I have a friend who does that regularly about jobs. They're employed but looking for a better position in a different part of the country. Every few months they say, "I have a new job and I'll be moving soon."

Actually, what they mean is they've applied for a new job and they're feeling totally optimistic, but so far no new jobs have panned out. This has been going on for three years.

I used to be Johnny-On-The-Spot with support and help, but now I wait and see so I'm not wasting any time or effort. By now, I consider it to be like The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf.

Unless you actually show up at your friend's place in work clothes, with boxes and a pick-up truck, you really haven't been suckered in. With my friend, I figure the embarrassment of having to tell people eventually that the job didn't pan out can't be fun for them so I don't say anything about their announcements, except, "What's the news?" That's it. Then I find out it's an application, not a job offer.

Maybe your friend is like mine -- overly optimistic and wanting to share some sort of exciting news that would mean they're reaching a life goal. I don't know. I'd feel embarrassed. I figure it's their problem, not mine, now that I'm not getting sucked into it any longer.