“Perl is not much loved in Tucson?”

What a sweeping statement, to be so utterly untrue! A programmer's worth is not defined by language, and every computer technology is used in every town. Do not limit yourself to the “low-hanging fruit.” You don't get what you deserve:   you get what you hustle.

Stop whining ... ;-) ... start hustling.

You would look strangely at a man who says to you that he is a craftsman who is very good with a wrench and not-so-good with a hammer. When you approach a craftsman, you want to know what he has done, but what you really want to know is what he can do for you... and why you should believe him. You expect him to know what tools to use and when to do so, and to adapt quickly. Same deal, throughout any business but especially in the software business. So, go grab a coffee and go ... not to the computer section, but the how-to-sell section.