Sorry--that wasn't an appositive. Should be "my parents, or my professors, or venusinrapture, or a well-meaning but misinformed online friend, or..."

My bad.

And the mysterious male creature and I came up with Ari, sort of.

In any event, maybe we aren't close friends anymore, but we still are friends, nein? When I talk about you, I still call you my best friend from high school.