do you tell your nonTCS friends about your TCS friends?

Hissy's bitterweet thread inspired me to start this thread. It got me to wondering, do you talk about your cat site friends with your "live" friends?

I often find myself saying a friend said this or I have a friend going through a rough time. I am sure my husband thinks I am a little strange when I say "you won't believe what Bunn did today!" or "Kassandra, you know, the one who goes by Russian Blue, put the funniest picture of Nakita on the board today" or "Bundy from Australia siad..." or "Kiwi, you know who I mean -- Kellye from NZ who lives in NC but wants to move back..." I could go on, because he has probably heard about all of you.

I haven't really mentioned names to most of my nonTCS friends because I am sure they will think I'm off my rocker.

Sometimes I share some things that I read here with my son. He thinks it's good that I found a board where everyone else is as crazy about cats as I am. At work we had a person who was always going to porn sites and meeting people there. This person was always sharing with people at work about this and it really turned everyone off to discussions about the internet.

I do. I don't consider my friends here as part of a "make believe" world. I worry when they're having problems and pray for them when they ask for prayer. I am very fond of many of my friends, and hope that we can meet someday. I feel as close to them as I do to people I have seen in person, and often tell my family about them.

I think I talk more about the people here then I do about anyone else I know except for my neice of course. I tell all my friends and family about my TCS family, because I do consider this to be a family. It has it quirks and you always don't have everyone agreeing or getting along, but everyone here is like family to me! I don't know what I would do without this support here! So thank you everyone for being the wonderful giving people you are!

I think my mom thinks I am nuts when I relate stories about Bundy, or Debby, or Bod, or Hissy or ..... I know the hubby thinks this is an addiction, but he has enjoyed chatting with Bundy on MSN.

a horse board, I had made about 8 really good cyber-friends. So a few years ago, mike and I decided to gamble and opened up our home for a weekend gathering of these people, who I only knew online. Many of them lived in Washington state, and one couple rides their horses across the United States. I was nervous, but shouldn't have been. They all came, and we just had a wonderful time. We talked and laughed like we had known each other forever. They all stayed the weekend, and we remained in touch for awhile after that but after 9/11 things changed and some moved away, and some moved on in life. But it was still an experience I will never forget.

I know that this life is not a real life, but there are times when it feels real to me. Probably because it is right here in my living room every time I turn my computer on, and I get swept up in the drama of everyone's problems. I worry about those with sick cats, I have my Cornell Book of Cat Care by my computer at all times to refer to with tough questions, and I have even gone to far as to find the phone numbers of people hurting, or whose cats are sick and try to cheer them or help them.

My husband knows all about several people who I consider my real friends though we've not yet met, he knows of others who used to be on the boards and are no longer. I've had the pleasure of finding some special people here, and I am in business now with Anne, so how much more real can you get?

Yup, and I think hubby gets sick of hearing about TCS sometimes. Of course, I also make him go and look at the especially cute kitty pics.

I hope no one thought I didn't think you were real friends. I consider any of you as real as my friends I get to see in person. I count myself as very lucky to have found all of you. I am hoping when I get internet at home, I can introduce you to my husband. He doesn't get it because he hasn't been here. I miss everyone on the weekends and wonder how you are all doing when I can't get here.

Jan, I completely understand. I consider people here as my real friends too. I knew that you mean your "in person" friends. In all actuality, I think you guys all know me as well or better than most people I know in person. I know I feel more comfortable bearing my soul and talking about my problems here than with most of my "in person" friends.

It's funny, though, because I never understood how or why my hubby would spend so much time on the computer talking with people he had never met. I used to really rag on him about it, and look at me now! LOL At least I know that he understands how I can consider all of you my friends. Actually, I think we talk about our cyber friends more than people we know here.

Not having very many actual friends (about 5 people who I would call friends and lots of acquaintences), and not being the kind of person who makes friends that easily, I really value my buddies on this site.

It's very strange, because I can talk about how I feel without feeling as if I'm being judged, patronized or pitied - again not something I really do in a face-to-face situation or even on the phone.

I don't belong to any other boards - I've tried a couple but they don't have the same feeling as here - here there is genuine warmth and camaraderie.

I'd love to think I would meet some of you at some point - but the reality is most are in the US/Canada or Aus, and I'm terrified of flying (although I do do it soometimes), so it's probably unlikely.

Anyway - enough gushing, back to the point. I don't really talk about the site because most people I know consider this type of activity a total waste of time.

Their loss I say!!

I often times forget that people don't understand me when I'm talking about TCS. Just the other day I was telling Shawn, my SO, about something I read on TCS and he couldn't understand that I was saying. I said something like "My friend Furbooger from Hoban ...." (example name)and he said "You don't know that person.." I begged to differ!Just because you have never met someone in person it doesn't mean that your not a friend and you don't know them. That really irritated me that he said that! I've had more fun and met more people on this site than I would going out and face to face meeting people! I'm so hooked into it! This is actually the first forum that I've ever been in. When I came here, I didn't know what a smilie was or an avatar. I had know idea what the difference between a post and a thread was! LOL I've learned so much from everyone, not just computer stuff either. I learned that there are a lot of really compassionate caring people out there. People that think like I do and love the things I love.

Rob knows everything about all of you!!!!

:laughing:

I wouldn't dare tell some of my friends since they believe that everyone on the internet is an axe murderer. But Rob and Nakita know all too well my obsession with this site!

*lol*

I'm always telling my friends/family about you guys! And I have to show Mike all the funny and cute pictures.

I tell Bill about stuff, on this site. He doesn't, always, quite know what I'm talking about. If there's a really cute picture, I'll drag him in here to see it.

Due to my divorce, I found out who my REAL friends are. Betty died, in October and Katey lives 70 miles away. This site gives me a place to unload, safely.

I tell my friends about you guys, too. Funny things I see here I pass on to them, and vice versa (the What We Love about Kids post was from my best work-friend). I also often find myself saying things like "Heidi from the site posted something funny...Bundy's being threatened by the wildfires (after a work friend brought it up at lunch)". Everyone knows what I mean about "the site". So many of my face-to-face friends are people that I met during graduate school or through work, and I haven't had a chance to meet and become friends with many non-scientists. That's what's so great about this place-I've made friends of different backgrounds and homeplaces. And it's a safe haven for someone who deep down is shy and reserved (believe it or not!)

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I talk about you guys ALL the time!!!! I think my friends get tired of me saying, "Well so and so on the cat site said....etc...etc..." I feel very close to many of you here and it doesn't matter that I have not actaully met you in person!!!!

And Nenners...I know how you feel about what your SO said about not really knowing us....it made me so mad one time when a whole bunch of the people on here sent me baby gifts when I was pregnant, and it meant so MUCH to me, and made me so happy and I was just going on and on about it to my hubby and he says...."you don't even really know these people....just because they say they are who they are means nothing...they could be old perverted men or serial killers for all you know!!!" I wanted to punch him in the nose!!! I DO know my friends here, and I know what kind of people they really are, regardless of having actually met face to face!

I love you guys!!!!!

There are several of you who I think are closer to me and actually know me better than some of the friends I have OFF the internet!!

I am the mother of four with my two young siblings that makes six and I go to school full time so my husband hears about this site daily. Hes very understanding though and keeps the eye rolling to a minimum.
Denise

I am always talking about this site and all the great people that are on here. This is my home away from home...I've grown to love this place so much! There hasn't been one day since I joined that I have not visited this site...I'm addicted!
"Hello. My name is Michelle and I'm addicted to The Cat Site!" LOL!!
Even though I have not met any of you in person, I feel very close to many people on here. I too have had to find out who my true friends were and now I have a very small group of friends...and now you all have entered my group of friends. Thank you all for being here for me when I needed help...I appreciate everything so much!

We love you too Shell! And I'm so glad you are addicted!!! So am I!!!! I think we should have catsite anonymous meetings! :LOL:

Raises hand....I am Debby and I too am addicted to The CatSite!!!

I think talking to everyone about what goes on here to people who "just don't understand" makes us all addicts! LOL And I think we do have TCS Anonymous....we meet here everyday!

You mean TCS UN-anonymous? We seem to know each other that we are hardly anonymous these days!