It's funny, really. In 2003, when I had been unemployed for nine months, I wrote the following post:
The Theory Behind the 'Then Three Bloody Buses Come Along At Once' Phenomenon
Clustering, stochastic temporary delays and the same reasons behind why, if you're driving along an isolated blasted heath on a winding country road in the middle of nowhere at three o'clock in the morning (as you do), you have a couple of cars behind you and cars only ever go past in twos or threes.
ANYWAY.
I feel like that. Only, to create the analogy properly, I have been waiting for the metaphorical bus for almost nine months...
Details to follow.
Funny really.
Funny as in a joyous and satisfied "ha ha" meaning "Stuart's got good news" or funny as in "bitterly ironic?"
I sincerely hope it's the former.
I was going to ask the same question :)
There is actually a very simple explanation for the "three buses at once" phenomenon.. which, incidentally, doesn't apply to their metaphorical counterparts..
Vicious circle traffic theories aside though, think of it this way...
3 buses at once equals less choice (ie. they all cost the same, all go the same route, but fail to give you a choice of departure time)
3 job offers coming along at once even if there was a long period without is surely loads better because you get far more choice.
To look at it with the bus analogy again: If a bus turned up, and you weren't sure how soon the next one would come along, then you'd probably take it, even if the journey time would be five minutes longer than the bus you would normally take... Same with a job. If you've been looking for ages and only have one offer.. and it's vaguely in the right area.. you take it.
However if all the buses (jobs) turn up at once but are all going in different directions, you have a choice...
Have patience Stu.. buses always arrive eventually..
Adam, have you been taking classes in philosophy since we left university?
I was always been quite a philosophical person Stuart! I have always loved studying people and their interactions with each other and I find that by better understanding others, I also better understand myself.
I learnt a hell of a lot whilst at uni about human nature and about viewing life in different ways, and I have continued to learn ever since. Life is one big continual learning process so, yes, in many ways I have changed a lot since uni. Every person you meet will help you learn and understand more about the world around you.
The year and a half I spent going out with Eleni had quite an impact on my world outlook. In helping her deal with her problems, I gained a lot of understanding about my own and how to deal with them. An obvious result of that is the fact that I rarely get stressed any more (as I used to lots at uni).. i guess I do tend to deal with things in a much more philosophical way.
Emotions, especially negative ones, are completely down to your perspective. Considering things from a different point of view is often all that is needed to de-stress or to deal with a situation effectively.
So, despite being currently stuck in a huge hole of debt leaving me stone broke with almost no disposable income and often barely enough money for food each week, I am probably more happy now than I have ever been in my life before.
Good.
I wasn't being derogatory matey.
Keep in touch, huh?
he he.. dude.. I never thought that you were being derogatory! but you're right.. I am quite a bit different to the guy that used to randomly arrive home carrying a front door etc everytime I got massively stressed or upset..