“For the past couple of weeks,” writes Anna in Oakland, “someone in the alley or the building next door to mine has started clapping every day at 8:30 a.m. Just clapping. For at least ten minutes at a time. It’s been driving me crazy, and apparently I’m not the only one.”
Yeah, I can see how that would get old.
related: What the hell is going on at this office?
85 responses so far ↓
#1
pony girl
Sounds like some weird scientology thing.
Nov 7, 2011 at 9:49 pm rating: 25
#2
Des
Maybe it’s a positive energy thing? “If you’re happy and you know it…”?
Nov 7, 2011 at 9:49 pm rating: 39
#3
Sharon Stoned
I bet it isn’t CLAPPING, but FAPPING!
Nov 7, 2011 at 9:51 pm rating: 44
#4
Mishee
Well, when you live in Oakland, you gotta appreciate anyone who feels there is something to clap about….
Nov 7, 2011 at 9:54 pm rating: 41
#5
June Barcarole
It might be a music major. I had clapping rhythms as my homework for two years of my degree. I tried to be quiet about it but I think my dorm mates thought I was off my rocker…
Nov 7, 2011 at 9:55 pm rating: 41
#6
sonya
I hope it is somebody having morning sex.
Nov 7, 2011 at 9:57 pm rating: 18
#7
Adriana
Every time that person claps, you should boo.
Nov 7, 2011 at 10:01 pm rating: 49
#8
juju_skittles
Well, I’d give this note a standing ovation, but…
Nov 7, 2011 at 10:37 pm rating: 10
#9
lool
Maybe it’s an alarm. He may like waking up to a standing ovation.
Nov 7, 2011 at 10:49 pm rating: 10
#10
James
I used to live in Southern China, and most old people would do this exercise every morning where they walk along the street clapping in front and behind them.
Nov 7, 2011 at 10:53 pm rating: 20
#11
caffeine
Perhaps that person really *does* believe in alley fairies.
Nov 7, 2011 at 11:37 pm rating: 21
#12
meh
Early in the day
darkness enfolds his bedroom
Turn on the Clapper
Nov 7, 2011 at 11:44 pm rating: 15
#13
Canthz_B
Maybe they just need to change a light bulb.
I mean, if The Clapper isn’t working…
*darn it, jinxed by one minute!
Nov 7, 2011 at 11:45 pm rating: 1
#14
Canthz_B
He’s just happy and he knows it.
Be glad he lives across the alley, the second verse is pure hell if you live below him.
Nov 7, 2011 at 11:52 pm rating: 29
#15
gallifreyseven
Can you “applaud” a picture for us?
Nov 8, 2011 at 1:10 am rating: 1
#16
Dr. Chalkwitheringlicktacklefeff
Because it’s not like there’s other noise at 8:30am. Like, say, traffic, for example. Who is still asleep at 8:30am? Night workers, I can understand. But A) they’re a small minority of people and B) fuck you, serves you right for having such a shitty job.
Nov 8, 2011 at 4:14 am rating: 6
#17
Nunavut Guy
Hey,thanks for the support.
The Wolfman
Nov 8, 2011 at 5:25 am rating: 6
#18
a-arialist
8.30am is early? Do these people not have jobs to go to?
Nov 8, 2011 at 6:10 am rating: 5
#19
Iam7of7
Obviously got a bad dose of the clap.
Nov 8, 2011 at 6:18 am rating: 11
#20
rvnestor
This reminds me of where I lived last year. The guy who lived behind my building (where my window faced) mowed his lawn at 7:00am every Saturday without fail. I wanted to kill him.
Nov 8, 2011 at 9:05 am rating: 13
#21
unsatisfied
c’mon, how about a big round of applause for that sign?
Nov 8, 2011 at 11:59 am rating: 3
#22
Anna
Maybe he got a new Chinese neighbour? They believe it’s beneficial to your health to clap.
When I was standing in an hour long queue in China last year the guy behind me was clapping, it drove me crazy!
Nov 8, 2011 at 12:30 pm rating: 3
#23
Ethel
In EVERY community I have lived in, “early morning” is before 7am (per sound restrictions and activities thereof including starting floatplanes) – 8:30am is well within appropriate timing for that sort behavior (even if it is weird). I am wondering if the late sleeper simply is hallucinating from the activities of the night previous?
Nov 8, 2011 at 3:15 pm rating: 5
#24
Mia
Do people really not understand the difference between normal noise that one can expect at 8:30 am and loud clapping for 20 minutes straight? Even with the apparent hate for people who don’t have to get up at 7am every day to get to their job/classes/whatever, you would think that people could understand why clapping randomly would be pretty irritating.
Nov 9, 2011 at 6:59 am rating: 22
#25
Meredith
Obviously, the Dr. isn’t an MD or he’d not be saying such ugly things to shift workers. Many MDs work around the clock. So do nurses, EMTs and other personnel to keep people alive and well during the night.
Nov 9, 2011 at 8:09 am rating: 12
#26
Possum
I agree with quite a few people on this subject really, 8:30 am is not early morning. I live next to a school and I have a constant stream of screeching kids coming past my window from 8:30 until 9 and again from 3 until 3:30 (which I keep closed because I’m on the ground floor) but I can’t exactly go out and tell them to shut up and fuck off because I don’t have a lecture or work until later on and I’m trying to sleep. I’ve had trouble with neighbours telling us to turn our music down or whatever when it’s not unreasonably loud in the middle of the day because they’re trying to sleep. It’s YOUR choice if you choose to sleep unreasonable hours and if you want to get annoyed then fine, go for it, but you can’t force people to be quiet when they’re perfectly entitled to make noise. There’s noise pollution laws for a reason, if you contacted your local police and said “help me please I’m being kept awake at 8:30 by someone clapping and singing for 10 minutes” I bet they’d tell you to stop being so silly and put some music on.
Nov 9, 2011 at 6:04 pm rating: 3
#27
SmokeEntity
This actually made me LOL.
Nov 10, 2011 at 1:17 am rating: 0
#28
Bri.
Yea. Sounds like Oakland. I live in Oakland, and every Friday when we put our recycling out, there’s a guy who goes through it, and is seemingly having an argument on his headset. Only without the headset. The argument would be completely coherent if there were another participant, but there isn’t.
Nov 12, 2011 at 7:59 pm rating: 0
#29
Dave
Maybe they’re just surprised by the greatness of the sun every morning and believe it deserves a round of applause.
Nov 14, 2011 at 12:39 am rating: 1
#30
Kelly
I think that people need to lighten up. The poster of the note should close their own window, rather and complaining about noise that their neighbor was making in their own home, and expecting the neighbor to close their window. 8:30 is really not that early, and unless the noise is so loud that it warrants calling the police (ie a raging party or loud music) its really disrespectful to expect others to change their habits in the comfort of their own homes. Set some soft soothing music to play in the morning to help drone out the noise, or SHUT YOUR OWN WINDOW.
Nov 14, 2011 at 11:59 am rating: 1
#31
Amanda
Perhaps it’s a music student doing rhythm exercises? That was one of the requirements for my highschool band class. We had ‘rhythm sheets’ that the teacher gave us to practice-sheets full of unusual or difficult rhythms to practice by clapping them out. really annoying and boring. regardless, that neighbor should be shot for being so obnoxious that early in the morning!
Dec 25, 2011 at 3:05 am rating: 0
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