As a community we techies don't spend enough time smelling the roses - plus most of us assume that almost all of us are male. The first is an error, the second wrong; or, as Andrew Orleski put it recently us "dweebs simply need to get out more."
Today is Canada's fourth of July, and since I'm Canadian that calls for a celebration.
Put that together with the lack of roses and our general failure to recognize the feminine side of the business and what do you get? How about a very feminine poem from the 19th century's Elizabeth Barrett Browning?
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Okay, that's a bit saccharine for my taste, but most of the quotations I find interesting enough to use in this blog are extremely bitter - so consider this an attempt at averaging and spend a few minutes this weekend contemplating roses - but just the open source ones, ok?