msbelle, would it be possible to hire a high school or college kid to sit with him while he does his homework? I know that, when I was a kid, having my mother sit with me when I did my homework was a surefire way to get a meltdown, but if someone else sat with me, it was OK.

As for the dress, when I look at it with my glasses on, it's white. When I take my glasses off, it's periwinkle. I can't find any combination of glasses and light and viewing angle that makes it the royal blue it actually is.

the bigger issue Hil is him not bringing it home. He has a tutor 2 days a week.

I am having an IBS flare-up that even drugs aren't helping. (I have 2 drugs I can take for it, one of which usually works like the nuclear option; I take it, and in less than 10 minutes, everything is chill -- but this time, even that drug isn't doing a damn thing.)

Does anyone have any suggestions beyond heating pad on belly? (Here is where I admit that I've heard mint tea can help, but I hate mint and it would make me barf, which is not what I'm going for.) I am just super crampy bad, and I'm a little annoyed that my body thinks it can just do what it wants without my approval.

I have no idea Steph, but good luck.

Same thing to msbelle, actually. I am full of good wishes but no actual help.

Dad is scheduled for surgery first thing Monday morning. He is under the impression he might even go home that day. I have to go into the office in the morning, but I'll work from home after lunch so I can go be a supportive daughter, since I can.

Dad is scheduled for surgery first thing Monday morning. He is under the impression he might even go home that day.

For a stent? I feel like they would want to keep him overnight just in case there are any complications, but I haven't kept up with how a stent patient is managed these days. It would be GREAT to go home the same day, though, wouldn't it?

Yeah, I'm kind of assuming they'll keep him overnight, but who knows? His friends who have had stents (and who are older than he is and have other health issues) all recovered quickly, so he's very optimistic.

msbelle, I'm just pondering here, and please feel free to ignore me if I'm saying stuff you've already struggled with and answered. Sounds like there's several issues: the not wanting to do homework, the not doing the homework, and the lying about the homework.

Does Mac think that if he doesn't bring his homework home he doesn't have to do it? Does he just forget? Or is it intentional? I mean, when you ask him what he's thinking, what does he say? Does he want to excel in school, and if not, why?

If he won't answer you about that, is there anyone he will talk to, who can investigate this with him? (I guess I'm talking therapy there, and I know you've had him see someone in the past. I suspect he's resistant, yeah?)

I don't know kids but it strikes me the angle is to find what does drive him, and attack it that way. Negative reinforcement isn't doing the job; what kind of positive reinforcement works? Is he competitive with other kids? Can he be bribed or rewarded with special outings or something? Is there a thing that he's interested in that can be used as a hook to get him enthusiastic about school?

Most people, I think, aren't really lazy: I mean, they don't want to spend their time just sitting with nothing to do. It's just that there are other things they'd rather do. Often things which give more immediate and instant rewards, like gaming.

I wonder: Is there a way to gamify his homework? Like by using something like HabitRPG? That might get at the not wanting-to-do-homework, and if the lying is only to get out of homework, then the lying (might) goes away, maybe.

I might recommend that you Ask MetaFilter, if you're comfortable with that. I've seen a lot of people get really good advice there, and it's easily anonymizable.

His friends who have had stents (and who are older than he is and have other health issues) all recovered quickly, so he's very optimistic.

Having seen my dad get a lot of stents (I don't recall the number, but it was a lot, possibly into 2 digits) AND a quadruple bypass, recovering from a stent is fairly quick and uneventful. Hopefully your dad will be the same way!

I'm sad about Leonard Nimoy. It does appear that he had a very full life. I'm glad to did get the opportunity to meet him on two, very brief, occasions.

I had a really shitty afternoon. I regret leaving my other school and want to go back. I hate people.

Too bad I have to go deal with boy scout stuff instead.