Blog: Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

My New Years Resolution this year-and every year-is to make this years success bigger than the last one. Every year, I've been able to do it. Last year I was a bit worried because 2012 was particularly good to me- (un)missed connections was in Planet Connections, Standby was in the Fringe Fest, I was in a Jenny Craig commercial, I acted in Duncan Pflaster's Taint of Equality and Rachel Foote Baccus's Strange and Separate People...I was on a high...How to beat that? ... I must say, though..2013 has been the year of moving forward.

People ask..."when do you sleep?" The answer is "I sleep normally. I just don't play. Or waste time. " I can't. THAT is settling. I can't do that. Not when I've tasted what it's like to have a non-stop barrage of dreams coming true. Years ago, before I moved to NYC, I dreamed of words like "Fringe Festival, NYMF Festival, playwright, lyricist..." and suddenly...its all happening.

I write every day. I have to. My mind works that way...I have so many stories and I have to write them down or I get antsy...I sing every day too (even if its alone in my living room or shower.) I plot. I plan. I rehearse...I can't imagine a life without these things.
I believe in storytelling. Sometimes when I listen to people tell me a story about an event in their life, I fade away. Because I'm restructuring their story in my head...Is that weird?
Maybe I've been lucky then that I've been able to tell my stories. Whether on the stage myself, or behind the scenes- behind my laptop, I've been able to tell my stories all over the country.

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This year has been amazing, so far. My Novel "Little Corner" had its first chapter published in CCNY's literary journal. I won a slew of writing awards. Then came the summer gauntlet.  Starting in May- (Un)missed connections performed in part of a fundraiser for Dreamcatcher Entertainment.  I graduated City College and got my BA (finally), the next day, The Holy Cows of Credence, South Dakota opened in the planet connections theatre festivity. During the cows run, Facing East announced that it would be in concert in Texas in August.  I  was the lead in the short film, Bliss. Standby opened and sold out its run at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, Holy Cows was nominated for five awards and won three...It has been the busiest of times.

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I've never had the attitude of "I hope I get it." I've always had the attitude. "I know I will achieve it. Maybe not today, but I will." It got me through school, it kept me from losing too much hope in the face of rejection, and it kept me moving. And for the most part, its true. Most goals I set for I've achieved.

But I don't know what next year holds. I raised the bar pretty high.  Yet, I still have high hopes.  I will say this...
...I am certainly not through yet.

The Question- "Are you doing what you believe in?" I can answer with a yes...mostly, because I can't understand doing anything else.

Mark

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