[n00b on demand]

Ok i have been having this problem since may of this year. In may i got my brakes checked and when i left the shop i had this horrible feeling from the left front wheel. Felt like the wheel was loose or something...took it back to the shop and they said everything was on tight. The terrible clunk noise and feeling went away after a week. Then after hitting a pothole in August it returned but went away with in one day. Ive described it as feeling like the wheel is hitting my leg while my left foot is resting. It happens when i hit a pothole awkwardly and usually goes away after a day. Last week i hit a pothole again and that stupid feeling came back and hasnt gone away...its been a week now and hasnt gone away although it was gotten better each day. The weird part is that the ride feels great except for that damn noise...ride feels 10 times better tho when the noise goes away. Sometimes i can hit a big pothole and it wont even make the noise....but will make it over a small hump in the road or over a series of cracks in the road. I'm thinking this is a bad or worn bushing. I also need to get wheel alignment done...car pulls a tiny tiny bit to the right. I dont think that has anything to do with this as the alignment issue was never there when this problem started. Anyone ever have these problems im describing? I just find it strange that it goes away after a little bit. Thanks in advance.