I love to write. It’s one of the things I discovered about myself when I returned to college many years ago after working twenty years in accounting. So, then I ask myself, why do I do so little of it on my blog?
I began today by reading some of my earlier posts on The DM Zone and to my horror discover that it’s been nearly three years since I have posted a new blog. Well, of course the “thingy” got in the way with my travels to be able to report about in the blog, but hey, I wasn’t trapped in my home. We traveled a lot and just kept our distance and basically avoided any contamination. So thank goodness, I never got the “thingy”.
So today i will not try to catch you all up on the past two years, just the year of 2023. I am inserting my annual Christmas letter with some edits for privacy’s sake. Enjoy! And, thanks for visiting The DM Zone.
We had a busy year, nothing new, but started January at home enjoying the reopening of our little community and nearby Atlanta’s entertainment offerings. Having rented our Panama Condo for December and January we then left for Panama the first of February for the entire month.
Back home in the U.S. some exciting news in March on Doug Collins’ movie project, CYBERKILL as the screenplay based on author Frank Fiore’s book was the Semi-Finalist in the Screencraft Competition. One step closer to becoming a real movie. But as always, there is something for everyone in NW Georgia. With membership to Savoy Automobile Museum, we got to enjoy an incredible show of Porsches. This facility is as good as Reno’s National Automobile Museum. Lots of different displays year-round.
Mostly, we enjoyed the local talented musicians at various locations, especially Newby’s Farm and Vineyard tasting room, which is really a great entertainment venue on Broad Street in Rome, Georgia.
June set us traveling to Atlanta for a tour of Tyler Perry’s incredible studio. This massive campus provides a economic and cultural boost for Georgia. We didn’t meet Tyler, but we did get to “visit the White House” and sit behind the “President’s desk.” Amazingly realistic. And back north in Cartersville we attended the Nashville Songwriter’s concert at the Booth Western Art Museum. The Booth is the largest Western Art collection in the world and a Smithsonian museum … amazing since it’s in Georgia.
July set us on the road to Dalton, Georgia for a ‘celebrity book signing’ with Johnny Joey Jones’s book “Unbroken Bonds of Battle.” Jones is a familiar analyst on Fox News/Business and a true hero having suffered a life-changing injury in the loss of both legs in Afghanistan while serving in the Marines. It was something to remember while watching the 4th of July fireworks commemorating our glorious country! Here I am with Johnny Joey Jones laughing at his joke!
Soon on the road again to Nashville, TN for a reunion with good buddy Ray Herndon as he and longtime bandmate Terry McBride launched their new album at Ole Red’s.
Finishing our Tennessee portion at Monteagle in Franklin, TN with more local entertainment. After a stop in Rome, we drove to Florida for a work/fun week-long trip. Doug’s project Alzheimer’s Treatment Centers of America is gaining momentum with presentations at The Villages, and Lake Nona Performance Club. While in Orlando we caught up with author & book reviewer Gary Roen for lunch. I was surprised with an early birthday celebration at Maxine’s on Shine with a serenade by the owner. Also, while at the Sheraton Vistana Villages Resort, I along with my husband Doug was prompted to perform during a happy hour for the guests. It was a blast.
September in Rome we took Pickleball lessons for four weeks to learn the ins and outs of the growing popular game. We determined that it’s a lot harder than some folks proclaim, but a lot of fun! Hitting the road again for Doug’s Alzheimer’s project, he and partner Greg Buckley attended the “3686 Conference” along with Dr. Michael Montijo. The conference’s name is about the GPS location of Nashville but what they discovered is that it is It is true that “everyone has an Alzheimer’s story.” This project is so important, and Doug is pleased to be a part of it.
October with Doug continued working daily on the Alzheimer’s Treatment Centers of America. His book “Truth, Lies and Alzheimer’s, It’s Secret Faces” offers helpful information to caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. It’s available on Amazon – hardback, soft and Kindle also in Spanish. It was the catalyst that prompted his involvement with the ATCA project.
As always if in Rome first week in November, it is the Rome International Film Festival week. This year – its 20th – hosted actor-director Ethan Hawke and Tim Blake Nelson. We also reconnected with Bahama dignitary/actor/director, Rowena Poiter Sutherland, casting director Shay Griffin while hobnobbing with community supporters and other attendees at a fun Roaring 20s theme gala.
Next, promoting Alzheimer’s Treatment Centers of America with branded shirts we attended the annual Fox News Patriot Awards fundraiser in Nashville and again discovered that “Everyone has an Alzheimer’s story”. It is going to be the next major health issue in the world.
Sadly, December began with the passing of Ireland’s legend Shane McGowan (The Pogues). Although Shane couldn’t attend the 2019 Rome Film Festival, his wife Victoria Mary Clarke, did and we all became close friends. Victoria was generous with her time while we were traveling in Dublin, Ireland cementing our bond. Shane’s music will live on and in fact a new recording of his hits has been released in the States since his passing.
Please subscribe to The DM Zone to see all of DM’s video interviews! You can get a copy of Doug Collins’ book on Amazon and learn more about his new project to treat Alzheimer’s, dementia, memory loss and brain fog from Long COVID at https://AlzheimersTreatmentCentersOfAmerica.com
Happy New Year’s to you all and a very successful 2024. I’ll be in touch before the next decade.
Just kidding!
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