diff --git a/4coder_API/types.h b/4coder_API/types.h
index 78267994..78210465 100644
--- a/4coder_API/types.h
+++ b/4coder_API/types.h
@@ -691,15 +691,18 @@ STRUCT Query_Bar{
 
 static int32_t CoreVariableIndex_ERROR = -1;
 
-ENUM(int32_t, Lifetime_Type){
-    LifetimeType_View = 0,
-    LifetimeType_Buffer = 1,
+ENUM(int32_t, Lifetime_Handle_Type){
+    LifetimeHandleType_Overlapped = 0,
+    LifetimeHandleType_Buffer = 1,
+    LifetimeHandleType_View = 2,
 };
 
 STRUCT Lifetime_Handle{
-    Lifetime_Type type;
-    View_ID view_id;
-    Buffer_ID buffer_id;
+    Lifetime_Handle_Type type;
+    union{
+        View_ID view_id;
+        Buffer_ID buffer_id;
+    };
 };
 
 ENUM(int16_t, UI_Item_Type){
diff --git a/4coder_default_framework.cpp b/4coder_default_framework.cpp
index 81835268..2ece4ef9 100644
--- a/4coder_default_framework.cpp
+++ b/4coder_default_framework.cpp
@@ -247,10 +247,10 @@ default_4coder_initialize(Application_Links *app, int32_t override_font_size, bo
     load_folder_of_themes_into_live_set(app, &global_part, "themes");
     load_config_and_apply(app, &global_part, &global_config, override_font_size, override_hinting);
     
-    view_rewrite_loc      = create_core_variable(app, LifetimeType_View, "DEFAULT.rewrite"     , (uint64_t)0);
-    view_next_rewrite_loc = create_core_variable(app, LifetimeType_View, "DEFAULT.next_rewrite", (uint64_t)0);
-    view_paste_index_loc  = create_core_variable(app, LifetimeType_View, "DEFAULT.paste_index" , (uint64_t)0);
-    view_is_passive_loc   = create_core_variable(app, LifetimeType_View, "DEFAULT.is_passive"  , (uint64_t)false);
+    view_rewrite_loc      = create_core_variable(app, "DEFAULT.rewrite"     , (uint64_t)0);
+    view_next_rewrite_loc = create_core_variable(app, "DEFAULT.next_rewrite", (uint64_t)0);
+    view_paste_index_loc  = create_core_variable(app, "DEFAULT.paste_index" , (uint64_t)0);
+    view_is_passive_loc   = create_core_variable(app, "DEFAULT.is_passive"  , (uint64_t)false);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/4coder_generated/app_functions.h b/4coder_generated/app_functions.h
index 438442da..a080a579 100644
--- a/4coder_generated/app_functions.h
+++ b/4coder_generated/app_functions.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ struct Application_Links;
 #define VIEW_END_UI_MODE_SIG(n) int32_t n(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view)
 #define VIEW_SET_UI_SIG(n) bool32 n(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view, UI_Control *control)
 #define VIEW_GET_UI_COPY_SIG(n) UI_Control n(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view, struct Partition *part)
-#define CREATE_CORE_VARIABLE_SIG(n) int32_t n(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Type type, char *null_terminated_name, uint64_t default_value)
+#define CREATE_CORE_VARIABLE_SIG(n) int32_t n(Application_Links *app, char *null_terminated_name, uint64_t default_value)
 #define CORE_VARIABLE_SET_SIG(n) bool32 n(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Handle handle, int32_t location, uint64_t value)
 #define CORE_VARIABLE_GET_SIG(n) bool32 n(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Handle handle, int32_t location, uint64_t *value_out)
 #define GET_USER_INPUT_SIG(n) User_Input n(Application_Links *app, Input_Type_Flag get_type, Input_Type_Flag abort_type)
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ static inline int32_t view_start_ui_mode(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *v
 static inline int32_t view_end_ui_mode(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view){return(app->view_end_ui_mode(app, view));}
 static inline bool32 view_set_ui(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view, UI_Control *control){return(app->view_set_ui(app, view, control));}
 static inline UI_Control view_get_ui_copy(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view, struct Partition *part){return(app->view_get_ui_copy(app, view, part));}
-static inline int32_t create_core_variable(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Type type, char *null_terminated_name, uint64_t default_value){return(app->create_core_variable(app, type, null_terminated_name, default_value));}
+static inline int32_t create_core_variable(Application_Links *app, char *null_terminated_name, uint64_t default_value){return(app->create_core_variable(app, null_terminated_name, default_value));}
 static inline bool32 core_variable_set(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Handle handle, int32_t location, uint64_t value){return(app->core_variable_set(app, handle, location, value));}
 static inline bool32 core_variable_get(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Handle handle, int32_t location, uint64_t *value_out){return(app->core_variable_get(app, handle, location, value_out));}
 static inline User_Input get_user_input(Application_Links *app, Input_Type_Flag get_type, Input_Type_Flag abort_type){return(app->get_user_input(app, get_type, abort_type));}
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ static inline int32_t view_start_ui_mode(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *v
 static inline int32_t view_end_ui_mode(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view){return(app->view_end_ui_mode_(app, view));}
 static inline bool32 view_set_ui(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view, UI_Control *control){return(app->view_set_ui_(app, view, control));}
 static inline UI_Control view_get_ui_copy(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view, struct Partition *part){return(app->view_get_ui_copy_(app, view, part));}
-static inline int32_t create_core_variable(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Type type, char *null_terminated_name, uint64_t default_value){return(app->create_core_variable_(app, type, null_terminated_name, default_value));}
+static inline int32_t create_core_variable(Application_Links *app, char *null_terminated_name, uint64_t default_value){return(app->create_core_variable_(app, null_terminated_name, default_value));}
 static inline bool32 core_variable_set(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Handle handle, int32_t location, uint64_t value){return(app->core_variable_set_(app, handle, location, value));}
 static inline bool32 core_variable_get(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Handle handle, int32_t location, uint64_t *value_out){return(app->core_variable_get_(app, handle, location, value_out));}
 static inline User_Input get_user_input(Application_Links *app, Input_Type_Flag get_type, Input_Type_Flag abort_type){return(app->get_user_input_(app, get_type, abort_type));}
diff --git a/4ed.cpp b/4ed.cpp
index 372f80d9..d5a0a229 100644
--- a/4ed.cpp
+++ b/4ed.cpp
@@ -1072,16 +1072,14 @@ App_Init_Sig(app_init){
     
     {
         setup_command_table();
-        
         Assert(models->config_api.get_bindings != 0);
         i32 wanted_size = models->config_api.get_bindings(models->app_links.memory, models->app_links.memory_size);
         Assert(wanted_size <= models->app_links.memory_size);
         interpret_binding_buffer(models, models->app_links.memory, wanted_size);
-        
         memset(models->app_links.memory, 0, wanted_size);
     }
     
-    dynamic_variables_init(&models->view_variable_layout);
+    dynamic_variables_init(&models->variable_layout);
     
     // NOTE(allen): file setup
     working_set_init(&models->working_set, partition, &vars->models.mem.general);
diff --git a/4ed_api_implementation.cpp b/4ed_api_implementation.cpp
index 28820d46..6e2beb05 100644
--- a/4ed_api_implementation.cpp
+++ b/4ed_api_implementation.cpp
@@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ Buffer_Get_Lifetime_Handle(Application_Links *app, Buffer_ID buffer_id)
     Editing_File *file = imp_get_file(cmd, buffer_id);
     Lifetime_Handle lifetime = {0};
     if (file != 0){
-        lifetime.type = LifetimeType_Buffer;
+        lifetime.type = LifetimeHandleType_Buffer;
         lifetime.buffer_id = buffer_id;
     }
     return(lifetime);
@@ -1946,7 +1946,7 @@ View_Get_Lifetime_Handle(Application_Links *app, View_ID view_id)
     View *view = imp_get_view(cmd, view_id);
     Lifetime_Handle lifetime = {0};
     if (view != 0){
-        lifetime.type = LifetimeType_View;
+        lifetime.type = LifetimeHandleType_View;
         lifetime.view_id = view_id;
     }
     return(lifetime);
@@ -2355,26 +2355,24 @@ View_Get_UI_Copy(Application_Links *app, View_Summary *view, struct Partition *p
     return(result);
 }
 
+API_EXPORT Lifetime_Handle
+Get_Overlapped_Lifetime_Handle(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Handle *member_handles, int32_t member_count)
+{
+    Command_Data *cmd = (Command_Data*)app->cmd_context;
+    Lifetime_Handle result = {0};
+    
+    return(result);
+}
+
 API_EXPORT int32_t
-Create_Core_Variable(Application_Links *app, Lifetime_Type type, char *null_terminated_name, uint64_t default_value)
+Create_Core_Variable(Application_Links *app, char *null_terminated_name, uint64_t default_value)
 {
     Command_Data *cmd = (Command_Data*)app->cmd_context;
     Models *models = cmd->models;
     String name = make_string_slowly(null_terminated_name);
     General_Memory *general = &models->mem.general;
-    switch (type){
-        case LifetimeType_View:
-        {
-            Dynamic_Variable_Layout *layout = &models->view_variable_layout;
-            return(dynamic_variables_lookup_or_create(general, layout, name, default_value));
-        }break;
-        case LifetimeType_Buffer:
-        {
-            Dynamic_Variable_Layout *layout = &models->buffer_variable_layout;
-            return(dynamic_variables_lookup_or_create(general, layout, name, default_value));
-        }break;
-    }
-    return(CoreVariableIndex_ERROR);
+    Dynamic_Variable_Layout *layout = &models->variable_layout;
+    return(dynamic_variables_lookup_or_create(general, layout, name, default_value));
 }
 
 internal bool32
@@ -2382,27 +2380,30 @@ get_dynamic_variable(Command_Data *cmd, Lifetime_Handle handle,
                      int32_t location, uint64_t **ptr_out){
     Models *models = cmd->models;
     General_Memory *general = &models->mem.general;
-    Dynamic_Variable_Layout *layout = 0;
+    Dynamic_Variable_Layout *layout = &models->variable_layout;
     Dynamic_Variable_Block *block = 0;
     
     switch (handle.type){
-        case LifetimeType_View:
+        case LifetimeHandleType_Overlapped:
         {
-            View *vptr = imp_get_view(cmd, handle.view_id);
-            if (vptr != 0){
-                layout = &models->view_variable_layout;
-                block = &vptr->transient.dynamic_vars;
-            }
+            NotImplemented;
         }break;
         
-        case LifetimeType_Buffer:
+        case LifetimeHandleType_Buffer:
         {
             Editing_File *file = imp_get_file(cmd, handle.buffer_id);
             if (file != 0){
-                layout = &models->buffer_variable_layout;
                 block = &file->dynamic_vars;
             }
         }break;
+        
+        case LifetimeHandleType_View:
+        {
+            View *vptr = imp_get_view(cmd, handle.view_id);
+            if (vptr != 0){
+                block = &vptr->transient.dynamic_vars;
+            }
+        }break;
     }
     
     bool32 result = false;
diff --git a/4ed_app_models.h b/4ed_app_models.h
index 1771c725..469101a5 100644
--- a/4ed_app_models.h
+++ b/4ed_app_models.h
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ struct Models{
     Live_Views live_set;
     Parse_Context_Memory parse_context_memory;
     
-    Dynamic_Variable_Layout buffer_variable_layout;
-    Dynamic_Variable_Layout view_variable_layout;
+    Dynamic_Variable_Layout variable_layout;
     
     Editing_File *message_buffer;
     Editing_File *scratch_buffer;
diff --git a/4ed_dynamic_variables.cpp b/4ed_dynamic_variables.cpp
index c1166630..94070f27 100644
--- a/4ed_dynamic_variables.cpp
+++ b/4ed_dynamic_variables.cpp
@@ -98,5 +98,9 @@ dynamic_variables_get_ptr(General_Memory *general,
     return(result);
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////
+
+// TODO(allen): // TODO(allen): // TODO(allen): 
+
 // BOTTOM
 
diff --git a/4ed_dynamic_variables.h b/4ed_dynamic_variables.h
index 3de8b14c..df1b1ebc 100644
--- a/4ed_dynamic_variables.h
+++ b/4ed_dynamic_variables.h
@@ -31,6 +31,36 @@ struct Dynamic_Variable_Block{
     i32 max;
 };
 
+////////////////////////////////
+
+union Lifetime_Object{
+    struct{
+        Object *next;
+        Object *prev;
+    };
+    struct{
+        struct Key **keys;
+        i32 count;
+        i32 max;
+    };
+};
+
+union Lifetime_Key{
+    struct{
+        Key *next;
+        Key *prev;
+    };
+    struct{
+        struct Object **keys;
+        i32 count;
+        i32 max;
+    };
+};
+
+struct Lifetime_Allocator{
+    // TODO(allen): // TODO(allen): // TODO(allen): // TODO(allen): 
+};
+
 #endif
 
 // BOTTOM