I would suggest that you're missing the point. The point of photography is the photograph. You do what you must to get the photograph you want.
I'm going to disagree with this premise.
I think you over interpret my statement. The way to figure out what things and processes will be "fun" is if you use them and have fun getting the result. The subject and the resultant kind of image are significant parts of choosing the equipment and the processes. The OP seemed not to have a good handle on figuring out what would be fun and didn't say much about what kind of images he wanted to produce or how he would use or share them.
My suggestion is that he think about what kind of images he wants to make (canvas in a frame, paper matted and framed, mounted on a foam board and hung on a wall, shared on a website as a digital image, displayed on a digital frame or monitor as a part of a revolving display in his living room, and on and on there are lots of choices).
Again, of what subjects? Architectural objects like buildings and bridges? People as in formal portraits or maybe as street photography? Animals as in pets or wildlife (there are huge varieties there). Sports action? Macro photography of bugs and flowers? Landscapes of some kind or another?
The kinds of images and the types of subjects can direct the question more accurately than simply "fun" for the sake of the process or the equipment used. I submit to be a fun hobby it will most likely be fun to get the images you like of the subjects you want to get them of and the equipment and processes are part of that fun. Just like the point of fly fishing is the overall experience. However, if catching a fish isn't part of the motivation then you might just want to do fly casting at targets for fun. That's not to say that I haven't spent hours on water where catching wasn't keeping and releasing was the end product of catching. I don't see a similar contest in photography. Maybe you do.
If the product isn't desirable it's a little hard for me to see how the process is fun. In olden times I never waited in the darkroom for the image to develop on my paper just because I wanted to smell the developer and the fixer. The motive was to produce a photo and I liked being able to have control of that. The same is true of digital "developing" and pp: I find it fun to make the image take on the life I imagined for it when I took the photo. Fiddling with raw development and adjusting white balance and contrast and all that is a pleasure because it results in an image I am enthusiastic to have. I don't do those things in isolation of the result.
I mean, I agree that "the photograph" is one point of photography. And for some, it is the main, and perhaps only, point. To be honest, there have been times in my life when it was the main point for me. Especially when photographs were putting food on my table.
But I think there is a lot of room in there for the process to be as, or more, enjoyable and "fun".
You should be able to see from what I've written above that I never intended to suggest that photography's equipment and processes weren't fun and didn't contribute to the fun of creating a photo. However, I wouldn't spend all day in a darkroom in a past life and be satisfied throwing away the prints I made because they weren't part of my fun. Again, the subjects and the the resultant type of image and where or how it is used are ways to guide what processes will be useful and therefore a good part of the fun.
Making the photograph be the only point of photography is sort of like making catching fish be the only point of fly fishing, or getting to the top be the only point of rock climbing. If all you want to do is catch a fish or get to the top of a cliff, there are far easier ways to do it than fly fishing or rock climbing. We do things like that because, for some, the journey IS the destination (to use an old hippy slogan).
I think you need to back up and decide what photographs you find interesting, beautiful or inspiring. Then set out to make some.
Never a bad idea as far as overcoming malaise and lack of inspiration or enjoyment.
I'd go a little farther and say "fundamental" to enjoying.
