Internet friends

[Knightmare]

It's amazing, isn't it, that someone you met online, have never met in person, and lives on the other side of the world can become one of your best friends.

I've known Ari for a while now. She and I would talk all the time. She lives in Great Britain, but is in Scotland getting her PhD.

We chatted almost daily, about anything and everything. Then, just over a week ago, she disappeared. I haven't heard a word.

The other day I get a message from her. But it's not from her, its from her room mate. Ari is in the hospital. She is not doing well at all. Last I knew, she was on life support.

Her best friend is keeping me updated as best she can.

I may never have met her in person, but I care for her just as deeply as I do my friends I've had all my life. It really sucks not being able to go see her in the hospital.

'Nuff said.

[FuzzyKitten99]

too bad it is not really possible for you to jump a plane and go see her. If I could make it happen for you, I would. Prayers for her recovery.

[MadMike]

Definitely. But it's a double-edged sword. I've met some truly wonderful people, but also some unbelievably horrible people as well. And amazingly, both of these can affect you just as if you had actually met them in real life.

[blas]

If it were possible, I would LOVE for each and every one of us to get together. I feel close to everyone on this site. I can say things to you guys that I can't to coworkers or friends or family. Hell, I seek advice from you guys before anyone else........

There's nothing wrong with having Internet friends. Ya know what, some of us may be anti-social, some of us are too mature for people our age or too immature, or some of us just don't care to have to go through desperate measures just to make friends. That's how I feel. Even if it's just through a computer. No one has any right to make fun of you for having Internet friends.

Anytime my former friend used to give me shit for talking on forums or having Internet friends and not many real life friends, I'd tell her to see it from the other side. We were two different people. I am still recovering from a serious alcohol problem. I don't party anymore. I don't want to make friends with heavy drinkers. That's all people my age do around here anyway. That and the fact that people around here are just so stupid it hurts my head and just makes me seem like a bitch.

[FuzzyKitten99]

If it were possible, I would LOVE for each and every one of us to get together. I feel close to everyone on this site. I can say things to you guys that I can't to coworkers or friends or family. Hell, I seek advice from you guys before anyone else........

There's nothing wrong with having Internet friends. Ya know what, some of us may be anti-social, some of us are too mature for people our age or too immature, or some of us just don't care to have to go through desperate measures just to make friends. That's how I feel. Even if it's just through a computer. No one has any right to make fun of you for having Internet friends.

Anytime my former friend used to give me shit for talking on forums or having Internet friends and not many real life friends, I'd tell her to see it from the other side. We were two different people. I am still recovering from a serious alcohol problem. I don't party anymore. I don't want to make friends with heavy drinkers. That's all people my age do around here anyway. That and the fact that people around here are just so stupid it hurts my head and just makes me seem like a bitch.

I feel the same way. I think it has to do with the sole reason you are on a particular board to begin with. You have a common interest with the other people, and while you may not always agree on some things, you at least agree on the one thing that brought you to the site you are at in the first place. You can feel freer to express sentiments and angst and concerns with the anonymity of the written word. You can ask advice and get it from people all over the world and all walks of life to get a good perspective of your problem.

[TNT]

You can feel freer to express sentiments and angst and concerns with the anonymity of the written word. You can ask advice and get it from people all over the world and all walks of life to get a good perspective of your problem.

But there needs to be care taken... sometimes you can lose the anonymity part, (and even the "cursing out co-workers" part). While I like to think I'm willing to stand behind everything I've said (even to say "damn, that was stupid"), there are days when I wish every post I'd ever made on certain boards would magically disappear.

[CaroPhoenix]

One of my dearest, bestest friends is a guy I met online back in 1995. We've been through thick and thin (all my romances, the deaths of my grandmothers & grandfather, the countdown to my wedding, etc.). He lives in Scotland and I'm in America. We've never met but we've written (snail & e-mail), phoned (the phone card companies love us!).

He & his wife (at least he married a good Irish girl - he didn't marry this Irish girl, so he had to pick one directly from Ireland :D) were expecting a baby at the end of this month, they lost the baby the beginning of this month. He called me all the way from Scotland to let me know. And I wanted to cry on the phone (I didn't - I didn't want to depress him further). But I wanted to get on a plane and fly there, and hug them both and be there for them. Instead, I went to church prayed & lit a candle for them. I also sent a sympathy card.

But I love them both (how can I not love the woman who had the good sense to marry my friend? :lol:)

[justZu]

Ari is in the hospital. She is not doing well at all. Last I knew, she was on life support.


Knightmare, I'm so sorry to hear that. I really hope and pray that your friend will be out of the woods very soon. :hug:

[XXDarrienX]

I have more friends that I met online than anything else and I find it much easier to meet friends that way.

[Kara]

I have loads of online friends. Hell, they're better than real friends. They don't move and never call again, they don't get too busy/important to keep in touch, and I always know where to turn when I need someone to talk to (a couple people I've known online for several years), or just someone to bounce a random thought off of and/or talk about the latest thing that amuses me (Gravekeeper).

[NightWolf]

Wow, sorry to hear that your friend is in a bad spot. Like a few others have said, if there was anything I could do, I'd help out in a heartbeat. I think with the trend of the internet, online friends are just as significant as "local" friends are. You never know when someone you know online might move close to you due to any number of reasons. So it's always nice to keep those friendships going. I know I've met a lot of really cool people through my gaming tenure. A lot of them I still keep in contact with and as a matter of fact, some are also in the same career field i'm looking into and have offered a lot of good advice and some possible job prospects. So, just to re-state. Online friends are an awsome thing to have. :D

Warm fuzzies going out to Ari in hopes that those grey dreary clouds go away soon.

[MadMike]

They don't move and never call again, they don't get too busy/important to keep in touch

Some of them do. :cry:

[Nephy]

Met my SO of 5 years, and one of my (our's actually) best friends on the same internet forum.

I'm of the "Yay internet friends!" mindset.

How is Ari doing? *crosses fingers for better*

[justZu]

Hi Knightmare. I thought about your friend Ari tonight, so I'm bumping up the thread to see how she is doing. I'm hoping she's feeling better and is well on the road to recovery. :)

[SengaKitty]

One of my best friends I've been talking to online, through snailmail and over the phone since I was 10 almost 11 years old (am 21 now). She's been there for me through everything. She's going to be the godmother of my baby when it's born in May :-D So I know how ya'll feel I'd do anything in the world for her.

Knightmare I hope Ari is out of the hospital and back on her feet soon. I'll be praying for you and her

[Gravekeeper]

or just someone to bounce a random thought off of and/or talk about the latest thing that amuses me (Gravekeeper).

I am here to amuse. -.-

As for Internet Friends(tm).....to be completely honest all of my best friends *are* Internet friends. It's much easier finding people on the same wave length as you when you can canvas the entire globe rather then just a single town or city.

Sure I've met a few of them. But most of them I've known for 7 or 8 years and have never even met face to face. I know what they look like and sound like, yes. But we have never occupied the same physical vicinity. I've yet to meet anyone in the same city as me thats actually on the same sort of wave length that I can actually talk to or enjoy the company of for an extended period of time. Which kinda sucks, but oh well.

[Amethyst Hunter]

As for Internet Friends(tm).....to be completely honest all of my best friends *are* Internet friends.

Same here. I'm *extremely* fortunate in that my best friend lives close enough that we can get together on weekends occasionally. It's iffy on the gas, but at least we're in the same state again (When I lived in Florida being able to chat online, if not in person, with her, was probably one of the few things that kept me semi-sane during that time - I literally had *nobody* I could talk to!)

I'm also of the "yay internet friends" variety.