the girl.

No no... not a love interest or anything - I wouldn't really post that up here unless it was to whinge =P

This girl is a friend of mine (yes, I DO still retain the ability to occasionally make friends even though I'm socially inept) but not a particularly good one. Not as in she's a bitch and knows how to roundhouse kick my nuts (actually she refused my nuts - cashews u dirty people!) it's just that I've only known her for... say... 5-6 months at most?

Which bring this posting to it's first point.

When do you call a friend a good/close friend?

I'm guilty in the past of calling people I connect with, but don't necessarily know, a good friend. This is due to the fact that emotionally I didn't use to connect with many at all... this has recently changed and I no longer subconsciously stop the process. Which brings me to a dilemma (ok ok... more like trivial detail) as to the "check-list" that constitutes a good friend. I suppose there ARE many common qualities in those who I'd consider close... so here's my checklist:

1. Compatible interests (hey-otherwise you probably wouldn't be friends! but I say compatible coz they don't necessarily have to be the same - I have friends who I am a polar opposite to, which is exactly why I like them)
2. Respect - You gotta respect the other person and they have to respect you. Deficiency at any point of this means that there is a hugely catastrophic breakdown of trust (the next point) and someone ends up doing something that is really stupid and regret-worthy
3. Trust - You'd tell your close friends your secrets. You'd expect them to keep it safe from harm. You'd expect to bear their little quirks/burdens (not EVERYTHING - just bits) and have the right to unload a bit onto them. The "closer" you are, the more that can happen - but not so much as to cause resent or reduce respect.
4. Truth - Sorta goes with the respect/trust thing. But a good friend should know when to be blatantly honest and when to console you endlessly. There's a fine line between self-pity and depression and they SHOULD have a DECENT idea about which it is - not always possible. Personally - I expect completely honest opinions from people. I also expect unconditional sympathy if I'm feeling really shit (I usually say this right at the beginning - "I'm ringing coz I feel really shit... etc etc...)
5. Time apart - Yes they are close friends, but you need your time apart. You ARE NOT each others shadow! This I hold true even for relationships! If you see each other more than 4 days a week (unless you happen to work/live/study in the same place) and spend the majority of the day together (discounting sleep time), then you a) have issues Re: attachment w. your mother b) "self-esteem" is a word that is always preceeded by "low" c) need psychiatric help. Any sane person would go nuts!
6. Fun/Enjoyment - This one is self-evident. Spending time with the person should be enjoyable and fun. Doesn't have to be all the time- no one has THAT much fun, but generally, they are fun people. The don't get on your nerves (we'll address this next). I'd define this as you'd look forward to seeing this person if you hadn't seen them for a significant period of time
7. Lacking characteristics (these are good to have!) - Teenage Angst not yout thing? High pitched voices sending you up the wall? Then those are characteristics that your close friend should NOT have (hence "lacking" characteristic) Generally speaking - if they don't start irritating you after 30 mins of conversation, they're probably ok on this point
8. Interest - not as is common interests - covered that already. But whatever they do, you find interesting enough to ask about it. I dont care if it's Pokemon or Warhammer (I don't have friends who like either - thank god!) but most things they like are of interest to you in some way, even if you don't approve
9. Mutuality - Ties in with all the above. You gotta want to be their friend and vice-versa. A friend you consider your bestest isn't really that unless they feel similarly (not exactly the same, but close enough)
10. Social circumstance - This is one that most wont admit to. How many people that you know and thought were cool/interesting/all that and would get along awesomely with, but didn't do anything coz they were friends with someone else, or were dorky or something? I can think of a few that I knew would end up close friends but I don't really talk to coz of social circumstance. Tis important!

Well there you go, my 10 steps for close friends. I completely got side tracked from the intent of the original post- I'll do that some other day. But in answering my own question - I think this person is on the way to being a good friend...