Yes, it is interesting about online relationships vs real life relationships. In our world today, there is often not a difference since people meet online and then date, and even marry! Some of us meet our online friends and then they become REAL friends. If we talk on the phone, it also changes from online to more "real", don't you think? Or if we email, right?

I had a pen pal (before email) for years. We never met, but we considered ourselves friends. I am also in a letter-writing group that was started about 25 years ago! We are also very close; our kids have grown up and married during our letter-writing. We have exchanged photos, but only one has met another of us. They are more real to me than online friends too.

It is weird, though. I used to post in a different forum and made some "friends." Most of them, including myself, dropped out and have no contact with one another. But a few exchanged email addresses.

So, it's like any other group or workplace. You meet people, become close, but life happens. Some people you stay in touch with, some you don't. Like college. We were a close-knit group, some of my friends. I don't know where they are. Or at least I didn't until Facebook, LOL. Sometimes you "meet" again. If you become close with people on PC, you can exchange emails and then phone #'s, so they don't "disappear."

I also agree about writing about life, and discussing it, rather than simply living it. My T used to ask what am I not doing when I am online so much. In fact, I just read an article by a writer debating whether she should live life or write about it. She didn't have time to write so much any more, but she is a writer, so she feels frustrated because she does want to record life, in addition to living it! So, we are writers, aren't we? We can do both: live life, AND record it.