Why do amateur astronomers spend hours peering through telescopes and adding their findings to the general pool of scientific knowledge?

Why do amateur mechanics fix their friends' cars?

Why do professional website designers make websites for non-profit groups for free?

Why do parents take care of their children for free?

Why do people rescue and foster homeless cats and dogs for free?

Excellent stuff, John P.

I was supposed to be going off to play at my second-favourite pub of all time tonight. Free beer, a big bowl of chips and absolutely no money. A little pub in the country which is a delight to play some tunes in and in which we always draw a fantastic response from the local people, meagre though our talents are (though spiced with boundless enthusiasm!). Unfortunately, two of us were away on holiday (school half-term hereabouts) and one of us wasn't too well, so we couldn't really make up a quorum, so, exceptionally, it didn't happen, and I'm miserable. The very idea of our asking for "wages" or any sort of fee is utterly laughable. We're putting something in and getting just as much, if not more, out and we love it (we've been at it for twenty years, week in and week out, which must say something). I'm so glad I just love doing this for the fun of it.