Things That Make Me Happy – A Corking Good Time Under Blue Skies

Have you ever come across something that just made you smile?

And not just smile, but smile like you just found a love note from a secret admirer.  Or like you just remembered the most magical day of your youth.

This video certainly is just such a thing.  At least … it was for me.

Here is the video.  There is more of my commentary down below the video if you’d like to continue reading my thoughts on it.

 

Jeff Lynn’s (of Electric Light Orchestra fame) “Mr. Blue Sky” has always been one of my favorite songs of all time, so I was sort of captured by this video from the first note.  But very quickly there was much more to this video that captured my attention.

When I accidentally stumbled across this video a few months ago in one of my many YouTube safaris, I could not stop smiling.  I watched it about 12 times back to back, noticing new things each time, and each time feeling like I was receiving another dose of happy serum from the spiritual IV I was apparently hooked up to.

And now, weeks later, I still watch it several times a week when I need a little pick-me up.  It has become my drug of choice when I need an emotional boost.

The event was masterminded by Pat Kiernan who organized it as part of the Aid to the National Campaign for the Arts, in order to bring the public’s attention to funding cuts to the arts.  What a wonderful way to bring attention to something in a positive way that is likely to get equally positive results!

In my opinion, this endeavor was genius from start to finish.  It got the entire community involved.  It was done in such a fun-spirited and uplifting way.  It got the attention of the whole world.  It used the perfect song.

You can read more about it this event here.  Also, there is a wonderful documentary video about the making of the flash mob video here.

And I kind of missed out on the whole flash mob thing back in the early 2000s because I was busy with other things.  From the periphery, flash mobs seemed a rather silly concept, but now that I’ve thought about it, I guess that is the entire point of flash mobs … just to be a little silly and to let our hair down and stop being so damn serious all the time.

The moment this video really hooked me was when I saw this man dancing.  Have you ever seen a more genuine smile and someone who is totally enjoying himself?

His name is Kieran Birmingham and you probably know him from his work in Game of Thrones, though this was long before GoT.  It is also the first time I have ever seen him (never having seen GoT).  Have you ever seen a happier smile than this?  He looks like he’s having an awesome time.

---

So many happy faces!

 

 

---

And a cameo appearance by Quinn Cummings of “The Goodbye Girl” fame.   (Just kidding … just happens to look like her.)

Girl in “Blue Sky” video (NOT Quinn Cummings)

 

---

And this girl was the unofficial star of the video.  She is “Ridiculously Photogenic Girl”.  Or is the word “videogenic”?  But no matter … she seems like she is having the time of her life!

---

 

Well, there you have it.  My secret elixir for when I need a pick-me-up.  Just watch this video and you’ll be smiling in no time.

Here is wishing everyone blue skies and happiness all throughout the days of your lives.