Warning: Friendships will be formed, whether you are looking for them or not!

My time on Active Rain has been filled with social networking as well as the educational benefit I've been able to gain from (and hopefully pass on).

I didn't really need another social networking outlet. There is only so much time in the day, and that wasn't a priority for me.

However, I did join Twitter about a month ago. Immediately I looked for friendly faces that I knew from ActiveRain, and linked up (haha-haven't spent time there - yet)  with many.

The online friends that I have made have ended up with a place in my life.  I've found myself saying "A friend of mine that lives in Minnesota said it was 20 degrees below zero, so I'll be happy its 30 degrees here" or I'll end up laughing at a picture/video someone sent .. "Oh, its just a video from a friend of mine"

One of those friends of mine went missing yesterday.  She is always on at least once a day to say hi.  We'd had a fun TwitterParty the night before, that conversation carried over a little bit into the morning.  All day, I thought.... "it's weird she hasn't picked up and said anything".  I started getting that, "I hope everything is ok" feeling....  Just as I was getting ready to sign off I see.....

We're at the hospital waiting CAT SCAN, she is stable and ok, but prognosis unknown.

Yikes! What? Oh no! I've only known this person for about 30 days, but 30 days of every couple of days a "touch" of conversation.  And I'm a worry-er. That's not good.  I try not to be - I try to release it, I'm not in any control.  Easier said than done. "We" haven't received an update since last night.

You can also Twitter via Mobile Web, so my phone came to bed with me last night so that I could check in a few times.  Nothing.  I'm concerned.  I realize that it might be nothing - but whatever it is - it must be causing my friend and her companion (husband?) concern. It's not fun being at the hospital - and its really not fun not knowing a prognosis.

Active Rain? Twitter? Others? Be ready that you will form friendships. Maybe you don't get to go to lunch or have playdays with the kids, but I can picture when I do meet some of these people, that it won't be a stranger meeting stranger "handshake", it might even be a hug!  And I know where I will be looking for referrals first and foremost - its with my friends!

Be ready that you will have concern when one of your contacts has goofballs commenting on their blog (off-issue), that a furnace broke, that its too cold to go outside, that someone really hates VISTA.... Be ready to go make Halushki (yum) because you heard it was so good :)

Be ready if you have a problem, your friends will jump in. Shout out to Bob ! Stephen! of recent help :)

Now my morning starts with Twitter, and I try to check in and out all day long. The evenings (after my Little One is in bed) is the fun time.  A couple of nights ago, we had a little makeover session - even the guys had fun!  You had to be there....

If you are completely and totally confused about Twitter - I'll send you to two of my friends and their AR posts they co-wrote - Check out:  Sarah's Take and Heather's Take.  That's wasn't my aim here....

UPDATE:  My friend's husband posted about her scarey experience. They are not for sure what happened, and felt like they were in the middle of a House episode. The ER Doc discharged as Vertigo, the most severe he has seen.  They'll be following up with Specialists.