In My Mind I'm Goin' to Carolina!

Wow! Last week in Chapel Hill, NC, hometown of singer James Taylor, I enjoyed a stroll across campus and a brunch catch-up with my favorite professor ever, Dr. Christopher M. Armitage, from whom I took EIGHT English literature, drama & poetry classes during my undergrad degree in Journalism/English there. (One of my faves was 17th Century British Lit, which we nicknamed "Sex & Death" since those were the two major topics of that era). Of course the "Study Theatre in London" program was BEYOND fantastic. One of my roommates on that program, Betsy Brantley, became an actress herself and starred with Sean Connery in "Five Days One Summer" a few eons ago!



Dr. Armitage (it feels too odd to call him Chris, despite his insistence) has always been a bit of a rebel--and always at the top of his game. Had to shoot a photo of his slogan, which loosely translates, "Don't let the bastards get you down." (One of my own father's faves, as well).

An Oxford graduate, he described his oral exams being quizzed by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein and others: "Miss Dickey,it was the most STIMULATING three hours of my LIFE!"
Can you imagine? Now even the non-English majors know who THEY are because of the Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia films!



Part of my trek in the land where "You Can't Go Home Again" (all Thomas Wolfe fans will get the insider joke here) was to walk up to the Kappa Kappa Gamma house--and The Little House where I lived with two other Kappa sisters --it was idyllic-- sitting on a big old couch on the front porch and whiling away the hours in a book or with friends.

Ironically, EVERYTHING about the main campus seemed so TINY. The two main quadrangles where I used to toss frisbee endlessly seem to have shrunk. And the Davie Poplar (planted in 1745 I believe) is wired up so it won't topple.

Hang in there, beautiful tree! I photographed my true love Robin Clark under that tree and he's now one of my angel guides, featured in my multi-award winning book, BACK TO THE GARDEN: Getting from Shadow to Joy.
http://www.artofchange.org/april08



The occasion of my visit was the memorial service for Mike Ellis, the WONDERFUL 90 year old stepfather of my college roommate Merrill Rose. What a big, rich life he led as a Broadway producer, magician and human being. I think all would agree that what made him stand out was his big heart. Merrill & her entire family live that way.



Take care, Mike, and God Bless. We're all lucky to have known you.