Goodnight Ladies...

This incarnation of my blog has been dying a slow and obscure death. Goodnight sweet prince. The new one will be happening at www.ericwatkins.org/blog

Until we meet again...

My love burns like a fire, your love burns like a cigarette...

So it seems it has been far too long since I updated this little blog. Since last time we were here, I have moved to a new, significantly colder, city to pursue a theatrical design career. Thus far it is slow, but I am hopeful. As of yet, I have been able to make enough money to eat and pay my rent so I cannot complain. I even occasionally have money left over to purchase things I do not need, like parts for my bike :)

Also I would like to say that I really enjoy public transportation. The subway, has single-handedly increased the amount I read by approximately 100%. The subway is not quite as exciting as a well setup bike, but its close.

Apart from that there is not much to update. I am learning what a winter is like, and I am hoping to return to Ithaca this summer, for more Hangar fun. We shall see.

Merry Christmas.

Well I spent all me tin on the lassies drinking gin...

Okay so I sorta gave up the internet except for work yesterday and you can see how well that's going. I am currently sitting in College Town Bagels in downtown Ithaca working slowly but steadily on my sound design for an upcoming show. It set in Ireland in the early 1900s so that explains the title. I have been doing a little method sound design which is the same as usual, but with the addition of Jameson, Guinness, and possible poteen later in the week. (don't worry Nana, never too much)

As most of you know I am without my little truck this summer and so I have had to make use of my bike Babe (blue and at least 30+ pounds) and today we went to the farmers market to pick up some groceries for the week. While fresh produce at the farmers market is not cheap in the least I dont care. Its better quality and if I spend serious cash on food I feel obligated to eat it before it can go bad.

So to help all those other poor kids who want to eat well I have a few recipes I am going to start putting up...

First off:

Sauteed Collards with Onions and Garlic
*(Please note I cook like my mother and grandmothers so every measurement is probably a good guess.)

Wash a bunch (read a heaping pan full) of collards, removing the stems and tearing the leaves into pieces.

chop 1/2 - 1 clove of garlic

chop 1/4-1/2 red onion

open a beer and start to drink it

pour a little olive oil in a skillet on medium hi to hi heat
cook the onions until they are translucent
add garlic and saute until garlic is brownish and start to smell (<1 minute)
throw in greens and cook until tender 5-10 minutes. dont't feel bad about heaping them in the pan they wilt down pretty nicely (may need to pull heat back a little)
you can cover the pan so the greens wont dry out
if you dont have a cover for your pan throw in some of the beer you are drinking if things get a little too dry (any beer will do as collards are pretty strong

if you have a lemon handy throw a little lemon juice in there if you are feeling adventurous. (I havent actually tried this one, but hey it sounds good)

On a final note I have been finding some real good music recently.
Ben Sollee (kentucky based classically trained pop soul country upright bass player)
Ezra Furman and the Harpoons (folk - think modern bob dylan and woody guthrie with some avett brothers sensibilities thrown in for good measure)
Sam Cooke (classic Soul / R &B)
Old School BB King (he's got the blues and he named his guitar Lucille. c'mon people)

If you ever need to listen to good music you dont have or want to explore new music go to a coffee shop, opens iTunes and see if anyone has their iTunes library open. Wireless routers are wonderful things...)

peace

Had it been another day I might have looked the other way...

Good morning,

There is news, there is news.
I just finalized a job the other day. For the month of September I shall be in Virginia Beach working for the Virginia Stage Company as their FOH sound Board Op. While not in DC its still a job and a good one at that, and hopefully I can use this to get the next job.

Apart from that things are going well in Ithaca, NY. I spent yesterday in a five hour tech followed by some quality time at the Ithaca festival, a yearly music/craft/art extravaganza. Today, I am going in to work for a bit before the company picnic/ HUGE game of Capture the flag :)

yeah that's how it goes...

But of all these friends and lovers...

So its been 2 months to the day that I posted last. I have been going close to non stop. Along the way I designed lights for 2 shows, changed jobs, picked a city to live in next (Washington D.C.), had my new (to me) digital camera stolen, had my transmission spring a leak in Starke, FL., become a semi serious bicycle commuter for obvious reasons, have my truck fixed after I had left it 1000 miles behind, arrived in Ithaca, NY sans truck via rental car, settled in, opened the first of 22 shows this summer season, and cooked broccoli and squash for tonight dinner, and had a talk with an old friend.

This is my first day off since I have been in Ithaca, and it was wonderfully restful. I have been feeling under the weather for a day or so the rest was needed. I did however go to the thrift store, the ice cream shop, and the grocery store.

It was in the grocery store that I had a thought. It came to me as I was frantically, as my ride had already checked out, searching for the earl grey loose tea. At least for the moment combination of earl grey and dark chocolate brings to mind very specific people, places, and time frames. It is not just such odd food combinations as these, but I think I, at the very least, do they same thing with music. Specific bands and songs are mentally connected in time, and I know that these connections can change. Some songs are irreversibly tied to definite people and places. Some songs, however, can take on different personal subjects as circumstances change. That Avett Brothers song about leaving your love might take on a different meaning if you leave more than one lover (as a hypothetical example only, of course).

This rambling is simple a product of choices made in the past 2 years that have taken my life on an interesting path. Its exciting, its frightening, its contentment and restlessness all rolled into one.

P.S. - I have said it before, and I will probably say it again, but go do yourself a favor and pick up the complete works of Blind Willie Johnson. If you like music, especially the blues, then you should know this man.

Don't want to be a painter 'cause everyone comes to look...

So as mentioned before I am test driving a new (to me) camera before buying. What do we think?


Fun with focus

pretty flower

the sky and palm trees

my hovel

purple flower

oppps

I want to ride my Bicycle

Old and busted

Trek 800 19.5 in frame
"custom" paint job



My sexy new baby:

Surly LHT Complete 56cm frame
Crank Brother 50/50 Pedals
Brooks B17 Leather Saddle
SKS 40mm fenders
Tubus Logo Rear Rack
Wald Metal Rear folding baskets
used 120mm no rise stem
Bell seat bag
TopPeak frame pump
Cat Eye front light
cheap rear red blinky