Currency - my personal experience is that I feel downright unsafe if I'm flying less than 25 hrs pa and start to feel I know what I'm doing most of the time past 40.
I've said this before, but if you're prepared to think laterally there are more ways than one to earn your living flying. Yesterday I was visiting a microlight school, who were complaining bitterly about how few people are qualifying as microlight instructors and how hard it is to recruit any.
Microlights and balloons share the same medical, so a microlight instructors rating or a ballon CPL are options. Both involve more than JUST flying, but you'd certainly get plenty of hours and earn a living.
G