Both
Tim and Chris sent me a Cheesecake Factory gift certificate and all I
knew them through was blogging. We reached a point going beyond making
comments on each others blogs and got personnel. Michael and Alfredo
came down for a visit and we went to see "A Chorus Line" together and I
introduced them to my friends.

Every
once in awhile I'll go to the mailbox and find a box of cookies from
Alfredo or a book he has finished reading and thought I would enjoy. 
Donna, knowing I like to eat, sent me a restaurant card for a dinner on
my birthday and in exchange for one of my books Gary made me a few
carved coin necklaces. Peter sent me a copy of his book and we have
exchanged much information about our personal lives and how we live, one
out in the country and the other a city boy.

I've
lost count of how many times Robin has called me just to say hello or
check how I was feeling.  People who I have met through blogging never
thinking that I would make a group of friends in my life that wouldn't
have appeared otherwise. Yes people come and go in the world of blogging
but there are some who have left that I am still friends with, care
about and continue to communicate with.

There
are people who sneer at 'blogging friendships' but they are shallow
people to begin with. People can meet in many different ways, become
close, get involved with each other lives and get on with their lives. Sometimes you'll meet and/or speak on the phone or/and exchange e-mails. You'll talk about the important nd the minor things in your life, you'll ask each others opinions and you might at one point even talk about politics.

Would
we be as close, or closer, if we lived in the same town, city even
country? Would we hang out together? Go to a movie? Have lunch/dinner a
couple of times a week? I have no doubt we would. You get as much as you
give in a friendship whether it is on line or in real time and still I read negative comments by people on blogs who seem to think these friendships are phony, false or mean less than nothing and I feel sorry
for these people. They lash out, name call, disrespect those who they
are afraid of instead of reaching out  to them or just ignoring them.

Friendship
is not easy and is only as close as you allow it to be. You can never
have too many friends but you have to choose carefully those you get
close to. You won't go wrong with people like Chris, Donna, Maria,
Peter, Robin, Alfredo, Michael, Tim, Deb, AJ and Mary just to name a few
I have met over the last 5 years. I know I haven't mentioned a few but they know they are thought of and this is just a nod of my head to say thank you for being my friend.