How to really get under someone's skin

[CanDB]

CanDB - I hear from other people in our workplace that he just hates me and they don't know why.
This could be why:
-when I started working here, I was basically a beginner, but I worked really hard, and now I'm almost the same level as this Richard-head.
-he sees that I'm very happily married and my wife and I have true love, yet he doesn't even have a girlfriend, and gained a lot of weight over the past few years, and most likely has gotten little or no action since then.
-Also, he tries very hard to dress well, and tries to flirt with the women in our workplace a lot, yet he is naturally unattractive. I don't want to brag, but I am naturally good looking, and many of the women that this Richard-head flirts with actually make attempts to flirt with me, and compliment me on my appearance, from things like the muscle definition of my calves, to my long eyelashes, to my fashionable but conservative attire, etc.
-The work we do is the only thing he really knows about in the world, but he thinks he knows about everything for some reason. I, however, know a lot more about the real world than he does, and when he speaks about things other than work, it's clear to me that I know more than he does about almost everything (except work). When he talks about these things, I sometimes correct him. For example, we were talking about nutrition the other day, and he said my regular breakfast is not very healthy, yet I explained to him why it is, and that since I've been having this regular breakfast I've burned off a lot of fat on my body and kept lots of muscle, and that athletes at the Olympic Training Center (in CO!) have the same breakfast. Then I asked him what his breakfast was, and looked at him up and down, and said "I think we know whose nutrition is better" with a friendly grin. That really pissed him off! But that was only recently, he's always been a Richard to me.

Sounds like you have this guy beat in many ways......sounds like it may be an inferiority thing. Possibly he is quite jealous of you. If so, he may be frustrated to the point he takes liberties with what he says about you and your family. That could be a poor coping mechanism for him.....as in, no matter what I do, this guy beats me, so I will fabricate stuff to even the battle.

Another question....."how do you know he talks about your family, and does he do it openly in the workplace? Are there witnesses?"

Initially I was thinking this was a story about a younger / rowdier type. If it's a decent workplace, and things are said in that environment, you can take him to task with the appropriate management....whether it be your boss or HR. Any respectful workplace has rules and regs regarding this type of thing.