Villa v Everton

Goodison_Gringo wrote:

Rotterdam 1985 wrote:Oh well, at least I can start watching them now. Just in time for the season to turn to shit.

I've been in Nottingham today, my daughter's first day at Uni. That's it, the last of the Rotts brood has flown the nest, all three of them at Uni at the same time. A proud but occasionally emotional day. She's currently in a pub in Nottingham city centre with 15 girls she only met about 7 hours ago. Me and the missus have just been out for a few beers to congratulate ourselves on a parenting job well done and to plan the resurrection of our social life, which was last seen vomiting into a bush outside a nightclub in about 1999.

So forgive me if I'm a bit more "meh, whatever" about this loss than I'd usually be. Why do Villa always cause us problems? I don't know, but the injuries didn't help, and the back-up pantry is alarmingly bare. Like, we might be able to get by without Richie or DCL but not both, that's pretty obvious.

It's one loss, we move on. The experienced Evertonian in me simply assumes that both QPR and Norwich will turn us over this week, so I see this next seven days as a bit of a test of our resilience under Rafa.

I went to uni in Nottingham, albeit in the mid-90's. Not sure if it's changed much but it was a great student city back then.

Congratulations on getting three kids that far. Mine are 7 and 5, but with almost two years of virtual classes and me working from home, I don't see us making it that far. I'm ready to put at least one of them up for adoption.

Was Rock City a thing in the '90's? I think that's where she ended up last night.

I recall a job interview many years back in which I was asked what my number 1 ambition was. I assume they expected me to swear fealty to the company and The Man, my answer liberally sprinkled with words like leverage, synergise, network and career path. I just said, with total honesty, that my life ambition was to get my kids through to adulthood relatively unscathed. I got the job anyway!

So it's not so much the fact they're all at Uni that we're celebrating, although of course I hope their studies help to give them the opportunity to do what they want to do with their lives. I think teenagers should have options, going to Uni shouldn't be the only path to success and a contented life. It's more the fact that they're happy, have good friends, can all socialise with ease, have plans and a sense of purpose in their life, that's what we're proud of.

So much can derail even the best parent and their best efforts, so there's also an element of luck involved. I still think that, on balance, my kids were better off dealing with the pandemic, virtual learning etc at that stage of their education rather than where your kids are. That can't be easy. I like to think that these times will be character-building for your kids and mine, rather than destructive. That sense of complacency that led to Brexit and the current culture wars, because earlier generations hadn't had anything truly traumatic to endure since, maybe, the Oil Crisis of the 70's and the 3-day week, won't affect the younger generations, I hope. They should have that sense of perspective that there's no need to fuck things up deliberately because you're bored with life, because circumstances beyond their control can easily come along and fuck things up for them.

hairy cataract wrote:Mine have both just graduated from uni and are following in the great family tradition of lying in bed til noon and partying til 3am while putting off getting a job til whenever. Still, both of them would have moved quicker than Rondon.

Are they back living with you? That's what's keeping my missus sane at the moment, the idea that they'll all be back for a few years when they graduate. I like that thought too, although we need to review that given that we also plan to move to Greece when they all graduate.

Yeah both back home and we see it like your missus does Rotts - it’s probably the last time they’ll permanently be with us, so we’re kind of treasuring it, though it can be difficult.

Anyway, you know all those twats who tell you - just as you’re congratulating yourself on a parenting job well done - that it only gets more stressful when they’re Grown up? Turns out the fuckers are right. As the saying goes, you’re only as happy as your unhappiest child.

hairy cataract wrote:Yeah both back home and we see it like your missus does Rotts - it’s probably the last time they’ll permanently be with us, so we’re kind of treasuring it, though it can be difficult.

Anyway, you know all those twats who tell you - just as you’re congratulating yourself on a parenting job well done - that it only gets more stressful when they’re Grown up? Turns out the fuckers are right. As the saying goes, you’re only as happy as your unhappiest child.

Aye that's very true, they've all been through some tough situations and doubtless they will again in the future. That's life I suppose.

But I'm trying to suppress my usual fatalistic "this is all too rosy at the moment, something's bound to go wrong sooner or later" way of thinking, and just try to enjoy things in the moment, when things are in order and going well.

Of the three, I'd have said my eldest was the one least likely to come back after graduating. He's the one who's just moved down to Finchley while he does his final year. A strong, independent streak, you'd think. But nah. He got the coach up to (coincidentally) Nottingham yesterday for his best mate's birthday, and texted the missus 20 minutes ago to say he'd be stopping off with us for the night "to break the journey up." Bollocks, he just fancies a night of being looked after with his scran dished up for him.

They're independent when they choose to be, my lot.

Rotterdam 1985 wrote:Oh well, at least I can start watching them now. Just in time for the season to turn to shit.

I've been in Nottingham today, my daughter's first day at Uni. That's it, the last of the Rotts brood has flown the nest, all three of them at Uni at the same time. A proud but occasionally emotional day. She's currently in a pub in Nottingham city centre with 15 girls she only met about 7 hours ago. Me and the missus have just been out for a few beers to congratulate ourselves on a parenting job well done and to plan the resurrection of our social life, which was last seen vomiting into a bush outside a nightclub in about 1999.

So forgive me if I'm a bit more "meh, whatever" about this loss than I'd usually be. Why do Villa always cause us problems? I don't know, but the injuries didn't help, and the back-up pantry is alarmingly bare. Like, we might be able to get by without Richie or DCL but not both, that's pretty obvious.

It's one loss, we move on. The experienced Evertonian in me simply assumes that both QPR and Norwich will turn us over this week, so I see this next seven days as a bit of a test of our resilience under Rafa.

Oh fuck... unlucky mate

Made 4 Gwladys wrote:

Rotterdam 1985 wrote:Oh well, at least I can start watching them now. Just in time for the season to turn to shit.

I've been in Nottingham today, my daughter's first day at Uni. That's it, the last of the Rotts brood has flown the nest, all three of them at Uni at the same time. A proud but occasionally emotional day. She's currently in a pub in Nottingham city centre with 15 girls she only met about 7 hours ago. Me and the missus have just been out for a few beers to congratulate ourselves on a parenting job well done and to plan the resurrection of our social life, which was last seen vomiting into a bush outside a nightclub in about 1999.

So forgive me if I'm a bit more "meh, whatever" about this loss than I'd usually be. Why do Villa always cause us problems? I don't know, but the injuries didn't help, and the back-up pantry is alarmingly bare. Like, we might be able to get by without Richie or DCL but not both, that's pretty obvious.

It's one loss, we move on. The experienced Evertonian in me simply assumes that both QPR and Norwich will turn us over this week, so I see this next seven days as a bit of a test of our resilience under Rafa.

Oh fuck... unlucky mate

We are certainly paying for others mistakes ,FFP seems to only effect Everton, wastage catching up on us. squad is simply not good enough, when your missing four your best players (Rodriguez not included) something has to give.we are playing without a decent keeper-Right Back and Strikers , so we are very much unbalanced.

Rotterdam 1985 wrote:

Goodison_Gringo wrote:

Rotterdam 1985 wrote:Oh well, at least I can start watching them now. Just in time for the season to turn to shit.

I've been in Nottingham today, my daughter's first day at Uni. That's it, the last of the Rotts brood has flown the nest, all three of them at Uni at the same time. A proud but occasionally emotional day. She's currently in a pub in Nottingham city centre with 15 girls she only met about 7 hours ago. Me and the missus have just been out for a few beers to congratulate ourselves on a parenting job well done and to plan the resurrection of our social life, which was last seen vomiting into a bush outside a nightclub in about 1999.

So forgive me if I'm a bit more "meh, whatever" about this loss than I'd usually be. Why do Villa always cause us problems? I don't know, but the injuries didn't help, and the back-up pantry is alarmingly bare. Like, we might be able to get by without Richie or DCL but not both, that's pretty obvious.

It's one loss, we move on. The experienced Evertonian in me simply assumes that both QPR and Norwich will turn us over this week, so I see this next seven days as a bit of a test of our resilience under Rafa.

I went to uni in Nottingham, albeit in the mid-90's. Not sure if it's changed much but it was a great student city back then.

Congratulations on getting three kids that far. Mine are 7 and 5, but with almost two years of virtual classes and me working from home, I don't see us making it that far. I'm ready to put at least one of them up for adoption.

Was Rock City a thing in the '90's? I think that's where she ended up last night.

I recall a job interview many years back in which I was asked what my number 1 ambition was. I assume they expected me to swear fealty to the company and The Man, my answer liberally sprinkled with words like leverage, synergise, network and career path. I just said, with total honesty, that my life ambition was to get my kids through to adulthood relatively unscathed. I got the job anyway!

So it's not so much the fact they're all at Uni that we're celebrating, although of course I hope their studies help to give them the opportunity to do what they want to do with their lives. I think teenagers should have options, going to Uni shouldn't be the only path to success and a contented life. It's more the fact that they're happy, have good friends, can all socialise with ease, have plans and a sense of purpose in their life, that's what we're proud of.

So much can derail even the best parent and their best efforts, so there's also an element of luck involved. I still think that, on balance, my kids were better off dealing with the pandemic, virtual learning etc at that stage of their education rather than where your kids are. That can't be easy. I like to think that these times will be character-building for your kids and mine, rather than destructive. That sense of complacency that led to Brexit and the current culture wars, because earlier generations hadn't had anything truly traumatic to endure since, maybe, the Oil Crisis of the 70's and the 3-day week, won't affect the younger generations, I hope. They should have that sense of perspective that there's no need to fuck things up deliberately because you're bored with life, because circumstances beyond their control can easily come along and fuck things up for them.

Yeah, I remember Rock City, which is impressive given what little else I remember from uni. It was a good concert venue, though the only one I can recall seeing is the Fresher's Ball, which was headlined by Whigfield. Seriously, fucking Whigfield. Still she was a proper sort, ooer, so swings and roundabouts.