diff --git a/processing/app/ProcessingApplet.java b/processing/app/ProcessingApplet.java
index 8f988c374..b6d9d1432 100644
--- a/processing/app/ProcessingApplet.java
+++ b/processing/app/ProcessingApplet.java
@@ -73,6 +73,16 @@ public class ProcessingApplet extends Applet
       thread.stop();
       thread = null;
     }
+
+    // kill off any associated threads
+    Thread threads[] = new Thread[Thread.activeCount()];
+    Thread.enumerate(threads);
+    for (int i = 0; i < threads.length; i++) {
+      if (threads[i].getName().indexOf("Thread-") == 0) {
+	//System.out.println("stopping " + threads[i].getName());
+	threads[i].stop();
+      }
+    }
   }
 
 
diff --git a/processing/app/buzz.pl b/processing/app/buzz.pl
index 5e8935191..9ebdc95c4 100644
--- a/processing/app/buzz.pl
+++ b/processing/app/buzz.pl
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ $temp_dir = "buzztemp";
 if (-d $temp_dir) {
     `rm -rf $temp_dir`;
 }
-mkdir($temp_dir, 0777) || die $!;
+mkdirs($temp_dir, 0777) || die $!;
 
 if ($ENV{'WINDIR'} ne '') {
     $separator = "\\";
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ foreach $arg (@ARGV) {
 		$dir = '.';
 	    } else {
 		#print "creating dir $temp_dir$separator$dir\n";
-		mkdir("$temp_dir$separator$dir", 0777) || die $!;
+		mkdirs("$temp_dir$separator$dir", 0777) || die "$temp_dir$separator$dir $!";
 	    }
 	    opendir(DIR, $dir) || die $!;
 	    @dcontents = readdir(DIR);
@@ -215,3 +215,12 @@ sub read_negative {
     }
 }
 
+
+# recursively make directories if they don't yet exist
+# this turned into a hack because i was lazy
+sub mkdirs {
+    my $d = @_[0];
+    $d =~ s/\\/\//g;
+    my $result = `d:\\cygwin\\bin\\mkdir -p $d`;
+    return 1;
+}
diff --git a/processing/todo.txt b/processing/todo.txt
index 942bab330..6f3ca800c 100644
--- a/processing/todo.txt
+++ b/processing/todo.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ processing todo list // last updated 13 september 2001
 PROCESSING - HIGH
 _ processing applet: fill white, stroke black
 _ bk(n), fill(n), stroke(n) should be consistent with tuples
+_ write dist.bat for releases
+_   don't forget to update 'export' dir with processing releases
 _ remove duplicates: LINE/LINES etc
 _ get serial i/o code working in processing
 _   how to kill serial when applet stopped
@@ -25,6 +27,8 @@ _ post new macintosh version
 
 
 PROCESSING - MEDIUM
+_ if 'void' left out before loop or setup, cryptic message about
+_   'constructor loop must be named Temporary_23498_2343'
 _ curves not properly implemented as part of shape architecture 
 _ beginShape(POINTS) is not working, no marks are appearing 
 _ beginShape(LINE_LOOP) is not looping around