I'm with you on all of that: I'm an amateur astronomer at heart, but currently in grad school to try and become a professional.

I'll drool over the latest telescopes from Stellarvue and Takahashi, I convinced our department to order some Pentax XW eyepieces with some end-of-year money (and let me tell you, they are *sweet*), and I'm learning how to reduce spectra, and compute bolometric luminosities for galaxies and quasars. I always assumed the amateur moniker was for those who did something for the fun of it, but did not imply anything about their ability.

I certainly see no insult implied in calling someone an amateur astronomer, it just means they enjoy doing it. Heck, I'm also an amateur cyclist. I won't be riding in le Tour, but I like going fast... I suppose I'm also an amateur video game player as well: I'm not exactly good at it, but it is fun.

__________________
"What do you care what other people think?" -- Richard Feynman
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled." -- Feynman, at the conclusion of his Challenger report