The Many and Varied Threads We Weave

Sometimes, it’s tough to figure out where you are going. I struggle with this feeling a lot because, although I am terrific at starting a new task or tackling a challenge, I tend to lack the momentum needed to see each endeavor through to the end. I lose interest in my undertakings often and manage to get things done half way.

I have found that, for myself, it is necessary to frequently re-assess my direction and try to stay focused on what is important to me. Because of my tendency to lose interest in what were previously very engaging projects, I try to diversify my activities and constantly renew my interest in the ones that are starting to lose my attention.

I began my journey in New Eden by enrolling in EVE University. I learned a great deal there about flying with a fair amount of discipline in a massive fleet full of ferocious frigates frothing for a fight.

My initial direction in EVE was going to be commercial trading and business, but like many other pilots I discovered that you can’t make a big pile of isk without starting with a big pile of isk. Thus, I began diversifying my skillsets in order to find what interested me most.

Faction Warfare came along and I dropped my degree program at the University to pick up the Caldari Militia standard and run with that. I did the plex capture/defend thing. I did the militia fleet blob thing. I joined a couple of good corporations and did the small gang and even Hi Sec warfare thing. I focused mostly on ECM skills and T2 frigates. I can now fly every Caldari T2 frigate with some degree of success.

The doldrums of attention span caught up with me again and I retired my commission with the Caldari Navy Reserve (CAIN) in order to pursue other things around the galaxy.

Then I found out about Poker in EVE and I’ve been doing that as well as learning a great deal about Exploration. In fact, Poker and Exploration crossed paths last night!

I had just scanned down a combat plex in Yria (0.5sec in The Citadel). I was shuttling back to my Lo Sec system to grab an assault frigate when someone in local said Hello.

I must admit, at first I didn’t recognize Niraia but when she said she was from Eve Online Hold’em I remembered. She asked me if I happened to be packing a remote armor repper. I replied I was not and was just rushing through system. It seems some gate sentry gunners took offense to her unwarranted attack on a ship flown by a banker from the poker room. This sounded like a very interesting tale but I really was just passing through. Off I went.
On the return leg, now in my Rail Harpy, I saw Niraia in the same system and said hello in local, asking how she was. She replied that she’d just lost her ship after finding yet another banker on a gate and attempting to ambush yet again. This time, apparently, the gate guns had their way with her vessel.

I wondered aloud whether she had it in for the bankers from the card room; maybe she’d been cold decked for awhile or something. No, she was just having a bit of holiday fun.
And off I went to run that combat plex.

So, what’s the point of this whole tale? I think it is my year in review (I’m just over 1 EVE year old) and my attempt to refocus yet again. And it’s a way of seeing all these varied threads of activity starting to slowly weave together into some kind of tapestry.

Thanks for reading and remember, if you are getting bad cards at the table don’t blame the dealer. Change tables, change games, take a break, diversify!
AND – if you feel the inexplicable need to attack a banker on a hot gate, use that snowball launcher you just got! It will save you some insurance fees.