Eric Says Hi: Recent Episodes
Eric Wagoner
Oh hey – I remembered to open garageband and talk for a few minutes before I was in bed and about to fall asleep! Hi! How are you? Today I briefly talk about driving to Missouri for the eclipse.
I walk along a short in-town greenway trail. Someone has installed a giant wind chime atop a huge tree, and it can be heard throughout the neighborhood. I talk steampunk and nerdy cooking.
The days have been cold and wet and dark and have sort of rolled one onto the next. But I have been doing things and have even left the house on occasion, like to go to a Tiki convention. And my new gaming group meets up this weekend for our first Gloomhaven session.
I take a pre-Christmas walk through the neighborhood and talk about local geography and soliciting friends to play board games with me.
Time is flying by. Surgery recovery is nearly complete, work has been keeping me busy, and I’ve been having fun recording cooking videos for my YouTube project.
I’ve begun filming myself cooking for a new YouTube project, and I’ve been slowly exploring what equipment one needs to successfully do that. Not a lot, turns out, but good sound is important so I picked up a wireless lapel mic set for my phone and used it for the first time to record this short episode. Note to self: don’t let your beard rub on it next time.
Surgery was a success and recovery is well under way. During my downtime I starting putting serious thought into a new video/cooking project that’s been bouncing around my brain for several months.
https://www.youtube.com/@RandomRecipeProject
It feels like the year is winding down, and I’ve been reflecting on the effects of ketamine therapy, goals I had set, and preparing for a bit of surgery scheduled for tomorrow.
My favorite Athens event is this weekend. The Wild Rumpus, where thousands of creative costumed people take over the streets of downtown Athens, is here! I’ve been cutting, bending, and hot gluing cardboard all week.
A new nail salon opened up down the street today, so of course I had to go get my nails done.
I made it through the whole month trying hard not to do things that felt like work (other than my actual work). Things like figuring out why my microphone wasn’t working, for example. But now it’s October and there are things that need doing, so I started by digging out my backup mic so I could say hi.
Bethesda’s Starfield game came out last week, and that’s pretty much all I’ve been up to.
Each year, I try to spend the month of September doing not much of anything productive. Most years I don’t quite succeed, but this year is looking good.
It’s been a lot of logistics to plan and execute, but my eldest has successfully begun their sophomore year of college in the big city.
Went out to see Oppenheimer in 70mm IMAX, mostly so I could see my former professor and later friend in the best possible cinematic quality.
I’ve been testing recipes for a new cookbook that combines two of my favorite things: Hobbits and New Mexican cuisine. Inexplicable, but I’m 100% here for it.
I’ve been reclaiming space in my office and putting good use to my regular shipment of storage bins.
Had a surprise storm blow through town last night and preliminary reports look like a funnel formed over my neighborhood and really tore things up as it moved through. All’s well here, but there’s lots of cleanup to be done in Athens.
Took advantage of a slow time at work to disconnect and take the kids to explore the geography, people, and history of the Low Country. We did an awful lot in four days, but mostly we ate seafood.
As a consultant, my work engagements are always short-lived. It’s both a good and bad thing about the job. Now, one project has ended and I’m catching up on odds and ends before starting another.
I got one of those smart bird feeders last year and I love all the bird photos but the squirrels tried to eat it. Not the birdseed but the feeder itself. I spent some of my sick days splicing cables and replacing parts and now all is well.
Covid finally caught me and I had to stop doing lots of things I enjoyed for a while, including recording this very podcast. But I’m back at it. Hi!
I’ve got dough living in my fridge. I keep pulling chunks out and seeing what sorts of things I can make with it, and it has yet to let me down.
I can walk up the street to a new Publix, and their deli tempts me to spend way too much. Oooh – it’s five dollar sushi day!
Spent several days in North Florida and had a surprisingly good time, including picking pristine fossils up right off the ground.
It’s a hard time to be a small fish in the big pond that is the tech industry. We’re circling the wagons and all the other metaphors to weather the storm.
I got too much money back on my tax return, and now there’s an espresso machine in the kitchen. Also, I’m extra twitchy for some reason.
My eldest had their first ever college spring break and we started it off by watching a TMBG show.
FedEx delivered a disembodied robot on Monday and I’ve been building a user interface for that. I did manage to get out of the house for a bit and see friends I hadn’t seen in years.
My youngest and I got invited to a music video shoot for an internationally famous band and had a great time.
Thanks to my improving mental health, I’ve been creating new habits I enjoy the last few months but I’m still learning how to juggle them all.
Summer has arrived in Athens, GA. Unfortunately I was distracted when Spring was here, yesterday.
Spent the weekend needing out with a bunch of steampunks who also happen to be some of my favorite people.
So much going on at work this weekend, but I’m able to pause for the weekend and glue some gears on things to prepare for the upcoming Atlanta Steampunk Exposition
I like making things and putting them on the internet for people to enjoy. And I love it when people do enjoy them and let me know.
Doctor’s orders. But first I had to give my soft tissues a good hard brushing and really wake them up with alcohol before really making them mad.
Swapped out my mic for one that ought to pick up a lot less ambient noise. Didn’t quite filter out the muscle car going by though.
I’ve been working on myself this year. I need to keep that up but also start on general fitness. I’ve got a plan.
I love immersive games and have played several over the past couple years. But maybe now I’ll spend some time playing tabletop for a while.
I started a new project at work recently, which for a consultant essentially means starting a brand new job altogether. And the first couple weeks can be rough.
I used to read books. So, so many books. But then I stopped. But guess what, books – I’m back!
The rain stopped so I walked up to appreciate the potential of the shopping center going in on my street.
Recorded with bonus background cat meows.
It’s the debut of Eric Says Hi, a short podcast where I regularly share what I’ve been up to. And say hi.