Very nice to read your perspective, especially as you describe yourself as self-funded (aka part-time). Making money from sound recordings is like a lottery - to me, unless it's being approached by an ad agency offering industry rates for a campaign, a recording is simply like a business card. I enjoy sharing my music creations and would rather they "be out in the wild" than try to pile up penny fractions that won't even buy me a tank of gas. I'm happy you like your path! Keep on doing what you do when you can.