diff --git a/src/avtk/clipselector.cxx b/src/avtk/clipselector.cxx
index d95360b..4def601 100644
--- a/src/avtk/clipselector.cxx
+++ b/src/avtk/clipselector.cxx
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ void ClipSelector::draw()
       if ( i == special )
       {
         cairo_rectangle( cr, x+2, drawY, clipWidth -1, clipHeight - 3 );
-        cairo_set_source_rgba(cr, 1.0, 0.408, 0.0, alpha);
+        cairo_set_source_rgba(cr, 0.0, 153 / 255.f, 1.0, alpha);
         cairo_stroke( cr );
       }
       
@@ -285,7 +285,8 @@ int ClipSelector::handle(int event)
           Fl_Menu_Item rclick_menu[] =
           {
             { "Load" },
-            { "Beats",  0,   0, 0, FL_SUBMENU },
+            { "Special"},
+            { "Beats",  0,   0, 0, FL_SUBMENU | FL_MENU_DIVIDER },
               {"1       "},
               {"2"},
               {"4"},
@@ -296,8 +297,7 @@ int ClipSelector::handle(int event)
               {0},
             //{ "Record" },
             { "Use as tempo" },
-            { "Special select"},
-            { "Rename" },
+            { "Rename", 0, 0, 0, FL_MENU_DIVIDER},
             { "Clear" },
             { 0 }
           };
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ int ClipSelector::handle(int event)
             EventLooperUseAsTempo e (ID, clipNum);
             writeToDspRingbuffer( &e );
           }
-          else if ( strcmp(m->label(), "Special select") == 0 )
+          else if ( strcmp(m->label(), "Special") == 0 )
           {
             //printf("special selected %i, %i\n", ID, clipNum );
             EventGridSelectNewChosen e( ID, clipNum);
diff --git a/src/controllerupdater.cxx b/src/controllerupdater.cxx
index dcb406c..2f73f7f 100644
--- a/src/controllerupdater.cxx
+++ b/src/controllerupdater.cxx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ void ControllerUpdater::registerController( Controller* controller )
   if (!controller)
     LUPPP_ERROR("Register Controller passed NULL controller!");
   
-  LUPPP_NOTE("Registering controller %s", controller->getName().c_str() );
+  //LUPPP_NOTE("Registering controller %s", controller->getName().c_str() );
   
   // store the controller instance
   c.push_back( controller );
diff --git a/src/diskreader.cxx b/src/diskreader.cxx
index a6c7794..357dff9 100644
--- a/src/diskreader.cxx
+++ b/src/diskreader.cxx
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ using namespace std;
 
 DiskReader::DiskReader()
 {
+  // FIXME: could use a config item of sample location?
+  lastLoadedSamplePath = getenv("HOME");
 }
 
 int DiskReader::loadPreferences()
@@ -266,6 +268,10 @@ int DiskReader::loadSample( int track, int scene, string path )
       // write audioBuffer to DSP
       EventLooperLoad e = EventLooperLoad( track, scene, ab );
       writeToDspRingbuffer( &e );
+      
+      char* tmp = strdup( path.c_str() );
+      lastLoadedSamplePath = dirname( tmp );
+      free(tmp);
     }
     else
     {
@@ -277,6 +283,11 @@ int DiskReader::loadSample( int track, int scene, string path )
   
 }
 
+std::string DiskReader::getLastLoadedSamplePath()
+{
+  return lastLoadedSamplePath;
+}
+
 int DiskReader::readSession( std::string path )
 {
   cout << "DiskReader::readSession() " << path << endl;
diff --git a/src/diskreader.hxx b/src/diskreader.hxx
index 41ecd9e..b060448 100644
--- a/src/diskreader.hxx
+++ b/src/diskreader.hxx
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class DiskReader
     
     /// loads a sample into a new AudioBuffer, returning the buffer
     int loadSample( int track, int scene, std::string path );
+    std::string getLastLoadedSamplePath();
     
     /// reads a session from disk, parsing and restoring state
     int readSession( std::string path );
@@ -51,6 +52,9 @@ class DiskReader
     
     // ui show editor
     int showAudioEditor(AudioBuffer* );
+    
+    // sample load dialog
+    std::string lastLoadedSamplePath;
 };
 
 #endif // LUPPP_DISK_READER_H
diff --git a/src/goptions.cxx b/src/goptions.cxx
index bf5ac6c..f432ef1 100644
--- a/src/goptions.cxx
+++ b/src/goptions.cxx
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ static void selectLoadController(Fl_Widget* w, void* data)
   if ( strcmp( path.c_str(), "" ) == 0 )
     return;
   
-  LUPPP_NOTE("%s","ADD Controller cb");
+  //LUPPP_NOTE("%s","ADD Controller cb");
   GenericMIDI* c = new GenericMIDI( path );
   
   if ( c->status() == Controller::CONTROLLER_OK )
diff --git a/src/gui.cxx b/src/gui.cxx
index 505fb37..ae83812 100644
--- a/src/gui.cxx
+++ b/src/gui.cxx
@@ -246,7 +246,10 @@ void Gui::selectLoadSample( int track, int scene )
   fnfc.title("Pick a file");
   fnfc.type(Fl_Native_File_Chooser::BROWSE_FILE);
   fnfc.filter("Wav\t*.wav");
-  fnfc.directory( getenv("HOME") ); // default directory to use
+  
+  std::string defLoadPath = gui->getDiskReader()->getLastLoadedSamplePath();
+  fnfc.directory( defLoadPath.c_str() ); // default directory to use
+  
   // Show native chooser
   switch ( fnfc.show() ) {
      case -1: printf("ERROR: %s\n", fnfc.errmsg());    break;  // ERROR
diff --git a/src/looperclip.cxx b/src/looperclip.cxx
index e202909..5c9f79d 100644
--- a/src/looperclip.cxx
+++ b/src/looperclip.cxx
@@ -108,10 +108,12 @@ void LooperClip::load( AudioBuffer* ab )
   // set the endpoint to the buffer's size
   _recordhead = _buffer->getData().size();
   
+#ifdef DEBUG_BUFFER
   char buffer [50];
   sprintf (buffer, "LC::load() t %i, s %i, aF %i",track, scene, int(_buffer->getAudioFrames()) );
   EventGuiPrint e( buffer );
   writeToGuiRingbuffer( &e );
+#endif
 }
 
 void LooperClip::setRequestedBuffer( AudioBuffer* ab )
@@ -155,7 +157,10 @@ void LooperClip::recieveSaveBuffer( AudioBuffer* saveBuffer )
   }
   else
   {
-    LUPPP_ERROR("LooperClip @ %i, %i could not save, save buffer too small!", track, scene);
+    char buffer [50];
+    sprintf (buffer, "LC:: %i, s: can't save, buf too small",track, scene );
+    EventGuiPrint e( buffer );
+    writeToGuiRingbuffer( &e );
     Stately::error("");
   }
 }