My name is Sara, playing EVE as Amber Alexston and I'll answer to either. I've only just recently started over after a five year hiatus. I'm still well within my trial, but know I'll have to wait at least until my 15th day in-game to be accepted.
The reason I've "returned" to EVE is that I've been playing WoW for the last five years, and I've had some fun - I've done what's called "raidleading" and I've gotten legendary weapons and it's all been delightful but ultimately unsatisfying. The entire time I've been aware that no matter how great my DPS is, it doesn't actually equate to anything of meaning. The storyline of WoW progresses as it will whether or not I actually play. Despite being an "immersive" environment, WoW's main characters are super-powered NPCs that players have no real connection to. EVE is different, as you folks well know, but requires intellectual investment - energy I haven't had to spare until just recently.
The reason I'm applying to/learned of TTI is that Petyr (is he still around?) saved my life. I don't remember what we were doing, maybe hanging out in Corp Recruitment? Something silly and not involving spaceships - but the two of us got to debating. See, Petyr for whatever reason could tell that I happened to be an unfathomably intelligent person despite the handicap of being a card-carrying "Super Selfless Faith over Reason 'cuz LOL quantum mechanics rite?" type. That first conversation went on for hours, the first real time I'd ever had my values questioned (including by myself). I was a preppy religious girl trying to convince a bunch of space pirates to "get along!" and "pursue the greater good!" and "act as if your actions were to be universal laws!" -- and Petyr said something along the lines of, "hey you should really read Anthem. For your own good."
So I did. Then the Fountainhead, then Atlas, and within the span of a few months I wasn't playing EVE anymore because I was fighting desperately to undo YEARS of damage I'd done to myself. Now that I can finally afford the time and energy to relax and TRULY reward myself again, the first real luxury I want is to meet the contemporary crew of TTI and see what I can still learn, and of course to enjoy playing EVE, in my less than humble opinion, the way it was meant to be played.
Application forthcoming.
