There's a thread in one of the groups about "closest SG friends" that set me thinking. I really appreciate the community here, and I know some people I have interacted with at least somewhat more than just clicking "like" on their posts or pictures or sets, but I think it would stretch the meaning of the word friendship too much to presume to call them friends. Me, I'm happy people even talk to me! Obviously, not a huge number of people do, but if I were to start a list, I'd be afraid to forget someone!
Does anyone besides me feel there's kind of a hierarchy about SG friendship? Like, you take mere Members for granted, Hopefuls are mostly friends because they need your likes and support, and the only friendships you can brag about are those with SGs? Actually, I've found the "lowly" class of Members most interesting and varied as a group, and I truly always hearing from them and reading their posts. When it comes to Hopefuls, I'm always sorry I'm not more proficient in other languages, because it seems like a lot gets lost in translation.
As for SGs, especially the more popular ones, it's pretty hard getting their attention, let alone friendship. I can only imagine what their timeline and inbox must look like on any given day! My heart skips a beat whenever an SG name pops up among my notifications, but 99 times out of a 100, it's only because she (probably) routinely clicked "like" on all her set comments. I don't know if any of you who read this have ever sent a wishlist gift to an SG or a Hopeful - I have, and while those (small) gifts come from the heart and are mostly spontaneous, I can't deny they have a bit of "trying to buy friendship or at least attention" to them. Funny thing is, that gambit doesn't really work, or at least hasn't for me. But then it wasn't really a gambit, I swear! I'll drop just two names here, because they're the only SGs (and, therefore and for other more obvious reasons, my faves even if I can only dream of being friends) who have ever sent me anything that wasn't a print purchase or something - @drave and @exning
