I really enjoy working on my sites, I nurture them like my children hoping they will support me in my early retirement. I have noticed recently that I tend to measure their success by their adsense revenue. Their really isnt an alternative with my niche. I don't feel bad that this is the main objective for my sites these days. They are now motivated by and maintained for adsense but far from made for adsense.
You have to do what you have to do. As long as it's all played by the rules and not border-line unethical and against TOS stuff, I say doesn't matter. Goodluck .
I'm glad you asked. After mauling the site it became rabid and started foaming units of ads above the fold. BTW i have liked your blog ever since I started reading it last week Jim Karter.