Honestly, I am enjoying the crap out of myself... understanding it is only temporary.
I have the benefit of being encased in an underground fortress stockpiled with stuff, so I am sure that has something to do with it.
Look at it from the challenge standpoint... mods will fix this shit, I highly recommend coming at it from a new angle and giving the "survival" aspect a shot. It's been a lot of fun so far.
Another thing, try cavern raiding... you only mine stuff you see, and make connections to other tunnels... it's a blast!
Then, you can of course get a LOT of obsidian for future use now...
ROCK AND ROLL NIAGRAS
- mael