diff --git a/README-goreadme.md b/README-goreadme.md
index facff4a..5332004 100644
--- a/README-goreadme.md
+++ b/README-goreadme.md
@@ -131,13 +131,13 @@ Creates a window helpful for debugging this package
 
 `func InitPlugins(names []string)`
 
-### func [LoadToolkit](/plugin.go#L46)
+### func [LoadToolkit](/plugin.go#L50)
 
 `func LoadToolkit(name string) bool`
 
 loads and initializes a toolkit (andlabs/ui, gocui, etc)
 
-### func [Main](/main.go#L127)
+### func [Main](/main.go#L143)
 
 `func Main(f func())`
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ This should not pass a function
 
 `func ShowDebugValues()`
 
-### func [StandardExit](/main.go#L179)
+### func [StandardExit](/main.go#L204)
 
 `func StandardExit()`
 
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ This struct can be used with the go-arg package
 var Config GuiConfig
 ```
 
-### type [Node](/structs.go#L58)
+### type [Node](/structs.go#L60)
 
 `type Node struct { ... }`
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ You get a window
 
 `func Start() *Node`
 
-#### func [StartS](/main.go#L113)
+#### func [StartS](/main.go#L129)
 
 `func StartS(name string) *Node`
 
diff --git a/debugGochan.go b/debugGochan.go
index bfabc9b..a3a45c6 100644
--- a/debugGochan.go
+++ b/debugGochan.go
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ func (n *Node) DebugGoChannels(makeWindow bool) {
 		debugWG.Done()
 	})
 	g.NewButton("close chan", func () {
+		log("close() on", debugNumberChan)
 		close(debugNumberChan)
 	})
 	g.NewButton("print", func () {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 65197be..80923ca 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -104,6 +104,22 @@ func Start() *Node {
 	return Config.rootNode
 }
 
+func doSomething() {
+	log(logNow, "doSomething()")
+}
+
+func watchCallback() {
+	log(logNow, "makeCallback() START")
+	for {
+		log(logNow, "makeCallback() for loop")
+	    	select {
+		case a := <-Config.guiChan:
+			log(logNow, "makeCallback() SELECT widget id =", a.WidgetId, a.Name)
+			sleep(.5) // TODO: remove this. added while under development
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (n *Node) LoadPlugin(name string) bool {
 	StartS(name)
 	Redraw(name)
@@ -129,6 +145,11 @@ func Main(f func()) {
 
 	InitPlugins([]string{"andlabs", "gocui"})
 
+	if (Config.guiChan == nil) {
+		Config.guiChan = make(chan toolkit.Action)
+		go watchCallback()
+	}
+
 	for _, aplug := range allPlugins {
 		log(debugGui, "gui.Node.NewButton() toolkit plugin =", aplug.name)
 		if (aplug.MainOk) {
@@ -140,8 +161,12 @@ func Main(f func()) {
 			continue
 		}
 		aplug.MainOk = true
+		if (aplug.Callback != nil) {
+			aplug.Callback(Config.guiChan)
+		}
 		aplug.Main(f)
 	}
+
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/plugin.go b/plugin.go
index f38559d..f4e97d0 100644
--- a/plugin.go
+++ b/plugin.go
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ type aplug struct {
 	Quit func()
 	// NewWindow func(*toolkit.Widget)
 
+	// sets the chan for the plugin to call back too
+	Callback func(chan toolkit.Action)
+	// NewWindow func(*toolkit.Widget)
+
 	// simplifies passing to the plugin
 	// Send func(*toolkit.Widget, *toolkit.Widget)
 
@@ -83,6 +87,8 @@ func LoadToolkit(name string) bool {
 	// Sends a widget (button, checkbox, etc) and it's parent widget
 	newPlug.Action = loadFuncA(&newPlug, "Action")
 
+	newPlug.Callback = loadCallback(&newPlug, "Callback")
+
 	allPlugins = append(allPlugins, &newPlug)
 
 	log(debugPlugin, "gui.LoadToolkit() END", newPlug.name, filename)
@@ -112,6 +118,25 @@ func loadFuncE(p *aplug, funcName string) func() {
 	return newfunc
 }
 
+func loadCallback(p *aplug, funcName string) func(chan toolkit.Action) {
+	var newfunc func(chan toolkit.Action)
+	var ok bool
+	var test plugin.Symbol
+
+	test, err = p.plug.Lookup(funcName)
+	if err != nil {
+		log(debugGui, "DID NOT FIND: name =", test, "err =", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	newfunc, ok = test.(func(chan toolkit.Action))
+	if !ok {
+		log(debugGui, "function name =", funcName, "names didn't map correctly. Fix the plugin name =", p.name)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return newfunc
+}
+
 func loadFunc2(p *aplug, funcName string) func(*toolkit.Widget, *toolkit.Widget) {
 	var newfunc func(*toolkit.Widget, *toolkit.Widget)
 	var ok bool
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index 94382d7..eec3ccb 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ type GuiConfig struct {
 
 	ActionCh1 chan int
 	ActionCh2 chan int
+
+	guiChan chan toolkit.Action
 }
 
 // The Node is a binary tree. This is how all GUI elements are stored
diff --git a/toolkit/gocui/click.go b/toolkit/gocui/click.go
index 0dadc8b..a43dab4 100644
--- a/toolkit/gocui/click.go
+++ b/toolkit/gocui/click.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ func (w *cuiWidget) doWidgetClick() {
 		} else {
 			w.setCheckbox(true)
 		}
+		w.doUserEvent()
 	case toolkit.Grid:
 		me.rootNode.hideWidgets()
 		w.placeGrid()
@@ -47,10 +48,28 @@ func (w *cuiWidget) doWidgetClick() {
 		}
 		w.placeWidgets()
 		w.toggleTree()
+	case toolkit.Button:
+		w.doUserEvent()
 	default:
 	}
 }
 
+// this passes the user event back from the plugin
+func (w *cuiWidget) doUserEvent() {
+	if (me.callback == nil) {
+		log(logError, "doUserEvent() no callback channel was configured")
+		return
+	}
+	var a toolkit.Action
+	a.WidgetId = w.id
+	a.Name = w.name
+	a.Text = w.text
+	a.B = w.b
+	a.ActionType = toolkit.User
+	me.callback <- a
+	log(logNow, "END:   sent a button click callback()")
+}
+
 var toggle bool = true
 func (w *cuiWidget) toggleTree() {
 	if (toggle) {
diff --git a/toolkit/gocui/main.go b/toolkit/gocui/main.go
index ab50237..6821a82 100644
--- a/toolkit/gocui/main.go
+++ b/toolkit/gocui/main.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"os"
+	"git.wit.org/wit/gui/toolkit"
 )
 
 func Init() {
@@ -27,6 +28,11 @@ func Init() {
 	me.padH = 3
 }
 
+// this sets the channel to send user events back from the plugin
+func Callback(guiCallback chan toolkit.Action) {
+	me.callback = guiCallback
+}
+
 func Exit() {
 	// TODO: exit correctly
 	me.baseGui.Close()
diff --git a/toolkit/gocui/structs.go b/toolkit/gocui/structs.go
index f83622a..8170416 100644
--- a/toolkit/gocui/structs.go
+++ b/toolkit/gocui/structs.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ type config struct {
 	rootNode *cuiWidget // the base of the binary tree. it should have id == 0
 	ctrlDown *cuiWidget // shown if you click the mouse when the ctrl key is pressed
 
-	callback func(int)
+	callback chan toolkit.Action
 	helpLabel *gocui.View
 
 	defaultBehavior bool
diff --git a/toolkit/widget.go b/toolkit/widget.go
index 01215ed..09fd962 100644
--- a/toolkit/widget.go
+++ b/toolkit/widget.go
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ const (
 
 const (
 	Add ActionType = iota
+	User // the user did something (mouse, keyboard, etc)
 	Delete
 	Get
 	Set
diff --git a/watchdog.go b/watchdog.go
index 73248dd..0f649cb 100644
--- a/watchdog.go
+++ b/watchdog.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ var watchtime time.Duration = 100 // in tenths of seconds
 func Watchdog() {
 	var i = 1
 	for {
-		log(debugGui, "watchdog timer is alive. give me something to do.", i)
+		log(logInfo, "watchdog timer is alive. give me something to do.", i)
 		i += 1
 		time.Sleep(watchtime * time.Second / 10)
 	}