diff --git a/ingredients/copper b/ingredients/copper
index e7bfdf2..b3fb4b8 100644
--- a/ingredients/copper
+++ b/ingredients/copper
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ check_ports() {
         ADDR=$DOMAIN
     fi
 
-    echo -e "Querying this computer from ${BLUE}${ADDR}${RESET}"
+    echo -e "Querying this computer's network from ${BLUE}${ADDR}${RESET}"
     echo ""
 	install_if_needed nmap
 	nmap -Pn $EXTERNAL_IP > nmap.txt
diff --git a/ingredients/gold b/ingredients/gold
index 59cd2ff..552f1cd 100644
--- a/ingredients/gold
+++ b/ingredients/gold
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # the Bitcoin ecosystem
 
 install_bitcoin() {
-    echo -e "${BOLD}Installing Bitcoin Core${RESET}"
+    say "${BOLD}Installing Bitcoin Core${RESET}"
 
     # We're building bitcoin from source here. It might be slower than
     # downloading the pre-built binaries but this is more reliable
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ install_bitcoin() {
 }
 
 install_lightning() {
-    echo -e "${BOLD}Installing lightningd${RESET}"
+    say "${BOLD}Installing lightningd${RESET}"
     git clone https://github.com/ElementsProject/lightning.git ./lightning
     pushd ./lightning
     git checkout v0.10.2
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ install_lightning() {
 }
 
 install_clboss() {
-    echo -e "${BOLD}Installing clboss${RESET}"
+    say "${BOLD}Installing clboss${RESET}"
     git clone https://github.com/ZmnSCPxj/clboss.git ./clboss
     pushd ./clboss
     git checkout 0.11B
@@ -70,43 +70,49 @@ configure_bitcoin() {
     mkdir -p ~/.bitcoin
 
     AUTHDEETS=$(python3 scripts/rpcauth.py ao)
-    AUTHLINE=$(echo $AUTHDEETS | grep -o rpcauth=ao:[^[:space:]]*[[:space:]])
-    PASSLINE=$(echo $AUTHDEETS | grep -o [^[:space:]]*\$)
+    AUTHLINE=$(say "$AUTHDEETS" | sed '2q;d' )
+    PASSLINE=$(say "$AUTHDEETS" | sed '4q;d' )
+
+    remember "BTC_PASS=${PASSLINE}"
 
     if  [ -f $HOME/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf ]; then
-        echo -e "Looks like you already have a ${BLUE}bitcoin.conf${RESET} file!"
-        echo ""
+        say "Looks like you already have a ${BLUE}bitcoin.conf${RESET} file!"
+        say ""
         cat $HOME/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
-        echo ""
-        echo -en "Would you like to reset it? ${BLUE}(y/n)${RESET}: "
-        read btc_reconf
+        say ""
+        ask_for btc_reconf "Would you like to reset it? ${BLUE}(y/n)${RESET}: "
         case $btc_reconf in
             "y" | "Y")
                 cp resources/sample_bitcoin.conf $HOME/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
-                echo 'Reset bitcoin configuration file'
+                say 'Reset bitcoin configuration file'
                 ;;
             "n" | "N")
-                echo "Cool, we'll leave it as is then".
+                say "Cool, we'll leave it as is then".
                 ;;
         esac
     else
         cp resources/sample_bitcoin.conf $HOME/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
-        echo 'Created default bitcoin config'
+        say 'Created default bitcoin config'
     fi
 
     sed -i "s/BTC_LOGIN/${AUTHLINE}/" $HOME/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
-    echo ""
+    say ""
 
-    echo -en "Next question - do you have 500GB of open memory on this device? ${BLUE}(y/n)${RESET}: "
-    read prune
-    echo ""
+    ask_for prune "Next question - would you like to operate bitcoin in pruned mode? \
+This reduces its file size from ~500GB to something more portable ${BLUE}(y/n)${RESET}: "
+    say ""
     case $prune in
         y | Y)
-            echo "Okay great! We'll leave the bitcoin config it as it is."
+            say "Let's ${GREEN}enable pruning${RESET} to keep the file size down, then."
+            prune_size=0
+            while [ "$prune_size" -lt 550 ]; do
+                ask_for prune_size "How many Mb are you willing to put towards btc? Min 550: "
+            done
+
+            sed -i "s/txindex=1/prune=${prune_size}/" $HOME/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
             ;;
         *)
-            echo -e "Let's ${GREEN}enable pruning${RESET} to keep the file size down, then."
-            sed -i "s/txindex=1/prune=550/" $HOME/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
+            say "Okay great! We'll leave the bitcoin config it as it is."
             ;;
     esac
 }
@@ -115,29 +121,27 @@ configure_lightning() {
     mkdir -p $HOME/.lightning
 
     if  [ -f $HOME/.lightning/config ]; then
-        echo -e "Looks like you already have a ${BLUE}lightning config${RESET} file!"
-        echo ""
+        say "Looks like you already have a ${BLUE}lightning config${RESET} file!"
+        say ""
         cat $HOME/.lightning/config
-        echo ""
-        echo -en "Would you like to reset it? ${BLUE}(y/n)${RESET}: "
-        read ln_reconf
+        say ""
+        ask_for ln_reconf "Would you like to reset it? ${BLUE}(y/n)${RESET}: "
         case $ln_reconf in
             "y" | "Y")
                 cp resources/sample_lightning_config $HOME/.lightning/config
-                echo -e "${GREEN}Reset lightning configuration file${RESET}"
+                say "${GREEN}Reset lightning configuration file${RESET}"
                 ;;
             "n" | "N")
-                echo "Cool, we'll leave it as is then".
+                say "Cool, we'll leave it as is then".
                 ;;
         esac
     else
         cp resources/sample_lightning_config $HOME/.lightning/config
-        echo -e "${GREEN}Created default lightning config${RESET}"
+        say "${GREEN}Created default lightning config${RESET}"
     fi
 
-    echo ""
-    echo -en "Would you like to use clboss to automatically open lightning channels? ${BLUE}(y/n)${RESET}: "
-    read clboss_enable
+    say ""
+    ask_for clboss_enable "Would you like to use clboss to automatically open lightning channels? ${BLUE}(y/n)${RESET}: "
     case $clboss_enable in
         "y" | "Y")
             if ! check_for clboss; then
@@ -146,13 +150,32 @@ configure_lightning() {
             sed -i "s/#plugin/plugin/" $HOME/.lightning/config
             sed -i "s/#log/log/" $HOME/.lightning/config
             echo ""
-            echo -e "${GREEN}clboss successfully configured!${RESET}"
+            say "${GREEN}clboss successfully configured!${RESET}"
             ;;
         "n" | "N")
-            echo ""
-            echo "Sounds good. You might want to open some channels manually to participate in the network!".
+            say ""
+            say "Sounds good. You might want to open some channels manually to participate in the network!".
             ;;
     esac
 }
 
+bitcoin_is_synced() {
+    if [ -f "$HOME/.bitcoin/debug.log" ]; then
+        progress=$(tac ~/.bitcoin/debug.log | grep -m1 UpdateTip | awk '{print $10}')
+        case $progress in
+            *"=1"*)
+                say "Bitcoin is synced!"
+                return 0
+                ;;
+            *)
+                say "Bitcoin is not synced yet"
+                return 1
+                ;;
+        esac
+    else
+        say "Not sure where your bitcoin log is!"
+        return 2
+    fi
+}
+
 GOLD=1
diff --git a/ingredients/lead b/ingredients/lead
index 7ec1159..0089ad4 100644
--- a/ingredients/lead
+++ b/ingredients/lead
@@ -195,6 +195,13 @@ forget() {
 }
 
 remember() {
+    # Optionally choose to output somewhere other than Alchemy/
+    if [ "${2}" = "to" ]; then
+        ENV_LOCATION=${3}
+    else
+        ENV_LOCATION="$ALCHEMY/.env"
+    fi
+
     KEY=$(say ${1} | cut -d'=' -f 1)
     VALUE=$(say ${1} | cut -d'=' -f 2)
 
@@ -202,39 +209,46 @@ remember() {
         say "Keys must consist only of capital letters and underscores"
     fi
 
-    if [[ ! $VALUE =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9/_.:-]+$ ]]; then
+    VALID_CHARS='A-Za-z0-9/_.:=-'
+
+    if [[ ! $VALUE =~ ^[$VALID_CHARS]+$ ]]; then
+        say "illegal VALUE: $VALUE"
+        say "for key $KEY"
         say "Valid characters for env values: letters, numbers, \".\",\"/\",\"_\"",\":\", \"-\"
     fi
 
     # If we're setting a valid key/value pair
-    if [[ ${1} =~ ^[A-Z_]+\=[A-Za-z0-9/._:-]*$ ]]; then
+    if [[ ${1} =~ ^[A-Z_]+\=[$VALID_CHARS]+$ ]]; then
 
-        DOTENV_ENTRY=$(cat .env | grep ${KEY})
+        DOTENV_ENTRY=$(cat $ENV_LOCATION | grep "^${KEY}" )
         # If something already exists and we're trying to set it to something new
         if [ -n "$DOTENV_ENTRY" ] && [ "$DOTENV_ENTRY" != "$1" ]; then
             say "I'm trying to remember ${BLUE}${1}${RESET}, but..."
             say ""
             say "${BLUE}${DOTENV_ENTRY}${RESET}"
-            say "This has already been defined in the .env file!"
+            say "This has already been defined in the $ENV_LOCATION file!"
             say ""
             ask_for overwrite "would you like to overwrite it? ${BLUE}(y/n)${RESET} "
             case $overwrite in
                 "y" | "Y")
                     unset ${KEY}
-                    sed -i "/^${KEY}.*$/d" .env
-                    echo "${1}" >> .env
+                    sed -i "/^${KEY}.*$/d" $ENV_LOCATION
+                    echo "${1}" >> $ENV_LOCATION
                     export ${1}
                     ;;
             esac
         elif [ -z "$DOTENV_ENTRY" ]; then
             unset ${KEY}
-            echo "${1}" >> .env
+            echo "${1}" >> $ENV_LOCATION
             export ${1}
         fi
     fi
 
-    # Once we've made changes, we need to make sure we're up to date
-    source_env
+    # Once we've made changes to the Alchemy .env, 
+    # we need to make sure we're up to date
+    if [ -z "$2" ]; then
+        source_env
+    fi
 }
 
 LEAD=1
diff --git a/recipes/ao.sh b/recipes/ao.sh
index 42132d2..199b535 100755
--- a/recipes/ao.sh
+++ b/recipes/ao.sh
@@ -98,11 +98,11 @@ while [[ -z $AO ]]; do
     case $ao_select in
         "1")
             echo -e "Minimalism, I like it! Proceeding with ${BLUE}ao-3${RESET} installation"
-            AO=3
+            AO='3'
             ;;
         "2")
             echo -e "It's got community! Proceeding with ${BLUE}ao-react${RESET} installation"
-            AO=react
+            AO='react'
             ;;
         *)
             echo "that aint no AO i ever heard of, try again"
@@ -169,7 +169,22 @@ echo ""
 
 # TODO this is really janky/fragile, it would be better to store this in ~/.ao
 CONFIG_FILE=$HOME/ao-$AO/configuration.js
+UNIFIED_CONFIG=$HOME/.ao/env
+if [ ! -f "$UNIFIED_CONFIG" ]; then
+    touch $UNIFIED_CONFIG
+fi
+
+remember "SQLITE_DATABASE=${HOME}/.ao/database.sqlite3" to "$UNIFIED_CONFIG"
+remember "PASSLINE=${BTC_PASS}" to "$UNIFIED_CONFIG"
+remember "PRIVATEKEY=${HOME}/.ao/key" to "$UNIFIED_CONFIG"
+remember "CLIGHTNING_DIR=${HOME}/.lightning/bitcoin" to "$UNIFIED_CONFIG"
+remember "MEMES_DIR=${HOME}/.ao/memes" to "$UNIFIED_CONFIG"
+remember "RENT=0" to "$UNIFIED_CONFIG"
+remember "LIGHTNINGDIR=0" to "$UNIFIED_CONFIG"
 
+say "!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!! I'm exaggerating but this is not going to \
+configure AO properly. It's time that we build out the unified config"
+read
 case $AO in
     "3")
         if [ ! -d ~/ao-3 ]; then
@@ -181,7 +196,7 @@ case $AO in
         else
             cp resources/ao-config $CONFIG_FILE
             sed -i "s#SQLITE_DATABASE#${HOME}/.ao/database.sqlite3#" $CONFIG_FILE
-            sed -i "s#PASSLINE#${PASSLINE}#" $CONFIG_FILE
+            sed -i "s#PASSLINE#${BTC_PASS}#" $CONFIG_FILE
             sed -i "s#PRIVATEKEY#${HOME}/.ao/key#" $CONFIG_FILE
             sed -i "s#CLIGHTNING_DIR#${HOME}/.lightning/bitcoin#" $CONFIG_FILE
             sed -i "s#MEMES_DIR#${HOME}/.ao/memes#" $CONFIG_FILE
@@ -206,7 +221,7 @@ case $AO in
         else
             cp resources/ao-config $CONFIG_FILE
             sed -i "s#SQLITE_DATABASE#${HOME}/.ao/database.sqlite3#" $CONFIG_FILE
-            sed -i "s#PASSLINE#${PASSLINE}#" $CONFIG_FILE
+            sed -i "s#PASSLINE#${BTC_PASS}#" $CONFIG_FILE
             sed -i "s#PRIVATEKEY#${HOME}/.ao/key#" $CONFIG_FILE
             sed -i "s#CLIGHTNING_DIR#${HOME}/.lightning/bitcoin#" $CONFIG_FILE
             sed -i "s#MEMES_DIR#${HOME}/.ao/memes#" $CONFIG_FILE
diff --git a/resources/sample_bitcoin.conf b/resources/sample_bitcoin.conf
index 3454285..a7f16f8 100644
--- a/resources/sample_bitcoin.conf
+++ b/resources/sample_bitcoin.conf
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 proxy=127.0.0.1:9050
 txindex=1
-#prune=550
 listen=1
 bind=127.0.0.1
 disablewallet=1
 zmqpubrawblock=tcp://127.0.0.1:28332
 zmqpubrawtx=tcp://127.0.0.1:28333
+BTC_LOGIN