I enjoy the speed boosts of HHVM or PHP7 as much as anyone else, because I benefit from it, but yeah, I still hate the language.
May be your hate is entirely from the fact that you are forced to work with the tool you don't like.
You don't need to pity me. I don't have much to do with PHP any more. All new development is either by a static generator or Django, or whatever's required... I just also maintain a PHP server for a client with a load of Wordpress installs.
That's was my point about liking stories about PHP getting better. A performance boost means a free upgrade for no extra work. I like that. Doesn't mean I like PHP.