Completely Agree

Don't take me as some naive teenager that doesn't know scumbags and liars plague this site. I've honestly forgotten how many rude booty calls I've received over the amount of time I've had this account. People constantly drag down the net, it's dangers, people with hidden agendas. Let me ask you all this though, do we have any more of a chance to meet individuals of an undesirable nature online than in real life? Think hard before you answer.

There are great, wholly honest people online and in real life. The difference is we can all put our facades aside on an anonymous "neutral" ground such as EP and I think that's fantastic. I have an nonchalant view towards those who misuse EP for RPing or wearing an entirely different mask online. You know what I mean, old women pretending to be teenagers to attract younger men as they crave the attention they used to receive, rapists trying to be your best friend and gain your trust only to lure you somewhere and do unspeakable acts to you. The list goes on and on. However, as I previously stated.... How do you know your friend from work, we'll call him Bob, isn't a stalker? Or your friend from the gym,Karen, isn't a hit man hired by a crazy ex-bf/gf?

I know what you're thinking. "Pfft, well that's ridiculous, I mean, they couldn't possibly....." Really? What makes you an expert? What makes you think you're more clever than a skilled con-man or criminal? The media wants to blame the net for these sorts of people, but do you know who they are when they sign off? They're someone's co-worker, friend, brother, and even lover. Don't fear the net, fear humanity in general whether it be cyber or reality.

I met my best friend on a yahoo chat room, after a year of talking on IM, text and even phone conversations fate, lead by a custody change, placed us 15 minutes away from each other even when we first started chatting we were on opposite ends of the country. Naturally, I was nervous. Though I couldn't help to be compelled for something more than seeing pictures and only imagining what spending time with the friend would be like. Swallowing my doubts I walked up to the door, knocked and was greeted by the very same friend. Same age, same appearance, same mannerisms as I'd imagined. Spent the day at a mall, talking, laughing, window shopping then later went hiking in the woods under a full moon. It was so serene, so picturesque (sadly none of my pictures came out well) and I will never forget the first day 'meeting' him. It wasn't frightening, I already knew him inside and out, the only difference was his presence.

(FYI For those of you about to comment how much of a fool I was to go meeting him, and that I was lucky he wasn't someone other than he portrayed himself to be, I have a few words. "God didn't make all men equal at all. Sam Colt did." My father escorted me to the house, took us to the mall, and picked us up afterward. A little about my father: Retired navy chief, veteran of Vietnam, Persian Gulf and Afghanistan. I couldn't have been more safe than I was. That said, feel free to comment. )

"Everybody says that when it comes to friends,
The truest kind are counted on one hand"
~Keith Urban

The above quote goes for any person in ones life, you may not like to come to terms with this truth. It's also universal, I only have a handful of people online I trust and have made the steps to meet in person because I do, but I am also as particular to the people I meet in everyday world. Be kind to many, but trust few is my motto. Just because I allow people to be in my life doesn't mean I let them know 'me'. Food for thought, I have over 400 Facebook friends and only wholly trust 5.