> So what happened witch the itch, where is it. What was it all about?

Sometimes the itch is "I like the challenge of finding/building a solution for X" not "I need a solution for X".

Different from home automation, but sometimes I find myself carried away researching "the best photo printer", "the nicest hybrid smart watch", "the best value tiny PC I can mount on a monitor" or some other gadget. I browse around the reviews, youtube videos, shopping sites, and find the best product for the best price. And then ... I move on because, realistically, I don't need the thing.