diff --git a/scopes/core/actor.py b/scopes/core/actor.py
index 49fb885..ad6cdd6 100644
--- a/scopes/core/actor.py
+++ b/scopes/core/actor.py
@@ -2,48 +2,22 @@
 
 import asyncio
 
-QUIT = object()
+from scopes import util
+
+quit = util.Symbol("quit")
 
 async def loop(q, bhv):
     while True:
         msg = await q.get()
-        if msg == QUIT:
+        if msg is quit:
             break
         bhv = await bhv(msg) or bhv
 
-def create(bhv):
+def create(bhv, group=None):
     q = asyncio.Queue()
-    task = asyncio.create_task(loop(q, bhv))
-    return q, task
-
-# interactive tests
-
-async def handle_basic(msg):
-    match msg[0]:
-        case "show": show(msg)
-        case "switch": return handle_alt
-        case _: show(msg)
-
-async def handle_alt(msg):
-    await asyncio.sleep(0.01)
-    match msg[0]:
-        case "show": print('no way')
-        case _: show(msg)
-
-def show(msg):
-    print(msg)
-
-async def main():
-    q, task = create(handle_basic)
-    await q.put(["Hello World!"])
-    await q.put(["switch"])
-    await q.put(["show", "nope"])
-    await q.put(["Hello World!"])
-    await q.put(QUIT)
-    #await task
-    await asyncio.wait([task])
-    #await asyncio.sleep(10)
-
-def run():
-    asyncio.run(main())
+    if group is None:
+        return q, asyncio.create_task(loop(q, bhv))
+    else:
+        group.create_task(loop(q, bhv))
+    return q
 
diff --git a/scopes/shape.py b/scopes/shape.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc7ac9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scopes/shape.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# scopes.shape
+
+"""really abstract basic data shape definitions"""
+
+class Record:
+
+    headFields = []     # to be defined by subclass
+
+    def __init__(self, *headValues, data=None, **kw):
+        self.head = {}
+        for k, v in kw.items():
+            if k in self.headFields:
+                self.head[k] = kw.pop(k)
+        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.data = data or {}
+
diff --git a/scopes/storage/tracking.py b/scopes/storage/tracking.py
index 631dfb6..9d039c5 100644
--- a/scopes/storage/tracking.py
+++ b/scopes/storage/tracking.py
@@ -20,14 +20,14 @@ class Track:
     headFields = ['taskId', 'userName']
     prefix = 'rec'
 
-    def __init__(self, *keys, data=None, timeStamp=None, trackId=None, 
+    def __init__(self, *headValues, data=None, timeStamp=None, trackId=None, 
                  container=None, **kw):
         self.head = {}
         for k, v in kw.items():
             if k in self.headFields:
                 self.head[k] = kw.pop(k)
-        for ix, k in enumerate(keys):
-            self.head[self.headFields[ix]] = k
+        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] = ''
diff --git a/tests/test_actor.py b/tests/test_actor.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0942612
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_actor.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# py-scopes: tests.test_actor
+
+""" Tests for scopes.core.actor"""
+
+import asyncio
+import pytest
+
+from scopes.core import actor
+from scopes.util import keywords as k
+
+collector = []
+
+def show(msg):
+    collector.append(msg)
+
+async def handle_basic(msg):
+    match msg:
+        case k.show: show(msg)
+        case k.switch: return handle_alt
+        case _: show(msg)
+
+async def handle_alt(msg):
+    match msg:
+        case k.show: show('switched')
+        case _: await asyncio.sleep(0.01); show(msg)
+
+@pytest.mark.anyio
+async def test_actor():
+    async with asyncio.TaskGroup() as group:
+        q1 = actor.create(handle_basic, group)
+        q2 = actor.create(handle_basic, group)
+        await q1.put("actor 1")
+        await q1.put(k.show)
+        await q1.put(k.switch)
+        await q1.put(k.show)
+        await q1.put("actor 1: Goodbye")
+        await q2.put("actor 2")
+        await q2.put(k.show)
+        await q1.put(actor.quit)
+        await q2.put(actor.quit)
+        #await asyncio.wait([t1, t2])
+    #print(collector)
+    assert len(collector) == 6
+    assert collector[-1] == 'actor 1: Goodbye'
+
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index fa87504..1d0493b 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -59,5 +59,5 @@ def test_tracking(storage, caplog):
         tr['timeStamp'] = '...'
         assert tr == {'uid': 'rec-1', 'head': {'taskId': 't01', 'userName': 'john'}, 
                       'data': {'activity': 'testing'}, 'timeStamp': '...'}
-        print('\nLogs: ', caplog.text)
+        #print('\nLogs: ', caplog.text)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_util.py b/tests/test_util.py
index cc2c0f6..85599dc 100644
--- a/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/tests/test_util.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # py-scopes: tests.test_util
 
-"""Tests for scopes.util package"""
+"""Tests for the scopes.util package"""
 
 import pytest