diff --git a/fns.h b/fns.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..75806f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fns.h
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#define babble(...) SDL_LogDebug(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define info(...) SDL_Log(__VA_ARGS__)
+#define shit(...) SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define fuck(...) SDL_LogCritical(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, __VA_ARGS__)
diff --git a/readme b/readme
index 3857b77..09f31cc 100644
--- a/readme
+++ b/readme
@@ -6,3 +6,5 @@ i have not tried cross-compiling to windows yet.
 i think it's probably best to use some sort of extension language.
 i want people to be able to create their own pets without having to
 figure out how to recompile.
+
+run it with `SDL_LOGGING=app=debug ./slutpet` for verbose logging
diff --git a/slutpet.c b/slutpet.c
index 49eeca8..e733c20 100644
--- a/slutpet.c
+++ b/slutpet.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <SDL3/SDL_main.h>
 #include "stb_image.h"
 
+#include "fns.h"
 #include "dat.h"
 
 void
@@ -15,21 +16,21 @@ SDL_AppQuit(void *as, SDL_AppResult res)
 	if (st) {
 		if (st->test) {
 			if (st->test->tex) {
-				SDL_Log("free test texture...");
+				babble("free test texture...");
 				SDL_DestroyTexture(st->test->tex);
 			}
 			if (st->test->data) {
-				SDL_Log("free test img data...");
+				babble("free test img data...");
 				SDL_free(st->test->data);
 			}
-			SDL_Log("free test img...");
+			babble("free test img...");
 			SDL_free(st->test);
 		}
-	        SDL_Log("free state...");
+	        babble("free state...");
 	        SDL_free(st);
 	}
 
-	SDL_Log("bye!");
+	babble("bye!");
 	return;
 }
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ SDL_AppEvent(void *as, SDL_Event *ev)
 {
 	switch (ev->type) {
 	case SDL_EVENT_QUIT:
-		SDL_Log("quit requested");
+		babble("quit requested");
 		return SDL_APP_SUCCESS;
 		break; /* unreachable; here for visual symmetry */
 	}
@@ -65,46 +66,41 @@ SDL_AppInit(void **as, int argc, char **argv)
 	State *st;
 	SDL_Surface *sur;
 
-	SDL_Log("init sdl...");
+	babble("init sdl...");
 	if (!SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO)) {
-		SDL_LogCritical(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
-				"sdl init fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
+		fuck("sdl init fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
 		return SDL_APP_FAILURE;
 	}
 
-	SDL_Log("alloc state...");
+	babble("alloc state...");
 	st = SDL_calloc(1, sizeof(State));
 	if (!st) {
-		SDL_LogCritical(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
-				"mem alloc fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
+		fuck("mem alloc fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
 		return SDL_APP_FAILURE;
 	}
 	*as = st;
 
-	SDL_Log("create win+render...");
+	babble("create win+render...");
 	if (!SDL_CreateWindowAndRenderer("slutpet", 320, 240,
 				SDL_WINDOW_TRANSPARENT | SDL_WINDOW_BORDERLESS
 				| SDL_WINDOW_NOT_FOCUSABLE
 				| SDL_WINDOW_ALWAYS_ON_TOP,
 				&st->win, &st->ren)) {
-		SDL_LogCritical(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
-				"win creation fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
+		fuck("win creation fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
 		return SDL_APP_FAILURE;
 	}
 
-	SDL_Log("create test image...");
+	babble("create test image...");
 	st->test = SDL_calloc(1, sizeof(Image));
 	if (!st->test) {
-		SDL_LogCritical(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
-				"mem alloc fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
+		fuck("mem alloc fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
 		return SDL_APP_FAILURE;
 	}
 
 	st->test->data = stbi_load("test.png", &st->test->w, &st->test->h,
 			&st->test->bpp, 4);
 	if (!st->test->data) {
-		SDL_LogCritical(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
-				"mem alloc fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
+		fuck("mem alloc fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
 		return SDL_APP_FAILURE;
 	}
 
@@ -112,19 +108,17 @@ SDL_AppInit(void **as, int argc, char **argv)
 			SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA32, st->test->data,
 			st->test->w * 4);
 	if (!sur) {
-		SDL_LogCritical(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
-				"surface creation fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
+		fuck("surface creation fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
 		return SDL_APP_FAILURE;
 	}
 
 	st->test->tex = SDL_CreateTextureFromSurface(st->ren, sur);
 	if (!st->test->tex) {
-		SDL_LogCritical(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
-				"surface creation fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
+		fuck("surface creation fail: %s", SDL_GetError());
 		SDL_DestroySurface(sur);
 		return SDL_APP_FAILURE;
 	}
 
-	SDL_Log("it work");
+	babble("hi!!");
 	return SDL_APP_CONTINUE;
 }