2012: a year of good times

When I started the Music Sunday segment on the Experience Optimism blog, I didn't expect it to turn into a Billboard top music chart. It began with a peaceful and pretty a capella song from Perpetuum Jazzile, a song that appeared in my Twitter stream. At the time, I imagined that I would create an occasional post for unusual songs and then I would share a story about why the song interested me. That's a lot of work.

I'm not afraid of work, but really, unless you are a musician or DJ, should music be work? No, it should be fun; but surprisingly, it wasn't until abut mid-year that I found myself listening to and enjoying the Top 40 radio station, usually in my car. Face it, those songs are fun to sing along with; and while I still enjoy classic rock and the songs that I grew up with, I'm in the mood for new sounds, new words, new descriptions of the world we live in and a new vision for the future.

Let me tell you, if the videos on YouTube are any measurement, that vision can be rather strange and the reality can be lonely. However, music remains the same through the years, it's entertaining and soothing, depending on your mood.

As this blog is about optimism and happiness, I've decided the final Music Sunday video for 2012 is "Good Time" by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepson. I mean, seriously, the reason for its inclusion is right in the title.



As we end one year and begin another, plan to have more good times in your life. Be sure to add music to the mix because, well, it just feels good.

Just for the record, according to Billboard, the #1 single for 2012 was Gotye - Somebody that I used to know (feat. Kimbra). 

Why should I attend an Optimist Club meeting?

Being part of an Optimist Club means that once a week, or at a regularly defined schedule, one has the opportunity to get together with friends and have a little fun while serving their community.

I often hear, and see, that attendance is down at club meetings. "We want to do projects, not get together to  eat," say rushed volunteers who contribute their time while keeping in balance with their other obligations like families and careers.

However, meetings are important for many reasons including:

• Optimist Club meetings provide a venue to hear presentations from others in your community so that your club members can make informed decisions about where to donate your time and make contributions

• Optimist Club meetings allow you to work together and make plans for solving problems that arise in a manner that is fair to all involved

• Optimist Club meetings allow you to celebrate the good work that you have done to make your community a healthy, happy and prosperous place to live

• Optimist Club meetings are forums to celebrate the good work of others and to give recognition to outstanding community leaders, members, nonmembers, children and adults

• Optimist Club meetings are fun

I admit, it can be boring when an Optimist Club, or any service club, gets together only to eat; but even the "slurp and burp" club has its positive attributes and even the most active clubs will take a day off from a busy schedule so that members may enjoy each other's fellowship. That's when it is important that club members like each other for in the end, no matter the cause, we aren't going to hang out regularly with people that make us uncomfortable.

What is your Optimist Club doing to make everyone feel like they are part of the group? As we head into a new year, we'll begin to explore some ideas to make your club fun for all. Cheers.

Photo courtesy of Walt Callahan, Boise Noon Optimist Club.