Carolyn Hax: Start living in the real world, not ‘The Real World’

Start living in the real world, not 'The Real World'

Adapted from a recent online discussion.

Dear Carolyn: Earlier this year, I moved back to where I grew up and reconnected with some old friends. My best friend from high school was especially excited to see me again, and we started seeing a lot of each other.

But she's really critical of my lifestyle — I like to job-hop and date around, while she's married with a 5-year-old and has a steady job as a medical assistant. I laughed it off at first, but her put-downs got meaner and meaner, and I finally lost it and told her off. I said her need to criticize my life meant she was defensive about hers, and that meant deep down she was insecure and unhappy.