diff --git a/core/core.lisp b/core/core.lisp
index 01e20af..b29fa36 100644
--- a/core/core.lisp
+++ b/core/core.lisp
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
                     (:message :scopes/core/message)
                     (:shape :scopes/shape)
                     (:util :scopes/util)
-                    (:alx :alexandria))
+                    (:alx :alexandria)
+                    (:q :lparallel.queue))
   (:export #:action-spec #:define-actions
            #:*root* #:default-setup #:actions 
            #:find-service #:run-services #:setup-services #:shutdown
@@ -57,18 +58,35 @@
 (defvar *root* nil)
 
 ;;; check / fix:
-(defvar *quit-queue* (lparallel.queue:make-queue :fixed-capacity 1))
+(defvar *quit-queue* (q:make-queue :fixed-capacity 1))
 (defun quit-handler (sig)
   (format t "~%quit-handler: got signal ~s~%" sig)
-  (lparallel.queue:push-queue sig))
+  (q:push-queue sig *quit-queue*))
 
 (defclass base-context ()
-   ((actions :accessor actions :initform nil)))
+  ((actions :accessor actions :initform nil)))
 
 (defclass context (base-context) 
-   ((config :reader config :initarg :config)
-    (name :reader name :initarg :name)
-    (services :reader services :initform (make-hash-table))))
+  ((config :reader config :initarg :config)
+   (name :reader name :initarg :name)
+   (services :reader services :initform (make-hash-table))))
+
+(defclass service (context)
+  ((mailbox :reader mailbox :initform (lparallel.queue:make-queue))))
+
+(defgeneric do-start (ctx)
+  (:method ((ctx context)))
+  (:method ((ctx service)) (do-listen ctx)))
+
+(defgeneric do-listen (ctx)
+  (:method ((ctx service))
+    (do ((r (do-step ctx) (do-step ctx)))
+      ((not r)))))
+
+(defgeneric do-step (ctx)
+  (:method ((ctx service))
+    (let ((msg (q:pop-queue (mailbox ctx)))) 
+      (handle-message ctx msg))))
 
 (defun default-setup (cfg &optional (cls 'context) &rest args &key &allow-other-keys)
   (apply #'make-instance cls :config cfg :name (config:name cfg) args))
@@ -79,9 +97,8 @@
       (gethash name services))))
 
 (defun setup-services (&optional (cfg config:*root*))
-  (setf *root* (make-instance 'context :config cfg))
+  (setf *root* (make-instance 'service :config cfg))
   ;(setf (trivial-signal:signal-handler :int) #'quit-handler)
-  ;(setf (trivial-signal:signal-handler :term) #'quit-handler)
   (dolist (c (reverse (config:children cfg)))
     (add-service *root* c)))
 
@@ -93,8 +110,8 @@
    (unwind-protect
      (progn
        (setup-services cfg)
-       ;(do-listen)
-       (lparallel.queue:pop-queue *quit-queue*))
+       (do-listen *root*))
+       ;(q:pop-queue *quit-queue*))
      (shutdown)))
 
 (defun add-action (ctx pat hdlr)
@@ -112,7 +129,7 @@
         (dolist (a (config:actions cfg))
           (add-action child (car a) (cadr a)))
         (setf (gethash (config:name cfg) services) child)
-        ;(do-start child)
+        (do-start child)
         ))))
 
 (defgeneric send (rcvr msg)