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I finally set my 'praa' in a pendant :o) How does it look? 
My father in-law gave it to me some months back but I didn't get around to finding a home for it and putting it on a chain until yesterday. It's not particularly rare or worth much, but I like it. 
What spurred me to do it was a remarkable incident yesterday, when Mon was given one by someone who lives down the street, and it's extremely rare. I don't know whether the person knew the worth of it or not, but it reveals an interesting aspect of Thai culture and in particular this family's attitude towards its faith. A similar, but more recent example recently changed hands for 80,000 baht, and Mon's parents don't see that much money in a year, but they would never consider selling it. Mon's father was envious that she'd been given it, but not for its monetary value but rather the rarity and beauty of it. Thai people sometimes give them as gifts, based on meaning and how appropriate it is for the person, often regardless of the worth of the icon. I've kept my one for its own charm and given others to people that I might previously have kept for their worth, but I have a great respect now for how some Thai people look at their Buddhist faith. Mon's now walking around with this thing dangling around her neck, not giving a second thought to its worth, while her parents who have considerable bills that could all be paid by selling this, are just really happy she was given such a nice 'praa'.
Have you given any gifts lately that had significant meaning? Or perhaps received them and they were just perfect for you or hold a special meaning to you. Tell here and post pics too, if possible. 
... [Edited 11/21/06 18:44pm] | |
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Fauxie said: How does it look?
My father in-law gave it to me some months back but I didn't get around to finding a home for it and putting it on a chain until yesterday. It's not particularly rare or worth much, but I like it.
What spurred me to do it was a remarkable incident yesterday, when Mon was given one by someone who lives down the street, and it's extremely rare. I don't know whether the person knew the worth of it or not, but it reveals an interesting aspect of Thai culture and in particular this family's attitude towards its faith. A similar, but more recent example recently changed hands for 80,000 baht, and Mon's parents don't see that much money in a year, but they would never consider selling it. Mon's father was envious that she'd been given it, but not for its monetary value but rather the rarity and beauty of it. Thai people sometimes give them as gifts, based on meaning and how appropriate it is for the person, often regardless of the worth of the icon. I've kept my one for its own charm and given others to people that I might previously have kept for their worth, but I have a great respect now for how some Thai people look at their Buddhist faith. Mon's now walking around with this thing dangling around her neck, not giving a second thought to its worth, while her parents who have considerable bills that could all be paid by selling this, are just really happy she was given such a nice 'praa'.
Have you given any gifts lately that had significant meaning? Or perhaps received them and they were just perfect for you or hold a special meaning to you. Tell here and post pics too, if possible.
... [Edited 11/21/06 18:44pm] Awesome  | |
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AsianBomb777 said: I'll be wearing the Smiths t-shirt on my flight to the UK. It would've been the blue Billabong shirt, but the one you bought me usurped it in my affections. | |
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Nick...it's beautiful! I remember when your father-in-law gave it to you. | |
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Fauxie said: AsianBomb777 said: I'll be wearing the Smiths t-shirt on my flight to the UK. It would've been the blue Billabong shirt, but the one you bought me usurped it in my affections. 
I'm having an image of your beautiful face ironed on to my boxer shorts, so that I may at least in a symbolic manner sit on it. | |
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applekisses said: Nick...it's beautiful!
I remember when your father-in-law gave it to you. Thanks. It was a fair old while ago, wasn't it? It'd been sitting in the draw in a little box for a long time.  It's great I can wear it now. | |
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AsianBomb777 said: Fauxie said: I'll be wearing the Smiths t-shirt on my flight to the UK. It would've been the blue Billabong shirt, but the one you bought me usurped it in my affections.
I'm having an image of your beautiful face ironed on to my boxer shorts, so that I may at least in a symbolic manner sit on it.  That's really sweet. | |
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Shanti1 said: Fauxie said: stuff
... [Edited 11/21/06 18:44pm] Awesome Hello you  | |
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Fauxie said: applekisses said: Nick...it's beautiful!
I remember when your father-in-law gave it to you. Thanks. It was a fair old while ago, wasn't it? It'd been sitting in the draw in a little box for a long time. It's great I can wear it now. It does seem like forever ago...was it last year some time? | |
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applekisses said: Fauxie said: Thanks. It was a fair old while ago, wasn't it? It'd been sitting in the draw in a little box for a long time. It's great I can wear it now. It does seem like forever ago...was it last year some time? I think so.
Anyways, my father in-law is happy now when he sees me wearing it. He has maybe a hundred of these icons, and asked me if I wanted to swap before getting the pendant, but I stuck with this one. It's hard to see on the pic, but even though it's slightly damaged and been smoothed out a bit over time, if you look really close there's more detail on it than you'd think. | |
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One of my favorite gifts I've ever received, such that I don't like leaving it off of my person if I'm gone for more than a day or two, is my lapis lazuli scarab which was given to me on a date on Cinco de Mayo, 2004. It was just perfect in every way, and had deep meaning to me in that I have always been into history. It's my own little 18th Dynasty Egyptian artifact.
That aside, it represents a very signficant item in my absolute favorite book of all time, The Egyptian, by Mika Waltari. My fiance is excellent at giving random gifts, which generally show that he cares and pays attention to pretty much everything I say, regardless of how isignificant I think it is when it leaves my mouth. Hmm, and he recently gave me my engagement ring. Which I am in love with. I bought a violin for my ex once, because he once mentioned in passing that he one day wanted to try his hand at it. I also went to a lot of trouble to get him a blue-mirrored glass art deco table. He was big into art deco.... This one's for you. | |
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Fauxie said: Shanti1 said: Awesome Hello you 
Hello handsome! | |
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I can't see the pic.
This is unDOOMerable, fauxie.  | |
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