What good are gym buddies who can't spot you?
And besides, lifting is satisfying, but it's not "fun" if you're doing it right.
Why can't something be satisfying on one level and fun as it relates to other things?
Aerobics with 5-kilo weights can be "fun".
Do you plan to progress to full power cleans later?
Plus my deadlift is well over double my hang clean...
I like to pick the bar up from the ground. Also putting the bar down between repetitions allows me to re-set my back.
Keep practising, your flexibility should improve. I'd use the hand position of the hang clean phase also for the deadlift phase---because the weight will be so low compared to a proper deadlift that you can afford to use suboptimal positioning for this part.