diff --git a/lib/core/actor.ex b/lib/core/actor.ex
index e45d2bf..0355f9f 100644
--- a/lib/core/actor.ex
+++ b/lib/core/actor.ex
@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@ defmodule Scopes.Core.Actor do
   end
 
   def send(ac, msg, delay \\ 0) do
-    Process.sleep(delay)
-    #Process.send_after(ac, {:message, msg}, delay)
-    Kernel.send(ac, {:message, msg})
+    if msg do
+      Process.sleep(delay)
+      Kernel.send(ac, {:message, msg})
+    end
   end
 
   def become(ac, bhv) do
diff --git a/lib/csys/csys.ex b/lib/csys/csys.ex
index 65e10bd..ff6c6e8 100644
--- a/lib/csys/csys.ex
+++ b/lib/csys/csys.ex
@@ -17,12 +17,26 @@ defmodule Scopes.CSys do
     fn msg -> Actor.send(rcvr, op.(msg), delay) end
   end
 
-  # helper functions
+  # message handlers / proc steps
 
   def process(msg, scope) do
     proc(scope).(msg, scope)
   end
 
+  def notify(msg, scope) do
+    Actor.send(env(scope), msg)
+  end
+
+  def forward(msg, scope) do
+    Enum.reduce(syns(scope), false, fn s, _acc -> s.(msg); true end)
+  end
+
+  # synapse operations
+  
+  def noop(msg), do: msg
+
+  # sending shortcuts
+
   def send_message(rcvr, head, data) do
     Actor.send(rcvr, Shape.create(head, data: data))
   end
@@ -31,6 +45,8 @@ defmodule Scopes.CSys do
     send_message(rcvr, [:csys, :data], %{value: val}) 
   end
 
+  # scope access shortcuts
+
   def state(scope), do: elem(scope, 0)
   def proc(scope), do: elem(scope, 1)
   def syns(scope), do: elem(scope, 2)
diff --git a/lib/csys/program.ex b/lib/csys/program.ex
index a86628a..fc1ccee 100644
--- a/lib/csys/program.ex
+++ b/lib/csys/program.ex
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 defmodule Scopes.CSys.Program do
   import Scopes.CSys, only: [
-    neuron: 1, update_neuron: 1, synapse: 3, 
-    syns: 1, env: 1
+    neuron: 1, update_neuron: 1, synapse: 3
   ]
-  alias Scopes.Core.Actor
+  alias Scopes.CSys
 
   defmodule State do
     defstruct [:value, :stage, :prog]
@@ -14,14 +13,13 @@ defmodule Scopes.CSys.Program do
     {state, get_proc(state)}
   end
 
-  def get_proc(stages, stage) do
-    stages[stage] || stages[:default]
-  end
-
   def get_proc(state) do
     get_proc(elem(state.prog, 0), state.stage)
   end
 
+  defp get_proc(stages, stage) do
+    stages[stage] || stages[:default]
+  end
 
   # basic program
 
@@ -62,23 +60,15 @@ defmodule Scopes.CSys.Program do
       #[:csys, :next | _rest] -> next(scope, meta)
       #[:csys, :data | rest] -> process_data(rest, Shape.data(msg), scope)
       #[:csys, action | rest] -> transition(action, scope)
-      _ -> forward(msg, scope) || notify(msg, scope)
+      _ -> CSys.forward(msg, scope) || CSys.notify(msg, scope)
     end
   end
 
   def basic(msg, scope) do
-    forward(msg, scope) || notify(msg, scope)
+    CSys.forward(msg, scope) || CSys.notify(msg, scope)
   end
 
-# processor steps, helper functions
-
-  def notify(msg, scope) do
-    Actor.send(env(scope), msg)
-  end
-
-  def forward(msg, scope) do
-    Enum.reduce(syns(scope), false, fn s, _acc -> s.(msg); true end)
-  end
+# helper functions
 
   def restart({state, _proc, syns, env}) do
     nstate = %{state | stage: :initial}
@@ -92,16 +82,16 @@ defmodule Scopes.CSys.Program do
 #       depending on state and stage (proc) of self, as well as message, env, ...
 
   def create_pred(scope = {state, proc, _syns, env}) do
-    syn = synapse(self(), &Function.identity/1, 0)
+    syn = synapse(self(), &CSys.noop/1, 0)
     new = neuron(restart({state, proc, [syn], env}))
-    notify({:created, new}, scope)
+    CSys.notify({:created, new}, scope)
     update_neuron(restart(scope))
   end
 
   def create_succ (scope = {state, proc, syns, env}) do
     new = neuron(restart({state, proc, [], env}))
-    notify({:created, new}, scope)
-    syn = synapse(new, &Function.identity/1, 0)
+    CSys.notify({:created, new}, scope)
+    syn = synapse(new, &CSys.noop/1, 0)
     update_neuron(restart({state, proc, [syn | syns], env}))
   end
 end