def parse_config(path):
        """parse either the config file we found, or use some canned defaults"""
        config = configparser.ConfigParser()

        if path:  # if user has config with user creds in it, this will grab it
            config.read(path)

        try:
            return {k: v for k, v in config["default"].items()}
        except KeyError:
            return {}
parse either the config file we found, or use some canned defaults