do you have many friends?

[Flat Foot Floey]

I have two real friends plus two ex-girlfriends who come close to this (but they are still...ex.) and a really great brother.

I trust them. They don't turn their back on me in bad times and are really dependable. If we don't have enough time for each other they are not offended.

I don't need more. I am a lucky guy

Of course it can't hurt to find new acquaintences through work or hobbys...but I don't feel there is a need or space for more "real" friends.

 

[kampkatz]

Previously someone said that the words "friend" and "acquaintance" seem to be interchangeable for many people these days. However, there are those special friends who are much more than acquaintances. Regardless, they are all human, and therefore, flawed beings. Some people could be best friends at one moment, yet drop out of touch for one reason or another, sometimes for reasons beyond their control. Most sad is when a former friend becomes an enemy and we find that whatever we try to correct the situation doesn't seem to work.

 

[davestlouis]

Wow, I don't know if I'm gratified, or horrified, that I'm not the only one with no large circle of friends...I have found that it is easier to be an island, and turn inward. I don't care what people think, and wouldn't dream of asking for help from anyone except my bride, and we don't even live together...we have condo's 5 minutes apart. Close enough that we can see each other readily, far enough that we don't have to see each other if we don't want to.

There's also a huge difference between being alone, and being lonely. I treasure my solitude.

I was sort of hoping that people would tell me about their wonderful, close, enduring friendships with huge groups of people...guess not.

 

[The Good]

I'm 21 years of age, here, and while I have many friendly acquaintances, I have few close friends, and even so they are almost entirely cousins at or about my age group. I don't actually have a girlfriend yet either. I'm something of a lone wolf, really. Most of my life has been this way, and I generally keep to myself unless at a gathering in which socializing is expected. Don't get me wrong, I'm a friendly person to chat up, I'm not too reclusive, but I'm a little aloof too.

 

[kampkatz]

I'm 21 years of age, here, and while I have many friendly acquaintances, I have few close friends, and even so they are almost entirely cousins at or about my age group. I don't actually have a girlfriend yet either. I'm something of a lone wolf, really. Most of my life has been this way, and I generally keep to myself unless at a gathering in which socializing is expected. Don't get me wrong, I'm a friendly person to chat up, I'm not too reclusive, but I'm a little aloof too.

Sounds like you are a bit cautious about whom you choose to associate with. That's OK, as not everyone should be a social butterfly.

 

[The Good]

You could say that, I am actually in fact, cautious about whom I associate with. I consider myself a polite person, a gentleman, and I'm certainly not above simply saying hello to acquaintances, but I tend not to speak longer than may be necessary unless I'm happen to be having a good conversation. I'm generally a man of few words, outside my family circle.

 

[Foofoogal]

Well, the average age for women is 28 and for men now is 30 to get married so you have some time... if it is of course what you desire one day.

 

[Diamondback]

OUCH! Thanks for reminding me, unless I have some kind of miracle whirlwind courtship come from out of nowhere, just how far behind schedule I am...:eusa_doh:

lol

----------------
Now playing: R. Lee Ermey - Military Cadence (Gunny Remix)
via FoxyTunes

 

[davestlouis]

DB, better no relationship than an ill-considered one that causes everyone heartache. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have run away screaming from my first wife, instead of burning up a decade trying to make things work...if I had killed her when we first met, I'd be out by now.

 

[Mav]

If I knew then, what I know now, I would have run away screaming from my first wife, instead of burning up a decade trying to make things work...if I had killed her when we first met, I'd be out by now.

You have just eloquently and succinctly described my first marriage. While I'm not sure I would have taken an active role in her demise, I do recall much fervent prayer for a speeding, out- of- control Peterbilt.

 

[ScionPI2005]

I definitely migrate towards having my own close knit group of friends instead of a large pool. I probably have a few really close friends who know nearly anything about me, while the rest are varying degrees of acquaintances. Like some others have said here, quality over quantity is the key. I generally get quieter and hold back more the larger the group, or the more outgoing and socially dominating any member of a group I'm with is.

 

[Cricket]

When I was growing up, I had a large circle of friends. We were constantly together, almost like a pack.

But then something happened...I grew up. I soon realized a true friend is there through the tough and good times. I have maintained contact with about four childhood friends who are what I define "true friends." We may be miles apart, but all it takes is a phone call and they are on their way as is vice versa.

As an adult, I have a tight circle of about three really good friends. We get together with our children and have family-type dates. And then we have about a once every other week adult date where we go have a few drinks, go to a movie, theater, etc.

I see many people who I use to hang out with and we share a moment or two of conversation. And it always ends with "We need to get together soon." Which we never actually do.

I like to call those old friends as "good time buddies." They were there when I was younger, with a pack of smokes in myback pocket, a drink in both hands and usually in a bar setting. When I got married, had children, and left the bar scene I soon realized that it's almost like I left them behind as well. Pretty soon, those tight friends became "casual encounters."

 

[Miss Scarlet]

I have maybe three friends i.e. those I can not see for a year, we meet up and everything's like it used to be, and they don't judge me or my decisions. I have a boyfriend who I'm lucky is my best friend also and many many acquaintances. I like it this way because if I go out I have lots of people to talk to and be polite with, but as soon as the door's closed it's just me.

I need a lot of personal space a lot of the time, but also need to do mindless socialising from time to time. I feel I have a good balance at the moment.

 

[1961MJS]

What, you mean all those people on facebook aren't my *real* friends? lol

Hi

This is the closest to the answer that immediately came to mind:

"Of course not, why do you think I have time to be here?"

I do have friends, none nearby, but that was my first though... lol

Later

 

[Mr Vim]

That's is a real corker of a question in't?

For instance, many people today, what with Facebook, Twitter and the like, consider themselves to have sometimes thousands of "friends" but are they really?

And then there is the definition, most people that I barely know tell me things too intimate in detail... I see that as a real problem with today's generations. There is no privacy, people feel they have to talk about everything, and I mena everything. So those people, who try and push their lives on me after a few exchanges are not my friends. They are pushy aquaintances.

So, I would say that I have three truly good friends that I trust implicitly.

 

[calendargirl]

I have 192 friends, according to Facebook.

 

[Paisley]

I can't stand Facebook. I cancelled my account a few months ago, and if I ever go back on to keep up with groups I like, I'll do it under an assumed name.

My half-brother (whom I consider shirt-tail relation--we didn't grow up together and have never actually met) asked someone to ask my mom to ask me why I wasn't on Facebook anymore. All he did was whine and tell me his very personal problems--me, a total stranger to him.

I cancelled my subscription to the whine club--and went to meetup.com and joined a wine club. We meet every few weeks to sample wine and hors d'oeuvres, make happy conversation and enjoy nice bars and restaurants. Would we hide dead bodies for each other? No, but my family members on Facebook wouldn't either, and the wine people are a lot more fun.

 

[Story]

Would we hide dead bodies for each other? No .

Is there a Meetup group for this?

PM me. shhhhhhhh

 

[Paisley]

I think it was called the Rat Pack.

 

[Undertow]

I have to agree. I've never joined Facebook, nor will I. I despise it. I am on Myspace, but when I joined, no one I knew was on it. I originally intended it to be a "Author Profile" of sorts that was free until I realized it was more of a social networking site. I think I joined myspace in 2004 - back when Al Gore invented the internet in fact.

Although I haven't deleted my Myspace page, I haven't been on there in some time. I hate it too.