“May the Fourth Be With You”—Ada Lovelace

I have only a vague recollection of making this—or why I did so. I presume I was tickled by the fact that several of the portraits of Ada Lovelace (English mathematician and writer, widely regarded as the first computer programmer and Mother of Modern Computing, may the Lord have Mercy on Her Soul)—including the one I started with for this image—depict her sporting a very Princess Leia ‘do.

Ada Lovelace, Jedi and Droid Programmer (by David Erik Nelson)

My 10yo asks “Want to see me use the Force?”…

… I nod.

He sticks his finger in his mouth, then draws the spit-slick digit out and, swift as a fencer, pushes it into my face. I instinctively rear back, as though moved by some sort of mystical energy field, perhaps one created by all living things—the sorta thing that surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.image

Touché, tiny nerd. You win this round.