Clipper, first of all I keep thinking you are working for Naverus making those custom RNP approach plates for valley approaches in rural Alaska. They called me for interview at one point, but I had something else going on at the time. Anyway, I definitely wobble between "yes, I need to fly full time to be happy" and "no, I can do it as a hobby and that's enough for me". The truth is it boils down to the devil in the details for each person. I have seen users at APC who were bushy-tailed and bright-eyed come away from aviation completely fried after no more than a year of professional work. Others like me seem to hang around in about the same mental condition for years. Others seem to be happy flying on the side as a hobby but they either are in the minority or perhaps they use another website. You also have to realize that many of those who love flying and are doing it professionally may not want to spend any additional time here talking about it. They might even be out flying their own personal airplanes and I know several pilots who fit that description. There is also a smaller group who comes to APC and eventually says this is not for me and "leaves the career" which is another section you should consult. So again, it is a more complex and personal question than any one answer can provide.