Fun

Today I want to talk about something that until recently (about 2-3 years ago) I neither knew what it was or understood when other people talked about it.

It might also be a cultural thing. I don’t remember people in Germany asking me, “Did you have fun?” a question I was frequently confronted with after I moved to the States. I have to admit this question used to really annoy me.

“Fun? What are they talking about? Fun what? Going to a bar? Seeing a movie? Going dancing? What is fun about that? Fun, fun, fun, stop asking me this stupid question!”

I had no idea what fun is.

Well, that might not be 100% right. I had an idea what I thought fun would be. Being the most successful photographer in the world, being famous, being rich, dating supermodels and finding enlightenment. I thought fun is to impress people.

Did I come up with the idea that impressing people, being important is fun? No that is the way I was programmed. Fun is to be successful, to be important, to be looked up to. Because the more people do that the more they will asked how did Carsten get to be that way? Somebody has to take the credit for him being so impressive. Who could this be? Who taught him that fun equals success to get admired for having born such an amazing son? My mother of course! J

Today after many years on the couch I have an idea what fun is for me. Surprisingly it has nothing to do with what I was taught to believe while I was growing up. It has nothing to do with impressing other people and pumping up my ego. On the contrary I found out that the more I forget myself the more fun I have.

It is as simple as going out drinking a few beers with friends and going dancing. It is letting go, not thinking, saying whatever comes to my mind listening to music and let my body do whatever it wants to do. That is also so much less pressure then having to conquer the world.

I went to the park with Julia last Sunday. I was looking for an image that can symbolize fun. We went to see the “Dance Skaters”. They have a skate circle with sound system set up in Central Park from mid-April to Halloween on weekends. To me it is the best places in New York City to watch people having fun.

I am getting my skates ready! :-)

"Fun" Manhattan/New York City/Skate ring of the "Central Park Dance Scater Association" 

Please check out my website at carstenfleck.com