Been playing 26 years, since I was 17 - still loving it and looking forward to the next gig next weekend.
Always been pubs, clubs and weddings for me in various bands. Never been one for serious practice so on reflection I guess I wish I had worked harder at it when I was younger with more time and less job/family stuff. Had a bloody great time over the years though and met some interesting people on the way. For me, I think I have learnt that playing in bands is just as much about how you interact and deal with the people and characters as it is about the music!