Author with a day job?

Okay, I'll admit it--I'm not rich or famous, and I work in the "real world" when I am not writing. Aside from keeping my bills paid, which is HUGE, I'm thankful for my other career because it's also the hidden part of writing. Huh? The world of online, independent ebooks allowed me (and thousands of others) to finally realize the dream of being an author. However, this new easy access writing world also means that I spend a lot of time doing marketing, networking and promoting book sales. Without experience outside the realm of writing these tasks would have been frustrating. I've noticed lots of people in my network came to writing as a second career or write (like me) while holding down a day job. I think it makes us better marketers...I hope it makes us better writers as we never lose touch with the "real" world and our readers. Will I be a full time author one day? I don't know, but for now I am thankful for the set-up I enjoy. I'd love to hear from other writers. Are you working in another field? If not, how long did it take to get enough success to say "I'm an author" with no qualifiers?