One Way Friends ??

Ok thanks for the insight, From what you've said they're not exactly ignoring me, but their replies are just very short or terse. Seems like they just don't want to converse at all.
I also thought that maybe they don't think of me as a friend the way I think of them. What bothers me about that is that in the past we were definitely friends. I don't see anything that might have caused them to downgrade the friendship to an acquaintance but it seems like that may be what has happened. Oh well, guess I'll just have to deal with it!

Well Im totally confused them. Friends shouldn't stop being friends. Sort of. It happens, you can drift apart in how you mesh. There could have been friendship to begin with, but as time went on what you like and what they like was just too different. But it would be nice to know it's happening, otherwise it sounds like people like you and me sit there scratching their heads wondering what's going on asking why people can't just be honest with them.

Just out of interest, you said that they were friends, how are you judging that? What made them friends to begin with?

That's another thing Im looking at with my issue - they're being different around me, well, how do I know? Am I building up what happened previously to something more than it was? Her behaviour might not have changed, but my expectation might have.

Yeah, that's what I thought friends shouldn't stop being friends for no reason. I know sometimes things happen - a misunderstanding, moving away and losing touch, etc. But there's usually a reason. I have to wonder if some people who I thought were friends were just playing games with me. I hate it when people play games. Just tell me what's going on and we'll deal with it. Don't leave me scratching my head (to use your words) trying to figure it all out.

To answer your question, I considered these people friends because we hung around during our breaks at work on a fairly regular basis. We had a common interest which we often chatted about. Every so often we would IM back and forth when we got bored. That seems to have pretty much stopped like they just lost interest or something.

Like you said, maybe they're not being that much different around me but my perception of their behavior has changed or is somehow wrong. All I know is that I'm feeling abandoned or tossed aside or something like that and I don't like it.

Learned a new word recently - "Limerence". It describes my situation with one of these women perfectly.

Limerance. I must look that one up.

Interestingly, in terms of your friendship, you mention hanging around during lunch, and chatting on IM.

Those things I never think of as friendship things. I see those very much as acquaintance things. It can be the done thing at work, add a few people from work to your Facebook, have a few chats from time to time. But bear in mind, the world is getting busier. People are getting busier. They might have less time for Facebook which is why the chat is drying up there. Perhaps they're forging other relationships at work. I really wouldn't think too much about acquaintance type friends.

Did you ever go to any pubs, or bars, with them during a lunch break, or after work? Did you or they invite each other out for their birthdays? Or just any other social gathering outside of work and away from Facebook? I have a very strict line when it comes to acquaintance vs friend. If I don't know you outside of the environment where we're thrust together and forced to get on, in other words, if we never go to each others houses or go out for a drink, a meal, even get together and indulge in our common interest, anything, you're not a friend. Why it should just me or you trying, I don't know.

Based on this newer information, I would be inclined to say keep it cool and maybe try inviting them to your next birthday bash. Or say you both like, I don't know, sky diving... whatever the common activity is, why not suggest doing it instead of talking about? (Im learning a lot here myself )

But bear in mind, if they say no, don't take it personally, it might not be about you, they may have other plans, or they might not like the type of environment you've suggested. Sorry again if I've mis understood what you're saying.

THANK-YOU !!

I think you understood exactly what I was saying.

Thanks to you I finally know what I've been trying to say all of this time!!
My issue is that I would like to move out of the acquaintance stage and into
the friendship stage with some of these people.

I mistakenly considered them to be friends when in reality they probably
consider me to be an acquaintance and they are treating me accordingly.
I guess I really didn't fully understand the difference between friends and
acquaintances.

I've always had trouble getting closer to people and being part of a group
of friends so it doesn't surprise me that I'm having trouble now. I have one person
that is a real friend and now I realize that the others are probably just acquaintances.
Guess I have to start working on my people skills a little more if I'm going to make
some more friends!