Sorry, I have had no influence on issues relating to this board. I've received several privacy related complaints lately about things on here. Then again, the "reality lover" part of your nic is probably a clue anyway, huh.

I know my age may have something to do with this viewpoint, but it might be going mainstream with younger folk again lately. Social circles on the internet, especially anonymous ones, are often not very loyal ones, and can also be prone to the specific personality toxicities of various individuals. So impo, that requires a certain level of careful distance, at least until you are pretty certain of people.

Going further, I'm sorry to say, an internet circle of anonymous friends may never reach the level of loyalty or devotion some of us expect, and the sincere intense effort we might put into things ourselves can be overlooked and underappreciated, sometimes with callousness, and sometimes simply without even realizing or noticing the effort. Try not to take it TOO personally. So many people today are focused on the one they see in the mirror after all.

That being said, I think it's wise to realize the importance of being selective with who we choose to expend our efforts with. Knowing what people are like takes time, not to mention observation of of others who interact with the same people, their own reactions to them, and deciding for yourself if their reactions are true themselves. Time... people will always show themselves at their base level given enough time. That's been my experience, anyway.

I can certainly tell you this: NEVER give someone free real estate to live in your own head. How long have you been stewing over this? A total narcissist would see your need for explanation and reassurance as a total weakness to exploit for manipulation. Breadcrumb? Don't eat it! Never be that guy. You aren't always going to find the logic you need in a world of anonymity. Accept it and just turn the page.

Meanwhile, you've always seemed alright. Who cares what you got caught up in. Sometimes things can be a blessing in disguise. Take your talents wherever they lead you, just be a little discerning how much of yourself you're willing to invest.