I've always had some kind of attitude problem---or at least, that's how its viewed by some people in society. It boils down to this simple adage that I try to live by: Work is necessary but it has to be mix of fun and serious.

Did you notice that I put fun first? That’s because I believe we were put here on the Earth to share joy and laughter as well as we can and, all of our lives should be moving toward doing the best we can for each other.

Sometimes doing the best for each other is hard. Changes have to be made in how things are done, and, as we all should know, change is hard for large systems and for many individuals.

So, while addressing the hard work of change, I'm always trying to shine a light on the fun! And, unfortunately, some folks think that’s a bad attitude. "Be serious," they say. "Buckle down and pay attention!"

Most of the time I am paying attention while I'm having fun. And, I always seem to get things done plus feel the joy of personal fulfillment when others laugh at a joke or have fun with me.

So much fun is social. I'm reminded of this as I look toward what has become "the conference season" here in Maine. Many organizations have their annual meetings in the fall. Since these meetings are really either the yearly "business" meeting or "the fundraiser" for an organization there tends to be a serious tone to many of them. Picture many people, dressed in suits and ties, sitting at conference or banquet tables ---- and you know you might be at an annual meeting.

There is another approach. In August I attended a function for the Maine Transition Network in Searsport. There was serious business to be done. It was, what we often find, a time when people were being asked to reflect on mission, vision, partners, etc. There was, in fact, real hard work to be done.

The Maine Transition Network offered the meeting as an evening, and a full day. The full day was the second half of the meeting---so the meeting really began with the fun! What a novel idea!

Not some short social hour where folks stood around in cramped quarters! It was a late afternoon social time, a dinner honoring work that had been accomplished, then a "free evening" where folks could enjoy the August evening and socialize, or not, as they preferred. I took a walk, stretched my legs and enjoyed the air from Penobscott Bay. Others were out walking as well.

There was a "pub" open for the night, so I wandered in to see who was there. I found a goodly number of conference attendees, broken into small groups, enjoying conversation and a bit of popcorn and refreshment. I ordered a beer, sat down with a group, and joined the conversation. And, what happened? Nothing special. We told some jokes, talked about Maine wildlife, sports, geography (there had been a trivia contest) and just relaxed. I also saw a friend from Aroostook County who I hadn't seen for 30 years!

The next day, we all worked hard. We thought about how to create a more fruitful Maine Transition Network, and how we could assist this group in making transition from school to life easier and more successful for youth with disabilities. I thought the day was a success and hope to report new collaborations and new opportunities here soon!

But what about that fun? Was it necessary for making the meeting memmorable and successful? In our lives, if we are truly "getting things done" this is an important question. And I answer yes. So much of work is really hard. We need to have more than work time with our partners and colleagues to understand how they think, who they are, and what they love. So Fun is really work, and work is really fun if the mix is carefully created.

Rave reviews for the planners at the Maine Transition Network, and I hope other organizations understand the need for real fun and relaxation at their annual gatherings.

Work may be necessary, fun is too! So you can bet I'll keep on getting out of my office looking for fun while visiting the other side of the door.