The Digital Clock Coincidence

What is the weird Digital Clock Coincidence? I'll come on to that very shortly.

Coincidences occur by chance far more often than we think plausible. It is very common for we mortals to overestimate the randomness of random, if you see what I mean. When people are asked to write a stream of random numbers they generally write down fewer repeating numbers (e.g. a six immediately followed by another six) than occur in a typical real random sequence. Most people too often chose the next number to be deliberately different from the previous one. This is because people think of having numbers repeating in a random sequence as a coincidence and underestimate its likelihood. Such "coincidence" groupings of numbers happen by chance far more often than people think.

It is the same with chance meetings. You are more likely to bump into someone you know at a foreign airport than you might imagine - purely by chance. The human mind tends to see patterns where none exist. Our brains evolved such a foible because pattern matching is useful when trying to discern the pattern of a predator hiding in long grass. A false alarm is much less costly than not spotting that sneaky beast with huge teeth and an appetite to match.

That is why we see faces in curtains and clouds and why many of us believe that coincidences are somehow supernatural when they happen to us. Once a fortnight on average someone somewhere in Britain has a dreams that their best friend died, only to learn the next day that it really did happen. This is purely by chance. There are millions of dreams dreamt each night, and many deaths each day. Combine the two and you see that such coincidences are inevitable by chance alone. But if it happened to YOU, what would be your interpretation of such a freaky happening? Would you consider it a meaningless chance happening or a tragic premonition? Someone experiences that every fortnight or so.

Back to the Digital Clock Coincidence! One morning an email landed in my metaphorical lap that contained this riddle:


"I was wondering if maybe you can give me an idea of why, every time I look at the digital clock, I always see for example 12:34 as in 1 2 3 4 , also 13:13 or 15:15 , 11:11 and so on. Is there any coincidence or are the numbers significant in anyway or am I totally just reacting over nothing!"


It's a great question! (I remember being obsessed with the display of my digital watch when I was a kid). One possibility is that a pattern (like 11:11) is always more memorable than a non-pattern (like 14:53). So we end up cumulatively remembering the patterns and forgetting the non-patterns and over time we think to ourselves how weird it is that we tend to see patterns all the time!

There may be another effect here too. I conjecture that if you look at the clock at random then the digits are far more likely to contain a pattern then we imagine. This is because a higher proportion of possible combinations of times contain a pattern than we think. This effect is magnified because for digital time displays low digits are much more common than high numbers. (Hours digits only count up to 23 and minutes digits only count to 59). Indeed this effect is borne out by the examples in that email. Notice how in all of the examples - 12:34, 13:13, 15:15, 11;11 - the digits are small: there are many 1's but not a single 6, 7, 8 or 9. If most of the time the digital display features only small digits, then patterns are much more likely to occur.

There could be an even weirder effect at play here. We have many body clocks of different shapes and sizes, ranging from timing circuits within our brains to molecular clocks in each cell of our bodies. There is at least one autistic person known to science that can tell you the time accurate to within a second, let alone a minute! So it is possible the brain can decipher time better than we think, and in a few of us, the brain might subconsciously trigger a peek at a clock at exactly the "right" moment. to see a "coincidence".

Can anybody out there cast any more light on this, the Digital Clock Coincidence phenomenon? Please Contact me.

On a related subject - date coincidences, I was shopping recently, and the girl at the till blurted, "1984". At first I thought she was alluding to the increasingly Orwellian world we live in. I was rather impressed, as girls at tills are hardly renounced for erudite conversation. But real life soon intruded. She was requesting nineteen pounds and eighty four pence. I don't think she appreciated my Orwell joke either. From the funny look she gave me, I expect she's reported me to the Ministry Of Love.

Thanks,

Jim E.

P.S. Abel has below submitted three workings-of-the-brain type explanations for why many of us experience seemingly uncanny clock and number coincidences. Also there are a bumper collection of digital clock coincidences stories you have submitted, keep them coming :)

digital clock coincidence stories: send yours
August 2006
Submitted by	Abel
Clock Coincidences: three ideas to explain this phenomenon	Coincidence explanation 1) Number pattern: The concept of an easily recognized number pattern (e.g. 1234) is already explained in the website. All I have to add about this is a Psychology 101 jargon, called “chucking”. Basically, our brain could only hold “x” number of items in our short-term memory; from the idiot to the genius, it’s about 5 to 9 items, respectively, which is not a whole lot. So, to increase our brain capacity for storing things, we tend to use this mechanism called “chunking”, which basically means putting like items together. The perfect everyday example is our phone numbering system; a typical phone number (in Canada) with area code, if we remember it, would make us look like geniuses! For e.g. a hypothetical phone number, 6134789890, by itself would exceed our 5 to 9 items of maximum capacity, since there are 10 digits all together. Of course, any idiot can remember a phone number once in a while especially if it's from some hot chic or guy! The reason is because we “chunk” the numbers by area code and then by 3 digits dash 4 digits together. So, visually we see 613-478-9890. In essence, the total number of items we are remembering is only 3 items. Similar explanation can be applied to things like acronyms (i.e. CIA, FBI, FEMA, etc.) to help people remember useless things, like government agencies. 12:34 or 11:11 displayed in a digital clock is instinctively chunked as 1 item, while more randomized times like 11:56 or 3:48 etc. has no real obvious pattern, so it is not being chunked by our brain, which makes it about 3 to 4 items. Obviously, the fewer the items the easier it is to remember. Coincidence explanation 2) Significance of number series: The second explanation is basically an extension of the first explanation. Some numbers simply in appearance resemble something meaningful to the person, like 911 or 666 or 111 or a number that resemble your birth date or the date your boyfriend passed away or whatever number that is tie to a significant event or a traumatising event like 9/11. This is like the “chunking” concept because you no longer see the numbers as individual digits, you seeing it as a whole; hence, again reducing the number of items that your brain can hold, which increases your ability to remember it. This is classical “gestalt” psychology, where the saying goes, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. E.g. the digits 9-1-1 are not seen as 3 individual items but as 1 item with a special meaning. Of course, the 666 million dollar question is, “How does improving the memory of a number causes the number to be seen more often???” Well, it’s attention. Before you noticed 9-1-1 like a million times a day, you have to first pay attention to that particular series of number, registered it in your head that you saw it once in order for you to say that you saw it again, and again… For all you know, you might have saw 348 repeatedly, but if don’t even pay attention to it once, then you can’t keep track of the number of times you saw it. A number series of significance or a recognized number pattern provides that initial attention! Coincidence explanation 3) Conditioned response: The everyday example for this explanation is when you seem to know, without looking at your watch, that it’s lunchtime, which almost always is about the same time each day (for me is about noon). You are biologically conditioned to have lunch or feel the sensation of hunger around the same time each day. In relation to the digital clock phenomenon, it is very possible that you are conditioned to look at your watch or clock around the same time each day! Seriously, who actually thinks the chance of looking at your clock is the same during the middle of the night as during the daytime! Now, add on your conditioned clock viewing habit during certain time of the day, you basically only have a certain window of opportunity to look at your clock. This explanation kills any calculations trying to explain how unlikely you are to see the same digits because it doesn’t take into account this limited window of clock viewing opportunity. Of course, the window is different for each individual, but there are certain digits that should in theory be seen more often due to the similar pressures in life that drives the clock viewing habit, consider the following: - During the morning at around 9-ish when you try to get to work on time, and when you actually get settle down and the monitor on your computer displays a 9:11!!! - Around 12-ish or 1-ish depending on when your boss let you take your lunch, and depending on how long you lunch is. For e.g. if it’s a ulcer inducing 30 minute lunch, you noticed you better hurry because you’re already a few minutes late at about 12:34 or if you have the luxury of an hour lunch, yet you could still be late with the chit-chatting, so you’re looking at 1:11 or 13:13 or 1:23 depending on when you start lunch. - When you’re about to leave work at about 5-ish and wondering how long the last few minutes is going to take at 4:56. Or if you just plain lazy, at about 4:44! - Now, depending on when you go to bed at night or the TV show that signals it’s time for bed. Some e.g., at about 10-ish or 22:22 (at about the last commercial break), or 11-ish or 23:23 or 11:11 (at about the first commercial break), at about 12-ish again 12:34 or 12:12 or 0:00:00 on your VCR. Basically, the point is this; you are a human animal with routines, from your morning “exercise” routines (which lasts about 3 minutes and supposedly would improve your health), to your night routines (which might or might not involve sex in certain days of the week); routines is a type of conditioned response, and so it appears, your clock viewing habit as well.
Update: January 2008
Submitted by	Various
Clock Coincidences	Coincidence: Some digital numbers used on clock faces form symetrical patterns that are quite pleasing.For example: 2:52 5:25. There are others. These ould be used in an artistic arrangement Other arrangements are interesting :4:44 and 2:22 Look like ballet dancers Has this been used by any artist? The contrasting colours of yellow against a black background would be quite dramatic. I often notice these patterns when I awake at night and glance at the bedside clock to note the time. Some have come to be "favourites" and reassure me to encourage a return to sleep. Am I strange? - Max Henman Hi, i have been experiencing the same happenings much like the other person that wrote to you, this doesnt only happen with my digital alarm clock but also my mobile phone and watch. When consulting my friends about these coincidences they looked to their mobile clocks and the time was 19:19, when remembering the coincidence from the previous night the next day i looked to the clock spookily it was 12:12. Now here is the weird one, the other night i randomly woke up in the middle of the night and looked to my clock (which was face down) and thought nahh it cant be, but strangely enough when pulling it up to see the time it was 2:22 i think your theory may be correct about an internal body clock because sometimes i just think of a time i wil get up and i'll wake up a minute before it, however sometimes the coincidences get too frequent and unexplainable, thats what made me search for a meaning to them. Anways just thought i'd let you know, glad i wasnt the only one, thought i had some strange power lol - Steven March 2006 my Mother and I visited New York City, and after a good night's sleep, our first night in the city, my Mother woke up suddenly - she doesn't know what startled her but it was 9:11 on the clock, she wanted to wake me but didn't, and just told me about it later instead. On our last day, we went to lower Manhattan and whilst down there next to the Courthouse, I got a call from my Boyfriend asking, as he would be at work when I arrived home the following morning, if he should give the house keys to my Father. As I'm from the UK it costs me money not only to make but also to receive calls (89p to receive and 1.49 to make a call). During this call my talk-time ran out, so my Mother and I took a seat on a bench whilst I 'topped-up' my phone. With a zero balance in my phone I put 10 on it, then made a call to my Boyfriend. It appeared to be calling him when all of a sudden I got this really loud grinding sort of noise that made me pull the phone back from my ear. So I looked at the screen and the call appeared to end, and my balance came up on screen - you guessed it, 9.11. Now sorry to state the obvious but, I made the call, it should have deducted 1.49 so the balance should have been 8.51. Anyone out there believe this isn't just a coincidence as I dont know what to think? - Karen I've seen the number sequence 1234 and 234 for a long time now my mom notice it to. If I dont see it she does vice versa. Ive tried to count them use date etc and can make no sense of it. Sometimes i make sure i keep my eyes closed to make sure i dont look. Its on the clock, microwave computer where ever i am. Sometimes i wake up in the middle of the night look up and it clicks to 1234 or 234. LOL going insane is someone trying to tell me something is it a sign? Saw a web site that said it was an angel whispering in your ear to make you look up and 1234 mean to go forward....But from what? Help.... - Diana Garrett For years I've always looked at the clock at 12:34 and 11:11. Mostly 11:11. I just now did a search and found out I'm not the only one. My brother has different numbers. My father has mentioned the same thing but different times. Have you heard any more? Very curious - Julie I too have been noticing the digital clock coincidence so its with interest that I read your suggestions re: low number pattern formation (subconscious pattern creation I guess?). Its been happening so much for me lately though that everyone who knows me well knows about it now and I even decided to check it out online just to see if I was alone here. Anyway it started happening when I was living out in Sydney last year and now I am back in Ireland it continues. I also thought... "I wonder if some part of my brain has seen the time on this clock, registered it and now prompts me to get up and move to the kitchen when it will be symmetric? as in a totally subconscious act. But to see it 5 times consecutively in one evening (19:19, 20:20, 21:21, 22:22 and 23:23) was when it started and now its a daily occurrence. Anyway Id be keen to hear of other people who have experienced this particular phenomenon as it has gone from mildly amusing to somewhat unsettling when it happens in sequence or I havent checked the time (however nonchalantly) in a while - Graham Um...aside from the fact that I DO get weird coincidences from Digital Clocks AS WELL AS Regular Clocks, it seems we both own clocks...isn't that a bit subtle these days? Ill tell you, there's nothing like having something like that in common. And when it's 4:20 my clock stops for like an hour. Talk about weird! Yours truly, - Fermin I have recently noticed that whenever i look at a digital clock i tend to look at it when it is 2 minutes to the next hour (58 Minutes past). Im chinese and the number 58 means never rich and im not too sure if this is related in anyway. i am really freaked out by this and can get really annoyed. can you tell me why? - Tim Very strange this one... I was born at 11:12am on the 13th. (may 1981). When I was born my mother said she thought I was "born under a lucky star" because of the number pattern.. 11, 12, 13! Virtually everytime I look to see what the time is, it is twelve minutes past the hour. Weirder than that, the clock in my room stopped at twelve minutes past the hour! I haven't wound it back up yet, I quite like it stopped as it is!! - Viki in the last few years i've began to notice that numbers in my cell phone clock/computer clock/watch. i always see the time with the same digits like 1:11, 2:22 and so on. i dont know what it is but i feel that there is something more. i think that it is something related to the univese like in "the secret". - Life For the last couple of weeks I have noticed that When I happen to look at a digital clock it is always someting:40. I have no idea why and it is starting to scare me. For instance, just to today I looked at my cell phone to see if i have missed any calls. And the time said 12:40 or i will happen to look at the clock at home and it is something:40 Almost every time I "happen" to look at a clock. I'm starting to wonder what does 40 mean to me. But it is happening to much to be just a coincidence. Any thoughts for Me? - April Davis I can't offer any answers to the digital clock, However, I can personally attest to this coincidence. It started or at least I was aware of it about November 2007. It continues to this very day, but I find myself disregarding it, although I have to say it intriques me. I would literally wake up in the middle of the night, turn over and the clock would read 1:11 or 2:22. I'd be busy on a project and glance up at the clock on the microwave and it would read 2:22 or another time with all three digits the same. This happens so often I thought it was some crazy message, but since I haven't received any clues, I'll chalk it up to coincidence. - Glenn Mccarthy My Mother died recently. Prior to her nursing home experience I had always considered 22 my lucky number. We had a very difficult time getting her into a nursing home. When she went into the nursing home her first room was #22. About a month later she was moved into room #222. Since she died Sept. 27th I have woke up to see my digital clocks at 2:22 a.m. more than a dozen times. I also will look up in the daytime and see them at 2:22 p.m. Even further - I almost always see the time on my watch at exactly 2:22 as well as look at a clock at work at the same 2:22 time. I've been driving down different streets several times and looked up at bank digital clocks to see the same 2:22 time - both in the a.m. and p.m. I've filled my gas tank twice where the last 3 numbers were 2.22 ($42.22 and $32.22). I also bought groceries where the total was $122.22. I've been buying lottery tickets with 222 hoping maybe some of the luck will work there!!! - randy for some odd reason every time i take a look at my clock it always has 43 minutes ... i have been seeing this for quite a while now ...and ive alwayz woundered what that number exacly means i do believe i am always viewing it for a reason. at first it was freaking me out but now its jus normal. i do catch 11:11, 4:44, 5:55 also but those numbers r common with the others that i see mentioned but my numbers really dnt make sence... p.s. after watching that movie 27 i was freakin out - bananas
Update: August 2006
Submitted by	Various
Clock Coincidences	Coincidence: I've been seeing my birthday, 727 in everything I look at. digital clocks, license plates, air plane flights, EVERYTHING...for years..almost every day. My birthday is this 7/27 and I will be 27...a little freaked over this...can you give me an explanation of any kind. I am happy to have found you site. Maybe you can help or refer me to any info yo may have. Thanks. - Ron Coincidence: 10 to 10 (9;50) repeated time. Hi there. thank you for allowing me to share my story with you. my mum died in 1998. we were very close and we spoke about life after death. she said she would find a way to get in touch with me from the other side. ever since her death, i keep repeatedly seeing the same time when i look at the clock. it is always ten to ten. i just look randomly, whether it be just looking up from my computer and putting on the kettle or whatever, morning or night, i am always aware of the same time. my mum didn't pass away at this time and i cannot connect anything else to it in my life. i have spent nearly 8 years trying to work this out, but to no avail. i am very frustrated about this as i just know there is a message in there somewhere, but i am not seeing it ! if i could see the meaning, i could research it and work it out, deal with and move on. what does this mean ? please help me? I need to know. thank you. from a very frustrated Lainy. - Lainy 9:11 digital clock coincidence: Hi. Ok, I'm gonna sound like many other people here. In the last while (few months) I have been seeing 911 on every clock I look at - car, home, office, computer. I dont get it. Has anyone shed any new light on this?? I believe in the possibility of external influences, but to what end I dont know. "Why the numbers 911" I keep asking myself. I was curious to see if anyone else out there has had the same experiences and apparently there are many. I dont think its a subconscious effort, but I guess its possible. Anyway, if nothing else, thanks for the website and entries. - Chip Coincidence: It's interesting to discover that I'm not the only one that this is happening to. For about a month now it seems like everytime I look at the clock it's 9:11. kind freaky!! - Rachael Coincidence explanation: Alright heres my story, the last year or so ive been constantly seeing the reaccuring numbers and i think ive finally figured it out. when i was constantly seeing the same digits my life i was always the same routine same bullshit. ive changed things and now no more numbers things aint the same no more ya kno. - anon Coincidence: You obviously do not see these numbers as often as we do...your argument for coincidence and randomness is a lie...for 5+ years...3 to 6 times a day? 11:11, 12:34, 1:11, 2:22, 4:44, 5:55...until you have lived it...stop knocking it...what does it mean? I dunno...but for you to sit and argue it is randomness? Join my wife in the uh-huh every time I point it out to you...I appeciate the site, but I gotta give feed-back from someone who has actually lived it to the point it is driving me crazy! O.K...I'll shut up! - Bryan Coincidence: Ok, that's it! I said the next time i see the numbers 848 I will scream! Thank god for this website! I thought I was going crazy! I always see the numbers 848 everytime I look at the clock thinking I will see it..It just happened a few minutes ago, and that was the last straw..this has been happening to me for the past 4 yrs and i'm wondering, do the numbers have a menaing? i looked in the bible there is no chp/verse combination, i played in the lotto,no luck there, and the only other thing i can think about is......ok this is wierd...u know what a palindrome is, right? i was thinking that this is a number palindrome, something that repeats itself over and over and over again. My life is kinda in the same condition, each year i take a new step forward, it seems as if i go through the same things over and over and over again! Please hekp me solve my crazy mystery, or atleast give me the right to have ownership of it..... noone else would understand...... -confused and freaked out - kristy Coincidence: My partner first pointed out the 11:11 syndrome to me, once I was aware of her exeperiences with the number that was it, strange events began happenning, adverts, newspaper articles and more all contained the number. I began digging through the internet. What I found was unbelievable. It appears that 11:11 is linked with Atlantis and other lost civilisations, crystal skulls, Zionism and much much more. We have been fooled by many lies and deceptions throughout history, we are now coming towards the aquarian age and these secrets should be revealed. If you'd like to discuss these topics further please mail me. lilley_1982 [at] yahoo.co.uk Best wishes - Justin Lilley Coincidence: For years, I have though that I had gone absolutely mad!! I see the time 9:11 every day of my life, for years. No one has any idea what it means or what it stands for. After finding this site while traveling my never-ending search for an answer to this phenomenon, I am actually onto something. The fact that others have experienced this "coincidence" absolutely amazes me. All I can say is thank you for the site and for all the posts, bring this to light. - Jennifer Coincidence: Whenever I retire for the night, my digital clock has a 9 at the end of the string... ie: 10:39; or 10:54 in which 5 and 4 add to 9; or it might read 11:43 where the whole string adds to 9. But it goes further than this. When I was in Los Angeles I stayed at the Starlight Motel on Olive ave and the owner put me upstairs in room 18. When I went back to Chicago, I stayed at a Motel in Oak Lawn, IL. and he put me in room 18. I thought it was just me. There are more coincidences if you're interested. Thanks for your interest. - Michael O'Connor Subject: double numbers on the digital clock. Coincidence or not, even when iu read your page on "digital clock coincidences" i glanced at the clock on my desktop and it was 6.33. i always, ALWAYS see a no. like this. it will eithe be 2.11 or 5.55 or 4.44 or 3.33 or 7.44 etc. but this happens only when i unconsiously lo0k. one more wierd thing is, this has been happeneing to me for a year, and every since it started, ive been sick. ive been hospitilized twice last year due to different reasons. plus now, i have some unexplained muscular pains that make me ache all day long. coincidence or not, its beginning to piss me off when befoe it used to facinate me. if u have any answers plz help!!! Thanks for your interest. - nida Mother coincidence: My 14 year old daughter has a counter on her website which is at the 3227 mark for hits. I check it about every two days to see her updates and on this particular day her counter read "711". I asked her why it had changed to 711 and she said she had no idea. It then occured to me that my mother (who passed away 3 weeks ago) - her birthday is July 11. I checked it again later that evening and the counter was back to 3227. Coincidence? I dunno...a little spooky. - Michael O'Connor Coincidence: Whenever I retire for the night, my digital clock has a 9 at the end of the string... ie: 10:39; or 10:54 in which 5 and 4 add to 9; or it might read 11:43 where the whole string adds to 9. But it goes further than this. When I was in Los Angeles I stayed at the Starlight Motel on Olive ave and the owner put me upstairs in room 18. When I went back to Chicago, I stayed at a Motel in Oak Lawn, IL. and he put me in room 18. I thought it was just me. There are more coincidences if you're interested. - blueriver Coincidence: everytime i look at the clock, i've been seeing 11:11.. well not always 11:11, sometimes 1:11, 3:11, etc. There's always an 11. However, the most common times i see are 11:11 and 1:11. Lately, i've been seeing the time 1:23 on the clock in room. I just realized that the clock in my room is faster than the clocks in the rest of my house. So the other day I glanced at my clock and i noticed the time 1:23. I decided to change it to match the clocks in the rest of my house. So i went into my parents room to see what time it really was.. and it was 1:11. So i've been seeing 1:23, when really it should have been 1:11 all along. So once again, it comes around to everytime I look at the clock, I see 1:11 in one way or another. Freaky:|. - Karlee Coincidence: When I visited this site, I got confirmed that I am not the one who sees the digital clock time, at 11:11, 09:09. This was not the case before. But now it is so often that trice or 4 times I see the time in this format. From past one month I am facing the same. Some times I get frightened, sometime I convince my self as it is just a co-incidence. But is it really a co-incidence or something different, I would like to know. - Sumana Coincidence: over the last few years I have visited BBC Weather maybe twice. Today I noted the sunrise time for the UK would be 5.36am monday. I glanced up at he clock which was 5.36 I then remembered landing on your site some time ago Regards - Steve Coincidence: My story is about time. See I know its a coincidence when something happens so ramdomly but it doesn't happen everyday. What if it happens to you everyday though. See for the last three months everyday I look at the clock at 1:11am/pm no matter what I always look at the clock right on the dot. Even once I was on the phone and I looked at the time and how long I was on the phone for and both times were 1:11 it was so amazing. How is it that I look at the clock at the same time everyday no matter night or day I always look at the exact time without even thinking about it. Once again I just looked at it that is why I am on here I need answers. Is it a sign or is it a really weird coincidence. I don't know but if this continue's to happen then I am going to go crazy. Why am I looking at the time 1:11 and is it a sign? - Beth I admit this is very weird and strange. I'm 15 and since the beginning of 2006 I have realised that I have been seeing times such as 11:11, 12:11, 1:11 etc. First of all it started off as 9:11. Then every week for about a month I saw the clock at 9:11. I never spoke to anyone about it. I knew it was weird but then it changed to other numbers, like 10:11, 11:11, 12:11, etc. But it was always 11 past. and I've had these weird occurances for about 6months or so. I mentioned it to my brother when I was at the microwave once, because it was 11 past something (eg 2:11, i cant really remember) and he said I was weird, but then I asked if he had ever seen it. He replied that he didnt get 2:11, 3:11 etc. He got 1:23, 2:34, 3:45, 4:56 etc. Also its only on digital clocks for both of us. It's everywhere. Microwaves, mobiles, computers, mums car, dads car, my friend daniel's car/eddy's car/brothers car, radios, TV's (news in the morning), you name it - its strange as. This one time I just got out of the shower, and I was in the kitchen luckily enough. My bro came in yelling at me telling me to call my mother which was at work at the time. I looked at the time it was 11:49am - unusual, i never saw that time often, and why wasn't it 11 past? I wasnt freaked out until I finally realised wat had happened. He was in the garage on his motorbike and he hit his little finger onto the bricks, which scraped out all of his flesh. I could see the bone. A tendon was hanging out of his finger. There were little bits of brick shoved between his nuckel and in the wound. He had cut an artery and was taken to hospital. He had plastic surgeory and requires physiotherapy every week. As I said it was exactly 11:49, that means -11 minutes to 12, at 11am- I need some explainations! Has anyone else something happen like this at a weird time? I started searching for it and came to this site because just then on my computer O looked at the time and it was 1:11pm. I thought maybe other people get weird things like this, and they do! I'm glad I'm not the only one. - Kerst Consecutive numbers coincidence: I found your website quite interesting. After reading some of your comments, I happened to see one comment that really caught my eye, as it was almost exactly what has been happening to me. Funny part is the person who wrote the comment has the same name as my wife (Tia). For years, I have been looking at the clock exactly at 9:11 am or pm on my cell phone, clock in my car, at home and at work etc. It kind of freaks me out!!! I started noticing a few months before 9/11, and it has continued ever since. Is it just a coincidence? I see it all the time. Sometimes one or more times a day and it makes me think that this could be a warning....any scientific/biological explanations to this? - Paul
July 2005
Submitted by	Various
Clock Coincidences	Coincidence: Whenever my boyfriend checks a clock it will read somethings like...1:23 12:34 4:56 6:54, 5:43 3:21 2:34 etc...without fail...the first couple of times I told him it was in his mind...but it just keeps happening! He said it's been happening for awhile and it happens at every clock...we'll walk by the microwave, get into the car, look at the vcr, check it on tv...look at a watch...does it mean anything? I was interested in finding out thanks... - Cat Consecutive numbers: For years i've been looking at the clock exactly at 9:11 am or pm. It freaks me out. I started noticing it way before 9/11, and continue to see it since. Is it just a coincidence? I feel funny telling people sometimes cuz they might think i'm loony, but I had to share it since it makes me very uneasy. It happens at least 3-4 times a week....any scientific/biological explanations to this? I know 9:11 is a number that sticks in ur head, i tried testing to see if i look at other numbers repeatedly, and nothing..... - Tia 9:11 digital clock coincidence: I too have been seeing "9:11" both day and night on my digital clocks: cell phone clock, car clock, microwave clock. Back to the cell phone: Sometimes it "lights up" automatically, like it would if you were to dial the numbers or if a call was to come in; it's sort of an ," all system's check" type thing. Anyway last night I was reading and it lit up. I looked over to see if someone was calling but it was just in a random system-check cycle. (Also, it's rare that I do see it cycle through lighting up on it's own -- I can only recal several times seeing it do this.) Well, almost as a slap in the face, the cell phone read in bold numbers: "9:11" Tell me that's a coincidence. It was like some force was screaming out to me, "9:11". I'm highly educated and scientific, and do not believe in the supernatural, but I do admit that this IS weird. Maybe it's post-traumatic from our nation's tragidy, but I doubt it. I've been seeing it for the past three years (since 9/11 I'd guess....) It sparked me into doing research about "who else" has been seeing this. It freaks my girlfriend out so I don't talk about it anymore... Another big pattern people are seeing (not me) is "11:11." Some say it's a supernatural presence at work, something just beyond our reality and sight.... whatever it is, I must say I feel somewhat haunted at my 9:11 sightings. [Shiver] - Brock Adams Coincidence: Many people have noticed the triple set of 4. I know that it is how God really got my attention about 7 months before I was visited by a Mighty Angel. The number 4 has always been a favorite of mine. It is the day of the month that I was born on and it is the number of children that my husband and I have together. It is the number of books that contain much of the life of Jesus Christ while he lived upon the earth. The number 444 is what I see frequently even while learning from God?s written Holy Word. I will eventually have a collection of verses revealed with 4:44 or something close to that like 24:44. For now It is just good to tell you that God has gotten my attention with being woken up at 4:44 AM over and over many months ago before I was visited the Angel that came to be with me. If you are interested in a great knowledge then email me soon or look for a new site that will be running soon. It will be a site that has 444thebride in the address. - Christine Coincidence: hi, just wondering if u can explain the following number coincidence that took place in my life a couple of years ago. a very dear friend of mine has same group of phone numbers following them as me, we met only a couple of years ago however we ended up having the same mobile pre paid phone numbers in a slightly different order him: 0431 772 987 Mine: 0431 227 987 & also his house phone number was the same as my old one where I lived in the same area only the same thing his being 9546 4417 mine being 9546 7714, his best friend's phone number ends in 3849. My phone number now ends in 3849........Please help me to explain why these number coincidences have occurred? - ness Coincidence: My daughter, now 3 months old was born at 4:44 am. Ever since then I have glanced at the clock and it is always even, 3:33, 4:44, 10:10, etc. I am not sure if this means anything. I just can't figure out why it started after my baby was born, and how crazy that she was born at 4:44. A lot of people say it's my deceased mother trying to tell me she is with me...I don't really believe that. I don't know what this all means.... - Starla Evans Coincidence: i was twenty third abirthday i gave birth to my son at cottage hospital. my daughter is twenty three and could give birth to my grandson at cottage hospital on march 30 which is mine and my sons birthday.what are the odds on that ? - doty Coincidence: My sister and I, born New Years and the day after Valentines Day, respectively, were both born at 4:34 AM. - Annie Martin Coincidence: Ive seen this number so much over the last 15 years or so that I used to keep a log of how often and where! Just to make shure it was not an obsession Ive quit the log. but I still see 4:44 on clocks and very often they are way off the right time !!!! I would love to hear anything on this or a possible meaning of 444 or 4:44. It happens way too often and randomly. - Terrence Coincidence: I was mildly startled to note, several years ago, that quite often when glancing at the time the digits were all the same numerals (11:11, 3:33, etc.). My perception is that the frequency of the occurrence has increased over time (no pun intended). My perspective is that I look at the clock both randomly and sometimes with purpose, but not that I have increased the number of times I look (i.e. trying to increase the possibility of success). In fact, it has happened enough (twice today) that I actually googled my way to this website in an effort explore possible hows and whys (mathematics, psychology, etc.) to this remarkable event. - Anonymous
October 2004
Submitted by	Various
Clock Coincidence	My wife and I routinely notice it's 9:11 (am or pm) when we look at clocks. This has continued without pause since the tragic day 9/11. We have wondered whether this is sheer coincidence. We are both highly educated and not prone to superstitions. To test sheer randomness we tried "adopting" other random times during the day (that we would also be awake) and recording whether we noticed the clock at that time. None of the times we have tried have been noticed even once in the past 3 months. Are any other persons experiencing the same pattern? - anonymous Coincidence: Hey jim, I had this for over 10 years, always same time both morning and night. I just wanted to mention that it's not a digital thing side-effect, i see that time on non-digital clocks too, also my numbers are 11:37 which are not like 11:11 that obvious. It also cant be the brain coz I have seen this on the clocks that later i found out they were like 10 minutes off. It's like years I've been searching for a description to that... - Richard Coincidence: Hello Eadon. I find this topic to be extremely weird and intimate. For as far back as I can recall I have always caught the time 11:11 -truly- Even if the clock is set wrong I will still catch ll:ll. I always took it as being the either date or time that I was going to die. My father took it as being my "lucky lottery numbers". I too considered the pattern theory. However, I still consider it weird regardless. I NEED to know. Thank you! - Nicholas Combs Coincidence: it seems that everytime i look at any clock, it reads xx:13 so weird that i am now looking for an answer. - David
August 2004
Submitted by	Various
Clock Coincidences	For the past couple of years or so I will out of the blue look at the clock (digital of course) and it is 4:44. It could be that I woke up at 4:44 am, or driving in my car & I see 4:44 or at work on my phone clock I see 4:44. I have recently started logging it when I see it in my diary. I wish someone could shed some light --- everyone has their story, but I have not seen any explanations...on this site. I would say I see this 2-3 times a week. - Lisa 144 & 44: For the past 9 years now I have seen this number everywhere for example license plates, addresses, clocks, phone numbers, it even comes up on purchases. Once, I added up everytime I saw this number in one day. The results was 9 times. Just last week, I had an interview for a job and when I asked for the address etc. it turned out to be 144, right after the interview I was in the car on the way home (I had a good feeling about the job) and saw 444 and 44 twice in less then 5 minutes. I do not see other number combinations like this? It is not my birthday and has no real link to anything other numbers in my life. When I try to ignore it, I find it shows up even more! - Juliet Wow, in reading these, I was reminded of another coincidence with dates and times. Last year, on March 3, 2003, at 3pm I had a dentist appointment to have a root canal on tooth #3 and it cost me $300. So, let me rewrite that numerically: 03/03/03 3:00pm root canal on tooth #3 for $300. Too weird. - Nicole Over the past few weeks I have been noticing everytime I look at the clock, no matter where I am, there is always an 11. It is creeping me out, at first it began with 9:11, because that had happened to a friend of mine, but now it happens to me all the time. I cannot not look at a clock without an 11 being involved. I have no idea what it is, a coincedence or simply random. - Kaitlin Murray My boss at work lost her grandma a few years ago on 5-22 the next in her family to pass was an uncle who was on 1-22 then just a few months later her father passed away on 4-22 the family was baffled by this i was fascinated by it. Thanks for letting me share the story - Cori
July 2003
Submitted by	Frederick
Clock Coincidence	There certainly seems to be a lot of coincidence experience in many areas of our environment. Perception plays a significant part; When something is brought to your attention you recognize it more frequently without outside help. I can spot four leaf clovers. Without bending down or purposely stopping to search, I spot four leaf clovers as I walk by them. It's digital in that I recognize groups of more than three. This probably is an acquired ability with some kind of training involved. In military I learned to wake without using an alarm clock, and even became able to adjust the time of waking simply by determining before going to sleep what time I wished to awaken. Processes similar to the personal training involved in the above two experiences must go on in most fields of endeavor. People develop something like intuitive reasoning. It becomes a habit, an internalized process we use without purposely being aware of the conscious effort. All of our external senses go through a filtering process, in that something has to translate the signals sent by our sense organs into meaning for our mental processes. This device, this location or this portion of our brain (section of programming) does some incredible work for us. So far we haven't been able to 'download the source code' for it. But we can hack our way into programming it in some simple ways. I think that there are quirks in this code that can make it easy for some people to do what others think of as really incredible stuff. It also could be blibs in this code that cause what we interpret as dislexia, learning disorders, autism and other labels for extraordinary individual features, including prodigies.
Jim adds	Exactly! We are unconscious of the processes that give rise to our conscious conceptions. Apparent coincidences may be no such thing, just the artefacts of what we are aware of after the morass of non-coincidence events have been filtered out without our being aware of it.
July 2004
Submitted by	Various
Clock Coincidences	Almost every day hands down I look at a clock at 3:26. Whether it be a.m. or p.m. I litterally laugh out loud sometimes because it happens so often. March 26th is my birthday. Why do you think this happens? It seriously happens enough that it's become commical. Actually, when I wake up in the middle of the night at 3:26 a.m. it freaks me out a bit. HELP! - Melani Digital/non digital clocks b-day signs - Hello everybody, I was starting to freak out when I kept seeing my birthday 9-19 everywhere I go, and everytime I see my clock. I know it is by pure coincidence, but i'ts really scaring me. I'm turning 25 this 9-19 and started thinking maybe something bad was happening, or as if faith was trying to tell me something or to do something befor or by my birthday. Mind you i'm not very superstitious, but I have seen it so many times that it just really freaks me out, I can't even believe that there is a website about it. I would really appreciate any kind of input or relief from my paranoia. - jesse Lately ive began to see the clock at 11:11, 12:12,10:10, and so on, and sometimes it happens twice a day. Ive even begun to notice it on totals, licence plates,a cd beginning to skip, and its not as if i look at the clock many times a day either.I will just happen to get in my car and notice the clock reading 1:11. Or i wake up in the middle of the morning and i look at the clock and it sais 4:44. I thin it happens at almost every hour except 6,7,8, or 9. Ive noticed it happening right during a really dificult time in my life. .i dont know if thar has any corrolation with this. But lately it has become most frequent, and right now things are beginning to improve. I dont now how to explain this if you have any info or explanations, i would great5ly appreciate the feeback - Amity I'm amazed to find a site about this! For the past 12-13 years I've been looking at the clock at 9:11. It used to freak me out when I was young, because I thought it meant something bad was gonna happen at that time. After Sept. 11 I got kind of freaked out when I thought about it, so did my fiance. I drive him crazy because I announce to him or whoever's around every time I see that time. I never mean to do it. I just always look at the clock at that time. Usually it happens at least three times a week. My fiance says I should play that number in the lottery. Any ideas would be appreciated! At least I know I'm not alone. - Angel
May 2004
Submitted by	Eloni
Clock Coincidence	Birthday Numbers: Everyone in my mother's immediate family line has been born with either an eight a five or a zero as the last number of their birth year - even all my pets. My great Grandfather-1895 Great Grandma-1905 Grandma and Grandpa -1925 Mom and Dad- 1950 Mom's Brother- 1945 Grandmom's brothers- 1940 and 1928 My Dog Jack- 1988 First Dog Yokie- 1975 My Cousins- 1970 and 1975 Me 1978. Cousin's son- 1995 Coincidentally 8+5+0 ='s 13 I wad born on 4/9 (4+9) at 11:47pm 1+1+4+7=13. There are more people who fit this pattern and not a single person directlsy related to my Mom or in my Mom's immediate family are different from this pattern. My Dad's parents have a slightly different pattern. His Mom was born 1911 and his dad was born 1922. They were 11 years apart in age. She died in 1977 and he died in 1988. They both died at age 66, eleven years apart from eachother. The mutliples of eleven are frightening.
May 2004
Submitted by	Gilberto Tan
Clock Coincidence	Repeated Timing Comment Hi All, Like Stephanie Sullivan (March 2004). I recently kept seeing repeated timings like 1411. 1444, 1333 1211 etc. And like Stephanie, its beginning to freak me out. If someone out there knows a deeper reasoning behind or can reason that its simply coincidence, do share the thoughts and findings. (m_gilberto@hotmail.com).
March 2004
Submitted by	Kam
Clock Coincidence	There's to much to go into when it comes to coincidences. Its as though there is a mechanics or physics behind coincidences. I think we check the time so many times a day that we gain a concept of how long a second minute or hour is. For example if I'm waiting at the bus stop i could roughly calculate without looking at my watch that ive been waiting for about 15 minutes. I feel there is a clock which ticks in us all without us thinking and through checking the time each day we contribute to its accuracy. If you was to choose any time in the day and set your alarm for it for a week eventually when u stop setting your alarm you;ll find yourself looking at the clock. I find myself looking at the clock at 12:34 and 23:45 once i looked at the clock and it was 12:34:56. i think our "clock within" which continually ticks and sends subconscious triggers which draw your attention to the clock at particular times. I bet the people who are drawn to the digital clock coincidence are naturally good at guessing the time. I think these people are coming to terms with there internal clock, either that or a being beyond any rational conceivability is trying to possess but that's another story.
March 2004
Submitted by	Stephanie Sullivan
Clock Coincidence	I am glad to see that I'm not the only one experiencing these coincidences. But still would like to know what they mean, because I am sure that there is something hiding behind this!! Since more than 1 year, everytime I look at the digital time on my cellular phone, it is 11h11, 12h12,17h17, 23h23, and so on. (any double digit number) More of it: people phone me when it is 21h21 or 22h22, etc; or send me sms at 21h21 etc. A few of my friends have been witnesses of these coincidences, because when I received phone calls when they were around, I showed them the time - they thought I was crazy, but believed me after seeing this. I receive emails from friends on my PC, and the time they sent it is 13h13 or another double digit. I would like to have an explanation please. Because I am starting to freak out!!! Thank you very much.
February 2004
Submitted by	Laurie P
Clock Coincidence	I was very glad to stumble upon this website. for about 4 months now i have been seeing digital clocks at something 11. ie: 4:11, 6:11... you name it.. i usually end up seeing 11 from 4-10 times a day.. i read in a book somewhere that 11 means a time of new beginnings, or a new start.. its always random too.. I never sit and stare at a clock until a 11 pops up.. I also see 1:23, and 2:34.. its really cool to find that this happens to other people too. ive related it to digital encoding too like.. 10010101101.. and that whole computer whatever.. maybe we are in a matrix? One more conicidence.. 9/11/02 my grandfather died. 5/11/03 my great uncle died. 10/11/03 my grandfathers dog died.. facing a statue of St. Joseph in their backyard. Also, my aunts birthday is on 6/11, and she happens to see 6:11 on the clock all the time.. Its strange to think that this all may lead to something more in life.. Peace Love Unity Respect
December 2003
Submitted by	Jeremy Dolan
Clock Coincidence	Here's my big clock coincidence story: Shortly after the events of September 11th, I was visiting friends in Detroit, Michigan. We crossed over the border to have dinner in Canada, and on the way back got stuck in a massive line of cars trying to get into the States. Everyone of course realized the delay was due to increased security post-9/11. As my friend happened to have the same make of car I had at the time, I was familiar with the layout of her stereo. I double-tapped (out of habit) the button that changes the display from radio frequency to time (and, in the case, back again), and everyone in the car watches it flash to 9:11 for a fraction of a second. We all look at each other in silence for a second. I hit the button once more, and the time is now 9:12. Someone else wrote in about coincidences at the gas pump. I have a story there too: I went to see a play (the name escapes me) based on Orwell's 1984, but set in a high school, with the principal as Big Brother, and so on. Actually, it may have been a staunch republican president as Big Brother, but that's no matter. On the way home from the play, I stopped to get gas. Set the pump to do its eponymous thing, and got back in the car. A minute or so later, I hear the pump stop, get out, look at the meter, and, you guessed it, $19.84. Calmly got back in the car, and asked my then-girlfriend to go tell me what the meter said. Ever since then, I routinely and purposely stop the pump at $19.84. I like getting my credit card bill in the mail and seeing row after row of nineteen-dollar and fifty-eight-cent charges.
December 2003
Submitted by	A Friend
Clock Coincidence	Hey Eadon. Recently my friend has been saying that everytime he looks at the clock he sees his birthdate. In the middle of the night and during the day he sees these numbers. He believes it means something horrible but I tell it isn't. Do you know any reasons why he sees his birthdate 2:12 on the digital clock? I want to help him out.
Jim adds	Well, apart from the psychological explanations I mention in the main page above, it's a mystery to me. Mind you, I'm not sure why seeing your birth date should be a portent of doom or be unpleasant any other way. Now if he kept seeing the date of his death, that would be different ;-)~
December 2003
Submitted by	John Garlington
Clock Coincidence	Paul McCartney's house: In August this year, 2003, the family went on the National Trust visits to the Beatle homes from Speke Hall. When the tour was finished and the curator was handing back our bags I said that I thought that the clock in Paul's bedroom was a nice touch. He did not know what I meant. I told him it said quarter to three. He still did not understand. I said "You know, "if I've been out till quarter to three" "(from "When I'm 64"). He said "Oh no, it tells the right time... it is quarter to three!"
November 2003
Submitted by	Cheryl
Clock Coincidence	I have been experiencing these weird Digital Clock coincidences that have really been making me question HOW or WHY these are happening to me. Almost as if my inner-self or "something else" is trying to send me a message of some sort. I have been noticing LATELY, that I will randomly look at the clock, which of course, is digital, and catching ON THE NOSE the following sequences: 7:09, and 11:16. And it happens quite frequently. These two numbers are very significant in my life. The number "709" represents the area code of where my parents AND my boyfriend are from. The "11:16" represents me AND my boyfriends birthdays. (November 16th). Am I reading into this or is this and taking it for what it's not? I'm thinking its a sign that something (or someone from another place) is telling me that I'm meant to be with this person. Can you please shed some light on it for me? I feel really weird doing this, but this is the whole reason why I punched in "Coincidence by numbers" in the search engine in the first place. Thank you very very much!
October 2003
Submitted by	Alex
Clock Coincidence	Hello, I just wanted to put my experiences and feelings into what I believe is a strange phenomenon. It seems like recently (9-12 months) every time, or atleast 8 or 9 times outta 10, I will look at a clock just as it turns a specific minute of the day. I have found that, if I try to look @ the clock at a certain time, it never happens. It will only occur when I am going about my day, not even thinking of what time it is. I have contemplated many hours and talked to many friends about my experiences. Most of them either dont care or just dont understand. I said to myself many time that maybe it is my 'lucky numbers' for the lottery. LOL. Honestly, I love the fact that I have experienced such a 'weird' occurrence. And to know that others feel the same gives me much euphoria. Whatever the case, such experiences always reinforce my love for life and what great feelings it can bring and that we as humans must understand that EVERYTHING happens for a reason, we just have to figure out what it means. Peace!
October 2003
Submitted by	Scott Kane
Clock Coincidence	Lately , I have been seeing the 9:11 on the clock along with 11:11 and 4:11 . Now I have been tempted to read into these experiences more than it deserves.If its a warning or a sign to predict a misfortune , then the only comfort in this situation is that you can anticipate but not let yourself go crazy about it. If its going to happen , then it will happen and that's fine.The point of this life is to have trials and tribulations to gain spiritual elevation. Accept the challenges God throws at you and thank Him after your performance.On the other hand if this warning is about something good that's gonna happen , then you got no worries. Thank God anyway.It could be that we are looking for patterns unintentionally. We play out our own mental weaknesses through these mind games , who knows. The number 9:11 now is more distinct than it was ever before , how many times have you in your life looked at the clock and the time was 7:26...that doesn't bother us does it? so why does 11:11 , its just a number.
September 2003
Submitted by	Robert
Clock Coincidence	After the Sept 11th tragedy, I have experienced an ongoing, seemingly incessant coincidence where I look up at a digital clocks at my home,office or vehicle @ 11 minutes past the hour. The experience is not limited to clocks, as I have had random "ll's" pop out at me from other devices, television, etc. Countless, countless, countless times since Sep 11th this has occurred. It's happened so many times that it freaks me out a bit. Am I being warned about something? Is this some kind of sign, from somewhere? What makes me happen to look up at a clock , after not checking the time for a prolonged period, and there it is, 11 past the hour again? Or wake up in the middle of the night and there it is. Often the experience is so random that it just stops me down in my tracks, and makes me ask out loud-What the f*** is going on? Writing this down and sending it to you is weird enough. I mean, how do you even begin to talk to someone about this?
August 2003
Submitted by	Connie Adkins
Clock Coincidence	I cannot shed light on the digital clock thing but I can tell you that I get thrown for a loop with 13's quite often. Everything will be going along fine and I will be on an errand and if I see a 13, whether on the clock, a licence plate or what, the errand goes all awry. It makes me feel like some evil is out to get me. And the whole purpose is so that i will feel this way. I can be starting out on a trip and see a thirteen on the clock as soon as i get in the car as if it was planned that way. And the trip will not go well. It's driving me crazy! [Jim E. adds] 13 is lucky in some cultures and for some people, it all depends on which insane culture's twisted myths you choose to believe :-)
August 2003
Submitted by	Jake
Clock Coincidence	Hi I'm jake fenton im 14 i live in arizona, my problem is I ALWAYS look at the clock at 11:11 its soo freakin weird its been going on for about a year and i told my friend and coincidentally he has the same exact problem this is weird before i noticed my "number problem" i noticed during the summer i had my alarm clock set to 11:11 i have no idea why i don't remember doing it but i did and i just want to know what the heck is going on this is messed up send me back an e-mail at cashmake@sbcglobal.net
August 2003
Submitted by	Diane
Clock Coincidence	Interesting take you have on the clock numbers. There are many others who see 11:11, 2:22, 4:44 etc. I too see the numbers on digital clocks, receipts, odometers, license plates etc. etc. and so do many others. There's a group on yahoo; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/11-11
April 2003
Submitted by	kman
Clock Coincidence	For over 10 years or so I have had an unknown association with the time 11:11 - I would always happen to look at the clock at 11:11. This happens almost daily (often twice a day), no matter where I am or what I am doing. There have been many times when I have woken up from sleeping to look at the clock at 11:11. I have come to the conclusion that the time must symbolize something, because I've noticed it far too often (1000's of times over the span of at least 10 years) for it to be any kind of coincidence. I'm not a spiritual or religious guy and I think most phenomenon can be explained through scientific means, however, I cannot explain why I always see 11:11. I obviously I check the clock at other times throughout course of a day, but why always at 11:11? I can't deny the fact that it must mean something to me. I always kind of joked that it must be the time I'm going to die or win the lottery, or something big. All I can say for sure is that it is more than just a coincidence. Because of 11:11, my lucky number has long been 11. I have come to learn that Hitler's lucky number was also 11 - this has to be a coincidence because there's no way I have anything in common with him - but I can't help but wonder why he chose 11. Remembrance Day is November 11 (11/11). Anything else? I've never researched the time 11:11 to try to determine its meaning, until today. When I stepped into the kitchen and glanced at th