I think you'll find the tax structure of being self employed (along with the obvious freedom, stress, exhilaration and all the other adjectives that come with a massive change in life) favorable to your former W2 life. 

It's kind of terrifying and exhilarating.

My name is Travis and I am beginning this exhilarating and nerve racking  new life path. 

Recessions are exhausting, scary, sad, frustrating, anxious times; and while it might seem exhilarating to be able to find great real estate deals, there aren't too many people giddy over the prospect of negotiating short sales with seller who have no place to go or getting a great price on a house because the owner is facing foreclosure in two days.The best way to describe it is like receiving an organ transplant. 

If they can, I would like to rehab and rent them as cash flowing properties, and if not, I plan to wholesale them.I have a thrilling life and enjoy many exhilarating hobbies, such as reading books and drinking entirely too much coffee. 

This is all very exhilarating.

Real Estate is exciting and the prospect of getting started with your first property exhilarating but you do not want to force a deal.

Driving for Dollars is often real sleuth work, and like you said, it's exhilarating to just actually speak to an owner!

Engaging with you all has been exhilarating.

But never let a little common sense get in the way of some exhilarating pretentious posturing.