Well, I was worried about leaping into it feet-first and the application was emerging and needed lots of massaging. So I got a contracting gig that requires 1 or 2 days a week but lets me work full-time if I need to. I choose when to work on what, depending on what needs it most. Now that it's getting somewhere and I'm happier to take more risks, I'm spending some money on other people doing stuff for me.

What I love about it: Feedback. Really nice feedback. Meeting people I'd never interact with in my day-job. Not throwing the code away when the project is finished. Each bug fixed is one that matters a lot to me. Payments while I sleep! Lifehacker links that set the server on fire. I didn't work for them - they just arrive.

I finally did it. Who knows how it'll work out, but after a long time of killing myself for projects I got limited benefit from, I finally dragged an application from idea to release under my own steam and it's making money. That's a great emotional boost!