Withdrawing myself helps toxic relationships

We're Jewish. One of the daughters from Fiddler on the Roof was named Seitel. My gf affectionately calls me Suiseitel. See what I mean? But it is funny.

No, you should not grow a thicker skin to let people abuse you. Just don't allow them to.

New friends and more friends is always a good idea. A nice ladies' lunch with generic conversation is very normal. I find it boring, too. But it is good to do and brings more enjoyment to get out and have nice meals with company.

You have a virtual friend in me.

Thanks. Really helped talking about all this. It's all okay. Jewish gals always have a great sense of humor. I married into a Jewish family and now realize I miss that fatalist brand of humor. Divorced. My friend and I were raised Catholic. Twelve years Catholic school. Yuk!

This thread reminded me to maybe also appreciate my solitude more.

PC friends can be invaluable. I have recently noted that PC friends have a very deep understanding of issues, and great compassion.

OMG, your stories about the families around you when you grew up are great.

Friendship trios are hard. I hope things go okay with E and C... I never know how to navigate those situations.

Thanks! That's why I am so accepting of strangeness. I am so used to it. It's seemingly normal that I don't trust to be honest.

We're going out tonight. I was thinking today about how some people beg for you to mistreat them. My friend, C, is doing a lot of stuff to try to take advantage of us. Now I am tempted to do it right back to her. Of course, I am above that, but it's soooooo tempting. She deserves it.

But instead E and I will just have our little alliance going about it.

True, friends in threes is always stressful. We have so much history together, the three of us. See, we feel like we owe C a lot because back then she had the car and drove us all over town. She was also like our bodyguard, and was always a very faithful friend. It's hard to believe a woman became more immature at 50 than at 16!

C is hilarious. Last time we went out to eat, she hit on the waiter, who said he was gay, and then brought us free dessert.

I'm looking forward to the girls' night.