Like many developers I have a strong desire to work with more exciting technology, even when there's no business case for it. Strangely enough, I've found the best outlet for that energy (other than personal projects when I get free time) is configuring Emacs.
It's less disruptive than putting a new language or database into production, and makes me significantly more content to work with a boring stack. Plus I get a more comfortable computing environment out of it.
Maybe someday I'll get Emacs just the way I like it, and need to find something else to distract me from chasing the new and shiny, but I kind of doubt it.
I am the same way. I can tell when my main job gets boring because I start to tinker with emacs more and it provides that intellectual stimulus I need. Not to mention helping optimize away some of the more rote parts of my job.
It's less disruptive than putting a new language or database into production, and makes me significantly more content to work with a boring stack. Plus I get a more comfortable computing environment out of it.
Maybe someday I'll get Emacs just the way I like it, and need to find something else to distract me from chasing the new and shiny, but I kind of doubt it.