User:Jacobsowder

Hello, I'm Jacob Sowder. Ever since I was a youngster I've been highly interested in Wikipedia. So actually making this page and this account of mine is probably the highlight of my year, decade, and possibly even my life. (Depending on how the next few years go, of course.) When I first mastered reading (at 11 months of age) it was not uncommon for me to be seen sitting at the computer reading article after article here on Wikipedia. I would have one of my parents click from page to page, as I was not yet able to operate the mouse or keyboard. But I would point to the next article I wanted to read and say my favorite phrase: "Click on 'dat one, modda' fucka'!" My parents were thrilled to have a child so interested in gaining knowledge. However, this love affair with Wikipedia couldn't last my entire childhood. When I was 7 (at which point I had read an approximate 23,000 articles on Wikipedia) my would-have-been-favorite-teacher told me that Wikipedia was "entirely unreliable and full of incorrect information." As you can imagine, this completely shattered my reality. I spent months in devastation and grief. More than anything, I was my infuriated with myself. I couldn't believe I had been lied to for so long. After 8 weeks in a "rehabilitation clinic" that my loving parents had so graciously set up specifically for me and my recovery, I began to love myself again. It was a long and wrenching journey, but I eventually came away from it with more gratitude and love more myself than I could have possibly imagined. I then went 6 and a half years without even a passing thought about Wikipedia. But when my 9th grade neurology teacher insisted I look over a Wikipedia page about the effect of strobe lights on the mind, I began to fear for all of the progress I had made. Eventually I gave in and looked at the page. It broke a metaphorical dam, and the metaphorical river which was being held by the metaphorical dam was equal or greater to the Amazon its immense power and amount of metaphorical water. This was yet another turning point in my life. I spent 100% of my free time gawking at articles about trapeze artists, "Sam the cat-smoker", and anything else you could imagine. Finally after a horrific snorkeling accident, I was reminded of the value of life and I saw the giant problem in my life. Ever since then I have enjoyed the many things Wikipedia has to offer, while keeping myself under control. If you're the addict I used to be, let me tell you: if I can do it, anyone can! There IS hope!