Sometimes I'll tell someone that I'm a writer.  Then as the discussion progresses I tell that person I don't write for a living (yet).  They usually respond by saying, "so writing is your hobby?"  This usually irritates me to no end. Certainly, if they do not know me well, then they wouldn't understand my bug-eyed reaction and sudden defensiveness.  I just cannot abide that statement. 

Telling stories is part of my DNA, my psychological make up, my spiritual make up.  It is me and I am it.  I do it because when I don't do it I feel pretty terrible about life.  Its the one thing that makes my heart sing.  It is my calling.  I think, how could anyone so flippantly refer to something that lives in my every cell, "a hobby?" 

How do you define the word "hobby?"  Do you consider your writing a hobby?  Why?