I did ask for opinions and I agree with some and disagree with yours and lolagrace. That's all. Why would I post if I just wanted to be 'right' and disagree with everyone? That's not why I started this thread.

My experience with the whole "busy" excuse is that the ex-friends who used that with me, used it as a manipulation tactic: the silent treatment, if you will. So, "busy" will always have a negative connation for me.

"I'm busy but I'll call you back in 5 minutes, 3 days, or a week" with actual follow-through, is much different than "I'm too busy to you call [no matter what alternatives you suggest I will reject them all with another 'busy' reason] is what my (former) friend has done. So, I gave her alternatives via our online chat. Her 'busy' excuse is tied to her job and her personal life. Um, we all have jobs and personal lives. So, that's why it doesn't fly with me and I have no tolerance for the 'busy' excuse in that case. Her work and her personal life crazy schedule will not change. It's always the same for as long as I've known her.

It's clear that we won't agree on the context of when the word "busy" is used.

And I don't think it's fair to suggest that I lower my limits/expectations to meet my friend's based on her behavior. Because that's suggesting I put up with her "busy" excuse, which will teach her that she can ignore my calls for months at a time and then email me with a flimsy excuse, with no regards to my feelings whatsoever. That doesn't work for me.

I can't be friends with people who don't reciprocate. That's not friendship.