I play EQ2 because I can play online with good people and the monthly fee is cheaper then one night of going out. I don’t want to be nickled and dimed with all this stuff. The stuff is nice and sometimes I’m temped but I have yet to use any “Station Cash”.

What really pissed me off was the new racial change item you can buy. SOE comes in, changes all the racial traits that you considered when making your character all those years ago and has the nerve to say “If you don’t like your changes, Pay $25 to pick another race”. Some people have lost abilities that were the entire reason you picked that race to begin with.

If SOE continues in this direction, I may have to look into other games because I am finding myself more and more unhappy with them everyday.

2 or 3 dollars i wouldn’t have a problem with.

But my worry here is that these games will start adding zones and quest that you have to pay to have access to, while still paying a monthly fee.

SoE is already on that path. They added a zone you can only get from a loot card in LDoN.
http://ogrebear.com/?p=1363

Does furniture do anything other than sit there for in game roleplaying nerds?

These transactions are popping up in all games, better get used to it. It is the wave of the future as people move away from monthly subs like DDO did.