You should be proud. It shows that you have at least some financial discipline and ability to save, which is not something everyone can say.
It really helps to work on something interesting, even if it's very part time, and purely for fun. That might also help with your recruiting woes.
Also, sabbaticals don't seem that uncommon in the Bay Area, at least among people I know. Maybe it's a regional culture difference thing that makes it seem so taboo in your area?
