I always found a good grind relaxing. If done right, it's just repetitive enough, yet requires just enough skill, that it sucks me in, and calms me down at the same time. I never understood people who complain about the grind. It's not the grind itself, it's the 'feel' of the grind that is either good or bad. And maybe that's a big part of the ineffable artistic nature of MMOs, which can't be planned no matter how much developers try.

I mean, frankly, if I wanted a huge amount of story I'd play a single player game. But when I want to play, and chat, and exercise my skill in a social environment, I play MMOs. In other words, every one who wants to play a MMO should realize that they're playing a game that's supposed to be 'grindy'.

And the endgame is, essentially, extending the grind. As it should be. Running instances over and over, raiding the same things, farming materials - it shouldn't be too easy, or too hard, and should be fun, but the fact is, it's repetitive. That, of course, isn't to say it's always going to be the same. Slight changes in raid makeup can't change the entire run, same with instances, so skill is involved. But still, grindy. And that's always why I've liked MMOs. :\