06-30-2007, 04:21 AM | #1 (permalink) | |
Tilted Cat Head
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
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Why do you toss in coins into fountains?
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As a kid growing up in Los Angeles we'd from time to time go to Chinatown in downtown for dinners. I fondly recall 2 things about those dinners, one was seeing all the kitsch in the souvenier stores. Second was the Chinese Wishing Well with various cups and crevices to pitch in your change. The parents of all the children would distribute change and we'd be there for a good half hour trying to pitch pennies and dimes onto clams and bowls, just like the carnival boardwalk game. I don't recall if it had the capacity to skip pennies in. I love to do that, so naturally, I love to be on lakes and ponds with good flat rocks around for skipping. There are some nice flat basalt rocks and bays in Snæfellsnes, Iceland. In fact, one time we were there the happened to be a small frozen pond. Skipping rocks on that was like shooting lasers, the sounds were incredible. Initially I remember something started it long ago like,"Here toss in the coin and make a wish" But the wishes for me stopped long long ago. I don't pitch change into fountains any longer, even when they have signage that claims the coins are collected for a particular charity. But once in a while, I get the urge... because I like to hear "ker-plunk."
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06-30-2007, 04:45 AM | #2 (permalink) |
follower of the child's crusade?
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Its a tribute to the Gods, isnt it?
Although most people probably just think of it as a good luck type thing nowadays.
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06-30-2007, 05:14 AM | #3 (permalink) |
Getting it.
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
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I really like the ker-plunk sound. I don't really throw coins in fountains anymore, though my kids like to. I am much likely to be found skipping stones on a lake or river.
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06-30-2007, 05:23 AM | #4 (permalink) |
The Reforms
Location: Rarely, if ever, here or there, but always in transition
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...because it's bad form to toss them at bums?
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06-30-2007, 06:01 AM | #6 (permalink) |
Too Awesome for Aardvarks
Location: Angloland
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Maybe people subconsciously hate water and wish to hurt it, but as they also subconsciously hate small change, they kill two birds with one...er...coin?
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06-30-2007, 06:51 AM | #7 (permalink) |
I'll ask when I'm ready....
Location: Firmly in the middle....
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Lately I've been taking coins OUT of the fountains. (I really need the money....)
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06-30-2007, 09:56 PM | #9 (permalink) |
But You'll Never Prove It.
Location: under your bed
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Because the pennies get to heavy in my purse.
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07-03-2007, 08:46 AM | #10 (permalink) | ||
will always be an Alyson Hanniganite
Location: In the dust of the archives
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"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony "Hedonism with rules isn't hedonism at all, it's the Republican party." - JumpinJesus It is indisputable that true beauty lies within...but a nice rack sure doesn't hurt. |
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07-03-2007, 09:29 AM | #12 (permalink) |
Kick Ass Kunoichi
Location: Oregon
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Because...we always did?
When I was a kid one of my favorite things about going to the mall was throwing coins in the fountain there. The mall collected the coins and donated them to charity. My mother told us it was for luck. Similarly, a fancy restaurant we liked to go to for milestones had a wishing well, and we always took coins just to throw in the wishing well. I have a very fond and fuzzy memory of being a very little girl and having my oma help me to throw coins into the wishing well.
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07-03-2007, 09:59 AM | #14 (permalink) |
Location: Iceland
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Funny, I always make sure to do it at the Trevi (hey, when in Rome...), but otherwise I don't really think about it. Probably did it more as a kid.
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07-03-2007, 11:54 PM | #15 (permalink) |
The sky calls to us ...
Super Moderator
Location: CT
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At Stew Leonard's they have a fountain that collects coins for charity, and if you throw them into holes in the wall it makes noise. Elsewhere, like 9 floors above the fountain in the basement of the mall, I like watching things fall long distances and hitting water (I once fucked up and smashed a light bulb in the fountain with a nickel.) I hate change anyway, I try to get rid of anything other than quarters.
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07-04-2007, 05:47 AM | #16 (permalink) | |
The Reverend Side Boob
Location: Nofe Curolina
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What I want to know... is where the heck in CT there's a mall with 9 floors! |
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Tags |
coins, fountains, toss |
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