diff --git a/scopes/core/message.py b/scopes/core/message.py
index 9e79e53..e04a808 100644
--- a/scopes/core/message.py
+++ b/scopes/core/message.py
@@ -6,10 +6,15 @@ from scopes import shape
 
 class Message(shape.Record):
 
-    headFields = ['domain', 'action', 'class', 'item']
+    headFields = ('domain', 'action', 'class', 'item')
+    headFieldsAsKeywords = {'domain', 'action', 'class'}
 
     customer = None
 
-    def __repr__(self):
-        return f'<{self.__class__.__name__}: {self.headValues}, {self.data}>'
+    def addr(self):
+        hv = self.headValues
+        return hv[0], hv[2], hv[3]
+
+    def categ(self):
+        return self.domain, self.head['class']
 
diff --git a/scopes/shape.py b/scopes/shape.py
index 2dc790e..5e198ac 100644
--- a/scopes/shape.py
+++ b/scopes/shape.py
@@ -2,21 +2,20 @@
 
 """really abstract basic data shape definitions"""
 
+from scopes.util import keywords as k
+
 class Record:
 
-    headFields = []     # to be defined by subclass
+    headFields = ()     # to be defined by subclass
+    headFieldsAsKeywords = set()
+    defaultHeadValue = ''
 
     def __init__(self, *headValues, data=None, **kw):
-        self.head = {}
+        self.head = dict((k, self.defaultHeadValue) for k in self.headFields)
         for k, v in kw.items():
-            if k in self.headFields:
-                self.head[k] = kw.pop(k)
+            self.set(k, v)
         for ix, hv in enumerate(headValues):
-            self.head[self.headFields[ix]] = hv
-        for k in self.headFields:
-            if self.head.get(k) is None:
-                self.head[k] = ''
-            setattr(self, k, self.head[k])
+            self.set(self.headFields[ix], hv)
         self.data = data or {}
 
     @property
@@ -26,7 +25,9 @@ class Record:
     def set(self, attr, value):
         if attr in self.headFields:
             if value is None:
-                value = ''
+                value = self.defaultHeadValue
+            elif attr in self.headFieldsAsKeywords:
+                value = k(value)
             self.head[attr] = value
             setattr(self, attr, value)
         else:
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ class Record:
             self.data.update(data)
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return '<%s: %s>' % (self.__class__.__name__, self.asDict())
+        return f'<{self.__class__.__name__}: {self.headValues}, {self.data}>'
 
     def asDict(self):
         return dict(head=self.head, data=self.data)
diff --git a/scopes/util.py b/scopes/util.py
index e28a69a..94a41c9 100644
--- a/scopes/util.py
+++ b/scopes/util.py
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ class Symbols:
         setattr(self, k, sym)
         return sym
 
+    def __call__(self, k):
+        return getattr(self, k)
+
 keywords = Symbols()
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 619ef28..ab0f0ec 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import os, sys
 
 import config
 from scopes.storage import tracking
-import transaction
 
 import pytest
 from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ def storage():
     tr01 = tracking.Track('t01', 'john')
     tr01.update(dict(activity='testing'))
     trid01 = tracks.save(tr01)
-    transaction.commit()
+    storage.commit()
     return storage
 
 def async_client():
diff --git a/tests/test_message.py b/tests/test_message.py
index 21cc86f..fb6b7cf 100644
--- a/tests/test_message.py
+++ b/tests/test_message.py
@@ -4,5 +4,13 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from scopes.core.message import Message
+from scopes.util import keywords as k
+
+def test_message():
+    from scopes.core.message import Message
+    msg = Message(k.test, k.data, 'person', '4711', 
+                  data=dict(firstName='Bob', lastName='Miller'))
+    assert msg.head['class'] is k.person
+    assert msg.addr() == (k.test, k.person, '4711')
+    assert msg.categ() == (k.test, k.person)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_util.py b/tests/test_util.py
index 85599dc..d862b4c 100644
--- a/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/tests/test_util.py
@@ -10,4 +10,6 @@ def test_keywords():
     assert k.dummy is k.dummy
     assert k.dummy is not k.other
     assert getattr(k, "abcd"[-2:]) is k.cd
+    assert k('dummy') is k.dummy
+    assert k('new') is k('new')