User:JCarriker/text

I made my first edit to Wikipedia on June 27, 2003. I tended to contribute to articles about people, places, or buildings. My first edit was an anonymous edit to Marshall, Texas, the first new article I created was Flatiron Building, the most heavily edited article is probably a run off between the Marshall article and Hatshepsut, my best article is the rather short one on Gordon Griffith. I was nominated to be an administrator by Hephaestos, and promoted to that post by Angela in June 2004. I served as an administrator until I left the English language Wikipedia in September 2006, when requested that my administrator abilities be removed. I was a member of the Association of Members' Advocates until I was elevated to the Mediation Committee—technically, I am a still a mediator emeritus. In my last months at wikipedia, I dedicated about a quarter of the time I spent on wikipedia to mediation through e-mail. I also was instrumental in the founding of the WikiProjects on Texas (with Cyrius and Katefan0), Ancient Egypt (Hajor and Llywrch), and U.S. regions (with Jmabel). As such, my grubby little fingerprints can be seen on those topics in ways such as the de facto deference to the Oxford History of Ancient Egypt in Egypt related articles and the inclusive definitions of US regions. I am the "founder" of the defunct and controversial organization Esperanza, meaning I was the person who thought it up, first housed it in my userspace, served as its de facto leader, then first Administrator General. Esperanza grew rapidly, and my idea of what it should be and I were quickly and unintentionally sidelined, which lead to my resignation. I advised its membership when asked, and remained on good terms with its leaders, but otherwise remained dissociated from Esperanza. I was also involved in unsuccessful project dedicated to the study of wikipedia's internal dynamics, or wikipediology—a term that I coined—and a proposed outreach to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As of 2007, the Marshall, Texas is the oldest surviving featured city article and the one that has been featured the longest. The Marshall article is often cited as a model by users wanting to work a city article up to featured status, and thus has influenced many other articles styles; it is probably the my most important work here in that regard. In addition to the English wikipedia, I had accounts on the Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Polish language Wikipedias. I also had accounts on Wikiquote, Wikitravel, and Meta projects. I am still active on Commons, which occasionally leads me to make a few minor edits here. Occasionally people bring things to my attention that leads me to make an edit or comment; but generally, I am no longer active here.