diff --git a/mojojojo-bot2.py b/mojojojo-bot2.py
index f1cef4d..4f5aede 100644
--- a/mojojojo-bot2.py
+++ b/mojojojo-bot2.py
@@ -3,32 +3,46 @@ import time
 import re
 import logging
 from slackclient import SlackClient
+import pdb
 
 
 # instantiate Slack client
 slack_client = SlackClient(os.environ.get('SLACK_BOT_TOKEN'))
 # starterbot's user ID in Slack: value is assigned after the bot starts up
 starterbot_id = None
+# channel i care about:
+bot_channel = "bots-like-gaston"
 
 # constants
 RTM_READ_DELAY = 1 # 1 second delay between reading from RTM
 
+
+def reactable_message(event):
+    """Test whether a (Slack) event is a reaction-able message
+
+    Check whether it's not a DM, it's not empty, and it's actually a message
+    """
+    return 'channel' in event and 'text' in event and event.get('type') == 'message'
+
+def get_channel_ID(channelName):
+    for channel in slack_client.api_call('channels.list')["channels"]:
+        if channel["name"] == channelName:
+            return channel["id"]
+    raise Exception("couldn't find channel requested.")
+        
 if slack_client.rtm_connect():  
     while True:
         events = slack_client.rtm_read()
         for event in events:
-            if (
-                'channel' in event and
-                'text' in event and
-                event.get('type') == 'message'
-            ):
+            if reactable_message(event):
                 channel = event['channel']
                 text = event['text']
                 if 'blah' in text.lower():
-                    print(event.get('ts'))
+                    print(event.get('ts')) # does this populate
+                    #pdb.set_trace()
                     slack_client.api_call(
                         'reactions.add',
-                        channel = "bots-like-gaston",
+                        channel = get_channel_ID(bot_channel),
                         name = "thumbsup",
                         timestamp = event.get('ts')
                     )