Hi Narrow!
Thanks very much for your kind words. The funny thing is, every keyboard I've ever owned has had almost all the characters wiped right off it -- because of how furiously I was pounding out replies!
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I know I often post controversial threads so I know controversial answers are part of the territory, so I try really hard to keep calm (on screen at least,) but sometimes I have a few slips. The people who know me well know that I am often anything but chill behind the scenes, but thank you!
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I appreciate it.
People here have often said that I seem to know a lot of people, but I have to tell anyone who is trying to make friends here, it might take a lot of work and a whole lot of time. It's definitely not spontaneous or easy. I basically gave up what some people might spend watching TV, gaming, or working on a hobby to get to know people on CC -- thousands and thousands of hours in chats, on the forums, writing threads, exchanging PM's -- so it's not by any means magical or effortless. I often take notes while reading people's messages so that I hopefully won't forget to respond to their important points.
I think a lot of people come here hoping to meet friends right off the bat but it often seems to take a lot more work than that. Of course, maybe other's experiences have been different from mine.
The site has changed a lot, too. The chat used to be very available and active, so I met a few people in real-time there. We also used to have groups of regulars here in Singles -- just picture, I'd say, around 50+ regulars at one point who were writing, posting, and replying to threads almost daily, so you'd get to know a lot of them because of how often you saw them around. These days there is so much competition for people's attention (other sites and interests) that I don't think we're able to build a rapport among the crowds like we used to.
I've also noticed that (for myself at least,) meeting people seems to come in "waves." When I came here in 2009, I hit it off with two people right off the bat -- but as time went on, we drifted. No hard feelings, just life. It wasn't until maybe 2013 when I hit another "wave" of people who seemed to enjoy bantering back and forth here, etc., and we had a small meetup in 2015.
I know most of them still keep in touch but I've fallen behind because I'm not on Facebook. That's actually been the reason why I haven't been able to keep up with many people -- I can only keep up with so many sites so I limit how many I'll join, and unfortunately, I lose track of a lot of great people who are all on different sites. So there was another wave of people that came and went.
I think it was around 2014 or 2015 that I met Lynx, Pipp, and Cinder, and eventually, we picked up a few poor unsuspecting victims along the way.
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It took a very long time but I've finally been able to meet them all in person, and, God-willing, I hope we all keep in touch.
As posted about earlier, we had a small meetup in early 2022, so that was the last "wave" of people I've met to date: 2009, 2015, and 2022.
It definitely wasn't immediate, and it most certainly wasn't without tons of effort on everyone's part.
I occasionally PM with a few other really, really wonderful people here as well, so someday, God-willing, there might be another meetup in the future.
But for every one friend I've met here on CC, I've had at least 30+ "false starts" over the years -- the possibilities of a friendship that didn't work out, for whatever reason.
For anyone who is trying to make friends here, please, don't give up!
Keep praying, and keep trying.