diff --git a/examples/subscribe_blocks.rs b/examples/subscribe_blocks.rs
index 78a1106d..b4602212 100644
--- a/examples/subscribe_blocks.rs
+++ b/examples/subscribe_blocks.rs
@@ -1,18 +1,27 @@
+/// subscribe to a websocket rpc
 use ethers::prelude::*;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let ws = Ws::connect("ws://10.11.12.16:8545").await?;
-    // let ws = Ws::connect("ws://10.11.12.16:8946").await?;
-    let provider = Provider::new(ws).interval(Duration::from_secs(1));
-    let mut stream = provider.subscribe_blocks().await?.take(5);
+    // erigon
+    let url = "ws://10.11.12.16:8545";
+    // geth
+    // let url = "ws://10.11.12.16:8946";
+
+    println!("Subscribing to blocks from {}", url);
+
+    let provider = Ws::connect(url).await?;
+
+    let provider = Provider::new(provider).interval(Duration::from_secs(1));
+
+    let mut stream = provider.subscribe_blocks().await?.take(3);
     while let Some(block) = stream.next().await {
         println!(
-            "Ts: {:?}, block number: {} -> {:?}",
+            "{:?} = Ts: {:?}, block number: {}",
+            block.hash.unwrap(),
             block.timestamp,
             block.number.unwrap(),
-            block.hash.unwrap()
         );
     }
 
diff --git a/examples/watch_blocks.rs b/examples/watch_blocks.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7fa3ffe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/watch_blocks.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/// poll an http rpc
+use ethers::prelude::*;
+use std::{str::FromStr, time::Duration};
+
+#[tokio::main]
+async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    // erigon does not support most filters
+    // let url = "http://10.11.12.16:8545";
+    // geth
+    let url = "http://10.11.12.16:8945";
+
+    println!("Watching blocks from {:?}", url);
+
+    let provider = Http::from_str(url)?;
+
+    let provider = Provider::new(provider).interval(Duration::from_secs(1));
+
+    let mut stream = provider.watch_blocks().await?.take(3);
+    while let Some(block_number) = stream.next().await {
+        let block = provider.get_block(block_number).await?.unwrap();
+        println!(
+            "{:?} = Ts: {:?}, block number: {}",
+            block.hash.unwrap(),
+            block.timestamp,
+            block.number.unwrap(),
+        );
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 2be77710..3949b260 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ use tokio_tungstenite::{connect_async, tungstenite};
 use warp::Filter;
 
 type RateLimiterMap = DashMap<String, RpcRateLimiter>;
+// TODO: include the ethers client on this map
 type ConnectionsMap = DashMap<String, u32>;
 
 type RpcRateLimiter =
@@ -27,25 +28,6 @@ struct BalancedRpcs {
     rpcs: RwLock<Vec<String>>,
     connections: ConnectionsMap,
     ratelimits: RateLimiterMap,
-    new_heads_handles: Vec<AbortHandle>,
-}
-
-impl Drop for BalancedRpcs {
-    fn drop(&mut self) {
-        for handle in self.new_heads_handles.iter() {
-            handle.abort();
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-async fn handle_new_head_message(message: tungstenite::Message) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    // TODO: move this to a "handle_new_head_message" function so that we can use the ? helper
-    let data: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(message.to_text().unwrap()).unwrap();
-
-    // TODO: parse the message as json and get out the block data. then update a map for this rpc
-    println!("now what? {:?}", data);
-
-    Ok(())
 }
 
 impl BalancedRpcs {
@@ -56,6 +38,9 @@ impl BalancedRpcs {
 
         for (s, limit) in servers.into_iter() {
             rpcs.push(s.to_string());
+
+            // TODO: subscribe to new_heads. if websocket, this is easy. otherwise we
+
             connections.insert(s.to_string(), 0);
 
             if limit > 0 {
@@ -67,7 +52,6 @@ impl BalancedRpcs {
             }
         }
 
-        // TODO: subscribe to new_heads
         let new_heads_handles = rpcs
             .clone()
             .into_iter()
@@ -481,7 +465,7 @@ async fn main() {
     let state = Web3ProxyState::new(
         vec![
             // local nodes
-            vec![("https://10.11.12.16:8545", 0)],
+            vec![("ws://10.11.12.16:8545", 0), ("ws://10.11.12.16:8946", 0)],
             // paid nodes
             // TODO: add paid nodes (with rate limits)
             // free nodes