I am a perl lover. For me, the TIMTOWTDI means mainly that I can write code the way I think. When I have an idea of a solution for a problem, I have no effort to make to translate this idea into perl because there exists always a concise syntax for it. Perl does not limit your thinking. Instead of loosing time fighting to adapt your mind to the language, you have freedom to improve your skills. The more you improves, the more you find cases where not common syntaxes appear to be useful. At the end, when you are an experienced perl programmer, you master most of the syntax "tricks" used by the others experienced perl programmers.
Hmmm ... I have found the same feeling with every language I've mastered. I never did master Perl but even if I had, I would have set it aside like most of the other languages that I have mastered when a compelling new language/tool/system came out. I try not to form an emotional relationship with my tools as it might adversely limit my adaptability.
Try Java. Java has its merits, but they mostly revolve around defending you from hundreds of current and former coworkers, not merging your mind with the machine the way Perl does.
