[muppet]

40 minute elliptical
10 minutes upper body
10 minutes stretching

I found out today that my oldest son flunked out of college. He's a child who has been gifted with intelligence, charisma, and good looks, but apparently no common sense. He really should be a politician-- he's full of it and very good at getting people to believe what he says.
I was suspicious that things didn't go all that well for him, but I never expected this. Maybe 1 F, but not failing everything...
New plan is for him to live at home and go to a community college. It's a long enough commute for him but he is obviously not ready to be independent.
He says ( not sure if I believe him) that he started off not going to classes and by the time he realized he was in trouble, it was too late to make it up.
I don't know what to believe or to think. I'm upset and angry and feel very betrayed.
He knew this and wasted all vacation goofing off, when we could have been trying to figure out what to do next.
At first he kept telling me grades weren't in yet, then we got busy with Christmas, then he went to visit friends in another town for a week -- and he came back yesterday.
It's possible he could go back to his original school, but I don't think that would be a good idea, given his lack of responsibility.
It baffles me though -- he's had responsibility -- he's had jobs and done so well at them. His employers have enjoyed him---but he wouldn't do this for himself.
He says he was so excited at first to be 'on his own' and able to do what he wanted....
I can't imagine -- flunking out of college! He is 10 times smarter than I was, and I only had 1 class my whole college career that was a D. And very few C's.
There is something about this kid that worries me. He likes to be able to give people a sob story -- he's exaggerated how horrible things were at home when he was in college. I know all kids think this, but I caught him in several out and out lies about things we supposedly did to him. Umm -- like we take all his money... stuff like that. We don't, never have -- never will-- unless you count making him pay back this semester of college that he just pissed away. He has also gotten into a fair amount of trouble-- and he seems to like it -- not being in trouble, but being able to talk about the dumb things he's done. I don't know if it's the attention he likes --- everyone loves to listen to his stories. And now he has another one -- how he messed up college.
He has snowed everyone. Everyone thinks he's doing great and loves school.
I not saying too much to him. It's best not to for now I think.
I'm afraid if he gets this second chance, and I put my faith in him again that he will do the right thing, then how will I hold up if he disappoints me yet again?
I do not know how to react to this. I don't want to be the fool and buy what he's selling. I also don't want to discourage him and make him think he's worthless.
There's no doubt he could do or be anything he wanted to be. But he does not like to have to work hard for anything.
Do I dare actually believe that he got the message? Do I hope that he will take his classes seriously, and do well, and then transfer to a 4 year college and get his desired degree?
Don't know if I can take another disappointment.
But I also don't know if I can ever stop hoping....