diff --git a/rowbot b/rowbot
index 151c3c3..0d7b59d 100755
--- a/rowbot
+++ b/rowbot
@@ -1,5 +1,36 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
+###
+# logger
+###
+
+declare -A levels=(
+  [debug]=1 [info]=2
+  [warn]=3 [error]=4
+)
+
+log() {
+  if [[ -v LEVEL ]] && (( levels[$level] <= levels[$LEVEL] )); then
+    printf "%s: $1\n" "${LEVEL^^}" "${@:2}"
+  fi
+}
+
+debug() {
+  LEVEL=debug log "$@"
+}
+
+info() {
+  LEVEL=info log "$@"
+}
+
+warn() {
+  LEVEL=warn log "$@"
+}
+
+error() {
+  LEVEL=error log "$@"
+}
+
 ###
 # argument parser for parsing arguments
 ##
@@ -35,6 +66,7 @@ done
 # default config
 ##
 
+level=${opts[log-level]:-info}
 server=${opts[server]:-irc.libera.chat}
 tls=${opts[tls]:-no}
 
@@ -78,25 +110,29 @@ recv() {
 ###
 
 while recv line; do
-  params=( ) has_words=no orig_line=$line
+  params=( )
+  has_words=no
+  orig_line=$line
 
-  if [[ $line = :* ]]; then
+  if [[ ${line:0:1} = : ]]; then
     src=${line%% *} src=${src#:}
     line=${line#:"$src"} line=${line# }
     from=${src%@*} ident=${from#*!}
     from=${from%!*} host=${src#*@}
   fi
 
-  cmd=${line%% *} line=${line#"$cmd"} line=${line# }
+  cmd=${line%% *}
+  line=${line#"$cmd"}
+  line=${line# }
 
   while [[ $line ]]; do
-    if [[ $line = :* ]]; then
+    if [[ ${line:0:1} = : ]]; then
       params+=("${line:1}")
       line=""
       has_words=yes
     else
-      params=${line%% *}
-      params+=( "$param" )
+      param=${line%% *}
+      params+=("$param")
       line=${line#"$param"} line=${line# }
     fi
   done
@@ -110,6 +146,6 @@ while recv line; do
   if hash "on_${cmd^^}" 2>/dev/null; then
     "on_${cmd^^}"
   else
-    declare -p line
+    warn "unhandled line: %s" "$orig_line"
   fi
 done