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RE: Six Degrees and Hopeless Habits - The Ink Well Fiction Writing Challenge #2 - Bad Habits

This is beyond wonderful . . . I love the characters, the sentiments, and everything about it. You've done a masterful job at capturing a moment in time.

Though I caught myself, when you mentioned hailing an Uber, realizing how much I'd have to explain to my dad should he suddenly show up . . . he passed in 2000, so Uber, Skype and the like, much less MERS and COVID-19, had yet to exist.

And, of course, Marek's sister is living in northern Italy, which had become a serious challenge even before the coronavirus reared its ugly head, so that's been interesting as well.

In any case, speaking of FB memes, did you know that there really is a Saint Corona, and that she and Saint Victor were martyred and buried in northern Italy? Even better, and I'm not making this up, she is reputed to be the patron saint of pandemics. So who knows? A little praying might go a long way.

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Of course I had to google it - how I hope the tortures are only legend, not truth -

Saints Victor and Corona are two Christian martyrs. Most sources state that they were killed in Roman Syria during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. .... Some Western sources state that Alexandria or Sicily was their place of martyrdom. ... the Roman Martyrology states that it was in the third century when they met their death.
Victor was a Roman soldier of Italian ancestry, serving in the city of Damascus in Roman Syria during the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius. He was tortured - including having his eyes gouged out..... the sixteen-year-old spouse of one of his brothers-in-arms, named Corona,[3] comforted and encouraged him. For this, she was arrested and interrogated. According to the passio of Corona, which is considered largely fictional, Corona was bound to two bent palm trees and torn apart as the trunks were released.
Victor was beheaded in Damascus in 160 AD.
Other sources state that they were husband and wife.
Saint Corona was popular in folk treasure magic, being called upon by a treasure hunter to bring treasure, and then sent away through a similarly elaborate ritual.
Wikipedia

The version I read had her as the spouse of one of his compatriots. Victor is also the name of my nephew, so that's close to my heart, though anyone who tried to take him out would have some hard going ahead, Roman soldier or no. ;-)

Thank you so much for saying such nice things about this post, which I feared nobody would notice or like. After I posted it, my husband mentioned there really is a Saint Corona, and she is reputed to be the patron saint of pandemics. #TruthBeCrazierThanFiction!

Praying is a habit for me. What else would be on my mind during daily chores? A song stuck in my head (ear worm!), rehashing conversations where I could have said ---, had I only thought of it sooner, or... funny thing, I came across an article that said most people do no think in complete sentences or even in words. Really??? Words, sentences, fictional dialogues, or remembered conversations play non-stop for me. Math never had a chance. Numbers rarely trespass through my head.

Your dad missed out on a lot of new terminology, but in many ways, I consider those who missed out on the latest to be "missing nothing." That's my sister Lori's favorite line, these days. She's the one on dialysis, barely hanging on. Whatever event I may have missed out on, she says, "You didn't miss anything worthwhile." Looking back at her life, it seems so many things just didn't matter or amount to much or leave a good impression. Poor Lori.... and Marek having a sister in Italy to worry about. May they all be well, and soon!

Yeah, I was grateful that my dad missed the events of 9/11, and I'm doubly grateful that he, my mom, and my sister Carol all missed out on our buffoon of a White House Occupant. I overheard someone the other day refer to him as our "Pustule in Chief," and just about choked to death trying not to laugh out loud.

I have a friend who was on dialysis for years, and so sick that we weren't sure she was going to see the year 2000 . . . but fast forward, and her husband passed before she did, and she's still going strong, having a blast being Grandma to her son's two kids. We just never know.

I pray all the time as well, sometimes silently, sometimes aloud, and sometimes singing. I like the line about singing being praying twice. It has always felt like a form of prayer to me.

What an amazing account - she sounds like the old man I love so much in "The Milagro Beanfield War" -


Amarante outlives all his children even though he was sickly his entire life. Every morning he wakes up thanking God for another day.

Sorry @carolkean for missing this at the time.

Funny, but my cousin recommended that book to me when we were gathered together for my grandfather's funeral in 1990, and though I've always meant to, I've never read it.

I think I still have it somewhere. I guess I'll just have to buckle down and read it finally. ;-)

Ohhhh, lucky you, to see the movie and read the book for the first time - then again, for me, the novelty never wears off. Some books/movies can be revisited endlessly and enjoyed every time. The movie "Waking Ned Devine" is another one I never tire of. Love the characters, the message, the hilarity, and the social commentary sneaked in.

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Aaaaagh, I've been on Steemit/Hive so little of late that I missed this as well.

I LOVED Waking Ned Devine, one of the funniest and sweetest films ever made. I've always wanted to go to Ireland, largely because of the vibes of the people as they come across in film, not to mention those that I've met personally.

I always loved the film The Matchmaker, for much the same reason, as well as for the hilarious interplay between Janeane Garofalo and Denis Leary, as well as developing a half-crush on David O'Hara, the bartender who woos her.

But it's the townspeople in The Matchmaker that make the film, including the sister-in-law of the barman, who becomes a good friend to Marcy (Garofalo); and of course, the dueling matchmakers themselves, who are determined to match Marcy up whether she wants it or not.

I have a favorite scene in the film where she is given really bad news via phone, but despite being quite a good actress, she looks for all the world as though she is going to burst out laughing, and I've always had a mental image of Denis Leary (a good friend even before the film) just offstage, doing everything in his power to crack her up. ;-)

Anyway, I've digressed enough, but I did want to acknowledge that I too love Waking Ned Devine, and Irish films in general. Hope you and yours are well and happy.

Take care and be safe!

Thanks for this, and can you believe it took me ten months to find this??
Thanks too for the recommendation: I'll look for The Matchmaker. Those fun-loving Irish, quirky, unapologetic, original. Love 'em.
Denis Leary (a good friend even before the film): a friend of yours,or the actress? Wouldn't surprise me - you've met soooo many people!

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