[Pretorian]

Is it me or friendship maintenance does cost a lot of time and $? Are your friends just as needy as mine? Just wondering..

[Sixstrings]

Hm.. I'm not too keen on "needy" friends.

Here's my take -- I've always been self-sufficient; when I move I call a mover. Need to catch a flight? I rent a car or take a cab. I've always done that, I don't ask for practical favors and certainly never money. Car broken down? I planned ahead and have my AAA card, so why can't they do the same. That one really irks me, I've lent my AAA card out a few times in the past but come on now -- every driver on the road needs to have road service, that's being responsible. If I let a friend use my road service then it's spent may not be there for me.

Ergo..

My policy is, my friends are my friends because for some reason they enjoy my company. But otherwise they need to handle their business, I'll handle mine.

[dinopello]

If you think of your friends as a cost, it's time to find new friends or get a cabin in the woods.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '
')My policy is, my friends are my friends because for some reason they enjoy my company. But otherwise they need to handle their business, I'll handle mine.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', 'I')n other words, you keep them for entertainment. Will you lose them as soon as you move?

[WildRose]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean about the $ cost of friends, Pretorian, but my take on it is that with friends, as with most other things, it's important to be true to yourself, your own goals, in the context of friendships. The ways we interact with friends can be expensive or not, and if it's costing you too much money you could make some changes. In my own situation, I can't afford a skiing or golf hobby or a lot of nights on the town, but I can get together with friends for coffee or a modest lunch or a long walk with the dogs. I have a friend that I hardly ever actually see but we talk on the phone once a week (she has her own business and is very busy - sometimes I pop in and bring her a coffee). So, is that what you mean in your original post, that it's the stuff you do that costs a lot? The time aspect is one I struggle with - I often wish I had more time, and everyone seems to be so busy with their various responsibilities.

[Kristen]

Real friends are always symbiotic, not parasitic as this poster suggests!

[WildRose]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kristen', 'R')eal friends are always symbiotic, not parasitic as this poster suggests!

[SeaGypsy]

That's a bit unfair. Pretorian is not one for elaborating his own point. If you are getting a bit long in the tooth and live in a fairly stable community, it's not at all uncommon to have reciprocal long term relationships 'turn' due to unforseen circumstance. There will be a lot more of this as time goes on.

[WildRose]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', 'T')hat's a bit unfair. Pretorian is not one for elaborating his own point. If you are getting a bit long in the tooth and live in a fairly stable community, it's not at all uncommon to have reciprocal long term relationships 'turn' due to unforseen circumstance. There will be a lot more of this as time goes on.

[SeaGypsy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kristen', 'R')eal friends are always symbiotic, not parasitic as this poster suggests!

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kristen', 'R')eal friends are always symbiotic, not parasitic as this poster suggests!

[Pretorian]

Let's leave the $ part entirely. For example, somebody ( you or your friend/s ) moves away and all you have is a telephone and a computer. How much time would you dedicate to a friend that you will not see again in many years, if ever ?

[Pretorian]

As for the $, I meant it in the context of time = money ; obviously when somebody is taking advantage of somebody else that is hardly can be called friendship.

[WildRose]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', 'A')s for the $, I meant it in the context of time = money ; obviously when somebody is taking advantage of somebody else that is hardly can be called friendship.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', 'L')et's leave the $ part entirely. For example, somebody ( you or your friend/s ) moves away and all you have is a telephone and a computer. How much time would you dedicate to a friend that you will not see again in many years, if ever ?

[basil_hayden]

Multitask, that way you're only wasting half of your time.

[radon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', 'I')s it me or friendship maintenance does cost a lot of time and $? Are your friends just as needy as mine? Just wondering..