waiting

I have realized that there are many forms of waiting. Some of you out there will already know this but allow me to explain anyways. I am at this moment waiting for two very different things and my reaction to those waits is completely different. The first thing I am waiting for is the new job in beijing to process my residence certificate and work visa, once this is done I can go on vacation , leave the country and reenter without hindrance. This waiting is killing me. I abhor it, there is nothing I can do to speed the process up nor do I have any real idea what the true situation of the applications is. The school keeps telling me they are working on it and as soon as it is ready they will tell me. Now mind you if for some reason they do not get it do promptly I must leave China on Jan. 19 and do this whole process again. So that is waiting #1.
#2 I am waiting for some beef stew to finish cooking, and I am really hungry. Now the same thing can be said about the stew, namely "there is nothing I can do to speed the process up nor do I have any real idea what the true situation of the stew is." And "...are working on it and as soon as it is ready they will tell me." Yet this waiting I do not mind at all. What is the difference why does one bother me and the other doesnt? Perhaps I will tell you all sometime next week, I guess you will just have to wait and see.