[tnorthcutt]

If you're desperate, perhaps you should do enough of the work that you can easily do (rails dev, designer) to make the money you want to, and use your spare time, as suggested above, to build a product/business that will eventually replace your job. If you're still at the stage of turning down jobs (or not seeking them), then you're probably not desperate.

[chanri]

I agree. Generally, "desperate" means taking any (reasonable) job offer you can get.

[anon_hn]

Right, I totally agree with you. I have such a drive to build a product...but again, it might not be as good of an idea right now.

[shadowpwner]

Do you know what that product is? If not, it's going to be a difficult slope for you. Wanting to build a product to make money vs building a product to serve the needs of a community are vastly different.