How do you feel about...

i think that's just how some people are in the real world. i mean hear on mylot we're all just a bunch of avatars and keyboards speaking to each other over the internet. but how many times do you go to the store or out to eat and people call you these things. like i said, i think people are just carrying over the way they talk to people out in the real world to here. so don't look too much into it "sweetie"

I just feel that the ones who talk to me that way, also talk that way in real life. I do not take it wrong, or feel like I am being buttered up. I find it somewhat quaint. I do have one friend who calls me Pal, and that is okay, too. The "lovely friends" or "dearest friends" persons I get the impression are from a foreign country and that they feel that that is an appropriate form of address, when translated into English.

In my case it is my way of Talking to Friends and the Friends that are here I might not have met in Person but am in contact with by Mail and Phone to and I class them as good Friends it is just my way of talking I guess and nothing further

I just figure people have a strong sense of love for their fellow people and I don't see anything wrong with it. I do believe in striving for universal love and acceptance. Kindness and affection aren't bad things. Then again I suppose I'm one of the sappy ones.

Erm I don't mind it at all whiteheather but then I guess I am one of the worst perpetrators of this here! I can honestly tell you I don't do it for any of the reasons you listed - it is just the way I am - ask weemam! lol I have always been this way and it is very hard to change - to be honest I don't want to but neither do i want to upset you so I shall try very hard not to do it again - from now on you shall be my hen! How is that? You know the one I really try not to use is doll - I don't know where I picked that up from but it drives my other half crazy - he hates it! Sorry for upsetting you hen! xxx

Gotta admit I find gushy endearments rather false, though at the same time I prefer them to insults. I'd rather see people just use ordinary language to talk to one another - whether they know each other or not. I hate being called "hun"!!!!!!!! All the same though if someone did use these gushy bits on me, it wouldn't make me dislike them or stop me from talking to them.....I'd just let them get on with it, but I wouldn't use the same endearments back. I don't even use them with people very close to me in my non-internet life.

I am smiling and I am so pleased that you like being called Pal ,,, pal xxxx

I have gotten used to being called mushy names. I used to hate it also but you know people dont mean it in a mean way. But yeah it does seem silly sometimes. Well ill never call you a mushy name dear hehehehe just kidding.

I think some people are naturally quite mushy anyway, so regardless whether they are on here, talking to their friends or sending emails, they are going to be like that regardless. I'm not too keen myself it's a bit too personal for my liking, I don't mind my mates being friendly though.

Hello DOLL, Well I write like I talk I realize that you might be a royal b*tch but that is why I am attracted to you there is a bit of B*tch in each of us and when I say Sweets it's cause I say those names to people I love/like and Hon you are one of them! lol xoxoxoxoxoxo

hi whiteheather! I think a lot of foreign nationals use a lot of colloquialsim's like 'my dear friend ' etc. I think its quite nice really, in a kwirky sort of way. I imagine mylot as a kind of massive market place with every nationality you can think of, but as it's mainly english speaking it can be hard for different nationalities whose english isn't great.

Aww--sweetie you shouldn't let this get you down, honey...LOL Okay kidding. You know it really depends on a person's upbringing and culture...some people come from cultures where saying "Terms of endearment" are just are part of who they are...so yes, maybe to us who aren't used to it find it odd. Take for example my neck of the woods...my area has a large Spanish speaking population and the common phrase to say to a woman, any woman, by either a man or woman, young or old is "mommy"...so sometimes I greet a person and say hello to someone who is of a Spanish culture and I'm greeted by "how are you doing, mommy" And inwardly I'm thinking, WTF?? I'm not your mommy...but that is the way the culture is, that is the way they are, so even though it's not part of my culture (although I am part Spanish but for the life of me never heard this term of endearment) I have just accepted it as part of theirs and the way they grew up. I think the whole issue really is just acceptance....we all have our own way we were brought up and our cultures....I mean just think...maybe some of our customs and how we call someone as a sign of friendship seem just as bizarre to them as well.

I think that some people just naturally fall into 'that sort of stuff and probably do not even mean it really. I myself try to be sincere when I use one of these terms so I do not often use them unless I know the person to whom I am speaking really well and really feel that way about them.I have no idea 'what the people who use a lot of these terms expect at all. I myself am too busy mylotting and enjoying it to pay much attention to that kind of stuff. I don't 'think Ive ever used one of those in responding to' you. I appreciate your intelligence and enjoy your discussions very much but I rarely use those kind of endearments that casually.

You sound like your in a real grumpy mood! Why cant you except the way people talk,we all tend to say these things as we get to know people and make them our mylotter friends. There is no problem about being out spoken, its nice to hear peoples opinions. Being nice dosnt cost any thing!

Some of us have made real friends here. Some of my friends do use endearments, it doesn't bother me at all. I use some on a few choosen people. I hope it doesn't bother them, I use my words sincerly. I try not to be fake and false here.

ya got me there I have been called most of them too I just go on but I dont call them thenames back as you might have noticed . Saying PAl would really be the best tho I think as we do not really know one another like if we met face to face every day

I don't know about where you come from but from where I do, using someone's name is a form of friendship. If you don't know their name you use a common greeting in lieu of same. Most of us here don't know each other but some of us feel close to some or friendly to others and there's sometimes of feeling like you know someone. I'm sure they don't mean any disrespect. I've used some of those names and I don't mind being called a couple of them. Some I would never use and am not comfortable hearing in relation to myself. Live and let live tho, I say. As for "Do myLotters expect these mushy terms will make them more appealing to other users, increase the number of responses they get or make them more popular?" Gosh, I bloodywell hope not, that's too sad (pathetic) for words.

When I first joined myLot, it was just a bunch of nameless, faceless people, hiding behind screen names, avatars, and keyboards, as somebody has already mentioned here. However, since that time (over a year ago), I've made some truly wonderful friends, that I've connected with outside of myLot, some being on the phone. There are a handful that I actually hope to meet one day, and then we won't just be cyber friends. I don't use these terms of endearment with just anyone here, but reserve them for those I feel I have a real friendship with. When 'they' use these terms with me, I know they mean it, because we've made this friendship connection. Actually, it's helped me to be able to express my feelings in this way. I don't come from a very demonstrative family, so have felt a lack in this area. Take care.

So far, only my friends here at myLot called me some terms of endearments. I appreciate that. For some, I think that they are really that sweet. For others, I think that they are just being polite. There were times that I was called "dude" and "bro". Those were even the times when I used my picture as my avatar. Maybe I looked like a man or something. LOL!

hello, i dont mind it at all as i have read it many times in the past and sometimes here THOUGH sometimes it irritates me coz sometimes it convey a different meaning and a bit of sarcasm on it so i just either ignore it or reply back with an insult as well depends on my mood LOL i am a sappy person but i never call/write someone with endearments on it coz i dont know them and that is just crazy on my part to mention such thing coz it is not real, beside such word to me is sacred and should only be used when i really mean it. takecare!