Programming is an inspiring activity.
I love Dan Nguyen's introduction to programming for everyone: http://ruby.bastardsbook.com/about/#why

However, this well written article did not answer my own questions, how I could REALLY use programming for my work. As I am a Linux enthusiast, I decided to learn Python - or at least read some books about it.

The following list collects some ideas, how learning Python can be not only inspiring, but also of some practical use for my needs.