As far as I'm concerned, if I thought I was begging I'd be doing a different job. I wonder how many of the musicians on this group have done five or six one hour sets in a day to audiences who were unfamiliar with folk music? Not all that easy. Sometimes you get real appreciation in a verbal and monetary sense. Sometimes, you have to choose between a bed and a decent meal. I'm not arrogant enough to say I'm a great musician or anything, but I've been playing the fiddle for about fifteen years and I think I've got a decent level together. I see myself as giving people a fairly decent musical experience, maybe a happy moment or something. In exchange, and only if they do enjoy it and can afford it, idon't think it's too much too ask for a tip. Still if they don't want to pay me no-ones making them. In my experience there's a definite difference in the pot if I'm a bit off- tired, hung-over or just playing below par. I would have thought this would generally apply to other buskers and the ones who are less talented are making less cash. I see busking as an art-form in its own right and a tougher one than most. Still I'm always willing to listen to another opinion.