diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 52a1395..fabc1d9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+Call me Terry Davis because... actually please don't. I have visions: aspirations, not hallucinations :p
+
 # bootle
 
 hobby kernel written in rust. It's just for playing around... for now :p
@@ -16,11 +18,18 @@ run with `nix run git+https://git.mtgmonkey.net/andromeda/bootler#bootler`
 +------ 0x00100000 ------+
 | hardware, bios stuff   |
 +------ 0x00080000 ------+
-| free                   |
+|                        |
+|                        |
 +------ 0x00010200 ------+
-| kernel (kernel.asm)    |
+| x86_64 kernel          |
 +------ 0x00010000 ------+
-| free                   |
+|                        |
+|                        |
++------ 0x00009000 ------+
+| IDT                    |
++------ 0x00008000 ------+
+|                        |
+|                        |
 +------ 0x00007E00 ------+
 | bootloader (boot.asm)  |
 +------ 0x00007C00 ------+
@@ -34,7 +43,8 @@ run with `nix run git+https://git.mtgmonkey.net/andromeda/bootler#bootler`
 +------ 0x00002000 ------+
 | PML4T                  |
 +------ 0x00001000 ------+
-| free                   |
+|                        |
+|                        |
 +------ 0x00000500 ------+
 | bios stuff             |
 +------ 0x00000000 ------+
diff --git a/asm/boot.asm b/asm/boot.asm
index 29e807c..5291d58 100644
--- a/asm/boot.asm
+++ b/asm/boot.asm
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ KERNEL_LOAD_ADDR_ES equ 0x1000 ; kernel to be loaded at es * 0x10 + 0x0000
 PAGE_TABLE_LOAD_ADDR equ 0x1000 ; start of page table; 4 * pt size 
 PAGE_TABLE_SIZE equ 0x1000      ; size of page table in bytes
 
+; 64 bit IDT stuff
+IDT_ADDR equ 0x8000 ; bottom of IDT
+IDT_SIZE equ 0x1000 ; size of IDT
+
+IDT_SEGMENT equ 0x0008       ; gdt code segment to jump to for idt calls
+
+; magic numbers and things
 A20_LINE_ENABLE equ 0x2401 ; magic number in ax to enable a20 line with 0x15
 BIOS_INT_DISK_OP equ 0x13
 BIOS_INT_MEMORY_OP equ 0x15
@@ -42,7 +49,7 @@ cld
 ; activate a20
 mov ax, A20_LINE_ENABLE
 int BIOS_INT_MEMORY_OP
-jc error_a20_line
+jc error
 mov si, msg_a20_line
 call print
 
@@ -59,7 +66,7 @@ xor bx, bx
 ; read disk
 mov ah, 0x02
 int BIOS_INT_DISK_OP
-jc error_disk_read
+jc error
 mov si, msg_disk_read
 call print
 
@@ -143,17 +150,11 @@ lm_load:
 
   jmp 0x08:lm_start
 
-error_a20_line:
+error:
   mov si, .msg
   call print
-  jmp done
-  .msg db "err a20 line", 0x00
-
-error_disk_read:
-  mov si, .msg
-  call print
-  jmp done
-  .msg db "err disk read", 0x00
+  .msg db "err ", 0x00
+  ret
 
 done:
   hlt
@@ -172,11 +173,6 @@ print:
     popad
     ret
 
-; TODO make real idt
-empty_idt:
-  dw 0 ; length
-  dd 0 ; base
-
 ; TODO make readable (yoinked from https://wiki.osdev.org/Entering_Long_Mode_Directly)
 gdt_data:
   dq 0x0000000000000000
@@ -201,11 +197,89 @@ lm_start:
   ; set up serial device
   ; TODO poll and whatnot (in rust??)
   mov dx, 0x3F8
+  
+  ; qemu -no-graphic overlaps serial and bios output without this
+  mov al, 0x0D
+  out dx, al
+  mov al, 0x0A
+  out dx, al
+
+  ; initialize IDT at IDT_ADDR
+  call idt_init
+
+  int3 ; silly test
 
   jmp KERNEL_LOAD_ADDR_ES * 0x10
 
+idt_init:
+  ; clear space for idt
+  mov rdi, IDT_ADDR
+  push di
+  mov rcx, IDT_SIZE / 4
+  xor rax, rax
+  cld
+  rep stosd ; clear double word for each rcx
+  pop di
+
+  push rdx ; dx contains the output device
+           ; nothing between here and the `pop rdx` will be able to print
+
+  ; breakpoint
+  mov rdi, 0x8E ; present, no dpl, interrupt
+  mov rsi, 0x03 ; breakpoint interrupt
+  lea rdx, [int_hdl_dummy]
+  call mk_idt_entry
+
+  pop rdx ; get back dx output device
+
+  lidt [idt_descriptor]
+
+  ret
+
+int_hdl_dummy:
+  mov rsi, .msg
+  call lm_print
+  iretq
+  .msg db "INTdummy", 0x0D, 0x0A, 0x00
+
+; rdi =  flags
+; rsi =  entry number
+; rdx -> handler
+mk_idt_entry:
+  mov rax, rdx
+  mov rcx, rsi
+
+  shl rcx, 4 ; offset = entry number * 16
+  add rcx, IDT_ADDR
+
+  mov word [rcx + 0], ax          ; offset
+  mov word [rcx + 2], IDT_SEGMENT ; code segment
+  mov word [rcx + 5], di
+  mov byte [rcx + 4], 0           ; IST (0 = none)
+  shr rax, 16
+  mov word [rcx + 6], ax          ; offset
+  shr rax, 16
+  mov dword [rcx + 8], eax        ; offset
+  mov dword [rcx + 12], 0         ; reserved
+  ret
+
+lm_print:
+  .loop
+    mov al, [rsi]
+    test al, al
+    jz .done
+    out dx, al
+    inc si
+    jmp .loop
+  .done:
+    ret
+
+idt_descriptor:
+  dw IDT_SIZE - 1 ; size
+  dq IDT_ADDR     ; start
+
 msg_a20_line db "a20 line", 0x0D, 0x0A, 0x00
-msg_disk_read db "disk read", 0x0D, 0x0A, 0x00
+msg_disk_read db "disk", 0x0D, 0x0A, 0x00
 
 times 510-($-$$) db 0 ; 2 bytes less now
 db 0x55
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index f942513..18bb65c 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,12 +5,11 @@ use core::panic::PanicInfo;
 
 #[unsafe(no_mangle)]
 pub extern "C" fn _start() -> ! {
-    // 'k'
-    print("kernel\n");
-    loop {}
+    welcome_serial();
+    halt()
 }
 
-fn print(s: &str) {
+fn print_serial(s: &str) {
     let mut bytes = s.bytes();
     while let Some(b) = bytes.next() {
         unsafe {core::arch::asm!(
@@ -20,8 +19,33 @@ fn print(s: &str) {
     };
 }
 
+fn println_serial(s: &str) {
+    print_serial(s);
+    print_serial("\n");
+}
+
+fn welcome_serial() {
+    print_serial(ANSI_PINK);
+    println_serial("\nWelcome to Bootle OS");
+    println_serial("All code GPL licensed and freely available on git.mtgmonkey.net");
+    print_serial("Enjoy your time! Press "); print_serial(ANSI_RED); print_serial("ctrl+a x"); print_serial(ANSI_PINK); println_serial(" to escape Qemu");
+    print_serial(ANSI_CLEAR);
+}
+
 #[panic_handler]
 fn panic(_: &PanicInfo) -> ! {
-    print("panicked");
-    loop {}
+    print_serial("panicked");
+    halt()
 }
+
+fn halt() -> ! {
+    unsafe {core::arch::asm!(
+        "hlt"
+    )};
+    halt()
+}
+
+const ANSI_CLEAR: &str = "\x1b[0m";
+const ANSI_RED: &str = "\x1b[31m";
+const ANSI_PINK: &str = "\x1b[35m";
+const ANSI_GREEN: &str = "\x1b[32m";