Verily, I say unto ye, marry not an engineer. For an engineer is a strange
being and possessed of many evils. Yea, he speaketh always in parables
which he calleth formulae. He wieldeth a big stick which he calleth a slide rule. And he hath only one
bible, a handbook. He thinketh only of
strains and stresses, and without end of thermodynamics. He showeth always a serious aspect and seemeth
not to know how to smile. He picketh his seat in a car by the springs thereof and not by the damsels.
Neither does he know a waterfall except by its horsepower, Nor a sunset except that he must turn on
the light, Nor a damsel except by her weight. Always he carrieth his books with him, and he
entertaineth his sweetheart with steam tables. Verily, though his damsel expecteth chocolates when he calleth,
She openeth the package to discover samples of iron ore. Yea, he holdeth her hand but to measure the
friction thereof, and kisseth her only to test the viscosity of her lips, for in his eyes shineth a far
away look that is neither love nor longing, but a vain attempt to recall formulae. Even as a boy, he
pulleth a girl's hair but to test its elasticity. But as a man, he deviseth different devices. For he
counteth the vibrations of her heartstrings And seeketh ever to pursue his scientific investigations.
Even his own heart flutterings he counteth as a measure of fluctuation. And his marriage is but a
simultaneous equation involving two unknowns.
And yielding diverse results. Verily, I say unto ye, do not marry an engineer.
...from the Inflection Point web site |