Started in June 2004 where it took me 6 months to get my first job (RDM) to 75. It also took me two weeks prior to beat Maat. I swear I was about to quit if I didn't beat Maat then. Lol. Took a few breaks here and there. One for 3 months, another last year for 7 months. Always said I wouldn't come back but here I am...
Started on PS2 release date. I actually had no interest in playing at all but my dad saw the commercial for it and was like "Oh, you like to play final fantasy games so we'll get you that one"...despite saying I didn't want to play, and then feeling horrible at having him spend his money on the PS2 hard drive for it.
I don't really qualify as a proper old-schooler I guess, played for a few months in 2004 (before the game was released in the EU), then quit for a while and started back up in June 2006. Certainly not an aby-baby at least! :P
I hated the idea of an online FF. I was pretty antisocial and the thought of playing with others irked me. So it took me up until Feb. 2005 to actually try it... and here I am 9 years later.
I started playing (attempted to anyway) on the PC but my computer couldn't handle it so I eventually bought the PS2 version from Circuit City I think when it went on sale, and subsequently shortly after picked up the COP expansion.
I didn't start picking up decently until the fall of '06, and got my first 75 sometime within a few months after that.
I still recall my binger of 2 days where I played for all but 9 hours.