Wait, what? I don’t have my glasses. Am I reading this right 
?
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Kind of like you, I couldn’t split people I interact with into either acquaintances (superficial) or friends (deep).
Most people in my life are somewhere in between. And what about liner friends? Where are they in this spectrum? Ha ha
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I think my open thread friends in particular know what is going on in my life better than most of my relatives!
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I’m at the top of the coolest people ever list of course! 
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I used to love reading “Free Will Astrology” by Rob Brezsny in our local free newspaper when I was younger. He’s got some interesting world views and talks about “pronoia” being the antidote for paranoia and has a book with this title. “Pronoia” definition: feeling that the world is conspiring to shower you with blessings
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The best thing about going on rides (especially thrill rides) is laughing and talking about it afterwards.
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Other*
*With one or more mistress and a several pairs of Groucho Marx glasses/moustaches.
(Sidenote: feel free to pm me with pertinent qualifications/photos if you’d like a trip to Disneyworld. Age restrictions might apply.)
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I’m fine with just a few true friends. Not everyone has to be surrounded by tons of people.
I’d much rather have a small group of people I can truly count on than a larger group where I don’t have that.
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Online people are acquaintances. No way am I letting people I have only interacted with online into my life the way I do friends. No way of knowing what is behind the persona.
I guess it all depends on how people define “friends”. For me, friendship is something that develops over a long period of time. Not a matter of days, and not where we have never met. I’m so glad we didn’t cruise with kids clubs when I was little because the thought of someone thinking we’re friends after only 3-7 days sometimes interacting in a club? Horrifying! When I’m stuck with table mates, that is what they are. A week is nowhere near enough for me to consider anyone a friend.
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I think the Fab 4+ and many members of the Daily Thread would disagree here. Some of us are very close in real life but that started right here.
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You can’t have both? Isn’t that kind of the idea behind circles (plural) of friends?
I have friends I like to hang out with but they aren’t necessarily on the same list of people I’d be calling in the midst of a 3am crisis. Having one doesn’t mean you must exclude the other.
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I agree. I’ve never met some of my very dear friends. I have friends from forums from 16 years ago whom I have never met, but we’ve walked through the storms of life together.
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This is the biggest reason I was hesitant to book a solo trip—not having someone to share all the Hey lookit that!! moments with.
In the end I did go ahead and book a solo trip for December. I guess I’ll have to talk more to strangers.
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I’ll be a stranger during your trip fyi.
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Sounds like the start of a Mini Liner Meetup!
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Definitely! Are you onsite?
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Yes! ASMovies at the moment, though I’ve been checking Pop availability every day. You?
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I think I’m AKL/BLT split stay during your dates. Coming from ASMovies through the 30th.
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I’m checking in Dec 1 so I guess I’ll just miss getting your room!
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Your journey is one of those things that gives me the utmost confidence to call people here friends over acquaintances. Actual evidence of amazing and kind people on a forum actually turning out to be amazing and kind people.
I can’t know for sure everyone’s authentic self, but all the positivity of the real and lasting relationships that have formed speaks a lot to me about the forum overall and the caliber of people it attracts, and I have a higher level of trust that those who choose to stick around here and show interest and support in others’ lives and share their opinions on all kinds of topics are really bringing their full selves here. I know soooo much more about some liners’ deepest opinions, fears, experiences, world views than some that I’ve called friends since high school. Whether online or in person, there is trust involved.
Like the work world that has shifted to more remote/hybrid, it’s still work. Likewise with friends. 
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