All posts by Eric Robert Nolan

Eric Robert Nolan graduated from Mary Washington College in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. He spent several years a news reporter and editorial writer for the Culpeper Star Exponent in Culpeper, Virginia. His work has also appeared on the front pages of numerous newspapers in Virginia, including The Free Lance – Star and The Daily Progress. Eric entered the field of philanthropy in 1996, as a grant writer for nonprofit healthcare organizations. Eric’s poetry has been featured by Dead Beats Literary Blog, Dagda Publishing, The International War Veterans’ Poetry Archive, and elsewhere. His poetry will also be published by Illumen Magazine in its Spring 2014 issue.

Cover to “Outcast” #35, Paul Azaceta & Elizabeth Breitweiser, 2018

Image Comics.

out

My brain: “It is now past 5 AM. You should try to get at least a few hours sleep before your alarm goes off in the morning.”

Also my brain: “SHE’S A SUPERFREAK — SUPERFREAK — SHE’S SUPERFREAKAYYYYY!”

“I’m vaccinated and, no, I don’t know what’s in it …”

I’m vaccinated and, no, I don’t know what’s in it – neither this vaccine, the ones I had as a child, nor in the Big Mac, or in hot dogs, or in other treatments…whether it’s for cancer, AIDS, the one for polyarthritis, or vaccines for infants or children. I trust my doctor when he says it’s needed.

I also don’t know what’s in Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or other meds, it just cures my headaches & my pains …

I don’t know what’s in the ink for tattoos, vaping, or every ingredient in my soap or shampoo or even deodorants. I don’t know the long term effect of cell phone use or whether or not that restaurant I just ate at REALLY used clean foods and washed their hands.

In short …

There’s a lot of things I don’t know and never will…

I just know one thing: life is short, very short, and I still want to do something other than just going to work every day or staying locked in my home. I still want to travel and hug people without fear and find a little feeling of life “before.”

As a child and as an adult I’ve been vaccinated for mumps, measles, rubella, polio, chicken pox, and quite a few others; my parents and I trusted the science and never had to suffer through or transmit any of said diseases.

I’m vaccinated, not to please the government but:

* To not die from Covid-19.
* To NOT clutter a hospital bed if I get sick.
* To hug my loved ones
* To Not have to do PCR or antigenic tests to go out dancing, go to a restaurant, go on holidays and many more things to come …
* To live my life.
* To have my kids/grandkids go back to school and play sports.
* For Covid-19 to be an old memory.
* To protect us.

Text copied, you can too.

Cover to “Weird Science” #22, Wally Wood, 1953

EC Comics.

ws22

“The curious incident of the dog in the night-time.”

Colonel Ross still wore an expression which showed the poor opinion which he had formed of my companion’s ability, but I saw by the Inspector’s face that his attention had been keenly aroused.

“You consider that to be important?” he asked.

“Exceedingly so.”

“Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?”

“To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.”

“The dog did nothing in the night-time.”

“That was the curious incident,” remarked Sherlock Holmes.

— from Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of Silver Blaze”



Illustration by Martin Van Maele, in Société d’Édition et de Publications, 1906.

800px-The_Adventure_of_Silver_Blaze_by_Martin_van_Maële_8

Sherlock Nolan.

So tell me these aren’t the coolest themed birthday gifts ever.  An amazing lady gave me the complete Sherlock Holmes library in beautifully bound collector’s volumes, a can of Victorian London Fog tea, and a magnifying glass for investigations of my own (because I’m on to you people).

What you see up top is a wool herringbone flat cap of the kind Watson would wear.  (My benefactor here wisely deduced that Holmes’ deerstalker cap would look funny on me.)

Another pal of mine (and an MWC alum) made me homemade pizza yesterday too — complete with herbs from his own garden.  (No, not the extralegal kind — we’re talking basil and stuff.)  I truly am surrounded by the best people in life.




presents

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Poster for “Sherlock Holmes” (1916)

Essanay Studios.

Sherlock_Holmes_poster_1916

Can I make bad puns out of the names of Czechoslovakian cities?

Pragueably.

Hey — I know it’s a Louny bin here, but it’s where you have the Most fun. Czech back often, and I promise Jihlava good time!

And no dirty jokes — that would be unSemily.



Place number outside Place du Marché, Geneva, 2019

Engraving.

Carouge_Place_du_Marché-plaque_49

MHM55, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

“I wish I was little bit taller. I wish I was a baller.”

“Welcome to Domino’s, are you picking up an order?”

“Yes. The name’s ‘Nolan.'”

“‘Ballin’?’ Your name’s ‘Ballin’,’ Sir?”

Yeah, that’s right, kiddo. My name’s “BALLIN’.”