Why play BJ?

I was hoping to make a few thousand a month ($100 or so a day), playing full-time (or as full-time as possible). But after reading Blackjack Attack and Wong's books, I'd need a huuuge bankroll to do this (or face a very high risk of ruin with a smaller bankroll).

Is there somthing I'm missing? It seems that playing long-term, the returns are really lousy, even if one plays perfect strategy and can bet perfectly. In the real world, it's even worse.

Or is it that I'd never be able to play enough hands get the long-term statistical returns; so in my lifetime I'd either be on a winning streak (so to speak), and think myself a great player, or be constantly at a loss, and questioning my sanity.