I ask you, what is interior design??

Recently I saw an article on my MSN homepage that was titled "10 things your interior designer won't tell you". http://obiakpere.blogspot.com/2007/04/10-things-your-interior-designer-wont.html
As I'm reading it I'm thinking "oh my god, I might be out of a career!" If people actually believed what they read there it was sure to happen.
(Basically this is what made me want to write about interior design. It may sound stupid that an article like that would make me want to start a blog of my own, but it's true).
So I thought... I want to write a letter!! (yes, I'm one of those.) So when I finally had time to sit down and actually figure out that I wanted to do this blog thing, I did a search- see above- and I found the article!!! Now I could respond! and I did of course, but as I said, I wanted to start an article of my own.
Being an interior designer, it's a little bit difficult to take myself away from the world of art/ design/ creativity and think about how others see this field.
So I ask everyone what I've been wondering... what do you think of when you hear the word interior designer?
Speaking of residential designers (designing peoples homes as opposed to restaurants, hotels, commercial offices etc..):
I think of someone who could help rearrange a room, make it more organized, efficient, functional, while at the same time, asthetically pleasing.
Someone with the knowledge/ background that is qualified to make suggestions on space planning, color, lighting, fabric, furniture, carpet, tile, wall covering etc.
Someone who will take into consideration-a client's personal taste/ style, the use of the space, the functionality of everything used in the space , the end user (is there a pet? a drooling 1 year old? a teenager?), the flow from 1 room to the other (even if only designing one room at the moment).
Is that what everyone else thinks? Not neccesarily..
I think most people think all interior designers are out for your money. That they'll design your room in thier personal style not yours, and it will cost a fortune. That they can do the same or better on thier own without any help.
But maybe (hopefully) I'm wrong.
In my next blogs I'll name some interior design myths and explain the reality.. In the mean time I'd like to ask again, what do you think of when you hear the word interior designer?