That's how I feel these days.
In the midst of the daily routine...! What's this? And suddenly my whole attention leaps to that place. I want to know what's there. I want to uncover its structure, discover the edges, discern where its substance begins and where it ends. I want to pick up this strange thing and examine it in the light. I want to drag it into my lab and examine it under a microscope. I want to engage it in conversation and learn what it is, when it was, what became of it, and what I can do now that I know these things. I want to know the thing. And then I want to put that knowledge to use.
So, lately I've been continuing my Akkadian studies (up to chapter 5), reading some books on God's covenants in Scripture, and investigating hobby/career options in the spare time when I'm not working, sleeping, eating, enjoying fellowship, or serving. I've been feeling the usual emotions - excitement, slight regret for not having started earlier, contentment in the Lord, slight despair that my efforts might be a waste of time, great desire that I might finally gain mastery over some knowledge/skill area, zeal to see where the new interest will lead, obliviousness to the boldness of my queries, curiosity into possibilities, eagerness to apply new knowledge, and simple raw curiosity.