diff --git a/src/case_study.rs b/src/case_study.rs
index d67bd6d..469e198 100644
--- a/src/case_study.rs
+++ b/src/case_study.rs
@@ -12,22 +12,26 @@ pub struct Pending{
     pub recipient: Ipv4Addr,
 }
 
+#[derive(Default)]
 pub struct Sending {
     pub payload: Vec<u8>,
     pub bytes_sent: usize,
-    pub prev: Event<Ipv4Addr>,
+    pub prev: Event<Pending>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Default)]
 pub struct Sent {
     pub ack_req: bool,
     pub prev: Event<Sending>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Default)]
 pub struct Ack {
     pub data: Vec<u8>,
     pub prev: Event<Sent>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Default)]
 pub struct Finished<T> {
     pub prev: Event<T>,
 }
@@ -79,6 +83,7 @@ impl<N, T> Elapsed<(), N> for T
     }
 }
 
+/*
 impl Timestamped for Active {
     fn time(&self) -> DateTime<Utc> {
         use Active::*;
@@ -92,9 +97,10 @@ impl Timestamped for Active {
         }
     }
 }
+*/
 
 macro_rules! event_attr {
-    ($method:ident, $t:ident, $attr:ident) => {
+    ($method:ident, $t:ty, $attr:ident) => {
         fn $method(&self) -> $t {
             use Active::*;
             match self {
@@ -109,10 +115,33 @@ macro_rules! event_attr {
     }
 }
 
-impl Active {
-    event_attr!(id, Uuid, id);
+impl Timestamped for Active {
+    event_attr!(time, DateTime<Utc>, time);
+}
+
+macro_rules! optionally_public_event_attr {
+
+    // note: `vis` is automatically optional, doesn't need 
+    // this will work as-is if there is nothing there
+    
+    ($pub:vis $method:ident, $t:ident, $attr:ident) => {
+        $pub fn $method(&self) -> $t {
+            use Active::*;
+            match self {
+                Pending(event) => event.$attr,
+                Sending(event) => event.$attr,
+                Sent(event) => event.$attr,
+                Acked(event) => event.$attr,
+                FinishedNoAck(event) => event.$attr,
+                FinishedAcked(event) => event.$attr,
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
 
+impl Active {
+    optionally_public_event_attr!(pub id, Uuid, id);
+}
 
 impl From<Event<Pending>> for Active {
     fn from(pending: Event<Pending>) -> Active {
@@ -135,6 +164,90 @@ from_event!(Sending, Sending);
 from_event!(Sent, Sent);
 from_event!(Ack, Acked);
 from_event!(Finished<Sent>, FinishedNoAck);
+from_event!(Finished<Ack>, FinishedAcked);
+
+macro_rules! variant_check {
+    ($f:ident, $variant:ident) => {
+        impl Active {
+            pub fn $f(&self) -> bool {
+                match self {
+                    Active::$variant(..) => true,
+                    _ => false,
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+variant_check!(is_pending, Pending);
+variant_check!(is_sending, Sending);
+variant_check!(is_sent, Sent);
+variant_check!(is_acked, Acked);
+variant_check!(is_finished_noack, FinishedNoAck);
+variant_check!(is_finished_acked, FinishedAcked);
+
+macro_rules! multiple_variant_check {
+    ($f:ident; $($variant:ident),*) => {
+        impl Active {
+            pub fn $f(&self) -> bool {
+                match self {
+                    $( Active::$variant(..) => { true } )*
+
+                    _ => false,
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+multiple_variant_check!(is_finished; FinishedNoAck, FinishedAcked);
+multiple_variant_check!(is_still_unfinished; Pending, Sending, Sent, Acked);
+multiple_variant_check!(anything_but_sent; Pending, Sending, Acked, FinishedNoAck, FinishedAcked);
+
+// needed because Ipv4Addr does not implement Default
+// other event type structs derive Default instead
+impl Default for Pending {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self { recipient: Ipv4Addr::new(127, 0, 0, 1) }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Default for Event<T>
+    where T: Default
+{
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            time: Utc::now(),
+            id: Uuid::new_v4(),
+            event: T::default(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Default for Active {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Active::Pending(Default::default())
+    }
+}
+
+
+macro_rules! new_with_default {
+    ($f:ident, $t:ty) => {
+        impl Active {
+            pub fn $f() -> Self {
+                let inner: Event<$t> = Default::default();
+                Self::from(inner)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+new_with_default!(new_pending, Pending);
+new_with_default!(new_sending, Sending);
+new_with_default!(new_sent, Sent);
+new_with_default!(new_acked, Ack);
+new_with_default!(new_finished_noack, Finished<Sent>);
+new_with_default!(new_finished_acked, Finished<Ack>);
 
 #[allow(unused)]
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -156,5 +269,78 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(pending_active.time(), now);
         assert_eq!(pending_active.id(), id);
     }
-}
 
+    #[test]
+    fn check_generated_methods_for_pending() {
+        let active = Active::new_pending();
+        assert!(active.is_pending());
+        assert!(active.is_still_unfinished());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn generated_method_check_for_variant() {
+        macro_rules! check_for_variant {
+            ($new:ident, $single:ident, $multiple:ident, $not:ident) => {
+                let active = Active::$new();
+                assert!(active.$single());
+                assert!(active.$multiple());
+                assert!( ! active.$not());
+            }
+        }
+
+        check_for_variant!(new_pending, is_pending, is_still_unfinished, is_sent);
+        check_for_variant!(new_sending, is_sending, is_still_unfinished, is_acked);
+        check_for_variant!(new_sent, is_sent, is_still_unfinished, is_finished_noack);
+        check_for_variant!(new_acked, is_acked, is_still_unfinished, is_pending);
+        check_for_variant!(new_finished_noack, is_finished_noack, is_finished, is_still_unfinished);
+        check_for_variant!(new_finished_acked, is_finished_acked, is_finished, is_still_unfinished);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn active_impls_timestamped() {
+        fn tm_plus_42min<T: Timestamped>(x: &T) -> DateTime<Utc> {
+            x.time() + chrono::Duration::minutes(42)
+        }
+
+        let active = Active::new_sent();
+        let t2 = tm_plus_42min(&active);
+        assert_eq!(active.time() + chrono::Duration::minutes(42), t2);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn check_that_vis_can_handle_all_three_possibilities_for_visibility() {
+        pub struct A {
+            x: i32,
+            y: DateTime<Utc>,
+            z: f32,
+        }
+
+        macro_rules! a_attr {
+            ($pub:vis $method:ident, $t:ty, $attr:ident) => {
+                impl A {
+                    $pub fn $method(&self) -> $t {
+                        self.$attr
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        a_attr!(get_x, i32, x);
+        a_attr!(pub(crate) get_y, DateTime<Utc>, y);
+        a_attr!(pub get_z, f32, z);
+
+        let a = A { x: 0i32, y: Utc::now(), z: 1.234f32 };
+
+        assert_eq!(a.get_x(), a.x);
+        assert_eq!(a.get_y(), a.y);
+        assert_eq!(a.get_z(), a.z);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn usage_of_variant_check_example() {
+        let pending = Pending { recipient: Ipv4Addr::new(127, 0, 0, 1) };
+        let event = Event { time: Utc::now(), id: Uuid::new_v4(), event: pending };
+        let active = Active::from(event);
+        assert_eq!(active.is_pending(), true);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index e3db6e5..6f142b2 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-#![allow(unused)]
-//#![recursion_limit = "1000000000"]
-
+//! code examples from "Productive Rust: Implementing Traits with Macros"
+//!
 //! # Examples
 //!
 //! ```compile_fail
@@ -15,7 +14,8 @@
 //! ah_ah_ah_didnt_say_the_magic_word!(x);
 //! ```
 //!
-//! Generic `min` won't compile:
+//! generic `min` won't compile:
+//!
 //!
 //! ```compile_fail
 //! fn min<T>(a: T, b: T) -> T {
@@ -23,17 +23,26 @@
 //! }
 //! ```
 //!
+//! you can't add an i32 with a HashMap
+//!
+//!
 //! ```compile_fail
 //! macro_rules! add_one { ($x:ident) => { $x + 1i32 } }
 //! let b: std::collections::HashMap<String, u32> = Default::default();
 //! add_one!(b);
 //! ```
 //!
+//! you can't match a numeric literal against an $ident
+//!
+//!
 //! ```compile_fail
 //! macro_rules! add_one { ($x:ident) => { $x + 1i32 } }
 //! add_one(42i32);
 //! ```
 //!
+//! you can't generate a dynamic name with an $expr
+//!
+//!
 //! ```compile_fail
 //! macro_rules! make_adder_fn {
 //!     ($n:expr) => {
@@ -45,6 +54,44 @@
 //! make_adder_fn!(42);
 //! ```
 //!
+//! you can't match a $ty to create a struct
+//!
+//!
+//! ```compile_fail
+//! // ty can't be used to create a type, only to refer to one
+//! macro_rules! make_struct {
+//!     ($t:ty, $x:ty, $y:ty) => {
+//!         struct $t {
+//!             pub x: f64,
+//!             pub y: f64,
+//!         }
+//!     }
+//! }
+//! make_struct!(Point);
+//! ```
+//!
+//! code order example - with d present, can't compile
+//!
+//! ```compile_fail
+//! fn a() -> i32 { b() } // this is ok, even though `b` is below
+//!
+//! const B: i32 = b(); // also ok, even though `b` is below
+//!
+//! const fn b() -> i32 { 42 }
+//!
+//! d!(); // not ok
+//!
+//! macro_rules! d { 
+//!     () => { 
+//!         fn spooky_numbers() -> [usize; 6] { 
+//!             [4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42] 
+//!         } 
+//!     }
+//! }
+//! ```
+
+
+#![allow(unused)]
 
 pub mod case_study;
 
@@ -86,24 +133,24 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn generic_max_macro_compiles_and_works() {
-        macro_rules! max {
+    fn generic_min_macro_compiles_and_works() {
+        macro_rules! min {
             ($a:expr, $b:expr) => {
-                if $a > $b { $a } else { $b }
+                if $a < $b { $a } else { $b }
             }
         }
 
         let a: usize = 1;
         let b: usize = 2;
-        assert_eq!(max!(a, b), 2);
+        assert_eq!(min!(a, b), 1);
 
         let c = f64::INFINITY;
         let d = f64::NEG_INFINITY;
-        assert_eq!(max!(c, d), f64::INFINITY);
+        assert_eq!(min!(c, d), f64::NEG_INFINITY);
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn min_with_partial_ord_will_compile() {
+    fn min_with_partial_ord_will_compile_thats_all_it_needs() {
         fn min_that_compiles<T: PartialOrd>(a: T, b: T) -> T {
             if a < b { a } else { b }
         }
@@ -125,7 +172,7 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn im_curious_if_a_randomly_chosen_example_from_little_quote_unquote_black_book_compiles() {
+    fn little_book_example_1_does_it_compile() {
         macro_rules! abacus {
             ((- $($moves:tt)*) -> (+ $($count:tt)*)) => {
                 abacus!(($($moves)*) -> ($($count)*))
@@ -162,7 +209,7 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn how_about_this_example_from_little_book() {
+    fn little_book_example_2_does_it_compile() {
         macro_rules! parse_unitary_variants {
             (@as_expr $e:expr) => {$e};
             (@as_item $($i:item)+) => {$($i)+};
@@ -250,7 +297,7 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn tt_muncher() {
+    fn tt_muncher_does_it_compile() {
         macro_rules! mixed_rules {
             () => {};
             (trace $name:ident; $($tail:tt)*) => {
@@ -302,6 +349,7 @@ mod tests {
         i_need_display_not_debug(p);
     }
 
+    // did not end up using this
     #[test]
     fn example_for_why_you_should_use_fully_qualified_names() {
         pub struct A;
@@ -360,7 +408,6 @@ mod tests {
         }
 
         assert_eq!(the_upside_down(&a), -42);
-
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -378,4 +425,60 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(add_42(42), 84);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn ident_can_be_used_to_create_a_struct() {
+        macro_rules! make_struct {
+            ($t:ident) => {
+                struct $t {
+                    pub x: f64,
+                    pub y: f64,
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        make_struct!(Point);
+
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn std_u32_exmple_works_with_macro_that_has_same_sig_as_uint_impl() {
+        macro_rules! uint_impl_lookalike {
+            ($SelfT:ty, $ActualT:ty, $BITS:expr, $MaxV:expr, $Feature:expr, $EndFeature:expr,
+                $rot:expr, $rot_op:expr, $rot_result:expr, $swap_op:expr, $swapped:expr,
+                $reversed:expr, $le_bytes:expr, $be_bytes:expr,
+                $to_xe_bytes_doc:expr, $from_xe_bytes_doc:expr) => {
+                assert!(true);
+            }
+        }
+
+        uint_impl_lookalike! { u32, u32, 32, 4294967295, "", "", 8, "0x10000b3", "0xb301", "0x12345678",
+            "0x78563412", "0x1e6a2c48", "[0x78, 0x56, 0x34, 0x12]", "[0x12, 0x34, 0x56, 0x78]", "", "" }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn code_order_can_matter_everything_compiles_except_d() {
+
+        fn a() -> i32 { b() } // this is ok, even though `b` is below
+
+        const B: i32 = b(); // also ok, even though `b` is below
+
+        const fn b() -> i32 { 42 }
+
+        //d!(); // not ok
+
+        macro_rules! d { 
+            () => { 
+                fn spooky_numbers() -> [usize; 6] { 
+                    [4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42] 
+                } 
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn optionally_public_event_attr_can_be_used_from_here() {
+        let active = crate::case_study::Active::default();
+        let id = active.id();
+    }
+
 }