Ahh, Little Hawk, I didn't say I I didn't take it seriously, but I do have fun! I took up archery a number of years ago as a form of relaxation, and really enjoyed it, after a number of years the club I was at changed, it became intensely competitive and you got looked down on if you didnt appear to be taking it seriously, for me, like Foolestroupe said, the only competition that mattered was me, as long as I was happy with what I did and saw an improvement in my persoinal best. I had no need to be better than anyone else. The enjoyment of this constant pressure to beat other people and try and get into the county team took all the enjoyment out of the hobby for me and I eventually left the club. I now shoot my longbow at home for my own enjoyment and am much happier.
Likewise in folk music, I am learning instruments and my aim with playing is just to be a better player, I sing, and try hard to make that an enjoyable experience for those around me. I write songs and share them, I am not precious about them. If people like them I am happy, if they don't I stop singing them. To me, the greatest compliment is someone wanting to sing one of my songs. I wrote them to be sung and the joy is in the sharing. That's what I call fun.
I'll admit too that I have had fun running half naked round festival camp sites shreiking with laughter at unearthly hours of the night/morning, which may not have been fun to those trying to sleep, now I am a little older I realise the folly of my ways and humbly apologise to all those I woke................but it was fun!
Cheers, Lucy