If it seems like they’ve been increasing in frequency, it’s because they have. When I have actual free time (ie, when not at school) I nitpick a lot more- hence fixing the broken door, hence replacing the broken dipstick, hence the moderate freakout about a tiny bit of plastic in my oil pan, and now hence this, burnt out stop lamp bulbs.
I pulled the high mounted stop lamp and of the 8 bulbs, one was broken inside the lens, one was missing, two were working, and four were burnt out or not in the circuit in some way. I went to both chain parts stores in my area, and both had four bulbs total. It seems I now own every 2723LL bulb within five miles of me. Pulled the light again, was disgusted by all the rust and corrosion, sprayed the whole thing down with brake cleaner in hopes of clearing a bit up, slapped bulbs into 6 of the 8 slots (the slot on the far right was broken, and I left the far left out for dat symmetry), put it all back together put some duct tape on the cracks on the top of the housing to keep water out, and took a pic with the lamp on. There is now only one working socket. At least it’s brighter than before. Oh well. Time to source some 20 year old plastic I guess.