My contribution to all the "turning pro" posts. LONG

[livinitup0]

This topic is something that Ive been thinking about a lot lately, and since its something of a "hot topic" on the board I thought I'd post my thoughts... Here's my situation.

I'm in my early 20's, married, full-time job, all ready to settle down into the grind of daily life. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

I work as a manager at a collections company. I manage a crew of 30+ collectors. I started in this buisness when I was just out of high school and have been there about 5 years. To be honest I have to attribute almost all of the success I have had financially (which isnt a whole lot, but more than most my age), to this company. I now have a wife, mortgage payments, and no college degree.
I've started to realize that I I'm not cut out for collections for the LONG haul. I'm good at it, but I find no prefessional or long term happiness in it. I grow more negative every passing year, and slowly see myself getting stuck in the same type of negative work until I retire.
Collections is a prety easy buisness to move up in, if you put in the time, and can deal with all the corporate BS thats involved. (Not to mention the utter crap I have to deal with from my employees, plus goals, deadlines...AHH!) In about 5 years time I could easily be pulling in about 60-70K, maxing out at about 100K (probably 15 years from now).
Where I live at this kind of money is awesome. The average salary here is 25-30K (what I make now) and the average house isnt much more than 65-80K. Its pretty cheap compared to anywehere else.

Anyways on to my real question. I would really love to get back to my roots that made me happy as a teenager and get away from a lot of this corporate BS. Ive seriously considered quitting my job and going to college for a web/graphic design degree. I used to love drawing and messing with computers before I started working in collections, and have done some HTML work that I enjoyed.
I also have a jazz band that is starting to take off, and allows me to stay social with my busy schedule.
I believe with the proper bankroll (6-8K, which I could easily have on hand within a year), I could make three times what I do now....on paper. I'm a prop so I can pull in REALLY good money from the "r" word, not to mention my overall 2BB/100 WR.
This thought, although ridiculously intoxicating, makes me nervous.

My wife wants a kid soon. A degree would take 4 years to obtain and probably another 6mo. to a year to get set up as a consultant or working for some company from home. (im not going to get a degree just to go back to some office everyday!)

So now im stuck, do I stick it out and continue to do the same crap I do now everyday, and make poker my side job? (which literaly takes ALL of my time, I seriously wake up, work, play poker, sleep, repeat.)
Or so I take the chance? become a full-time student get my degree and finally do the kind of work that I want to do, Along with being a part-time poker pro? Seems like an easy decision, more money, happiness, free time (what's that?) dusting off my PS2 while waiting for a table [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ....but also 5 years of serious real risk of ruin, health insurance, bennies..ect., and the destruction of everything that I worked my ass off for 5 years, as someone with no colege education to get.
The type of buisness Im in you dont just leave to try to play poker professionally. I'd never be welcomed at another agency again. Blackballed.

Can any of you pros shed a little light on some of your prefessional transition periods that might put my mind at ease enough to work through this decision.?
Thanks in advance.