Why I became a Conspiracist

I just wanted to put this in type somewhere and this is probably the best forum to do that on.
Some people dont always remember what particular event set them on a certain path or belief, their usual replies when asked are, I dont know, it just came on gradual I suppose.
I am the same way myself about a lot of things that I believe in, like the paranormal or my belief in E.T's.
One thing I do recall though is the event that caused me to believe that there is a lot more going on than we will ever know about in this world and particularly in my home country, the USA.
Dont get me wrong, I was never naive enough to believe that things didnt happen but I just really never gave it much thought, at least not until one late night on the road.
Back in the early to mid 90's I made several weekly trips from where I live now on the South Texas coast to the Dallas Tx area. I preferred to drive late at night to avoid the heat in the summer and the traffic all year round.
I had never heard of Art Bell or his show during that time because I was in my twenties and at that time AM radio was so "uncool man" however I couldnt always get a decent signal on FM in some areas so I began check out AM one night and happened on Arts show.
There were a few different guests that night but one in particular was a woman from England that had claimed she used to work in a particular area of the English Government.
She told a story that, at that time, I found hard to believe.
She said that she was a contractor that worked in a building where she was somehow involved in setting up a system that was to be used to spy on the United States.
She wasnt spying for England though, she was spying on the US FOR the US using a system called Echelon. I still recall listening to everything she said and thinking what a complete liar she was because back then I was a true Red, White, N Blue American Patriot and damn near believed and BS that my Govt spewed out to us.
This was a ways before the internet was real big, when everyone either used AOL or Prodigy to get online and sites like this were still someones wet dream..
There were the BB's I'm sure but they were nothing like what we have access to today.
Anyway, sometime before we hit the year 2000, I think, I started hearing a lot about this Echelon and it began to become pretty common knowledge that it existed.
I know that it isnt really that HUGE of a deal now but for me I guess it was kind of like bait, it got my attention.
I remember thinking, if the Govt would deny knowledge about something like this then wtf else are they hiding. So, for me at least, it was a defining moment in my life.

Cool... for me I have always believed in aliens and spirits... I had too many imaginary friends and once my grandma freaked out cuz I told her things about one of my imaginary friends, that he missed her and loved her. I told her his name and she told me that she had a brother with that name and everything I was describing was right on the money. Plus seen too many things not to realize that there are spirits and a higher power. Aliens... well... the first time I saw the X-files I was about 8 or 9 and I freaked out... my Mom was all worried, and I guess I told her some pretty strange stuff... how I didn't like the looks of the aliens, and that some of them don't look like that. Who knows...

Now, the Government... well I always watched the news and read Newsweek ever since I was about 6 or 7. I loved learning about what was going on in the world... I remember getting confused, angry and that's not right thoughts around the time of the Gulf War and I was about 9 or 10 then. Plus my family would have lengthy debates about Politics, healthcare, etc. Also, History says a lot... if you read about any government in any time, anywhere, somewhere there is corruption, secrecy and conspiracy. Look at Ceaser...so I guess that's probably where a lot of my belief of conspiracy comes from... that and too many people have the same thoughts/ideas/or see too much.