Quote:
Originally Posted by EvilSteve
Yeah, you can make it clear to him that you're not interested in listening to him complain. That's a lesson he needs to learn. Next time you hear him complaining without making any attempt to improve his situation, let him know that you're not his mother and you don't give a ****. That's harsh but that's what he needs to hear. If you're his friend you'll help him only when he's willing to help himself, but you're not a shoulder to cry on when he's being pathetic.
I'm guessing part of the reason he complains about this so much is that he's embarrassed by his situation which OP probably harps on a fair amount. It's more like, "I know I need to get my act together" and trying to justify himself to the guy who is looking at him disapprovingly....and that he too isn't satisfied with it.
Basically, if the OP were more supportive and less critical it might make a difference in the amount that the friend is whining about his situation. It's hard to say for sure because I'm trying to fill in some holes here.
I imagine the friend talking about travelling and then OP saying, "yeah, whatever...you've been talking about that forever and are no closer to doing that now then you were then" but I might be wrong. Even if OP isn't doing that it's possible the friend kind of feels that OP is rolling his eyes at him about it.