Eric Hansen Blog

A shameless plug for an item on my wish list. Boss BR-900CD.  I am in dire need of home recording equipment for the work I'm doing. They run about $600.00 at Zzounds.  Thank you to the universe.

Well, I've finally made the decision to not book anymore tours.  I've known it was coming for some time, but I've fought it until now.  In order for me to really achieve anything in this folk world, I would have to work so hard and travel so much and because of the state of my lungs it is close to impossible to do so any longer.  Besides, the situation is rather bleak.  There are a million artists out there vying for a few shreds of meat. Venues are closing and audiences don't come out.  Gas is very expensive and cheap hotels are just that; cheap.  I've been out there in my van (The Beast) since 2000 fulfilling some of my dreams and sharing my music.  It's been fun for the most part.  For sure, I'll miss waking up in a Wal-Mart parking lot after a 12 hour driving day.

I've seen so much beauty out there and met so many interesting people. I'll still travel for gigs, but not the same way; no more month/two month jaunts in The Beast. 

I'm staying closer to home and focusing on making lots of money, my job as musical director of the Green Valley Church of Religious Science, teaching voice, playing locally, writing music for the Raz-Kids website, playing for the Alpha 1 retreats and various spiritual conferences etc.  Actually, it's a full schedule.  And I have a secret recording project I'm about to begin.

This is the first spring that I'm relieved to not have to make that monster drive to Colorado. The road has become such a challenge for me.  I'll leave that to the strong ones.

Last night, Marsha and I were watching television and suddenly, there was the strangest sound from somewhere in the near distance.  It sounded like some sort of a car crash, but there there was no screeching of tires or a real crash.  It almost sounded as if  car had slid off a hill.  I'd never heard this sound before and went to investigate.  Sure enough, a pick-up truck was driving down from atop the hill of a housing complex a little too fast , it hit something, over corrected and flipped a few times.  I understand that someone was hurt.

In the middle of a perfectly quiet evening, suddenly there is a noise, a truck flips and people's lives are changed forever.  It happens all the time and sometimes people are severely injured or die.  Recently, near our church in Green Valley, in the middle of nothing, no where, a father and his daughter are struck by a Hummer at an unclearly marked intersection and killed.  The saddest part of it is that they had just dropped off the Mom for her first day at a new waitressing job less than a mile a way.   I can only imagine her horror.  After the wreck is cleared, noone knows that two lives were lost there; poof...gone. And others are partially dismantled. It happens all the time.

I keep asking myself this question.  Back in 1993/94, I decided to make music my focus after many years working/struggling in the theatre world.  I said, "I want the next twenty years to be different than the last twenty years." And so far, they have.  Since then, I've produced six CDs of my songs and played all over the country and even a bit in Europe. In June of 1996 I released my first CD, "Lucky" and was diagnosed with this lung disease (Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency).  I spent the next two years flying back and forth from NYC to The Cleveland Clinic to be part of a new drug therapy being studied.  In between, I readjusted my life and played as much as I could.  Looking back, it's amazing how much work I did during that two years considering my health at the time was not very good.  I had pneumonia three times in a twelve month period.

I'm so happy to know my music is 'out there' doing its job, which is making people happy or comforted or inspired.  I know that children around the country are singing some of my songs in the classroom and folks have used them in weddings and funerals alike.

But I am tired and when I look at the amount of work it takes to book all the little gigs my colleauges are doing just to get by, it exhausts me all the more. Hans York is a prime example of this.  He is a real work horse.  I love his music; it's playful and fullof good humour and life.  He travels a great deal and it's not like he's doing concert halls.  He drives and drives and does a coffee house and church gig, a festival maybe and then a house concert, a radio spot etc. But he works constantly to put all these details together.  If you look at his schedule you will understand.  Look him up and buy his new CD.  Tell him I sent you.

At this point in my life and health, I don't think I can continue doing all that work and travel for nominal results.  I know the miles and miles I've put in so far and it's only been 11 years of it. If each jaunt was didn't take so much out of me, I would be out there 75% of the time, but it is not to be.  So, here is today and I'm sharing my pretty much uncensored thought process with this journal. I don't know what to do really.  I don't know how to get a surplus of money so I'm not on my last quarter at every minute.  This really gets discouraging over and over again.  I get an extra thousand in the bank and then some other thing pops up.  Oh well.  THat's life and I could have saved along the way.  I've always just made enough to get by and keep persuing my dream of being an artist. Perhaps I'll pull the big money life next time around.  Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for all I have.  I live in a nice house and never go hungry.  I suppose I could live in a crummy apartment for a little less money, but I did that for 20 years in NYC and I cannot do that anymore. 

There are those that like to say that God always provides and I suppose that  is true.  It feels like a matter of not seeing the forest for the trees.  I'm standing here with my life and talents and I'm looking at the same forest that I've always looked at, but I need to see the trees in a new way.  What is next?  How do I use these gifts?  Certainly I can't run all over Pakistan like the man in the book.

Is that all there is to life?

More later.

It's later..the next day and I've been sick  now for a couple of weeks.  Of course, there have been many things to tend to and I've muddled through, but in the past few days it has morphed into another stage of hacking, hurting cough and exhaustion.  I slept most of today.  I just finished a pretty amazing book called "Three Cups of Tea...one man's mission  to promore peace  one school at a time."  The more I read, the more it overhhelms me how much abject poverty and complete unfairness there is in the world.  In the news, another shit ass CEO will get a tremendous retirement package even though the company went under during his watch.  Why, why, why?  Why does he get all that money while the man in this book struggled like crazy to build the first school for girls in Pakistan  for 12,000.00.  Their government has let them down for centuries.  Why is that I wonder. 

Why do we insist on so much blood shed, war, hatred, neglect of human life, starvation.  Why has our government gotten away with so many lies and so many broken rules?  And...who can possibly make the changes necessary?

The secret of life

Is to be of service to our fellow humans

That's it

It's overcast and rather cool here in The Old Pueblo; finally.  Thanksgiving was a spectacular day. We cleaned up the garden while listening to neighbor's grandchildren laughing as they played in their pool.  I'm listening to singer/songwriter Tena Moyer sing.  She is wonderful.

It's been a busy fall: Texas, Oregon, Washington, Utah, California, New Mexico and a few others I can't remember already.  This weekend off to St. Louis. 

Finally back to my gym routine. It's tough to eat and exercise well while traveling. Since I travel at high altitudes, it's very hard to walk. My body feels better with regular exercise. 

I'm rather at a loss for words this morning, but I just wanted to make some noise here. More later.

Every road is long here, epsecially I-10, but if you look you will see many places of beauty. I stumbled upon the lovely town of Glen Rose only an hour away from the roaring oversized pick-up trucks of Dallas.  I spent two nights at the Dinosaur State Park there; what a beautiful park with great campsites and trails.

We had a good night at Uncle Calvin's in Dallas on friday.  Saturday, I went to Shelly Niebuhr's house to do an interview for her podcast Art and Soul of North Texas and then we did a house concert.  What a great evening and group of people.  There were about fifteen who had never been to a house concert before. Afterwards we had a little sing-along.  And then sunday morning to the Irving Church of Religious Science to do the service and then an afternoon concert.  There weren't a lot of people there, but they knew most of my songs!  See, I'm famous.

And then a very long drive home.  OY!

I love this city. I don't say that about cities too often, but the architecture is beautiful. There is so much histroy here and river walks and parks are amazing. So much of the past is still here.  It seems a big movement has not come to tear down the old stuff to build new.  The houses are all so unique and very old.  This is a good place for a scary Halloween.

I arrived saturday in order to play at the Clebration Circle on Sunday.  I stayed with Rudolf and his wife Zet and their son Mateo.  Rudolf is not an offical minister, but he started the Circle anumber of years ago and it still lives  on and strong.  They hold their service in a theatre called Jump Start and it's a great space. 

The high point of my day sunday was meeting Janie and Ellie.  They invited me to lunch after the service.  We ate lunch at the Guenther House which was one a the old dead rich family's estate.  These two, "older" women were fascinating and told me their life stories in a two hour period.  Janie had been singer her entire life and was married to Buddy, who was in the original Spanky and Our Gang.  He played Corky.  She talked a great deal about her life and career.  She was still a cutie and a charmer.  Ellie, had white hair and wore a little black cowgirl hat tied around her chin.  We had a wonderful time talking and laughing. 

I meant to hit the road today, but the wind was gusting hard and I was afraid it woould be dangerous to drive The Beast, so I stayed nother day.  The high point today was going to Mateo's 3rd grade music class and singing a few songs with Rudolf and the class.  It was great fun and the kids sang well.  They even sang a Halloween saong they've been working on.

The first few days of a trip are always an adjustment period, but I get to meet the most amazing people along the way.  I didn't tell you about the man I met on my way here.  Friday night I camped at an RV park in Van Horn, TX.  I walked in the office, which reaked of smoke and there was Charles.  Charles had a very deep suntan, very, very blue bulging eyes and totally disgusting teeth, but he couldn't have been a sweeter person.  He made sure I knew that the bathrooms were very clean because he cleaned them himself and that the water was hot and free.  I slept 12 hours at that campground after a long day driving and indeed I had a hot shower.  As I left the bathroom, Charles popped up to clean the bathrooms.  He sort of scared me.  It seemed liek he couldn't walk too well.

I've had a wonderful stay here and tomorrow I will mosey up to Dallas.

Friday October 12th 2007 we had a party in Tucson at Lodge On The Desert to offically release the new CD, "My Medicine." The evening couldn't have been more perfect. I played in a beautiful outdoor courtyard full of green things and flowers. A small fountain played as you walked in and there were little wrought iron tables strewn around with white table cloths.  The center piece of the courtyard was a fireplace; gas, of course.  We had a great turn out and the place was packed with people from various parts of my life. 

Joy, Rita and Dwayne held down the CD and donation table and did an awesome job.  Tim Weidenkeller came to do his banjo part on "Singing My Song" and then the audience was treated to a solo as well.  Marsha joined me on a number of songs.  We both sang our versions of "My Gift" and I hear that some happy tears were shed over her rendition. 

It was just a lovely evening and I thank you all for being part of it. Now more of my little children will get out there in the world and do their work touching lives.

Someone recently asked me what my secret was to staying so young looking and this was my response.

What do I do to stay so young?  It is amazing that I look young because of the years of depression, anger and lung disease.  I've had Pneumonia about 6 times. I had a few years addicted to pain medicine and a near death experience because of that.  The only things I can think are that I have always exercised and then there is the music; always the healing music.

Underneath it all, I find the world to be an amazingly beautiful and fascinating place; maybe that helps too.  It is good to travel and meet new people and not become stagnant. And finally; somehow, I've always managed to keep my inner child alive.  

Some people find it easier than others.

Once again, I am amazed at our B.S. puritanical good old U.S. of A.  On the 2007 Emmy Awards, the word God Damn was bleeped out of Sally Fields' anti war comment.  However, it is okay to show the dead and dying and mass destruction in the Middle East.  President Bush has no problem sending more of our children to be slaughtered in Iraq, but our so called "freedom of speech" will not allow a woman from speaking out AGAINST the war.

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE and WHEN WILL IT END?

I arrived in Seattle last thursday evening to the most gorgeous weather.  It must have been in the 70's and sunny.  From Sea-Tak airport I drove to the Olympic Peninsula with Sequim, WA as my destination.  It was so good to feel the sea air.  I arrived at the home of Ida Norquist where I stayed for two nights. I must say I was very well cared for by Flora Collins and Ida.  Humma, humma baby!  Thank you ladies.  WINK! 

The next day Flora drove me to the water where the cool fog was obscuring the view, but making for a peaceful and mysterious setting.  Then onto a rather oddly timed 3pm Friday afternoon concert. Hmmm. I was greeted with much love and many hugs.  The afternoon was lovely and we were treated to a young man and woman of the fundamental Christian persuasion.  He had no problem jumping up in front of me to tell us that Jesus Christ is the only way.  That was interesting.  Before I knew what his story was, he asked us what we believed and I spouted out that we worshipped the devil.  Insert feet in mouth here.  He had his say and went on his way.

The next day, it was sunny and stunning.  I drove to the ferry, took the ferry to Seattle for a 4 pm rehearsal at the Seattle church of religious science.  It is so green and lush there.  Seattle is sooo full of young people and a great energy, but way too much traffic for my taste. The performances went well and I headed home. 

Home...safe.

Salt Lake City. The van is actually working fine, but there is a stabiltiy issue with the steering and that has made for stressful driving.  The Beast tends to wander a bit.  I'm selling her to make room for the next wonderful travel partner.  I have loved The Beast and will be sad to see her go.  It was my dream way back in NYC to have a van, live out west and travel playing music.  I'm ready for a newer and more reliable means of touring.  If you have any suave ideas, by all means send them on.  Got an RV you are just aching to give away?  Give me a shout!  I'll need it my mid-august.

The vehicle aside, all the performances have gone really well. I had an amazing experience at the Denver CRS.  At sound check, the musicians and I just fell into this jam which was awesome.  I suggested we write a group song.  We invited the sound woman Dianna to shout out some lyrics, she did and before long we morfed the whole thing into a kick ass chant/song.  For a solo performer it is an amazing experience to groove with other musicians.

I had a similar experience at Marcy's house before the house concert.  I was warming up and her partner, Scott said, "I want to play with you."  He got his bass and we started to play.  There is an amazing thing that happens in the space between two or more musicians.  There is another being created and that can be magical.

Thank you universe for the gift of friends along the way, the money to buy good food and stay in nice places, for singing and playing, for vehicles, for breath and life and the ability to walk.

Here we are in Golden, Colorado and it really is a golden place. There is a beautiful river and walkway in the middle of town.  This is a real, functional town with the Coors Beer plant puffing 24/7.  There is a fine mixture of old and new here with magnifincent bronze sculptures everywhere you go.  Performances have gone well so far even if The Beast has been having some tire and alignment trouble.

Get this-Just outside of Sante Fe, NM we are pulled over by the state trooper.  He tells me to get out of the van and screams at me to stand over here! Me, "Is something wrong?"  Him, "Just stand there! STAND THERE!" Me, "Why are you treating me like a criminal?"  Him, "I don't know you, do you know me? Your license plate number does not exist, get your registration.  Oh, I see what the problem is now."

 He gets real nice now.  I say, "WHY ON EARTH did you pull me over?" He says, "You were going 65."  I say, "What is the speed limit?"  He says, "75."  I say, "And what is the minimum?" He says, "65, so you were ok." 

Go figure.

Saturday, I was part of a grief group of women who lost their husband or fathers.  I spoke with them and played my songs for them.  Marsha sang with me and did a solo which they loved.  I very much want to do more of this type of work.  My songs are a wonderful healing tool for this.

 One day not so very long ago, I asked Amber Allen, mother of Tiffany Jo and Cody to suggest what I might get the children for Christmas and this was her response. 

Remember; this is a TRUE story. 

A Christmas Story 

That is very sweet but don’t feel like you need to get the kids something for Christmas.To answer your question, Tiffany would be happy with anything.  She likes everything. 

I have to tell you a funny story.  She has never been a kid who asked for big things for Christmas.  Three years ago she had one thing on her wish list…….a mouse. Lololol  Easy right……………? 

So, I took her to the pet store.  She found a little, tiny (size of a thimble) grey baby mouse and she took her home.  The pet store clerk was glad for her to be going to a home because all of her brother and sisters had been fed to snakes that afternoon. 

Well, that little mouse put its head down and cried all night long.  I thought she was too young and not weaned.  So, I called them the next morning and they did not seem to care.  Well, I was not happy.  Here this poor little thing found a real home instead of a snake and it was going to die because it couldn’t eat yet.  So, after a couple calls and the last one being pretty heated, the girl told me to come back and she would give me a mother mouse to feed the baby. 

So, we drove back to 22^nd and Pantano and Eric, she brought this “thing” out that looked like something in a horror movie. The clerk told me not to bring her back, she was an old breeder and they had put her into the snake feeder tank.  It was in a little plastic box and looked like a nasty rat with big teeth, mangy fur and a tail a foot long.  I said…….Oh my gawd and Tiffany said, “but mom she deserves a good Christmas too.

So, we took her home.  Well, when I took the lid off and she ran out of the box she had a baby clinging to her tummy.  So, she nursed the two of them.  Well, three days later, I started noticing the little baby that came with her was definitely a little boy.  So, the pet store lady told me he should be separated.  So I got another cage and put him in it.  Well, he spent two days sitting in the corner with his head down.  So, we went back to the pet store to buy him a buddy.  We walked out with two little brothers.  So we put them in with him and he was sooooooooo happy. 

In the meantime, I had contacted a woman in town who is a mouse expert.  She gave me some helpful advice and then gave Tiffany the most beautiful 3 story hand built mouse cage.  It was huge.  So, mama mouse and Tiffany’s little grey mouse had a lovely home.  Well, a few days later I looked in the mouse cage and mama mouse had 18 babies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I called the pet store woman and she told me she didn’t realize the mouse was pregnant and bring her the babies if we didn’t want them.  Well, we realized that the mama mouse had spent her life in a Tupperware coat box at the pet store.  She would have a litter of babies and they were taken away as fast as she could have them.  So, we wanted her to enjoy spending time with her babies plus we knew they would be fed to snakes.  So, we kept them all.  Now then, we had 3 little boys in one cage, and Mama, 18 babies and the first little grey mouse together in the big cage.  Would you believe that the first little grey mouse that started the whole thing decided to help mama mouse with her babies.  She worked constantly.  The babies would crawl out of the nest and she would bring them back.  After mama mouse would nurse them, she would lay on them.  This went on and on.  

Well the 3 little boys in the other cage started spraying each other and our house started smelling really bad.  Mark would come home from work, walk in and start getting nauseated.  It was bad but since we were there all day it didn’t smell as bad.  So, I went to Walmart about bought a bunch of those liquid potpourri burners and they were running a sale on Ocean Mist for 10cents a bottle so I bought 15 bottles.  I started burning this stuff all over the house. Lolololo 

Well, so now the little boy babies the mama mouse had started getting older.  And, we had to take them out, so I got anther cage for them.  Plus, wheels, toys etc. 

So, mama mouse had 5 girls and the first little grey mouse in with her. 

Well, we started trying to find homes for them.  All of our friends would lock their doors when they saw us coming. Hahhahha. Finally we posted a message on the home school loop. BUT, Tiffany would not allow anyone to take a mouse that had a cat, snake or hawk.  It took awhile.  And, they all had to say she could come and visit anytime to see the mice.  Finally, we found homes for all the boys. 

Tiffany kept the mama mouse, all of her girl babies and the first little grey mouse. Whew………………

Have a nice day,

Amber

p.s. Please don’t get her a mouse. 

Well, all of these little mice had severe respiratory problems.  The mouse expert told me that they are raised for snakes so the pet stores could care less about their health.  So, they put them on pine shavings to keep the odor down in the store and that destroys their respiratory tract.   

Well, when the cold hit around Jan. they were all barking with croup.  So, Kathy…..the expert……actually she would rescue them from pet stores…..she was in a wheelchair and really loved mice…….anyway she would sell me their medicine she was buying from a vet for her mice.   

And, she had me putting humidifiers in the bathroom and sitting their cages in there with towels over them to build up the steam to open their lungs.  Anyway, everyday, I had to lay each one of them on my lap on their little back and give them their medicine in the eye dropper.  But, they didn’t want to eat when they were having trouble breathing.  So, she told me that commercial food is not tasty for them and they needed more nutritious food so she had me make them all eggs and toast (with a tiny bit of butter) every morning.  And, when they fought taking their meds she had me make them oatmeal mixed with peanut butter to put their meds in. 

We got through the first winter and their breathing got much better.   Eventually they all died.  We have jars buried all over the courtyard with little mice in them. 

Have a nice day……… 

Feel free to share the mouse story and you can use my name if you choose.  It was an experience I will never forget.  You know I had no idea truly how much personality they have.  Not all of them are personable but that first little grey one that started the whole thing was very special.  I know this sounds weird, but she was my favorite.   She actually got huge….I figure she had a rat somewhere in her breeding.  But, she would sit on my lap in the morning when I drank coffee and climb on my robe. (And no she never pooped on me)  I would not admit that to many people because it sounds like a nut.  But, she would come to me when I called her name…”Baby”.  Maybe she knew how much we went through to help her survive in the first place.