My first response is I couldn't work with someone who thought that of full-time musicians because it means:

1) They've never been successful
2) It's not likely they will be successful
3) The gig is a hobby for the guy doing the hiring
4) That's probably why other musicians have bailed on him before
5) It means if I did take the gig, I could expect lowered expectations of the other musicians
6) He's wasting my time

I could go on, but these are just initial, instinctive responses.

You're in a tough area to break into the business, but you need to find a way to meet other working, full-time musicians. In your case, in your neighborhood, joining the union might be a good start. There are lots of gigs where you live that you can't do (film work to name one) without a union card. There are clubs you couldn't play, players who wouldn't play with you, without a union card. If you're serious, scrounge together the money and go join.

Your next job is to find out where all the union players are playing and hunt them down. Talk to people, but also be aware your market is very competitive, and there will be more than a few people who scowl at new meat/competition. It's really the only way to get plugged in short of growing up next door to the next Steve Lukather or going to a school where lots of future working pros congregate.

Keep on the lookout at the union boards and in the papers for things like: wedding bands, corporate gigs, cattle calls, etc. Do them all, as much as your time and energy will allow. Wedding bands are great to start out because it's usually a steady paycheck and your bound to have bandmates who do music more than part-time. It's also a possibility the wedding band is a cover band that plays a few club dates. That's more money in your pocket.

A little bit more advice: While you have the time, make sure you have your traveling rig in tip-top shape. Use your free time to game plan things like what you keep in your stick bag, putting together a spare parts tool box, taking inventory of things like heads, making sure your pedals are in perfect working order and not a jerk short of popping a chain, etc. If and when you do start getting more work, you'll be looking for more free time to do stuff just like that. The afternoon of my third gig with a wedding band, my father suddenly decided he wanted his truck back and I had to use my Trans-Am to transport gear. It took me about two hours to figure out how to fit all my gear in that car. It involved removing the t-tops, and it's a good thing it doesn't rain often around here! LOL I wish I had used my free time to game plan scenarios like that ...

It's tough out there.
Good luck.
The only consolation.....
From my observations, the acting world is even more brutal.

It's taken me a solid year, but I've managed to join an incredible original band, pick up 30 students a week, and a 3 Sunday a month church gig.  I'm making more money than I ever was at any previous job doing what I love most.  It takes time, but it can be done.  And as cliche' as it sounds, it's ALL about who you know.  Those interpersonal skills come in real handy!   

Chin up my friend!  If being a full time drummer is what you want, go get it!  And don't let some unsuccessful guitar player and his stigmas about "full time musicians" hold you back!

Thanks everyone for the feedback. 

I had an incident yesterday where I told one of my musician friends (he's a weekend musician) that I'm actually a full time musician now.......just the look on his face.  Sort of like this  .  He thought I made the worst decision ever and just continued to say one negative thing over and over.  All I could think was, "jeez, thanks for the support buddy". 

One piece of advice I did get from talking with a full time drummer/percussionist was that it is tough, it's competitive.....just like what was said in this thread.  But he did finish saying, "it's important to surround yourself with people who are going to be supportive". 

c

I see a lot of opportunities to play original music.  I want to do more of these but there's no money in it at least from the beginning.  I feel like I should be saying "yes" to everything to just get the name out there.  But at the same time, I'm not in a financial position to say yes to everything.

I'm already seeing, "I like music but the musicians are kinda difficult to work with" and then there's the "I'm not really into the music but the musicians are way cool". 

It's a business.
Would you rather be working in a factory?
With that in mind, number one task is to see some income rolling in. It doesn't matter if you don't like the music or the musicians involved.
After you have a bit of cash flow happening, you can start to think about playing good music, or finding some musicians you like.
Thing is...... 75% of professional musicians would just like to be making a living playing music. Nice music and nice people are a bonus.

Thanks CW - for some reason I never thought about playing music I didn't like.  I know that sounds sort of stupid but my situation IS different now and I really can't be choosing my situations at this point. 

c

Just to underscore Chris' comments, I hate country music, find little inspiration in playing along, and would never listen to it if my wife didn't like it. HOWEVER, in the Western and Southern U.S. , it would be hard to find better paying gigs than a country gig. We're talking about regular work. A halfway decent country cover band could probably find work 7 days a week if it wanted to in Arizona, Colorado, large portions of California, western Oregon, Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and the entire Bible Belt.

I've been afforded opportunities to sit in for friends with some of the better country gigs in my area, and it's been an eye-opener. Not only is the musicianship top notch, but there's definitely more to the drumming gig than playing a two-step. I've since started attending some of these shows just to watch, and I'm starting to understand more of the music.

Anyway, when you go into an unfamiliar scene, the best thing you could possibly do is drop your biases and preconceptions. We all have them, but I've learned that part of being a full-time pro is being able to get past those cultural things that we often associate with music.

If anything, I think there is a stigma of being a part-timer around full-timers. If you play as infrequently as I do, you learn there aren't many everyday pros who want to hear your opinions on music. That's fine, because I figure they've earned something for their trouble. With each new person, it seems there's a rite of passage you have to make before they think of you as a real person. I basically play as best I can and keep my mouth shut. I smile a lot. Laugh when appropriate. Shake hands, go home, hoping my playing did all my talking.

Well to a certain extent professional musicians have to look at the bottom line.
However, there is ill feeling on both sides (obviously).
For years I've been branded a 'bread head', just for doing diverse projects and sometimes engaging in more commercial gigs than artsy ones.
I was criticised by a few friends for accepting the McCartney gig instead of soldiering on at the coalface of indie rock.
I just look at some of my heroes; Andy Newmark, Jeff Porcaro for example. What was their fun gig to paid gig ratio? Probably 25%/75% (the latter a commercial money gig).