It's no easy road Derek.
This November it'll be 2 years since I 'took a break' from playing for money. I do miss some aspects,but I became tired of playing stuff I didn't much like.
It takes a special kind of dogged determination to play what
you want and to get venues interested,most places view music as the first corner to be cut.
The advent of technology has allowed people to put on a 'show' often without being able to play very well,sometimes not at all,this has taken away opportunities from bands and musicians who have put in the hours to learn and keep learning their craft.
Unfortunately venue owners don't care as long as the punters keep dancing and buying the drink,plus the dancers don't know or care if it's a karaoke band or not. When the drink is in,they'd dance to a car alarm.
These days I get enough of a kick from battering out shite with a DAW,you've no one to please but yourself,having said that,there is no feeling in this world like playing live and getting the audience on your side.
Do the thing while you still enjoy it Derek,that's all I can say.