"I'm not a 13-year-old girl, I just play one on the internet"

I can't say this eloquently nor witty, so I'll just try my best to make it coherent:

The Honeyman: "Do you mind if Chris $ adds you to his buddy list?"
Susannah: "Go for it; heaven knows I need more people on there I've actually met."
[laughter]


"Online friends", ugh, I hate that title. Such a nerdy stigma. Why do "online friends" have to be in such a lower class than "real life friends"? I have had a buddy list since I was 12-years-old! I have plenty of "online friends." I am quite often the subject of family members' jokes because of it. The number of times I have said, "I was talking to my friend the other day and..." and have had it interuppted with, "Have you ever met this 'friend'?" is innumerable. It is so dang annoying.

Sure, I can see how it can be weird, nerdy, etc. But just because someone has a computer and they correspond with someone else with a computer doesn't make them both freaks.

I've never met Tashina in person (though hopefully we'll get to hang out when she hits Utah next month) but I think she is awesome. How we met doesn't mean I can't count her as a friend. That is true for so many people.

When does one lose the blasted title of "online friend"? Because I've been around Audrey three times (including one time being a party of mine) does she lose the title and just become "friend" now?

I went to the Spring Fling dance my junior year in high school with a guy I met on AOL when I was 12-years-old. (Whose friend is now nearly engaged to my friend.) Over 4 years after that first IM--Is that long enough to lose the title? Or is it forever engraved regardless of the fact that we hung out many times and I wrote him a bit on his mission?

Heck, my relationship with Ellie was almost completely online. Sure, I saw her every time I went to Wizard, but we never sat down and talked and actually formed a relationship--that was all completely over IM right around the time we decided to have her birthday party.

Same with Aaron, actually. We had sent numerous emails back&forth before we ever actually had a conversation in person. (Unless, of course, "You're a cutie patootie" and "thanks!" counts as a conversation.)

I am shy and don't talk to people face-to-face well unless I know them already anyway! And I hardly use the phone...if at all. Heck, I don't even call Sarah nor The Honeyman. I either IM them or go to their (respective) houses.



I dunno...It was just bugging me because I was trying to talk to this chick I work with and tell her about a funny conversation I'd had, and she said, "Wait, if it has to do with talking over the internet I don't want to hear about it. Don't tell me because I don't want to hear about it."

What kind of a crapola attitude is that?! Jump off your high horse, if you can, and settle down for a second.



For the record, I have met 39 of the 45 people on my AIM buddylist. :P