Hah! I noticed my name in that Sky alliance screen cap; it brings back a flood of great memories.
I'll always remember our first trip to sky, and the many other adventures we had in RD (and before)...
That will rank as one of my favorite experiences in the game. It's so easy to become jaded after so many years of playing, and being witness to all that can be wrong with this game. However, I realize as long as I have memories like these to look back on and smile, that there will always be a redeemable quality to this FFXI for me. I am no longer afforded the luxury of playing as often as I would like to these days, but even in the short periods of time I have to spend in Vanadiel, I find it still too enjoyable to hang up for good. Perhaps I am hoping that one day, the people and experiences that made it so fun for me can somehow be recreated. I know that is unlikely, but you can't blame someone for hoping, right?