Some people are good at keeping in touch at a distance. Some people just aren't. I've learned to accept that I fall into the latter category, and deal with it by cultivating a lot of shallow arm's-length Internet relationships and a small handful of real-life friends who are also friends of my husband, who is more socially adept and more or less forces me to stay in contact with them.

Cynical, impatient and cold, though? I don't think it's necessary to go that route to keep a safe emotional distance. Caution bordering on paranoia about my real-life information, while keeping a laser-like focus on fandom matters, works pretty well for me.