diff --git a/reloadBranches.go b/reloadBranches.go
index a2c6024..26937ab 100644
--- a/reloadBranches.go
+++ b/reloadBranches.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
+	timestamppb "google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/timestamppb"
 )
 
 // TODO: make this report the error somewhere
@@ -116,3 +117,57 @@ func ListFiles(directory string) []string {
 
 	return files
 }
+
+func (repo *Repo) ExamineBranches() *GitTag {
+	var hashCheck string
+	all := repo.GetBranches()
+	path := filepath.Join(repo.FullPath, ".git/refs/")
+	for _, b := range all {
+		parts := strings.Split(b, "/")
+		rdir := "heads"
+		if len(parts) == 2 {
+			rdir = "remotes"
+		}
+		fullfile := filepath.Join(path, rdir, b)
+
+		// check if the ref name is "HEAD". if so, skip
+		runeCount := utf8.RuneCountInString(fullfile)
+		// Convert the string to a slice of runes
+		runes := []rune(fullfile)
+		// Slice the last 4 runes
+		lastFour := runes[runeCount-4:]
+		if string(lastFour) == "HEAD" {
+			// assume HEAD is always a valid branch
+			// log.Info("skip HEAD. always valid branch name", fullfile)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		content, _ := ioutil.ReadFile(fullfile)
+		hash := strings.TrimSpace(string(content))
+		if hashCheck == "" {
+			hashCheck = hash
+		}
+		var cmd []string
+		cmd = append(cmd, "git", "show", "-s", "--format=%cI", hash)
+		r := shell.PathRunLog(repo.GetFullPath(), cmd, INFO)
+		if r.Error != nil {
+			log.Log(WARN, "CheckBranches() git show error:", r.Error)
+		}
+		// git show -s --format=%ci <hash> will give you the time
+		// log.Log(REPO, fullfile)
+		if hash == hashCheck {
+			// log.Info("notsure why this git show is here", hash)
+		} else {
+			// log.Printf("UNKNOWN BRANCH %-50s %s %s %s\n", repo.GetFullPath(), r.Stdout, cmd, b)
+			tag := new(GitTag)
+			tag.Refname = b
+			tag.Hash = hash
+			if len(r.Stdout) > 0 {
+				tagtime := parseDateRFC3339(r.Stdout[0])
+				tag.Creatordate = timestamppb.New(tagtime)
+			}
+			return tag
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/reloadTags.go b/reloadTags.go
index 827e1ef..eb4731e 100644
--- a/reloadTags.go
+++ b/reloadTags.go
@@ -81,6 +81,34 @@ func (repo *Repo) reloadGitTags() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// attempt to parse "2024-12-13 15:39:57 -0600"
+func parseGitDate(dateString string) time.Time {
+	// now := time.Now().Format("Wed Feb 7 10:13:38 2024 -0600")
+	const gitLayout = "2006-01-02 15:04:05 -0600"
+	tagTime, err := time.Parse(gitLayout, dateString)
+	if err != nil {
+		const gitLayout2 = "2006-01-02 15:04:05 +0600"
+		tagTime, err = time.Parse(gitLayout2, dateString)
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warn("GOT THIS IN PARSE AAA." + dateString + ".AAA")
+		log.Warn(err)
+		return time.Now()
+	}
+	return tagTime
+}
+
+// attempt to parse strict ISO 8601 format // 2025-01-07T21:22:16-06:00
+func parseDateRFC3339(dateString string) time.Time {
+	tagTime, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, dateString)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warn("GOT THIS IN PARSE AAA." + dateString + ".AAA")
+		log.Warn(err)
+		return time.Now()
+	}
+	return tagTime
+}
+
 // converts a git for-each-ref date. "Wed Feb 7 10:13:38 2024 -0600"
 func getGitDateStamp(gitdefault string) time.Time {
 	// now := time.Now().Format("Wed Feb 7 10:13:38 2024 -0600")