The reason I took up the ukulele was to share my music with others. It could have been a guitar, or a concertina, or a violin, I was looking for something when I found the ukulele. The day my ukulele showed up in the mail and I unboxed it I imagined myself busking on a street corner or sitting in a coffee shop playing and singing my songs. That's what I do it for. If it weren't for that I wouldn't play a musical instrument at all and I wouldn't sing songs. Most of the gigs that I do I'm paid by tips. I put the open case out in front of me and hope someone will put some money in it. I've made some pretty good money at times doing it, and I've gotten skunked before. Seven bucks is at least not getting skunked, although I probably spent four times that at the bar for food and drink with the other musicians afterwards. Sometimes it is a hard days night, sometimes it is fun and easy. Sometimes nothing comes out sounding good, others are inspired. It just depends on the night. Like everything in life there are ups and downs. One of the things that I've found along the way is people who are doing the same thing. We're not professionals by any stretch, just musicians who love to make music and who aren't afraid to share it. I consider myself a middle of the road musician, not great, but I don't embarrass myself. But there is a community of people like me and I enjoy being a part of it. So we do our thing. Lots of time the same people are playing the same festivals and the same events. We get together afterwards and regale each other with our adventures during the night. If someone had a good night they talk about that. If someone has a rough night, they talk about that. If something funny happened, we tell about it. If someone knows about a festival or an opportunity coming up they share it with the rest. We share a lot. That is what this is all about . So when I started this thread I was still stoked and it was a continuation of the conversation with my friends and fellow musicians from the night before. Don't think that I didn't have a good time. Even a rough night playing and singing is better than not being there and not doing it. So it was fine.