I really find it somewhat odd for one to have great relationships in reach of your computer. I'll say it point-blank: it's better to have friends in real-life than behind the screen.
The situation I am in.. RL friends are hard to have. I travel, stay in one place 8 to 26 weeks...
!) Where do you go to meet people in a town where you know nothing?
2) Bars/Dance clubs ..Bad idea... a man may be able to do that.. but as a woman , walking into a bar alone is bad on many levels.. You are not safe to leave after dark... not alone....Many Men think, because you are there alone.. you are out 'hunting' and they only get your attention to try and get... well... you get the idea.
3) Going sight seeing alone is not the funnest thing to do.. It takes time to get to know someone and trust them enough to ride into nowhere with them..
The question is, why depend on relationships (platonic or not) that could well possibly be what's not shown in these, well, text messages and avatars?
I depend on these friendships because they are all that I have..Where ever I am , my friends are there, and the people I have actually met... have been just what I expected when I met them. If not more so... I have met Surly, Hermi, Randi, Debs, Trae, Pops (and the rest of the family) Maelstrom, Wichita,Redgirl and Black Canyon
Each and everyone... it felt as though I knew them forever..and I wouldn't trade a moment of the time I got to spend with them.. With my travel, these friends go with me.. I can talk to them daily... My RL friends back home.. well they tend to move on with their lives when you are gone for 6 months....