In Reply To #1
I have a day job that pays rather well and it deals with Graphic Designing in 3D, with jewelry and models being the core of it, and paper designs being a major part of it as well.
I would have loved to work either in design or in music with Konami... a few years back. However, I live in the East Coast and any game company in the NY/NJ/CT area that I applied for never got back to me.
I could not wait, and I needed money, and I was out of college, so I went with a type of design, even if it wasn't game design.
All my other game-related hobbies, sadly, are just hobbies at this time. I suppose I could do something with such companies, but it would be part-time, or contractual, rather than a full-time 9-to-5 job.
Game related things I do:
-artwork
-sprites
-MIDI/MP3
-storyline/storyboard
-planning
I guess that's about it...