My introduction to computation (beyond playing MLB '99) was when I was 13 years old, and I found myself on a forum dedicated to stick figure animations. I was initially enthralled by animation, but it required too much time and disipline for a 13 year old. In any case, I was hooked on the internet.
The next summer in between 7th and 8th grade I can recall I made my first website using HTML. From there, it was off to the races.
Disipline, focus, boredom were all obstacles that stood in my way of allowing computation to envelop me, but eventually time and circumstance forced my hand. After a long and fruitless stint in digital media, I was laid off during the pandemic. It was here computation and I were re-introduced and we clicked. Furthermore, I was hooked.
I often describe to my friends who don't program that coding and thinking about computation is a kind of drug. It becomes all you think about if you let it; you try to figure out how to make money with the substance; and when it all comes together, the feeling is moving in the deepsest part of your soul and psyche. Likewise, you spend time trying to chase the high and indeed get higher. You work on more complex problems, you read more documentation, you become part of the fabric of the community with which you are engaging.
As with everything else, as anyone predisposed to addiction is aware, you can get strung out on anything. You can get strung out on heroin, you can get strung out on computation. I would say moderation is key, but we do not live in a dictionary made up of key, value pairs. We live in America (well, the author does) and there is nothing before or beyond your value.
Well, that's it! Enjoy your day everyone!