diff --git a/rowbot b/rowbot
index b67fba0..0136408 100755
--- a/rowbot
+++ b/rowbot
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # feature switch toggling
 ###
 
-shopt -s dotglob extglob lastpipe nullglob
+shopt -s dotglob extglob nullglob
 
 ###
 # utility and helper functions
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ die() {
 }
 
 get_option() {
-  if (( $# != 2 )); then
+  if (( ! $# )); then
     return 1
   fi
 
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ get_option() {
     config[$1]=${opts[$1]}
   elif [[ -v $var_name ]]; then
     config[$1]=${!var_name}
-  else
+  elif (( $# > 1 )); then
     config[$1]=$2
   fi
 }
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ is_reloaded() {
   [[ $RELOADED = yes ]] || (( LORE_LIVES > 1 ))
 }
 
+is_running () {
+  kill -0 "$1" 2>/dev/null
+}
+
 random() {
   local min=$1 max=$2
   (( (RANDOM % max) + min ))
@@ -141,15 +145,6 @@ unset key file
 
 declare -A config
 
-# irc registration settings
-
-get_option nick rowbot-dev
-get_option ident rowbot
-get_option realname rowbot
-get_option chan ""
-
-# bot control settings
-
 get_option owner "${USER:-uplime}"
 get_option trigger \`
 get_option dev yes
@@ -160,12 +155,15 @@ get_option dev yes
 
 on_sys_first_001_bootup() {
   log_info "rowbot's pid is %d" "$$"
+  get_option nick rowbot-dev
+  get_option ident rowbot
+  get_option realname rowbot
 }
 
 on_sys_first_999_bootup() {
   log_debug "registering with the server"
-  nick "${config[nick]}"
-  user "${config[ident]}" "${config[realname]}"
+  irc_nick "${config[nick]}"
+  irc_user "${config[ident]}" "${config[realname]}"
 }
 
 on_sys_before_999_bootup() {
@@ -351,7 +349,7 @@ on_sys_after_002_net() {
     unset IRC_SOCK
   else
     sock_dir=$SOCK_DIR tls_pid=$TLS_PID out_sock=$OUT_SOCK in_sock=$IN_SOCK
-    unset sock_dir tls_pid out_sock in_sock
+    unset SOCK_DIR TLS_PID OUT_SOCK IN_SOCK
   fi
 }
 
@@ -370,15 +368,100 @@ on_sys_exit_998_net() {
   fi
 }
 
+###
+# irc magic
+###
+
+magic_annoyatron900() {
+  irc_ping "row your bot gently down the stream"
+}
+
+on_sys_init_999_magic() {
+  get_option chan ""
+}
+
+on_sys_before_999_magic() {
+  if [[ -v alarm_pid ]]; then
+    export ALARM_PID=$alarm_pid
+  fi
+}
+
+on_sys_after_999_magic() {
+  trap magic_annoyatron900 USR1
+
+  if [[ -v ALARM_PID ]]; then
+    alarm_pid=$ALARM_PID
+  fi
+}
+
+on_sys_register_999_magic() {
+  if [[ ${config[chan]} ]]; then
+    irc_join "$chan"
+  fi
+
+  while true; do
+    read -rt 10 </dev/zero
+    KILL -USR1 "$$"
+  done &
+
+  alarm_pid=$!
+  trap magic_annoyatron900 USR1
+  log_debug "process %d is being annoying" "$alarm_pid"
+}
+
+on_sys_exit_997_magic() {
+  log_debug "shutting down annoyatron900"
+
+  if [[ -v alarm_pid ]] && is_running "$alarm_pid"; then
+    kill -STOP "$alarm_pid"
+  fi
+}
+
+#  nick=${args[0]}
+#  who "$nick" %%uht,42
+
+###
+# irc receive handlers
+###
+
+irc_on_NOTICE() {
+  log_info "[%s/%s] %s" "${msg[from]}" "${msg_args[0]}" "${msg_args[1]}"
+}
+
+irc_on_PING() {
+  irc_pong "${msg_args[1]}"
+  log_debug "received ping: %s" "${msg_args[0]}"
+}
+
+irc_on_PONG() {
+  log_debug "received pong: %s" "${msg_args[1]}"
+}
+
+irc_on_001() {
+  log_info %s "${msg_args[1]}"
+  run_callbacks on_sys_register_
+  run_callbacks on_register_
+}
+
 ###
 # irc send handlers
 ###
 
-nick() {
+irc_join() {
+  local chans
+  printf -v chans %s, "$@"
+  net_send "JOIN %s" "${chans%,}"
+}
+
+irc_nick() {
   net_send "NICK :%s" "$1"
 }
 
-user() {
+irc_ping() {
+  net_send "PING :%s" "$1"
+}
+
+irc_user() {
   net_send "USER %s 0 * :%s" "$1" "$2"
 }
 
@@ -430,7 +513,7 @@ fi
 ###
 
 while net_recv line; do
-  declare -A msg=([words]=no [original]="$line")
+  declare -A msg=( [words]=no [original]="$line" [score]=0 )
 
   # parse prefix in the style of nick!ident@host
 
@@ -438,14 +521,27 @@ while net_recv line; do
     prefix=${line%% *} prefix=${prefix#:} line=${line#:"$prefix"} line=${line# }
     log_debug "parsing message prefix %s" "$prefix"
     msg[host]=${prefix#*@} prefix=${prefix%"${msg[host]}"} prefix=${prefix%@}
+    msg[from]=${msg[host]}
 
     if [[ $prefix ]]; then
       msg[ident]=${prefix#*!}
+      msg[from]=${msg[ident]}
 
       if [[ ${msg[ident]} != "$prefix" ]]; then
         msg[nick]=${prefix%!*}
+        msg[from]=${msg[nick]}
       fi
     fi
+
+    if [[ /${msg[host]}/ = */bot/* ]]; then
+      (( msg[score] += 100 ))
+    fi
+
+    if [[ ${msg[nick]} = *-bot ]]; then
+      (( msg[score] += 30 ))
+    elif [[ ${msg[nick]} = *bot ]]; then
+      (( msg[score] += 15 ))
+    fi
   fi
 
   # parse command formatted as a 3 digit integer or as a word consisting of
@@ -471,6 +567,18 @@ while net_recv line; do
     fi
   done
 
+  if [[ ${msg[cmd]^^} = @(PRIVMSG|NOTICE) ]]; then
+    case ${msg_args[-1]} in
+    "["*"]")
+      (( msg[score] += 20 ))
+      ;;
+    $'\xe2\x80\x8b'*)
+      (( msg[score] += 100 ))
+    esac
+  fi
+
+  log_debug "bot score is %d" "${msg[score]}"
+
   if has irc_on_"${msg[cmd]^^}"; then
     irc_on_"${msg[cmd]^^}"
   else