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A Variation on Murphy's Law - Michigan Swamp Buck - 01-06-2025
Everyone here should be familiar with the saying attributed to Murphy.
Quote:Murphy's law[a] is an adage or epigram that is typically stated as: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.".
Wikipedia Link
Wikipedia goes on and on about who made this statement first, which is interesting in itself, however, they don't say much about its validity as a rule. I find that the general principle works well with any number of situations. I think this rule or law applies especially well when you are at home as opposed to elsewhere.
A few adapted versions of Murphy's Law . . .
"Anything that can disrupt your schedule, will disrupt your schedule"
Don't make plans that include some down time, you probably are not getting it on your schedule.
"Anything that can interrupt a private moment, will interrupt a private moment."
Good examples are during sleep, eating a meal or bathroom time.
I can go on, it's just that the thing is, you could be relaxing and twiddling your thumbs for hours until you are ready to go with your plans and nothing will interrupt or demand your attention. Then the moment you are getting things done, the hoard descends and diverts you away to something else.
It seems like the moment you move, it attracts the attention of everything around you to swam in and make it harder to get things done. Sometimes, all I might have to do is think about making a move, to get coffee from the kitchen maybe, when "kittens, cats, sacks and wives" sidetrack me from my trip to St. Ives.
I wondered if that is just my senior citizen traits flowering with my old age. What do you guys think?
RE: A Variation on Murphy's Law - Michigan Swamp Buck - 01-07-2025
No replies yet? Well, I've been thinking.
To be fair, most things I plan on doing, I get done, and nobody is banging down the bathroom door during my morning constitutionals (usually). Things were far worse with cats, dogs, kids, and women milling around my abode, back in the day. Now it's just the pets, my old lady, and me.
Some activities are usually doomed from the start and as much as I'd like to believe those are the activities I actually want to engage in, it can be something I don't want to do that has to be done, like plumbing (God I hate plumbing).
Without further study and some statistical data, I am leaning toward the idea that Murphy's Law is more of a state of mind than a law of nature. A pessimistic attitude that has you expect the worst to happen in any situation.
Sure, things can and will go wrong eventually, but we normally expect everything to go without a hitch, so when things do go well, that's what we expect all the time. Then when things don't go as planned, it can seem like the world is out to get you and stop your simplest plans when it is just a one off and not actually par for the course.
ETA: I should offer at least one exception. As it seems that these things occur more at home than say at work or school or what have you. This is entirely possible if you have let things go around the house. So when you ignore a potential problem, or wrap it up with a band aid and forget about it, it may interrupt your day. Plumbing for instance, can't do the shit, shower and shave routine without it. These problems are like booby traps we set for ourselves, time bombs waiting to ruin our day, weekend or holiday.
RE: A Variation on Murphy's Law - F2d5thCav - 01-07-2025
The Germans have an opposing "law" that goes something like "it has to work" ("es muss funktionieren") ... which I found rather too optimistic. I think Murphy's Law was on the money more often.
Cheers--
RE: A Variation on Murphy's Law - FlickerOfLight - 01-07-2025
I know all about this. I've got a circle of friends from back in the day that call me "Murphy." Because I have the weirdest luck. Twenty people can go through something right in front of me and all have the same experience. But, when I try something really weird, something know has seen before while doing this, just the most random things going wrong. I'm a walking "crash test dummy."
And yes!, at home is where everything goes wonky. Spacial awareness isn't my strong suit, so I constantly bumping my shoulders on doors and door frames, or stubbing my toe, to the point of breaking them, just from walking around the house.
Murphys law can kiss my hiney.
Added:
Example:
I just went to turn on a lamp I've had for a really long time, and has always worked perfectly. I go to flip the switch and the light doesn't come on. I flip the switch a couple more times and the light comes on, but is oddly dim. I go to turn the damn thing off, and the light stays on. I flip it a few more times and it won't go off now. I unscrew it.....this bulb stayed glowing (dimly) for a few seconds after being unplugged.
Never, have I ever see a light bulb stay on like that. I've seen them blow a million times. This one dies by staying on...
"Murphy variation"
Eh?
"Murphy's variations"
RE: A Variation on Murphy's Law - DuckforcoveR - 01-08-2025
This has been my entire life to date. My alter ego (Hugh Murphy) is a play on this "law" (what I like to call a universal happenstance).
RE: A Variation on Murphy's Law - Michigan Swamp Buck - 01-08-2025
I'm thinking of senior proofing the homestead now, so when I get too old and set in my ways, no one will need to intervene.
You know. Re-design areas like the bathroom and a few other major changes, but other things as well. Reduce clutter, get rid of throw rugs, eliminate other hazards and pitfalls, shit like that. Get it done now before you break a hip, back, neck, etc. Otherwise, if you recover, you return to the old pattern and keep putting things in the way, just like you always have. Then, one day they find you dead or are rushing you off to the hospital for the last time.