Welcome to the eighteenth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by none other than me, CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed to crazykinux@gmail.com. Check out other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

On May 6th 2010, EVE Online celebrated its 7th Anniversary. Quite a milestone in MMO history, especially considering that it is one of the few virtual worlds out there to see its population continually grow year after year. For some of you who’ve been here since the very beginning, EVE has evolved quite a lot since its creation. With the expansion rolling out roughly twice a year, New Eden gets renewed and improved regularly. But, how about you the player? How has you gaming style evolved through the years or months since you’ve started playing? Have you always been a carebear, or roleplayer? Have you only focused on PvP or have you given other aspects of the game a chance – say manufacturing. Let’s hear your story!

Once, I was a slave; a slave who carved his path to freedom.

Once, I was a mortal man; transformed into an immortal god.

Once, I was a war hero; now I am … something new.

There are many schools of thought on the progression of life. Some believe it to be a straight and linear line; we start at point A and end at B. It has all been pre-ordained.

Others believe that every choice we make creates a new reality; that life is an ever changing universe of decisions we make. To extend that line of thought, every decision we don’t make could theoretically create a new reality where we did make that choice. Imagine how many infinite universes there must be for every decision we never made, and ever decision that may have existed from those unmade decisions… tenth dimension.

I subscribe to a more fatalistic approach to life. Life is a river, constantly flowing and ebbing. I can’t control the river; I can merely adjust my position within it at times. There are moments when the river rages onwards around me, dragging me under, leaving me gasping for breath. There are more moments when I can slow my forward momentum downstream, allowing me the illusion of control, even providing the opportunity for me to look around and enjoy the view.

But like water, life is in constant motion; nothing ever remains the same.

I’ve dabbled in the market, tried fulltime employment with the Republic Security Services. I’ve ransomed capsuleers for profit, killed Amarr in a bloody war for my people’s freedom. I’ve run a POS. I’ve been a director in a corporation. I’ve been a rock star, and a writer. I’ve trained in the ancient martial arts of my ancestors. I’ve recovered relics from a time long forgotten.

I’ve seen many things in my lifetimes, but know my combined experience is but a speck of sand on a beach in the grand scheme of things. There is still so very much for me to do.

In my mind’s eye, I see a waterfall ahead of me. I can hear the growing rumble of its precipice, but I cannot see over the edge. I breathe in the freshness of the air deeply, exhilarated.

No matter what life brings me next, I’ll be ready for it.

1. CrazyKinux’s Musing: The Heroes with a Thousand Faces
2. StarFleet Comms: Life. Evolved.
3. A Carebear’s Journeu: This Carebear Thinks He Is Developing Teeth
4. The Elitist: Our ventures in EVE
5. A Mule in EVE: From a guppy predator
6. Travels of the Ronin: Evolution and Adaptation
7. The Ralpha Dogs: The Past Through Tomorrow
8. Where the frack is my ship: A journey, not a destination
9. I am Keith Neilson: 7 Year Itch?
10. Inner Sanctum of the Ninveah: Evolution Me
11. EVE Opportunist: A long history of a short time
12. Roc’s Ramblings: Things Change
13. Guns Ablaze: Onwards and Upwards
14. EVE On Real Life: Haven’t you grown up yet?
15. More as they get published…