Don't let everyone squelch your enthusiasm too much. The game does bad things to you. Anyone that plays for a fairly extended period of time it seems becomes quite bitter and forget the way the game felt to them when it was all still new. The world of Vana'diel was huge and amazing then.

I started on the same server as a large group of people I knew also from a messageboard (FF:WA). I started about a year after all of them and while I was busy being exuberant and enjoying all the game had to offer to me... all of the new things, they were bitter and somewhat lackluster about everything. They didn't care about how much I enjoyed the game and had already been ruined by the routine and reptitives time sinks of the game.

When I started I loved a lot of things and I had faaaaar more patience than I have now. Just because I've noticed a lot of repitition and have lost patience with many things doesn't mean I still don't enjoy the game very thoroughly.

As for people saying that you wasted your life doing everything FFXI has to offer... I'm sorry you feel that way but I've made many friends. Even friends that have quit the game still talk to me fairly regularly through AIM. Also, what else would you do with your fun time? Plany other games? Sure you can do that. Watch TV? Umm... how is that better than doing something that actual engages your mind and exposes you to some social outlet. If you didn't like the game and left it bitterly I'm sorry.

I will still always look at people with your enthusiasm at first and think they are a noob and think somewhat ill of them but I'm glad they are having fun. I hope you continue to play and enjoy FFXI. Don't let anyone bring you down. You may look back one day and laugh at your own hyper-exuberance but we all had to start somewhere ^^ Happy adventuring.