How many have learned a language they hated just to get a job? 
brainlock: Maybe a bit late, but here is my experience.At the end of the job search I had to choose among two companies. One was developing in python, the other in php. At first I felt inclined towards the python-based one, mainly because of my taste in programming languages. I had sweared to myself I wouldn't do java, asp or php, and like you I was disappointed at the fact that the vast majority of job offers required those languages.After getting to know both, however, I ended up going to the php-based company.I realised that what I actually dislike of java & co., more than the languages themselves, is the mindset that the people pushing them _often_ have. Mind you, often, not always. And that was the key.The people at my company started this project about 10 years ago, and at the time php was the natural choice. They're not the old-aged, process oriented, boring, enterprise-y. They're agile, quick, creative, curious. We use git, introduced and extremely cool release management strategy, started a new project in python, moved a lot of the functionality on the client (on the browser), and so far even the work on the php backend has been a lot of fun (~1 year into this job).I'd say the key factor is: do they have a hacking mindset or a process-enterprise mindset? With the right people php can be fun too :-)