South magazine [82] HEALTH & WELLNESS 2019 | Page 16

PUB P U LETTER B LETTER ABOUT THE COVERS A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER Tom Berenger and publisher, Michael Brooks take a break from the photoshoot for some human interaction. FIGHTING TIME I T O C C U R S T O M E T H AT W H I L E M A N Y O F YO U W I L L R E A D T H I S O N T H E P R I N T E D PA G E , ST I L L M O R E O F YO U W I L L S CA N T H R O U G H W H AT I WRITE HERE ON THE S CREEN OF A SMART PHONE O R O T H E R D E V I C E . W H I C H I S I R O N I C, G I V E N W H AT ’ S O N M Y M I N D A S I W R I T E T H I S. The year 2020 is almost upon us, one of those far-flung futuri tic years that used to serve as the default setting for “the future” as I was growing up. In 2020, I was told, we’d be flying around in our cars for any trip that was too short for a personal teleporter. We’re not quite there yet. Instead, all we have to show for our futuristic world is a device we hold in the palm of our hands that not only gives us access to everything that mankind has ever known, but lets us reach out to anyone on the globe and strike up a conversation. Not a bad substitute, but one that comes with its own baggage. We could access everything that mankind has ever known, but mostly we just scroll through cat videos. We could strike up a conversation with literally anyone, but mostly we end up trading emojis and abbreviated text speak. We like to think of this as a millennial problem, but we all live through our phones, and it’s making connections harder and harder to forge. The technology behind it powers apps and self-service kiosks, eliminating those small interactions with someone behind the counter. Customer service has become the mantra for companies who invest heavily in technologies that separate the customers from the service. These are the small interactions that define our days, and they’re disappearing. I was reminded of this inside the luxurious trailer of Hollywood icon Tom Berenger. I’ve been a fan of his since his film “The Big Chill” introduced movie audiences to the beauty of the South Carolina Lowcountry. And the thing about Tom Berenger in person is he’s one of those people who reminds you to put your phone down and simply exist in the moment. After photographer Blake Crosby and I shot him and his wife Laura outside their new mobile palace, we spent the better part of an afternoon just talking, face to face. That’s when I learned that behind the iconic characters is a guy who loves finding intere ting things to talk about, be it the difference b tween regional dialects in the Italian language or the relatively young history of modern Hilton Head Island. The Tom Berenger behind Barnes, behind Taylor, is a master of conversation. What had started out as your typically quick, in-and-out shoot turned into an afternoon of real human interaction. I only realized after we left that neither one of us had at any point looked at our phones, something which seems so alien in the run-up to the futuristic year of 2020. When I returned to the office, vigorated by the conversation, I started discussing the cinematic legacy of Tom Berenger with a few 20-something members of my staff. Their reaction? “Tom who?” Living through our phones might not be a millennial problem, but not recognizing movie royalty certainly is. Don’t worry; I corrected it as soon as possible, by streaming the movie “Platoon” on my phone. MICHAEL BROOKS PUBLISHER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR We caught up with Tom Berenger ( Page 56) at the luxury RV park he now calls home - when he isn’t filming his latest movie or seeing where the road takes him. Photographer Blake Croby, Written by Barry Kaufman, Cover Design Michael Brooks. Dedicated mom, celebrated athlete, successful business owner and bombshell Mo Dixon (page 70) truly has it all. It’d be easy to feel jealous or her accomplishments, but it’s even easier to feel inspired by her courage. Photographer Paul D. Graham, Written by Molly Clancy, Cover Design Michael Brooks. Dr. David Oliver (page 102 ) has been advanc- ing the frontiers of medicine in Savannah for 25 years, expanding his practice to go far be- yond ear, nose and throat care. Photographer Paul D. Graham, Cover Design Michael Brooks, Written by Barry Kaufman publisher & creative director Michael Brooks publisher’s assistant Diane McFeaters account executives Roscoe Smith, Stephanie Boaz, Josh Flores & Kristin Bishop office manager Michelle Jones contributiing editors Barry Kaufman, Molly Clancy, Jason Birkelbach & Stephanie Boaz contributing writers Justin Jarrett, Barry Kaufman, Kelly Harley, Molly Clancy, Jason Birkelbach, Barbara Augsdorfer, Robyn Passante, Cheryl Rodewig contributing photographers D. Paul Graham, Blake Crosby, John Alexander, Colin Gray, Megan Perameter, Grace Murney graphic designer Crae Messer editorial intern Skyler Allen South magazine is published bimonthly by Bad Ink, (Brooks Advertising Design, Inc.). Views expressed in the editorial pages do not imply our endorsement. Please forward inquiries to Editor, South magazine, 1 1 6 Bull Street, Savannah, Georgia 31401 . We cannot be responsible for unsolicited product samples. Subscription rates: U.S.: $19 for one year; $28 for two years; single copies: $4.95. Change of address notice: six to eight weeks prior to moving, please clip the mailing label from the most recent issue and send it along with your new address to: South magazine, Change of Address Notice, 1 1 6 Bull Street, Savannah, GA 31401 , attn: Circulation | South magazine: A Division of Bad Ink, phone: 91 2.236.5501 fax: 91 2.236.5524, southmag.com. Copyright © 2018 South magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or any part without express written permission is prohibited. 14 SOUTH December | January 2019 PHOTO BY BLAKE CROSBY