When I was looking for a new job and needed to refresh my Perl, I wrote programs that I found useful to use for myself - an online budgeting program , for example.

When I first was learning Perl, I found it hard to think of things to program. You need to make up fun little assignments I think.

If you find algorithms interesting, code an algorithm. If you like games, code yourself a Tc/Tkl Tetris. If you like skiing send yourself a snow report every morning...

I find I get pretty bored and unmotivated unless I am actually making something useful to me in some way...