I think some CnC is always good, but that's just my opinion. I usually only CnC when I think people care, but I think being told when something looks off is much easier than struggling to find what's wrong. There's nothing bad about getting better. Anyways, it's pretty easy to tell when someone would like CnC and when someone would rather not hear it. As long as you are nice about it, I don't think it's a bad thing.
Of course, it's great to enjoy art. Many many many many many people keep it as a hobby. I know I do, I'm no professional, and I'm not aspiring to become one. However, I'd like to be as good as possible at drawing, so I do compare myself to professionals. Even if it makes me feel like crap, I think it gives me a lot more motivation to study and get better than if I just told myself I can't compare myself to them and just did whatever I feel comfortable in (which was a decision for me in starting a commission thread, since I don't feel comfortable drawing people). Even on a guild wars fansite, there is no reason you shouldn't do the best you can do. It's just a hobby for me as well, but I know I would rather be a better artist.
Maybe I'm being mean or something, but I think putting "professionals" out of your league is possibly the worst thing you can do if you actually want to do art. And I don't mean people who want to do this for a living. It's fine if you just want to draw and feel good about it, but I think the real "fun" in art is improving.
And don't say you don't have talent or "they are just naturally gifted." I know _plenty_ of people who I can actually see improve on a weekly basis. I know I definitely have gotten better over just the span of like one year or so because I had artists I liked and I wanted to be better (keep in mind I was taking 4 technical classes at UC Berkeley last year, so I had pretty much no time either).
If you need visual proof of much someone could get better,
...dang I can't find the one I was looking for...
This one works I guess...
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=870
Take a look at his first few pages and his last few pages :\ It's really amazing how much better he got.
I was actually trying to find Jason Chan's early stuff. He used to draw a bunch of anime FF7 fanart, and they were kinda like araiia's current style, except SO MUCH WORSE. Like... really bad. Now... D:
http://www.jasonchanart.com/gallery.htm
It was like only over the span of like... 2-3 years too, if remember right.
I'm not saying everyone should be so serious about it, but don't limit yourself by placing other people ahead of you. You can improve while having fun as well. Don't get in the habit of doing everything the same way, get out of that comfort zone.
...Yeah rant over. TL; DR, don't give up, don't make excuses, I'm an ass, get over it :P
And about tablets,
I haven'y used a bamboo, but I can say the major problems about graphires is that they just kinda... feel cheap. I dunno how to really describe it, but if you do have the money, I think an intuous is a good investment. Just get a 8x6 instead 12x9 like I did (waaay too big D: Can't draw long lines.)
Cintiqs are pretty nice, but normal tablets are fine. My friend has one, and the best thing about it is just making long smooth lines. I have a intuous 3, and I almost never use the side keys, since I like mapping everything out on keyboard anyways.
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I love cosplay 
(Oh btw I never studied 'art' much either. I'm an animator and 3D modeller major >.>)