Heh, Val. Hopefully you weren't making out or something and thinking the whole time about Lusternia!

Basically, I play Lusternia in my free time, but I won't put off other obligations just to play it (besides homework but...well I would do that anyways.) And if I feel like going to play a video game or watching TV, I'll go do that and not worry about what I'm missing in the game. I go to school, work out, play a sport, have my social life, and then have room for Lusternia on the side.

I've managed, after two years, to put almost everything before IRE games and don't play unless I know I have nothing else to do.
And about internet friends, some of my best friends are over the internet, many are too far for me to ever visit them, but the few who I've known in person, from Achaea or other muds, still are my friends even after meeting them in person.
The problem is when people make up a cool internet personality and hide at home playing with it instead of facing the real world. Really, nobody you can make up is better than your true self, whatever you think. Is just that we always idealice what we don't have. I've seen many people with that problem, and yes. that's the worst part of chats, muds and the internet relationships in general.

All my Lusternia characters are much better than me (which isn't hard) so I'll have to dispute that one

As long as you don't refuse to meet people IRL because you're ashamed on yourself and try to have a second chance as a fancy and handsome paladin elf, you're ok :-)

Didn't quite understand the second part, but I would avoid meeting people if I could Silly school.