# An (In)significant Mystery ...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-in-significant-mystery/83754
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 25, 2001, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-in-significant-mystery/83754 "2001-09-25T18:53:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Farren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farren)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2001, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-in-significant-mystery/83754/1 "2001-09-25T18:53:19Z")
Last night, I made plans to get together with two friends of mine. Since those plans required me to awaken earlier than I usually do, I took care to set my alarm clock for 11:00 am. The past two times that I’ve gone to see these friends, however, my alarm clock has failed to sound at the requested time. And sure enough, this morning, after troubled dreams of being unable to get in touch with friends in general, I wake up to see the red, glowing glyphs’ pronouncement of “11:20.” No alarm.
“The alarm clock’s malfunctioning,” you say.
Pretty insignificant, except when one considers the following: The alarm clock normally works. I use it at least three times a week, frequently more. It always goes off at the appointed time, no problems. _Except_ when I’m planning on meeting these friends.
Has it ever failed before when I haven’t planned on meeting my friends, you ask? Once. And that failure was solidly traced to user error. (The radio/buzzer switch had been inadvertantly switched to radio, and the radio’s volume was at minimum. So it went off, but I couldn’t hear it.) While it is possible that the first two friend-alarm failures could be accounted for similarly, the third one (which happened today) could not. (I checked all the switches both before going to bed and upon awakening.) The alarm was set for the correct time on all three occasions.
And, to emphasize: when I’m using it to get up to go to work, it has never malfunctioned.
So, can any Doper here come up with a better explanation than “coincidence?” Or, for that matter, “ghosts and vengeful spirits assaulting the alarm clock?”
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### Author:  [@PlanMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlanMan)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2001, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-in-significant-mystery/83754/2 "2001-09-25T19:20:17Z")
Cast my vote for \* “ghosts and vengeful spirits assaulting the alarm clock”\*
Could you have turned it off then gone back to sleep? (The source of the ‘I’m gonna miss my friends because of the alarm clock dream’?)
Did you sleep thru the alarm? Sometimes, when I’m congested, I don’t hear mine.
You _set_ an alarm to get up _early_ at **11:00AM**? Ahhhh. Yute.
Oh… and welcome to the SD. Sleeping in becomes much needed (or at least wished for by working stiffs) when staying up all night with the Straight Dope.
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### Author:  [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2001, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-in-significant-mystery/83754/3 "2001-09-25T23:35:25Z")
Does the clock have a snooze function? I have a radio/clock with a snooze button. Not being a morning person, I tend to over-use the snooze button: alarm goes off at 7, I hit the snooze button, the alarm goes off again at 7:10, I hit the snooze button, etc. etc. I have done this and not remembered doing it. Now, the psycobabble: could it be that, deep down inside, you don’t want to get together with these friends, and therefore, subconsciously,decide you’re not going to get up on time and so sleep through the alarm?
If you can’t solve the mystery, get a second alarm clock and set it to go off a few minutes after the first – see what happens then.
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### Author:  [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2001, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-in-significant-mystery/83754/4 "2001-09-25T23:46:44Z")
Another thought: if you can’t solve the alarm clock mystery, and you really, really want to meet up with these friends, tell one, or all, of them about the problem and ask one (or all) to call you at the appointed time and to let the phone ring till you answer.
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### Author:  [@Farren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farren)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2001, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-in-significant-mystery/83754/5 "2001-09-26T03:55:56Z")
_So sayeth Planman …_
> [@](#):
>
> You set an alarm to get up early at 11:00AM? Ahhhh. Yute.
>
> Oh… and welcome to the SD. Sleeping in becomes much needed (or at least wished for by working stiffs) when staying up all night with the Straight Dope.
Well, I work a swing shift. So rather than try to go with a “normal” wake up at 8 am (or earlier), go to sleep around midnight schedule, I just shift everything four hours later. And thanks for the welcome. 🙂
_So sayeth Sycorax …_
> [@](#):
>
> Does the clock have a snooze function?
Yes, it does. And I have on occasion hammered the clock into submission for a few minutes at a time. However, most of the time I remember doing it. It’s possible that I _am_ still doing it, but not remembering it when I get up to meet friends. But again, why would that only happen when I’m meeting them?
_Further quoth Sycorax,_
> [@](#):
>
> Now, the psycobabble: could it be that, deep down inside, you don’t want to get together with these friends, and therefore, subconsciously,decide you’re not going to get up on time and so sleep through the alarm?
Ah yes, the psychobabble. Right now, psychobabble is the best quasi-rational answer I can come up with. And it still doesn’t mesh with how I feel about them. Unless there’s some deep, dark secret I don’t know about …
Oh, and I woke up late, but still early enough to meet them. Precisely because of the alarm clock mystery, I gave myself some extra time to get ready. Came in handy.
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### Author:  [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2001, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-in-significant-mystery/83754/6 "2001-09-26T05:45:19Z")
Are you sure you set it for 11:00 **AM**??
* * *
Jeg elsker dig, Thomas
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### Author:  [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2001, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-in-significant-mystery/83754/7 "2001-09-26T05:48:57Z")
Something that I do quite often when I mean to set my alarm clock earlier then usual is accidently set the alarm for PM instead of AM. I just don’t click the button enough, I guess. I see the time I want, not realizing that the first time I see the number it will be PM, and I want to wait for the second time. Did that make sense? Well, anyway, see if your alarm goes off at 11 PM. 🙂