Mark's Annual Year-End Letter

This year, as in previous ones, I’ve chosen to honor the spirit of giving, by making contributions to some worthy non-profit organizations in my community that mare making efforts to better life for many. The money I could have spent on cards, postage, and client gifts, can go to make someone’s world better.

It’s been a great year for me workwise with some interesting projects and events to keep me busy from The Jazz Ensembles at Mount Holyoke College’s The Big Broadcast! to the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative’s WMass Film and Media Exchange.. I did my annual stint with The Capitol Steps in Cambridge, and the publicity for two  shows in Torrington, CT and Northampton, MA. Those were for producer The Mike Thornton Agency. I’m now doing national press and social media support for The Capitol Steps and their national Make America Grin Again tour. Their New Year Special, Politics Takes A Holiday, airs at the end of the month on many NPR member stations.

I also did some public relations work for composer Steven Schoenberg, conductor Kevin Rhodes, and author Jeanne Yocum, whose book, The Self Employment Survival Guide launched last Spring..

The journalism side of my life picked up. In addition to writing the weekly ArtsBeat column and providing theatre reviews for The Westfield News Group, I wrote for the blog Succeeding in Small Business. 89.5fm/WSKB, where I was a frequent arts contributor, offered me the opportunity to produce and host a weekly show, ArtsBeat Radio, which airs Fridays, an is available for download as a podcast from YouTube.

I’m especially proud of three programs, each two hour specials live taped on location. Patrick Berry and I interviwed the Berkshire Theatre Group’s creative team from the Fitzpatrick Main Stage in Stockbridge, a celebration of their 90th season; and joined the TheaterWorks company on their set for Christmas on The Rocks. I did a Capitol Steps special from The Cranwell resort in The Berkshires.

My columns, reviews, and radio programs live on my blog Mark.My.Words. http://wordsbymarka.blogspot.com/

There was plenty of pool time this summer, and time spent with my 99 year old father. I co-chaired my Northfield Mount Hermon milestone reunion, an exhilarating experience as 125 classmates returned in June. I’m taking a much needed break from NMH after years of volunteerism.

Here’s hoping that your holidays are terrific, and hopes for peace, health, and happiness in the coming year.