Hello Sean,
You clearly are very experianced with scripting and that sort of thing. Since you do know that, you could join scripting groups to help make scripts that run things here in SL. The scripting language for SL (called LSL) is mainly simplar to C scripting language so you will fit in with them.
If you find people who like to script like you, then you will be able to fit in with those people. Things that you could do in your freetime is come up with scripts that builders, DJ, hosts, models, or anyone else in SL can use either with experiance or if you are teaching someone indirectly.
Basically the sky is your limit. You don't even just have to be a scripter in SL. You can be anything you want, just note that some jobs do take actual work to do. But to me it is fun. But based off of your post above, it seems like you want to take the scripting route. So do that if you love it! Find scripters like you and be with them, or teach new scripters how to be better and learn the language as you learn it. Hope that helps ^-^