Are you sure that you do not have a PHD and a beard? Lol!
It must be a common occurrence, starting off with large flowered "Cattleyas" or heaven forbid, Hybrid Phalaenopsis and then discovering real orchids.
In defence of the subject of the post, it certainly is easy to grow and makes multiple leads but I must confess mine is destined for the sales table in 2014.

I'm not smart enough for a PhD, but I do have a Dr in front of my name. You are 100% on target as I find it much too much trouble to shave in the morning so you hit that one too. You are also right in that I switched over to 'real orchids' a long time ago. 2 factors prevent me from being a species snob.

Firstly, a number of the 'floofs' that I acquired in the early days of my career have survived despite my expert care and have gotten big, divided etc. Secondly, 3 daughters and a daughter in law have established homes and cannot get enough big flowered catts to decorate with. For them I bought a whole bunch of Kawamoto hybrids. They also like Phaelies. Again in deference to them I bought 20 bloomed out Phaelies from Zuma Orchids 2 years for $5 each, so much of a hit that at their request, I plan to get some more to complement my Lepanthes, Zootrophions etc which I offer to them but they turn their noses up.

The overriding grand purpose in all of this is that 'IT MUST BE FUN' and pleasing to me. I doubt that I'll save the planet which is doomed beyond hope by our pesky species. The orchid universe with it's 1/2 million or so registered names will lurch to a full million with or without my help. Also most species will be divided, subdivided and renamed over and over again with or without my help. In the end, it all works.

Now I think I'll have a beer and take a nap as I have to gather strength for the football game on TV this evening.

Nick