diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4863f4d47a..7fe7c38bd8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
     "node-slack": "0.0.7",
     "node-uuid": "^1.4.3",
     "nodemailer": "~1.3.0",
+    "object.assign": "^3.0.0",
     "passport-facebook": "^2.0.0",
     "passport-google-oauth2": "^0.1.6",
     "passport-linkedin-oauth2": "^1.2.1",
diff --git a/public/js/main_0.0.2.js b/public/js/main_0.0.2.js
index 65ec9f170c..1b0e0812a1 100644
--- a/public/js/main_0.0.2.js
+++ b/public/js/main_0.0.2.js
@@ -331,6 +331,8 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
 
   $('#story-submit').on('click', storySubmitButtonHandler);
 
+  // $('#reset-button').on('click', resetEditor);
+
   var commentSubmitButtonHandler = function commentSubmitButtonHandler() {
     $('#comment-button').unbind('click');
     var data = $('#comment-box').val();
diff --git a/server/boot/challenge.js b/server/boot/challenge.js
index 3c7d85f8c8..16e2ba371a 100644
--- a/server/boot/challenge.js
+++ b/server/boot/challenge.js
@@ -31,9 +31,15 @@
  */
 
 var R = require('ramda'),
+  Rx = require('rx'),
+  assign = require('object.assign'),
   debug = require('debug')('freecc:challenges'),
   utils = require('../utils'),
+
+  // this would be so much cleaner with destructering...
   saveUser = require('../utils/rx').saveUser,
+  observableQueryFromModel = require('../utils/rx').observableQueryFromModel,
+
   userMigration = require('../utils/middleware').userMigration,
   ifNoUserRedirectTo = require('../utils/middleware').ifNoUserRedirectTo;
 
@@ -55,6 +61,16 @@ function unDasherize(name) {
   return ('' + name).replace(/\-/g, ' ');
 }
 
+function updateUserProgress(user, challengeId, completedChallenge) {
+  var index = user.uncompletedChallenges.indexOf(challengeId);
+  if (index > -1) {
+    user.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now());
+    user.uncompletedChallenges.splice(index, 1);
+  }
+  user.completedChallenges.push(completedChallenge);
+  return user;
+}
+
 module.exports = function(app) {
   var router = app.loopback.Router();
   var Challenge = app.models.Challenge;
@@ -143,6 +159,7 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
           return elem;
         }
       });
+
     if (!req.user.currentChallenge) {
       req.user.currentChallenge = {};
       req.user.currentChallenge.challengeId = challengeMapWithIds['0'][0];
@@ -201,11 +218,11 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
             challengeId: challenge.id,
             challengeName: challenge.name,
             dashedName: challenge.dashedName,
-            challengeBlock: R.head(R.flatten(Object.keys(challengeMapWithIds).
-                map(function (key) {
+            challengeBlock: R.head(R.flatten(Object.keys(challengeMapWithIds)
+                .map(function (key) {
                   return challengeMapWithIds[key]
                     .filter(function (elem) {
-                      return String(elem) === challenge.id;
+                      return elem === ('' + challenge.id);
                     })
                     .map(function () {
                       return key;
@@ -261,143 +278,124 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
   }
 
   function completedBonfire(req, res, next) {
-    var isCompletedWith = req.body.challengeInfo.completedWith || '';
-    var isCompletedDate = Math.round(+new Date());
+    debug('compltedBonfire');
+    var completedWith = req.body.challengeInfo.completedWith || false;
     var challengeId = req.body.challengeInfo.challengeId;
-    var isSolution = req.body.challengeInfo.solution;
-    var challengeName = req.body.challengeInfo.challengeName;
 
-    if (isCompletedWith) {
-      User.find({
-        where: { username: isCompletedWith.toLowerCase() },
-        limit: 1
-      }, function (err, pairedWith) {
-        if (err) { return next(err); }
+    var challengeData = {
+      id: challengeId,
+      name: req.body.challengeInfo.challengeName,
+      completedDate: Math.round(+new Date()),
+      solution: req.body.challengeInfo.solution,
+      challengeType: 5
+    };
 
-        var index = req.user.uncompletedChallenges.indexOf(challengeId);
-        if (index > -1) {
-          req.user.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now() || 0);
-          req.user.uncompletedChallenges.splice(index, 1);
-        }
-        pairedWith = pairedWith.pop();
+    observableQueryFromModel(
+        User,
+        'findOne',
+        { where: { username: ('' + completedWith).toLowerCase() } }
+      )
+      .doOnNext(function(pairedWith) {
+        debug('paired with ', pairedWith);
         if (pairedWith) {
-
-          index = pairedWith.uncompletedChallenges.indexOf(challengeId);
-          if (index > -1) {
-            pairedWith.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now() || 0);
-            pairedWith.uncompletedChallenges.splice(index, 1);
-
-          }
-
-          pairedWith.completedChallenges.push({
-            id: challengeId,
-            name: challengeName,
-            completedWith: req.user.id,
-            completedDate: isCompletedDate,
-            solution: isSolution,
-            challengeType: 5
-          });
-
-          req.user.completedChallenges.push({
-            id: challengeId,
-            name: challengeName,
-            completedWith: pairedWith.id,
-            completedDate: isCompletedDate,
-            solution: isSolution,
-            challengeType: 5
-          });
+          updateUserProgress(
+            pairedWith,
+            challengeId,
+            assign({ completedWith: req.user.id }, challengeData)
+          );
         }
-        // User said they paired, but pair wasn't found
-        req.user.completedChallenges.push({
-          id: challengeId,
-          name: challengeName,
-          completedWith: null,
-          completedDate: isCompletedDate,
-          solution: isSolution,
-          challengeType: 5
-        });
-
-        req.user.save(function (err, user) {
-          if (err) { return next(err); }
-
-          if (pairedWith) {
-            pairedWith.save(function (err, paired) {
-              if (err) {
-                return next(err);
-              }
-              if (user && paired) {
-                return res.send(true);
-              }
-            });
-          } else if (user) {
-            res.send(true);
+      })
+      .withLatestFrom(
+        Rx.Observable.just(req.user),
+        function(pairedWith, user) {
+          debug('yo');
+          return {
+            user: user,
+            pairedWith: pairedWith
+          };
+        }
+      )
+      // side effects should always be done in do's and taps
+      .doOnNext(function(dats) {
+        updateUserProgress(
+          dats.user,
+          challengeId,
+          dats.pairedWith ?
+            // paired programmer found and adding to data
+            assign({ completedWith: dats.pairedWith.id }, challengeData) :
+            // user said they paired, but pair wasn't found
+            challengeData
+        );
+      })
+      // not iterate users
+      .flatMap(function(dats) {
+        debug('flatmap');
+        return Rx.Observable.from([dats.user, dats.pairedWith]);
+      })
+      // save user
+      .flatMap(function(user) {
+        // save user will do nothing if user is falsey
+        debug('saving user', user.username);
+        return saveUser(user);
+      })
+      .subscribe(
+        function(user) {
+          debug('onNext');
+          if (user) {
+            debug('user %s saved', user.username);
           }
-        });
-      });
-    } else {
-      req.user.completedChallenges.push({
-        id: challengeId,
-        name: challengeName,
-        completedWith: null,
-        completedDate: isCompletedDate,
-        solution: isSolution,
-        challengeType: 5
-      });
-
-      var index = req.user.uncompletedChallenges.indexOf(challengeId);
-      if (index > -1) {
-
-        req.user.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now() || 0);
-        req.user.uncompletedChallenges.splice(index, 1);
-      }
-
-      req.user.save(function (err) {
-        if (err) { return next(err); }
-        res.send(true);
-      });
-    }
+        },
+        next,
+        function() {
+          debug('completed');
+          return res.status(200).send(true);
+        }
+      );
   }
 
   function completedChallenge(req, res, next) {
 
-    var isCompletedDate = Math.round(+new Date());
+    var completedDate = Math.round(+new Date());
     var challengeId = req.body.challengeInfo.challengeId;
 
-    req.user.completedChallenges.push({
-      id: challengeId,
-      completedDate: isCompletedDate,
-      name: req.body.challengeInfo.challengeName,
-      solution: null,
-      githubLink: null,
-      verified: true
-    });
-    var index = req.user.uncompletedChallenges.indexOf(challengeId);
-
-    if (index > -1) {
-      req.user.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now() || 0);
-      req.user.uncompletedChallenges.splice(index, 1);
-    }
-
-    req.user.save(function (err, user) {
-      if (err) {
-        return next(err);
+    updateUserProgress(
+      req.user,
+      challengeId,
+      {
+        id: challengeId,
+        completedDate: completedDate,
+        name: req.body.challengeInfo.challengeName,
+        solution: null,
+        githubLink: null,
+        verified: true
       }
-      if (user) {
-        res.sendStatus(200);
-      }
-    });
+    );
+
+    saveUser(req.user)
+      .subscribe(
+        function() { },
+        next,
+        function() {
+          res.sendStatus(200);
+        }
+      );
   }
 
   function completedZiplineOrBasejump(req, res, next) {
 
-    var isCompletedWith = req.body.challengeInfo.completedWith || false;
-    var isCompletedDate = Math.round(+new Date());
+    var completedWith = req.body.challengeInfo.completedWith || false;
+    var completedDate = Math.round(+new Date());
     var challengeId = req.body.challengeInfo.challengeId;
     var solutionLink = req.body.challengeInfo.publicURL;
-    var githubLink = req.body.challengeInfo.challengeType === '4'
-      ? req.body.challengeInfo.githubURL : true;
+
+    var githubLink = req.body.challengeInfo.challengeType === '4' ?
+      req.body.challengeInfo.githubURL :
+      true;
+
     var challengeType = req.body.challengeInfo.challengeType === '4' ?
-      4 : 3;
+      4 :
+      3;
+
     if (!solutionLink || !githubLink) {
       req.flash('errors', {
         msg: 'You haven\'t supplied the necessary URLs for us to inspect ' +
@@ -406,93 +404,64 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
       return res.sendStatus(403);
     }
 
-    if (isCompletedWith) {
-      User.find({
-        where: { username: isCompletedWith.toLowerCase() },
-        limit: 1
-      }, function (err, pairedWithFromMongo) {
-        if (err) { return next(err); }
-        var index = req.user.uncompletedChallenges.indexOf(challengeId);
-        if (index > -1) {
-          req.user.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now() || 0);
-          req.user.uncompletedChallenges.splice(index, 1);
+    var challengeData = {
+      id: challengeId,
+      name: req.body.challengeInfo.challengeName,
+      completedDate: completedDate,
+      solution: solutionLink,
+      githubLink: githubLink,
+      challengeType: challengeType,
+      verified: false
+    };
+
+    observableQueryFromModel(
+        User,
+        'findOne',
+        { where: { username: completedWith.toLowerCase() } }
+      )
+      .doOnNext(function(pairedWith) {
+        if (pairedWith) {
+          updateUserProgress(
+            pairedWith,
+            challengeId,
+            assign({ completedWith: req.user.id }, challengeData)
+          );
         }
-        var pairedWith = pairedWithFromMongo.pop();
-
-        req.user.completedChallenges.push({
-          id: challengeId,
-          name: req.body.challengeInfo.challengeName,
-          completedWith: pairedWith.id,
-          completedDate: isCompletedDate,
-          solution: solutionLink,
-          githubLink: githubLink,
-          challengeType: challengeType,
-          verified: false
-        });
-
-        req.user.save(function (err, user) {
-          if (err) { return next(err); }
-
-          if (req.user.id.toString() === pairedWith.id.toString()) {
-            return res.sendStatus(200);
+      })
+      .withLatestFrom(Rx.Observable.just(req.user), function(user, pairedWith) {
+        return {
+          user: user,
+          pairedWith: pairedWith
+        };
+      })
+      .doOnNext(function(dats) {
+        updateUserProgress(
+          dats.user,
+          challengeId,
+          dats.pairedWith ?
+            assign({ completedWith: dats.pairedWith.id }, challengeData) :
+            challengeData
+        );
+      })
+      .flatMap(function(dats) {
+        return Rx.Observable.from([dats.user, dats.pairedWith]);
+      })
+      // save users
+      .flatMap(function(user) {
+        // save user will do nothing if user is falsey
+        return saveUser(user);
+      })
+      .subscribe(
+        function(user) {
+          if (user) {
+            debug('user %s saved', user.username);
           }
-          index = pairedWith.uncompletedChallenges.indexOf(challengeId);
-          if (index > -1) {
-            pairedWith.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now() || 0);
-            pairedWith.uncompletedChallenges.splice(index, 1);
-
-          }
-
-          pairedWith.completedChallenges.push({
-            id: challengeId,
-            name: req.body.challengeInfo.coursewareName,
-            completedWith: req.user.id,
-            completedDate: isCompletedDate,
-            solution: solutionLink,
-            githubLink: githubLink,
-            challengeType: challengeType,
-            verified: false
-          });
-          pairedWith.save(function (err, paired) {
-            if (err) {
-              return next(err);
-            }
-            if (user && paired) {
-              return res.sendStatus(200);
-            }
-          });
-        });
-      });
-    } else {
-
-      req.user.completedChallenges.push({
-        id: challengeId,
-        name: req.body.challengeInfo.challengeName,
-        completedWith: null,
-        completedDate: isCompletedDate,
-        solution: solutionLink,
-        githubLink: githubLink,
-        challengeType: challengeType,
-        verified: false
-      });
-
-      var index = req.user.uncompletedChallenges.indexOf(challengeId);
-      if (index > -1) {
-        req.user.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now() || 0);
-        req.user.uncompletedChallenges.splice(index, 1);
-      }
-
-      req.user.save(function (err, user) {
-        if (err) {
-          return next(err);
+        },
+        next,
+        function() {
+          return res.status(200).send(true);
         }
-        // NOTE(berks): under certain conditions this will not close
-        // the response.
-        if (user) {
-          return res.sendStatus(200);
-        }
-      });
-    }
+      );
   }
 
   function challengeMap(req, res, next) {
diff --git a/server/boot/user.js b/server/boot/user.js
index f36fbe56a2..4575a6decf 100644
--- a/server/boot/user.js
+++ b/server/boot/user.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ var _ = require('lodash'),
   crypto = require('crypto'),
   nodemailer = require('nodemailer'),
   moment = require('moment'),
-  //debug = require('debug')('freecc:cntr:userController'),
+  // debug = require('debug')('freecc:cntr:userController'),
 
   secrets = require('../../config/secrets');
 
diff --git a/server/views/account/show.jade b/server/views/account/show.jade
index 0f7add7096..f1edc4d3c7 100644
--- a/server/views/account/show.jade
+++ b/server/views/account/show.jade
@@ -47,88 +47,32 @@ block content
                         .background-svg.img-center
                             .points-on-top
                                 = "[ " + (progressTimestamps.length) + " ]"
-
-
-            .row
-                .col-xs-12
-                    if (website1Title && website1Link && website1Image)
-                        .row
-                            .col-xs-12.col-md-5
-                                img.img-center.img-responsive.portfolio-image(src=website1Image, alt="@#{username}'s #{website1Title}")
-                            .col-xs-12.col-md-7
-                                h3.text-center.wrappable.flat-top= website1Title
-                                a.btn.btn-lg.btn-block.btn-info(href=website1Link, target='_blank')
-                                    i.fa.icon-beaker
-                                    | Try it out
-                        br
-                    if (website1Title && website1Link && !website1Image)
-                        .col-xs-12.col-md-12
-                            h3.text-center.wrappable.flat-top= website1Title
-                            a.btn.btn-lg.btn-block.btn-info(href=website1Link, target='_blank')
-                                i.fa.icon-beaker
-                                | Try it out
-                            br
-                    if (website2Title && website2Link && website2Image)
-                        .row
-                            .col-xs-12.col-md-5
-                                img.img-responsive.portfolio-image.img-center(src=website2Image, alt="@#{username}'s #{website2Title}")
-                            .col-xs-12.col-md-7
-                                h3.text-center.wrappable.flat-top= website2Title
-                                a.btn.btn-lg.btn-block.btn-info(href=website2Link, target='_blank')
-                                    i.fa.icon-beaker
-                                    | Try it out
-                        br
-                    if (website2Title && website2Link && !website2Image)
-                        .col-xs-12.col-md-12
-                            h3.text-center.wrappable.flat-top= website2Title
-                            a.btn.btn-lg.btn-block.btn-info(href=website2Link, target='_blank')
-                                i.fa.icon-beaker
-                                | Try it out
-                            br
-                    if (website3Title && website3Link && website3Image)
-                        .row
-                            .col-xs-12.col-md-5
-                                img.img-responsive.portfolio-image.img-center(src=website3Image, alt="@#{username}'s #{website1Title}")
-                            .col-xs-12.col-md-7
-                                h3.text-center.wrappable.flat-top= website3Title
-                                a.btn.btn-lg.btn-block.btn-info(href=website3Link, target='_blank')
-                                    i.fa.icon-beaker
-                                    | Try it out
-                    if (website3Title && website3Link && !website3Image)
-                        .col-xs-12.col-md-12
-                            h3.text-center.wrappable.flat-top= website3Title
-                            a.btn.btn-lg.btn-block.btn-info(href=website3Link, target='_blank')
-                                i.fa.icon-beaker
-                                | Try it out
-
             .spacer
                 .hidden-xs.hidden-sm.col-md-12
                     #cal-heatmap.d3-centered
                         script.
                             $(document).ready(function () {
-                                setTimeout(function () {
-                                    var cal = new CalHeatMap();
-                                    var calendar = !{JSON.stringify(calender)};
-                                    cal.init({
-                                        itemSelector: "#cal-heatmap",
-                                        domain: "month",
-                                        subDomain: "x_day",
-                                        domainGutter: 10,
-                                        data: calendar,
-                                        cellSize: 15,
-                                        align: 'center',
-                                        cellRadius: 3,
-                                        cellPadding: 2,
-                                        tooltip: true,
-                                        range: 6,
-                                        start: new Date().setDate(new Date().getDate() - 150),
-                                        legendColors: ["#cccccc", "#215f1e"],
-                                        legend: [1, 2, 3],
-                                        label: {
-                                            position: "top"
-                                        }
-                                    });
-                                }, 300);
+                                var cal = new CalHeatMap();
+                                var calendar = !{JSON.stringify(calender)};
+                                cal.init({
+                                    itemSelector: "#cal-heatmap",
+                                    domain: "month",
+                                    subDomain: "x_day",
+                                    domainGutter: 10,
+                                    data: calendar,
+                                    cellSize: 15,
+                                    align: 'center',
+                                    cellRadius: 3,
+                                    cellPadding: 2,
+                                    tooltip: true,
+                                    range: 6,
+                                    start: new Date().setDate(new Date().getDate() - 150),
+                                    legendColors: ["#cccccc", "#215f1e"],
+                                    legend: [1, 2, 3],
+                                    label: {
+                                        position: "top"
+                                    }
+                                });
                             });
                     .row
                         .hidden-xs.col-sm-12.text-center