U.S. postage stamp featuring the Fleet of Columbus, 1892

January 2, 2018 Eric Robert Nolan Leave a comment

Artist unknown.

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Listen to Jenny S. read her poem “Happy Smiley People”

January 2, 2018 Eric Robert Nolan Leave a comment

Guys, if you have a moment, I really recommend that you stop by the Jenny S. Poetry channel on Youtube and listen to her reading of her short poem, “Happy Smiley People.” As you may know from reading this blog, the channel is where Jenny reads the work submitted to her by indie poets — in addition to some of her own work.

“Happy Smiley People” is a stark, superb piece. As I told Jenny, it’s brutally honest and bluntly perfect. And it’s got a great closing line.

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“The chief beauty about time …”

January 1, 2018 Eric Robert Nolan Leave a comment

The chief beauty about time
is that you cannot waste it in advance.
The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you,
as perfect, as unspoiled,
as if you had never wasted or misapplied
a single moment in all your life.
You can turn over a new leaf every hour
if you choose.”

― Arnold Bennett

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Russian stamp portraying Ivan Shishkin, 2007

January 1, 2018 Eric Robert Nolan Leave a comment

“The Portrait of the Painter Ivan Shishkin” by Ivan Kramskoi (fragment), 1880. Commemorating 175th birth anniversary of the painter.

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Botetourt County, Virginia, December 2017

January 1, 2018 Eric Robert Nolan Leave a comment

These are the last photos of 2017, I suppose. It’s nice that they are of such a beautiful place — despite those cold, foreboding gravestone-colored skies this past weekend.

Virginians are a hardy and gracious lot. And the people of Botetourt define hospitable. My friends there showed me terrific time when we celebrated the holidays.

And check out the second-to-last shot below. Those are the world famous Llamas of Botetourt County.

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U2’s “New Year’s Day”

January 1, 2018 Eric Robert Nolan Leave a comment

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope that 2018 brings health and happiness to you and all who you love.

Regarding the song — the various interpretations of its lyrics make for some pretty interesting reading. They range from an allegory to the Book of Revelations to the story of a man contemplating suicide after the death of his lover. My own favorite is that it is a description of Russia’s Eastern Front during World War II, told from the point of view of a soldier in the Red Army. (As strange as that sounds, it appears remarkably well supported in the song’s lyrics. Google it.) I’ve read that the boy on its cover is actually a Russian guerrilla in a Soviet propaganda film.

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#cakefail

December 31, 2017 Eric Robert Nolan 2 Comments

A buddy of mine made the cake on the right for a Christmas party. (At left was his Pinterest inspiration; it was supposed to be a tie-dyed yule log cake.) He is actually a truly superb cook and baker, but here he finally created something that I can embarrass him with.

I opined that it looked like a rainbow submarine melted by nuclear radiation; others drew more … lewd comparisons. Today I think it most resembles John Carpenter’s “The Thing” after devouring and assimilating the Smurf Village. (And how’s that for a double 80’s reference?)

Look … I’m the first one to admit that I myself can’t find my way around a kitchen. Just now, as I am writing this, I almost put “Sweet Onion (Sea Salt Blend)” on my sausage and eggs, because at first I thought it was regular salt.