How do you think you would cope with a long pause in a relationship? Would you write frequently? Do you think you would succumb to temptations? Would you become a social hermit, or fling yourself into your social life?

-- The Dragon Herself (brooksliz@hotmail.com), August 11, 1999

Answers

Hum. Well. This one's gonna have to be REALLY theoretical.

I THINK I'd probably handle it the same way I handle friends moving away (or more often, I suppose, ME moving away). I write frequently for a while, call occasionally. Sometimes something happens to cut me off (a second move, a lost or changed address, inertia, a prolonged attack of life) and then I may lose contact entirely, but I'm generally happy enough to find them again, if and when I do. (Or if I get found. ahem. Thanks, Matt!) But...well...I already AM a social hermit. I find it very difficult to make friends, and it takes me a while to make GOOD friends (acquaintances have never been a problem, but that's not the same thing). I find there just aren't that many ppl out there who understand me that well, share my interests, and can see where I'm coming from. (I'm still trying to figure out if this is my fault or theirs...I'm not exactly the most outgoing person to start with).

So if we parlay this into a relationship, I don't think there'd be that much "temptation" to succumb to. And I probably would write frequently, because I like sharing my thoughts and the events in my life with someone who can understand and laugh or commiserate when appropriate. And...well, like I said, I'm already pretty much a social hermit. Why change now?

Ha. Um. I hope that didn't come off as bitter, 'cause that's really not how I meant it.

-- Karen O. (lisl_1@yahoo.com), August 19, 1999.