Some people on the internet know that I am gay...which is something they know while my parents don't. Weird in some way 
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I like most people I meet through the internet, but am aware I'm seeing a bit of a mask. The more you know someone online though, the more you know who they really are. The internet is great for sharing ideas, opinions, stories, creativity, support, just a great place to make friends. But realizing that the people you meet online are often socially inadept in person is important. Also, being careful is important, people online can be involved with you to steal your identity, be malicious, or even to kidnap you. I have met people from the internet before, but never alone and not in a public place, and I always reach out to a third party for information about them if possible. For example, I've made a few friends through Facebook, so was able to just ask mutual friends to basically be character witnesses for me.
Online friends have also kind of always been there. In elementry school (late) and early highschool I had few real friends, and online friends kind of filled that void. They were supportive, creative, kind, and genuinely cared about me - but at the same time, I was careful.
Always be careful with internet friends --- they might not be who they say they are.
Today I've lost contact with the closest ones. I'm talking friendships that lasted for multiple years... one friend got darker and darker and I believe into drugs, another was autistic and continued into pyschosis (I would have called his family had I any contact information as it was bad), and others just disappeared.
Today I have friends in person, and I reconnected with my childhood best friend, so I'm never exactly lonely. But you answer your question: YES I have affection for them, and yes, I miss them.
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Everyone can lie in the internet, that's fact. Small lies, big lies, you name it.
GS is the only online thing I use. And with 2 folks at least I have seen them face to face, skype and what not. I have no reason to distrust them or not believe what they say. They know me in return just as much.
I have confirmed their faces match their pics, just as they saw my face matches my pics.
I talk to a few others too, and no reason to mistrust them either. I feel affection and concern for all of these people.
Not like were exchanging bank account numbers and such, anyway, so..
One must always exercise caution, that's true. The internet is filled with questionable people, but I suppose GS is rather safe comparatively cause it's a support oriented site, hence, not many questionable people will stay long.
But you just can't ever know for sure with everyone.
Of course, I live miles away from all of you, so, granted, my fears of a possible bad consequence are quite small. What can you possibly do to me all the way there?
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Ekwarph Wrote:Some people on the internet know that I am gay...which is something they know while my parents don't. Weird in some way
[SIZE="4"]OMG!!!!
You're G A Y ?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/SIZE]
Thats just SOOOOOO gross!!!!
Ferr shurr.
 
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The internet offers people a sort of anonymity but is great for sharing ideas and getting information and advice.
Although I think most people are ok, anybody can be anyone on the internet and while there is no problem if the person is casually chatting or giving friendly advice it takes on much more significance if there is love or feelings concerned.
In that instance I have 3 rules:
1, If they ask for money, cut all contact as that is usually their primary instance.
2. Do not send any personal information or photos to them
3. If you are going to meet speak on Skype a few times and get a picture in your head of the person. Let someone know where you are meeting.
Remember trust is something that should be built up over time and it is time enough to start to trust after you have met face to face and if a person send out any "red flag" signals it may be time to move on. My advice is to trust your instinct but others might have different rules for themselves?
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the real world and online world both have benefits I think ,,,imagine been super shy in the physical world but in cyber space you can be the person you actually want to be, now that must be so much of a release not to be trapped. The opposite can be true too - people can lie which as long as they are not doing it to hurt anyone then I guess its ok - I did that when I first ever joined gay speak, the chat room was full of ageist younger people saying not so nice things so I just said I was 25 or something..a white lie but deceiving all the same (not proud but suddenly I was accepted!! ),
I developed friendships over time that resulted in meeting someone in real life from here too - a great character and a super genuine guy so finding friends is a great possibility through chat sites, we already new each others fave things etc after chatting forever so I guess we did E harmony out of customers lol
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There are successful friendships in virtual and real world...
Even in real world people can lie, right? Though there is a higher chance on virtual since you don't even see them or what not.
As for me, i am just very open in making friends online, cause it wont harm me in anyway...and with the pictures, I can already tell if they are for real or not. Like for me, you can have my skype, facebook, twitter, view my blog or what not, voice chat, video chat, so you can attest i am real, (and as if I'm that handsome to be fake, lol...) Though i am not pushing my online friends to do the same for me, it would make me trust them more if they can at least voice chat or video...
And i guess you would really easily spot lies and inconsistencies most especially if you are already talking for a long time..cause some question asked before are sometimes being asked again...
Having internet friends isnt a bad thing, though you should be really cautious (like what happened to Bowyn), we don't really know the motives of people around us. But most of the time i can really feel it if a person can be trusted or not....sometimes all we need to use is "common sense"..
And what makes it better is if you can make it to real world with them like meeting them soon in person
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MisterTinkles Wrote:[SIZE="4"]OMG!!!!
You're G A Y ?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/SIZE]
Thats just SOOOOOO gross!!!!
Ferr shurr.
I'm sorry for disappointing you. 
Now, Tinkles knows, I will burn in hell. :/
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I often visit a couple of "trade" forums and have met many top notch folks at matches and various get togethers. It's pretty easy to figure out whom is full of it and whom is fairly genuine. Caution is always wise, that said.
This is the only place I am actually able to discuss or even laugh about this part of my life (even though I have been fairly reserved so far). That to me is strange.
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Well, considering I have virtually no friends in real life.......
I do feel that I am able to be more of myself online. In real life, I tend to shut down a lot. It takes a really long time for me to know someone before I trust them enough to show my "true self." In an online setting, I feel more willing to expose parts of myself, because it feels like I have more control. If I don't like it, I can just leave my account and assume most people will never meet me in real life, and even less will make the connection between who I am and what I post on here.
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