My Hutchison High School Reunion!

Memphis is a huge romantic draw for folks from all over the world. Elvis the King, the mighty Mississippi, Beale Street & its blues, even Mud Island and "GonerFest" (which was happening this past weekend, unbeknownst to me until I sat on the plane next to an Aussie coming specifically for this music blast) all pull people to this lush green city that never seems to change. Sprinklers whoosh artesian well water over the perfectly manicured lawns of "Trust Fund Alley" depicted in the movie of John Grisham's book, The Firm.

Here I am with Mary Jehl Kenner, one of my best friends from Hutchison, now in a high powered communications position with FedEx. Back in 10th grade we'd watch Mary Tyler Moore every Friday night and plot how we'd model ourselves after this dynamic career woman. And we did!

(As a joke, on Friday night at the "girls only cocktail party" I wore my Hutch Glee Club gold corduroy jumper from junior & senior years...just because I still could! It had unearthed itself from a wardrobe & storage unit this summer. Gotta give my Memphis pals something to gossip about).



Although everyone thought I'd be the true renegade and lobby for smoking on campus when I headed student government, my focus then as now was natural beauty. The major legacy of my time there was convincing the school to move forward on landscaping the courtyard where we danced in May Day celebrations (how pagan!) Here's the result a few decades later-- a lush oasis.



I loved that school. The brilliant teachers and structured, supportive environment gave girls a chance to discover their strengths and grow into them. At the time, I was a Yankee interloper, fresh from Ohio entering 9th grade, and awed by the honest-to-goodness gothic flavor of the place. I'm so grateful to my parents for giving me that education--and all the great friendships that evolved.

As my high school biography stated, "Patty has fallen in love with our men, our English & history departments." All true. And so great to spend time with the "MUS Boys"--now the local titans of business & real estate, the roles their fathers and grandfathers held awhile back. Cotton may have started it all, but real estate development seems to be king these days.



Memphis artist Janet Smith with two of her three Brussels Griffons (Gunny & Wally) hosted me at her Justine Place home-- on the land where she used to keep her horse, Red. We'd run around those 10 acres where her parents, Justine & Dayton Smith, grew fresh vegetables & roses for Justine's, the first fine dining establishment in the Mid-South. Her home is the perfect gallery of her spectacular art. How I admire my artist friends, Janet Smith and Stephen Hudson, always stepping out on faith!

Ali Brown's Platinum Mastermind in Santa Monica

Another dynamic masterminding session with Alexandria Brown and the other members of the 2008 Platinums--this time at the posh Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica. Here's Ali & me -- love our blonde hair/brown eyed sympatico -- she envisions me as her free spirit sister and I see her as a Very "Cool Girl!"



Rich, Happy & Hot Marie Forleo from New York and Red Hot Copy Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero from LA as we are just ready to step out as a group to Monsoon for a fusion feast. Dinner conversations ranged far and wide--lots of great vibes & laughter. Napoleon for dessert, eh?



Our Platinums hail from all over the US and Canada, from Feng Shui specialist Katie Weber in Cuero, TX (who, thankfully, was unscathed by Hurricane Ike) to Bonnie Hutchinson's Soul Power Wisdom in Edmonton, Alberta, to James Roche (The Info Product Guy) in Miami and Sandy-licious Grason in Ft. Lauderdale. I am so proud of what so many have created this year and sprinting to keep up!



Here's my little happy dance under the gigantic century-old fig tree -- I'm reviewing the new exhale spa at the Fairmont and had just enjoyed one of the most exquisite massages I've ever experienced--after reviewing spas around the world for les nouvelles esthetiques & spa, the leading skin care & spa trade publication in the U.S.
The therapist Kerry Lorimer used Seikufujitsu--a fantastic Asian energetic technique. WOW!



It was GREAT getting together with my cousins Bruce & Kat Allison-- Bluce (Asian pronunciation) as we fondly call him runs Malibu Export Service (exotic auto & race car parts) from their "compound" in Calabasas. When they bought out there 20 years ago, it was affordable; now Will Smith lives across the road, if that tells you anything. He only sells to people outside the US-- and says that now whenever he's shipping to Austria, he puts "Austria, EUROPE" on the address because too many things were shipped to Australia by mistake. Hey, are YOU smarter than a fifth grader????



When I told Bruce I wanted seafood for lunch he suggested a great outdoor shack where you sit at picnic tables with your feast and watch the surf--spectacular! Here he is at Malibu Seafood high-fiving the Rock Lobster. We reminisced about our amazing back-packing trek around all the islands of Hawaii nearly 30 years ago! And his lovely wife Kat (who rides her motorcycle through the canyons to work) obligingly got out my travel journal titled "Bali Hai?" about that magical camping trip with me, my sis and Bruce when we were all a lot more carefree. What a great trip.

What's New At Millennium Gate

Basil Haslett of Glass Craft USA, Rodney Cook, Jr., president of the National Monuments Foundation and I stand in the restored "Rhodes-Robinson Sitting Room" at the Millennium Gate, an 82 foot monument in Atlantic Station, midtown Atlanta. Its 12,000 square foot museum offers a tribute to many of Atlanta's pioneer families, and Rodney conceived the monument.



The Virtues Gallery honors some of Atlanta’s most prolific philanthropists such as Arthur Blank and Ted Turner. Included in this area is a bust of President George Washington. For the Millennium Gate, GLASS CRAFT USA created three stunning pieces to surround and focus attention on the central bust of President Washington. The US Presidential Seal is etched and inlaid with 23 1/2 carat gold, along with the Washington family Coat of Arms and Washington’s family crest, all in full color.

SEPTEMBER'S SPECTACULAR START

The Decatur Book Festival over Labor Day Weekend was a blast, as always, with 75,000 attendees and a FABU "Meet 'n' Greet on the Street" as I sold oodles of copies of my multi-award-winning inspirational book BACK TO THE GARDEN: GETTING FROM SHADOW TO JOY and its CD audiobook, Selected Chapters. If you want to order your own copy of the book & CD, please visit this link--and I'll send it to you autographed to you if you want. I have a web special going right now!
http://www.artofchange.org/april08



Later in the week I gave an inspirational talk for Skyland Trail's Community Education Series-- "How to Get the Life You Love" --which is a lot about achieving balance in an off-kilter world. Here I'm displaying one of my many Treasure Maps with its many "dreams come true!" I emphasize the importance of discovering your creative gift and sharing it with the world-- I honestly believe that when we allow the energy of our creativity to flow through us and manifest as WHATEVER it is, that we bring a higher vibration to ourselves and the entire planet.

If you want to learn more about how to bring your vision to life through Radical Manifestation, I'm leading Get the Life You Love RADICAL MANIFESTATION ACTION WORKSHOP on Sunday, October 19, inside the Atlanta perimeter. Find out more here! http://www.artofchange.org/RMWorkshop