Okay, maybe that’s a little much, but good lord…I get busy with a new job, come on late night Monday to try and catch up and find that all hell’s broken loose.

So, situation normal for Villa. Maybe I should just stop here. But, of course, I won’t.

Most anyone who reads regularly knows where I stand. I am Goebbels, after all.

Of course, I try to offer all sorts of nuanced commentary and dry wit that usually gets ignored, but hey ho…Story of my life.

Here in the States/North America, well the middle and northern bits of North America, it’s a glorious time to be alive. Pro and college football, the NHL, the World Series. I never even watch regular-season baseball…But the playoffs and World Series are truly special. Every moment they face is a Benteke-Howard showdown.

Me, I actually had a great weekend. Yeah, I was disappointed with the Villa result. But, unlike a lot of people, I saw a some good things, some poor finishing, and a tough loss. My opinion on Paul Lambert is basically unchanged.

Then Oklahoma played a gritty game and pulled it out. They shouldn’t have had trouble, but they have the last few years, and a good win is a good win. It was fantastic to watch. The Green Bay Packers fell behind then stuck it to the Minnesota Vikings, running the ball right down their throats. The Colorado Avalanche entered the third period trailing the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 and came back to take it 3-2. That young and hungry team, led by their new head coach, goalkeeping legend Patrick Roy, were built just like Villa have been and have now opened the season an incredible 10-1 after a miserable season last year. It’s been astonishing and completely unexpected.

Watched a scary movie with the missus Friday night. Had a lovely dinner with friends Saturday night. Went out for brunch Sunday morning and took a long leisurely walk on what turned out to be a spectacular autumn day in Colorado, 70 degrees, leaves turning everywhere in sight, a beautiful woman’s hand in mine.

I was a bit gassy from the andouille sausage omelette, but a classy gal overlooks these things.

What does all that mean? Spread your bets. Or, as my dad used to say, “You win a few and lose a lot.”

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Get out, take a break, let go of the negative energy. It does you no good. Lerner’s going nowhere. And neither is Lambert. Whatever you might think, neither is the antichrist. Or Ted Heath.

You want to set a bedsheet on fire? Go for it. It will change nothing, but might leave you with less laundry to do. Feel like life is laughing at you because the Villa always let you down? Maybe life will keep on laughing at you until you stop getting so worked up over a game. Feel like having an aneurysm because I said it’s just a game? That’s okay. But it really is just a game, a bunch of grown men getting paid millions to kick a ball around.

Are you really going to let that color your life? Do you really cede control of your happiness and rationality to others?

My guess is that for most all of us the answer is really no. Despite what happens on here.

My son’s having a great time up in his first semester at college. My daughter is agonizing over her choice of college. The missus and I just hired a contractor to tear down my house. The new job is a massive challenge…a bit like what Paul Lambert is facing, remaking a team, assessing the squad, wondering if I can afford to sign a world-class, string-pulling attacking midfielder. At least I’ve got a good owner.

And I’m loving every minute of it.

Maybe it’s good I can’t get sucked into the Villa exclusively because there are a hell of a lot of other things that the lack of ecstasy would be spoiling. And besides, I’m still enjoying getting up and seeing this team week in, week out, warts and all.

I know what I can change. I know what I can control. I know what I can’t.

Villa aren’t going down. Relax, and go kiss the neighbor’s dog.

Or just kiss each other and make up. Which isn’t something I actually want to witness. But good god, men, get a grip. When the Hood went down, did everyone at the admiralty start arguing about ship design, slagging each other off and saying “I wish we’d signed the Bismarck?” No. They just went out and sank the damn thing.

Which doesn’t really make a lot of sense, but you know what I mean. Carry on.

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