Sorry, I don't have a story of courage, but I can commiserate.
I must admit that I tend to neglect my art for long periods, but when I am doing it, as I have been these last few months, I do nothing else all evening. I have longer evenings than you, apparently, as I get off work at 4:30 and I'm home by 4:40 (the advantages of small town life). I already gave up television a couple of years ago, and I don't miss it a bit. I listen to public radio and paint. That's my whole evening. You'd think I'd have learned a little by now.
I work for Child Protection, so you might imagine how I'd like to quit. But I see very talented artists who have difficulty making any sales, so I hold no illusions that I could retire early to be an artist. Not with my student-level skills. Still, we're DINKs (double income, no kids), so we've already paid off the mortgage, and are on track for early retirement, with or without art. Unfortunately, even early retirement is years away. The earliest possible retirement for me is only two years away, but the benefits are punitively small, so that won't be feasible.
Still, I love going upstairs every evening, and messing about. Janice is convinced that I could make a living as an artist someday, so she's supportive. I've decided to make the switch from public radio to audiobooks, so I'll be up to speed on Dickens before long. Maybe by the time I get through the classics, I'll have marketable skills
