Creepy Internet Friends

Today, one of my Twitter friends was lamenting her lack of topic for her blog. I told her that when in doubt, I write about my Creepy Internet Friends. When I looked back, I realized that I hadn't mentioned them in several months - so I thought it might be a good time to revisit.

While "Creepy Internet Friends" might seem an odd title, it is actually an affectionate name for my closest friends. I know what you're thinking: Since when does creepy = affection? Since these are people that are dear to me and yet I have never meet them in person. We met online and continue our relationship online and through text messages. This may seem bizarre to you, but working alone in my office all day gets boring. I keep Twitter and Facebook open so that I can have an occasional conversation, debate, or discussion about current events and issues - very much like having a chat with a co-worker in a traditional workplace. Because the Internet is sometimes viewed as a playground for stalkers, the word "creepy" seems to be appropriately ironic.

Who are these CIFs? Well, there's Wade, anglophile, oi, amy_d, Hyphen D, unholyghost2003, Clearly Demented, Saysh, Mishee, CB, RunBarbara, Frankie, tink, mamason, mamarilla, Timo, TOS, rose, fan, mark, Beanster, snee, claw, vfbr2001, Spence, T, JustRach, and msquick1... to name a few. If I've left you off, it's not that I don't love you... it's just that I thought you might not like your real name posted... or that I've just been overwhelmed with emotion thinking of how many wonderful friends I've made over the last couple of years. Either way, feel free to yell at me. Don't forget to use CAPS LOCK.

 So, to all of my CIFs from the Troublemaker HQ to Twitter to Facebook... Thank you for being in my life.

Edit: OTWB, sdog7, KatScratches, murgy, amet_sorgin, sandbar, rocksnbugs, JetGibbs, zabbs, ... and all of my OLTL and NCIS friends! Forgive me! You are most definitely creepy.

Edit #2: indiepride,  Luke, ceebee, albinosmurfie & his smurfette, Bunnee and so many more friends! I am so blessed!!!

I am not a Facebook Whore. Are You?

This will likely offend people. Proceed at your own risk. I'm not going to mess around and rant about the evils of Facebook and your privacy being violated. That's all been done to death. I'm going to talk about Facebook Whores. We all know them. They are the folks who are using Facebook as both a personal communication tool as well as for self-promotion.

Some have two Facebook pages: one for "fans" or whatever they call it now when you "like" somebody and one regular page that is supposed to be for connecting with people. Many only have one page and they just multi-task on it. No biggie. Not my business, right? Right.

But am I the only one who furrows my eyebrows at people with over 1,000 friends? C'mon... You must be a Facebook Whore. At first, I felt inferior with my paltry 75 friends. Then I looked through them. All 75 have some meaning to me. Many of them are my creepy Internet friends - my best friends in the world. And you know what? I ignore friend requests from people I don't know. *pauses to acknowledge gasps of horror*

Yup, I don't really want to wade through anyone's status updates if I don't find them interesting. Seriously. In fact, I had almost 80 friends, but went through and dropped a few because I realized that they were people I accepted before I knew any better.

So... before you get all angry and tell me I'm an idiot and all of your 2,368 friends are honest-to-goodness pals and that I suck because I have less than 100 friends... take a deep breath. It's none of my business what you do with your account. Friend everyone. Go for it. I don't really care. But I reserve the right to roll my eyes and smirk when I look at the number of "friends" you have.

An Ode to Creepy Internet Friends

Over the last few years, I have met some incredible people online. I don't know how to explain just how great these friends are. Before you get all excited and begin to lecture me about internet safety, I want you to know that I took things slowly and cautiously... and the only time I have been uncomfortable was not because of one of my CIFs, it was because of a client. (a story best left untold)

The strangest thing about having Internet friends is that I don't know them in person. I feel absolutely comfortable communicating with them online and even in text messages, but I have not physically met even one of them. Yet... when I am having a rough day, they encourage me. When I have a problem - they are right there trying to help me. And they NEVER judge me.

I hope that one day I may meet my online friends face-to-face. Some of them are planning a get together for next year. I won't be able to go... but know they will text me and message me and I will be there in spirit... and they will miss me too... because we are friends.