look at the gigantic screen set-up at the Civic Center to celebrate the 2012 World Series Championship parade to honor the
San Francisco Giants



Happy Diwali - Indian Festival of Lights Celebration

Today, I enjoyed a Diwali Indian celebration. It's fun to learn something new from another culture.  I didn't have any Indian costume so  my new-found friend Mahdavi(meaning 'garland')  gave me a 'bindi' to put on the forehead. Don't know what a bindi is?  A bindi (Hindi: बिंदी, from Sanskrit bindu, meaning "a drop, small particle, dot") , or a bottu is a forehead decoration worn in South Asia (particularly India). Pushpa (meaning flower) promised to buy me a  similar dress  to what she was wearing, an Indian national costume when she visits India.

The festival of light  brings out the light from human beings in order to fight evil things emanating from darkness.

Now I know what Deepak  means.  Deepak Chopra is  one of the well-recognized Indian names because of his bestselling books and lectures.

Below  Deepak Potnis  who organized the celebration describes what Diwali means in his email.

Diwali or Deepavali popularly known as the "festival of lights" (In Sanskrit language, “deepa”= lamp, “avali” = series of) is a festival celebrated by Indians all over the world. It is celebrated in the month of (Karthika) October or November as per the Indian Lunar calendar.

Diwali involves lighting of small clay lamps filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. Celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends. This festival is spread over 5 days; each day of festivity signifies an event in Indian mythology. In each legend, myth and story of Diwali lies the significance of the victory of good over evil; and it is with each Diwali and the lights that illuminate our homes and hearts, that this simple truth finds new reason and hope.

Diwali lights, illuminate every home, street and corner and the scent of incense sticks hangs in the air, mingled with the sounds of fire-crackers, joy, togetherness and hope of beginning new and prosperous year Each day of Diwali is celebrated with a different ritual in Indian homes.

The Meaning of Barack

President Barack Obama Wins Re-election. Congratulations




As a  scribe or a  'soferet', I wondered where the name Barack came from.

 If you had  been reading the Bible, Barak is an ancient Hebrew name meaning to bless, to kneel ,
a gift, a blessing. In some instances it meant lightning.

Jeff Benner has a website and it has tour for Hebrew origins.  I found a Hebrew Alphabet Chart which is of interest to calligraphers.

From the West Coast ,it was a SHORT  night after all. Governor Romney who put up a good fight gracefully conceded.


P.S. For those following this blog, I've not finished writing about the pieces of Kalligraphia 13.

Election Time: Who did you vote for?

It's a Historic Tie


Calligrapher Alan Blackman in  his Halloween attire votes for his pumpkin with his smiley signature



President Obama and Governor  Romney have made history. Each received five votes in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.
It's the tightest Presidential election ever. Put on your seat belts and you're in for a long night.