You're not damaged goods. Since you're not being burnt out by your day job, you should keep a humble personal project going to keep yourself sharp. Also, it gives you something to talk about during interviews. "I've been working on this x. I wanted to learn y so I'm using it on my project."

When you find a company worth working for, they won't care about the gap on your resume. They'll see you talking passionately about a personal project and give you exactly as much consideration as the shiny guy who's bored with his lame-o Fortune 500 gig. The right company won't turn you down for the wrong reasons. (They might still turn you down, but it will be because someone else felt like a better fit fair-and-square: Just like you'll feel at the place you finally end up working.)