# Does this ever happen to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 13, 2002, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415 "2002-12-13T03:25:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/1 "2002-12-13T03:25:57Z")
[This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=150012) thread reminded me of how weird numbers have been to me lately. For about a month now just about every time I look at the clock it’s 11:11 or 2:22 or 4:44 and so on. When I listened to my answering machine the other day two messages were left at 4:44 and 5:55. No kidding!! I don’t know if there is any meaning to this or if it’s just by random chance but I sure don’t remember seeing these numbers practically every day at any other time in my life. I dunno – pointless and meaningless I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Carcosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@Carcosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carcosa)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/2 "2002-12-13T03:49:20Z")
Sounds like you are experiencing a bout of “synchronicity”, which to my understanding, is coincidental events that appear to be related. ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/3 "2002-12-13T05:07:42Z")
I got a DUI. I really regret it. I’ve changed my life. I don’t drink anymore. I am truly thankful nobody was hurt. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the number 502\* since then. Punch out on a timeclock. \5:02 Buy a product of some sort, often beer. \ $5.02 This was driving me mad! I should mention that this was far more of a factor before I quit drinking. See, I got the DUI a while back, but was still a drinker for a long time after. The old conscience really used to get me when that number business happened. These days it never seems to happen, I don’t know why. \*If I am not mistaken, a 502 is a drunk driver. (in radio talk) ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/4 "2002-12-13T05:14:17Z")
Yes. The number 8, mysteriously, made an appearance in my life for over a year. It then went away. I attribute it to the Law of Fives. ---
**Author:** ![njufoic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/278dde/32.png) [@njufoic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njufoic)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/5 "2002-12-13T06:07:59Z")
For several years, I found that I always looked at a clock at 10:17, morning or night. It seemed to happen quite by chance, and the frequency of 10:17 was markedly higher than that of any other time. 10:17 has no particular significance to me, so there must have been at least a short burst of synchronicity to get me to start noticing it. Weird. -Andrew L ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/6 "2002-12-13T06:43:28Z")
For years, I thought it was so odd that whenever i went outside, I became blind. Then, I finally noticed my hat was too big. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/7 "2002-12-14T06:27:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erislover \* > \*\*Yes. The number 8, mysteriously, made an appearance in my life for over a year. It then went away. \*\* Did it sing to you? _“Figure eight is double four/Figure four is half of eight/If you skate/It would be great/If you could do/A figure eight/That’s a circle that turns round upon itself…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/8 "2002-12-14T06:31:46Z")
I once read Lewis Grizzard’s book talking about 11:11 (I think his mother died at 7:11 or something), and I think when he died, he died at 11:11. For some reason, I have a knack for always looking at the clock at exactly 7:11 or 11:11. Ava ---
**Author:** ![Bullwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Bullwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/9 "2002-12-14T07:08:58Z")
With me it’s 12:34. I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve looked at the clock at exactly 12:34. Of course I also can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at the clock at 3:48 since that number combination isn’t very memorable. One has to be careful to not confuse synchronicity with coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/10 "2002-12-14T07:42:10Z")
My husband and I have always noticed 11:11. Then we found friends that had also noticed it. We used to call each other every November 11. I think there is also some sort of weird religious cult built up around 11:11, but I don’t know if I can find that link again. Lewis Grizzard is one of my favorites and I am a little startled to learn that he had a “thing” for 11:11. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/11 "2002-12-14T17:46:41Z")
One time I was buying a Goth-type magazine and something else (which I can’t remember) at a record store I used to frequent. The clerk was making fun of the magazine and joking about how I was evil … then the total rang up to $6.66 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/12 "2002-12-14T17:55:25Z")
Speaking of 666, how many times do you see that number on a license plate? Now how many times do you see 777 or 888 or 222? It’s an evil world…an evil world I tell ya’ ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/13 "2002-12-14T19:45:50Z")
**interface2x** : How surprising is it, really, that an issue of Goth-Angst magazine and a pack of clove cigarettes rings up that way? It’s a customer satisfaction plan in action. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/14 "2002-12-14T20:22:53Z")
I always see 12:51, but I think that’s because when I was a kid I used to look for it because it looked the same in the mirror as it did just looking at it. Now I just notice it everytime it comes around. It is kind of weird though when I haven’t looked at the clock in hours and suddenly I look over and it’s 12:51. Happens quite often. Same with 42. It’s all just a coincidence but it _seems like more_ :eek: P.S. - Lewis Grizzard is dead? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/15 "2002-12-14T22:53:49Z")
**Skeezix** - har har 😉 I _think_ that it was something much less stereotypical of teen angst … like incense. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/16 "2002-12-15T00:12:32Z")
In my family the numbers to watch out for are 3/23. I was doing some family tree research a few year back and found a suprising number of relatives, in various time periods, that dropped dead on that same date. I try to be very careful on March 23. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/17 "2002-12-15T00:14:01Z")
…few years back… ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/18 "2002-12-15T00:19:29Z")
When I did Quicken last month, I noticed that _every_ charge on my Discover bill was a palindrome, like $18.81, $56.65 . . . ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/19 "2002-12-15T01:31:18Z")
So, who forgot to wind their watch, then? 😃 d&r ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415/20 "2002-12-15T02:07:01Z")
**dreamer** , **avabeth** , **Zoe** : Just to cheer you up even more, 11:11 is one of [Uri Geller’s fixations too](http://www.uri-geller.com/articles/11.htm). Weirdos ;). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-ever-happen-to-you/142415.md?page=2)