I seem to generally lead a charmed life
and even though some things go spectacularly wrong, and I'm an absolute wonder at putting my foot in it and cocking up, I always seem to get what I need. Not to sound too Noel Edmonds, but Cosmic Ordering seems to work for me. Or something similar, anyway.

I desperately hate magpies, though. There's a lot of them round here, and the bastards are always alone. If I see a lone magpie, it bothers me for the rest of the day.

Alt: yes. We cleared up the front garden, cutting down/back a bunch of trees and bushes taht were blocking the door and the kitchen window. Then I cleaned the door and windows, and swept up the drive. It looks fab now.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Sun 10 Apr 2011, 19:48, 2 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

Can't you count them as being together if you see them on the same day
or do they have to be in your eyeline at the same time?
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Sun 10 Apr 2011, 19:56, Reply)

my rule is you have to be able to see them both from the same spot
you can't just toddle off having seen one and put all that bad luck on hold while you go looking for another one.
(Zoz prayed for twink on, Sun 10 Apr 2011, 20:00, Reply)

This ^
there's about a 10 second window in which to count them together, otherwise you have to count them as two single ones.
(berk, Sun 10 Apr 2011, 20:06, Reply)

and how long does this bad luck/good luck phase
last for after spotting them?
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Sun 10 Apr 2011, 20:08, Reply)

It's just that day.
otherwise you'd be storing it all up for ages!
(berk, Sun 10 Apr 2011, 20:09, Reply)

oh, right. Thought maybe I was working
through a backlog
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Sun 10 Apr 2011, 20:10, Reply)

until the end of the day
or the next observed pair/single magpie, whichever comes first.
(Zoz prayed for twink on, Sun 10 Apr 2011, 20:09, Reply)

if you say
Good day mr magpie. How are you, mrs maghpie and all the little magpies?

All the bad luck goes away
(CheatingRabbit, Sun 10 Apr 2011, 21:20, Reply)