Fun

I would define fun as something that lifts your spirits - a bit more than a pleasant day visiting a stately home. What that is varies from one person to another, you have to recognise what does/did it for you and look for a source of it.

Music is one thing - if you went dancing in your youth, then play CDs of the music you used to dance to, preferably ones with a strong beat and a recognisable melody. Making music yourself is even better, particularly if it is with others. Doing something for someone else and seeing them happier is another.

If your whole life seems drear and joyless, maybe pay a visit to the GP to get some temporary prescription help while you look for non-chemical lifts.

Singlegrannie - too right! It's much more difficult alone. Kicking leaves is the first solitary activity to spring to mind!
Vampiregirl. If I see a couple of growing down age in a tree I'll know it's you! Do you hang there upside down. I sometimes congratulate young Goths on their appearance or just beam at them. They smile back and are very receptive. I've even been told it's not too late for me to be a Goth!!
Fun? We chortled at Bookclub and giggled about aliens (don't ask!) at tai chi. At poetry tomorrow the amount of humour will depend upon who shares which poem! I'll polish up my Brexit one 'Democrazy' though that is more irony than fun perhaps ?

I think the most fun I have is when with friends, one in particular, when both feel totally comfortable and can just be silly and giggle. I always feel refreshed after such fun time. I don't have this with my husband who has always been so serious. I regret time I wasted wishing he could lighten up and see that having fun once in awhile wasn't frivolous; 10 years ago, around my 60th birthday, it finally dawned on me that I could arrange my own life so that I could go out and have fun from time to time with friends (whilst husband carries on going to meetings and trying to change the world). I donate as much as I can to charities I support and hope that gives me the right to also have a little fun. Life is short!

It's hard to define fun. If it means having a good laugh then I've had that this morning... Three of my neighbours came in to see me (I'm just recovering from knee replacement surgery) and made me laugh so much I almost fell off my reclining chair. Tales of their husband's latest annoying habits, Donald Trump etc, oh we did laugh.
It's true what some say about being alone though; fun is in much shorter supply. But I think I do still have fun, often with my teenage grandchildren, and very often with my lovely loony local friends.

My husbands favourite phrase is 'fun - I remember that'! I'm not sure what it means any more either. We work full time so there's not much time for going out and about but we do enjoy an evening out with his sister and husband or if we get together with our oldest friends the 6 of us spend the time laughing like drains. I think of fun as being contented really - I am but I wouldn't say he is as he's always fed up

Henetha - so glad to see you here post op! Sure a good giggle is a great way to rapid recovery. Due, like Jane10, for new knee soon so must encourage visits from people likely to make me laugh ?

We still have fun. We volunteer on our local heritage railway, several days a week. Lots of lovely people to laugh with, interesting things to do (I've even driven a steam engine a short way), and so much better than sitting either side of the fire like a pair of bookends!

You see there are many definitions that I can connect with all the posts I can feel relieved, grateful, contented, pleased, pleasantly surprised, comfortable but none of those definitions mean fun to me Fun for me is something out of the expected, probably spontaneous, away from the norm, possibly involving belly laughing, definitely take your mind away from responsibilities or worry for a short while and usually done with someone

I do think it's much harder to have 'fun' if you live alone and don't have little kids around you

I can remember one fun time this summer and that was with some young visitors it was a sunny but windy day and we were in the sea getting knocked about and over by big foamy waves lots of laughter and breath intakes, now that was fun and that was probably the last time about three months ago

Bluebelle, I'd say that what would give you what you are looking for is to find somewhere to volunteer to give fun to children who don't have much in their lives. There are many kids who don't have an adult able to join them in just enjoying themselves. You would get as much from it as they would.

Yes!! Lots and lots - with friends, family, on my own painting , watching good films, sewing,knitting, reading a good book. On holidays with good friends and relatives drinking and playing games until the early hours sometimes we laugh so much we cry!! I know i'm lucky in having very fun loving children,grandchildren, friends, neighbours and husband. However i do think getting out and joining clubs would help if you found yourself stuck at home alone and miserable with no creative hobbies.

Here are a few.

www.otw.org.uk/
www.cchf-allaboutkids.org.uk/volunteer.htm
www.actionforchildren.org.uk/how-you-can-help/volunteer/

I had fun with my grandson (getting on for 2 years old) last weekend although it was wet. We went outside between rain showers and stamped in the puddles in our wellies. We almost emptied the water butt filling up his little watering can and wetting the paths and the lawn. He washed my wellies a good few times. When I take my dog, Charlie, out, I still jump in puddles if I'm wearing wellies. Charlie is a regular source of fun.

Karate training is often fun. We have a laugh before and after the class and sometimes during it!

I had to laugh on Monday when I went for a massage. The girl who massages was trying to pair me up with another of her clients! That's never going to happen! I'm still waiting for the sea captain (aka Captain Birdseye) that my daughter paired me off with in a dream she had! If you see a bearded guy in a sailor's cap, ganzie and sea boots while you're out and about, let me know! Funny (yes, really) how people need you to be part of a couple.

In her diaries Queen Victoria referred to sex as having fun. I have certainly not had any of that for many years or any other kind come to that.

No - no fun in my life either ?

Some people are just no fun at all, people who complain all the time, people who make a hobby of moaning and harping on, those who don't want to go anywhere, don't want to see anything, don't find joy in the world around us, miserable people who find merry children tiresome and tut tut at teenagers. If possible just ditch those people, don't have them as friends bringing you down. And if it's your DH? Then fill your time with gardening, craft, clubs, walking, National Trust, Wildlife Trusts, volunteering, activity holidays, join a church - (we have something on every day at our local church,)etc - You don't have to be part of a couple to enjoy any of these.

Elegran I already do a lot of voluntary work don't think I could fit any more in I work in a charity shop which I enjoy but doesn't count as 'fun' I also work for the refugees which is very fulfilling but again not fun
Lilylilo again we have a different idea of fun of course the family stuff is fun but all the others you quote aren't fun they are pleasurable and fulfilling (reading a good book painting watching a film ) I m completely opposite of either miserable or a moaner I get a lot of pleasure out a lot of things I to read, paint, make things, do voluntary work, take photograph, walk on a beautiful beach, watch the sunrises and appreciate all the joys of the world, I lunch with friends, go to the cinemai have a perfectly fulfilling life but we were asking about FUN which isn't the same at all, fun is that extra something that gives you a fizz
I m with you on that one Bijou haha

Fun for me is being playful, experiencing something new, encountering the unexpected. Not needing or expecting success, achievement or an outcome. Just joy and pleasure in the moment. Although we all need some sort of stability and routine always doing the same thing is a death knell for fun.

Drama group once a week. We don't do plays for performance, just some games and improvisation. We're all different ages and yes we have great fun.

Jayanna I am very blessed to have an adorable GD and number2 (sex unknown) due in a few weeks . I didn't expect to have grandchildren . Great fun but very tiring when I look after her on Fridays.Would be even more fun to have Grandad to share !

DH hangs upside down, elrel, but I've not been brave enough yet. I'm not scared of hanging upside down but what if I can't pull myself back up. Mind you it would give the fire brigade a laugh when they came to rescue me. Hmmm a lift from a hunky fireman....that sounds like fun .

My DH is fun and can nearly always make me laugh, once notably when I was in ITU, coming round from an anaesthetic, and still on a ventilator. Of course, there's always Woody Allen's comment, in a film, post-sex, "The most fun I've ever had without laughing."
Children and GC also good for laughs.

This made me think. I don't ever have fun, so I'm going to try to set up a fun group for ladies: play daft board games and drink tea.

My DH too, Gaggi. Usually, when he's in the mood, he has a good sense of humour.
One of the first times we went out together we decided to go for fish and chips. Went into the nearest shop, and no-one was serving, but a little lad appeared, head just above the counter. Husband said to him, 'Hello, 'ercules' and I dissolved in giggles.

Yes lots of fun and not all just being silly with the grandchildren. Guess I'll grow up one day and be sensible all of the time, but not ready to do that just yet :-)

Fun ??? Just to feel well would be good ! ?