I think we need a Cheese Thread to go with !
I complain a lot, I know. So why do I keep playing this game? Why do you? Here are a few of my reasons:
Ratongas. How can anyone stay mad at the people who gave us ratongas? Ok, so SOE removed cheesecake recipes from the game which meant my ratongas almost starved to death but they did bring them back to us eventually.
Mount appearance slots, possibly the best thing to happen since someone working for SOE said "hey, wouldn't it be cool if those EQ ratmen were playable?".
7 year veteran reward, a free mansion! How awesome is that. No Smedbucks required, everyone can get one as long as they wait.
House teleporters, and adding new easy-to-break-out-of (totally intentional from SOE's side, I bets cheeses on its) outside areas to existing houses.
Subtle realistic armour and weapons. No, I'm not taking the piss. Yes, I know, most of the new stuff is completely over the top but at least the old armour is still there and I can still wear it in my appearance slots. Everyone else might be running around with skull covered shoulder pads the size of kunark but I can just quietly tell myself that those are just...my character's hallucinations...from eating some tainted cheese... Or something.
Guides. Voluntary players who can run special guide quests and events, or just hang around and roleplay and hand out cheese and other goodies to people. The guide program is truly awesome (and no I am not a guide). At least when you meet a really great guide. I can't stand the ones who use smileys in /say or go "LOL", but luckily those are rare exceptions and most of the ones I have met so far are very good at it.
Live events. Both the special ones leading up to new expansions and the ones that return every year or month. The monthly instances, the city fair, lots of fluff stuff and no Smedbucks required.