Example scenario:
If you ask me to solve a problem, I can intelligently talk to you about what a program that solves that problem is expected to do, and happily whiteboard a big picture idea.
If I don't know the language required for implementation, that's ok because I'm pretty confident I can work out the basics and what I need to code.
To meet your points:
A) I haven't really put myself out there in a while(over a year), I've been 'prepping'
B) My algorithm's are poor. While I understand the concept of Big O notation, I can't readily look at something and say "oh that's a _______ sort"
For what it's worth, I didn't have to whiteboard once during my several interviews. If you're interviewing with new SF or NYC startups, you'll find many of them care far more about practical* skills than pop quizzes. This certainly isn't universal, but it shouldn't frighten you away from trying interviews.
* (not that algorithm knowledge isn't practical, but for a lot of smaller, "web-interface-around-a-database" startups, they're not nearly as important as being comfortable around a full web stack)
I need to take time to build code I can actually show off.
The things I build now are essentially web interfaces sitting on databases. The problem is they aren't exactly.. or at all.. legal.
Great learning projects (putting my home video library into a web interface, with episode data from a TV series API) but not something I feel I can show.
Algorithms aren't really about recognising standard implementations - although in preparation you'll certainly learn that. It's about having a deep understanding of programs' flow, and being able to recreate and combine patterns when needed to solve a problem.
You should "prep" your algorithms knowledge - it plays a big role in a lot of interviews.
To meet your points: A) I haven't really put myself out there in a while(over a year), I've been 'prepping' B) My algorithm's are poor. While I understand the concept of Big O notation, I can't readily look at something and say "oh that's a _______ sort"