I too have a a very similar game pan to those above. Burnt 100 hours in Florida around Dec 2001 to get the necessary time. Self employed as well but am fortunate (or unfortunate) in that I contract so I can take time off as required. Plan on doing more hours out in LA in Sept. Taking the g/f along for fun as well and hopefully should get in around 50 hours which will all help. BTW - 32 years young.
Presently over half way through the IMC which I think is just fab. The accuracy of my flying has come along leaps and bounds and in my opinion it just has to make your time in the air all that more productive and not to mention safer. After doing the PPL I was very very very average on instruments having only done the bare minimum required. Now I feel so much more confident to fly approaches, track to and from nav aids etc. Will make the hour building so much more useful as I intend to use instruments whenever I can although clearly the IMC priviledges won't be valid in the US.
As for the ATPL's I hate em and to be honest haven't made to much headway into them as yet although that is the next part of the game plan.
Good luck
FFF - if you do the IR in a single will you then have to redo the skill test once you have your multi?