This is a Human Machine Interface (HMI) test. I shall assume that you are the `H'.
Things that can be tested are:
Your equipment - you affirm that it is working well.
This Pool - it is working well. It operates near the 100% luck rate. You are paid 100% for all the hashing you do. When the Pool has 200PH hashrate, you will be paid less, but more often. Less because you will have done a much smaller percentage of the Pool's overall work. When the Pool is slower, like now, you will be paid more, but less often. The only thing you need to know is that you get paid for all the work that you (and your miners) do.The Pool takes no percentage of your work...
That leaves the `H' in the interface... the Machines are working well. Now it is only a test of the Human.
We Humans like and look for patterns. The mining of Bitcoin is random. So while we continue to look for patterns that we can use to interpolate and extrapolate the future, it is somewhat of a futile execise. It is a test of your patience. You can probably go find another pool hashing away at a faster rate, but realize immediately that you will be an even smaller percentage of that pool, and most often, the pool operator will happily take a portion of your hashing power as a fee. You are at the right Pool and will be paid for all the work you do. If it takes a little longer than you were hoping, that is the test - the test of your patience...
Being human, many of us look for patterns that we think will somehow `influence' the `block gods'. For example, many on this forum seem to think writing several non-alpha-numeric characters with the word `block' may have some magic. I, on the other hand think that if I go outside and do `forestry' related work, it somehow helps the `mining'. I `know' that it has no infuence, I just `believe' that it does...that's what we humans do!
So I went out this morning and moved some of last years cut wood to one of the woodsheds that will provide wood for this winter... and coming in this afternoon, the Pool rate has jumped from 32PH to 56PH...Coincidence???
Anyways, you have found the best pool, with lots of helpful people - most of whom have a ritual celebration involving some form of alcohol... we are having fun, and I hope you do, too!
A block will only reveal itself when it is ready, and when you are ready...
This will Test your Patience, Grasshopper...
Anyone getting the same idea I am... Lets all drink lots of beer/whisky, take gcanelson and tie him to a tree and paint all the non-alpha chars to his chest.. Ya.. that should surly bring a block our way