Neurocentric or science nerd....

So I have noticed a weird trend lately via Myspace and the like. I have been contacted by a few "old" friends from high school and such. We message back and forth in the usual "how are you?" fashion. Then the topic of What are you doing now? starts. It seems everytime I tell people that I am getting my Ph.D in Neuroscience I never receive an e-mail back or if talking on AOL, they all of a sudden have something to do. Now the first couple of times this happend I didn't notice anything but it has happend 3 times in the past 2 weeks. I find this very very odd. Do people feel threatned by others going to get a Ph.D or do they think that I (or others in my position) am on some other level causing them to feel uncomfortable or disinterested? I sure as hell hope not! I feel I am still a very down to earth person. I don't think that I am better then anyone else or smarter then anyone else for that matter. I have just found something that I love doing day in and day out. However, to pursue this I have to get my Ph.D. I really hope this is me just me being silly; but is it?