I won't deny there's a lot of nerve grating stupid little things about being a pilot for living. In the last 5 pages people have probably covered most of the the top 10% of that list, I'm sure there's plenty more. I took two years off from this industry after my last regional beat my love of flying out me. During that two years I learned how much I disliked working for a living. To me, flying isn't work, it's something I enjoy tremendously. The fact that I've tricked someone into paying me to do it is a bonus, and lends creibility to my argument that "this is my job" when I have to deal with a DDPR (dreaded domestic progress report) while on the road. I'm lucky because I enjoy what I do. In my mind, what I do is just plain cool and that makes it worthwhile to me.
Hey just look at the software aisle next time you're in wally world- there's only a few careers that people pay money to pretend to have. Pilot, Military, and of course CIA mutant zombie slayer!!! If this is where your heart is, I say go for it.