diff --git a/input.lisp b/input.lisp
index d529718..65c7d10 100644
--- a/input.lisp
+++ b/input.lisp
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 (+ 1 (+ 1 1) (dave (sam 1)))
 
 (+ 1
-   2
-   3
-   4
+   22.3
+   a
+   3.
+   4.0
    (dave
      1
      2
+     albert-camus
      3
      (sam 3 2 2)))
diff --git a/skeam.go b/skeam.go
index 83e152a..be99895 100644
--- a/skeam.go
+++ b/skeam.go
@@ -7,13 +7,48 @@ import (
 	"os"
 )
 
+type typ3 int
+
+const (
+	invalid typ3 = iota
+	int3ger
+	symbol
+	openParen
+	closeParen
+	str1ng
+	fl0at
+)
+
+func (t typ3) String() string {
+	switch t {
+	case int3ger:
+		return "integer"
+	case symbol:
+		return "symbol"
+	case openParen:
+		return "open_paren"
+	case closeParen:
+		return "close_paren"
+	case str1ng:
+		return "string"
+	case fl0at:
+		return "float"
+	}
+	panic("wtf")
+}
+
+type token struct {
+	lexeme string
+	t      typ3
+}
+
 type stateFn func(*lexer) (stateFn, error)
 
 type lexer struct {
 	input *bufio.Reader
 	cur   []rune
 	depth int
-	out   chan string
+	out   chan token
 }
 
 func (l *lexer) next() (rune, error) {
@@ -21,19 +56,23 @@ func (l *lexer) next() (rune, error) {
 	return r, err
 }
 
-func (l *lexer) emit() {
-	l.out <- string(l.cur)
+// clears the current lexem buffer and emits a token of the given type.
+// There's no sanity checking to make sure you don't emit some bullshit, so
+// don't fuck it up.
+func (l *lexer) emit(t typ3) {
+	l.out <- token{lexeme: string(l.cur), t: t}
 	l.cur = nil
 }
 
+// appends the rune to the current in-progress lexem
 func (l *lexer) append(r rune) {
 	if l.cur == nil {
-		l.cur = []rune{r}
-		return
+        l.cur = make([]rune, 0, 32)
 	}
 	l.cur = append(l.cur, r)
 }
 
+// lexes stuff at the root level of the input.
 func lexRoot(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
 	r, err := l.next()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -41,8 +80,6 @@ func lexRoot(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
 	}
 	switch r {
 	case '(':
-		l.append(r)
-		l.emit()
 		return lexOpenParen, nil
 	case ' ', '\t', '\n':
 		return lexRoot, nil
@@ -50,7 +87,17 @@ func lexRoot(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected rune in lexRoot: %c", r)
 }
 
+func isDigit(r rune) bool {
+	switch r {
+	case '0', '1', '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '7', '8', '9':
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// lexes an open parenthesis
 func lexOpenParen(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
+	l.out <- token{"(", openParen}
 	l.depth++
 	r, err := l.next()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -61,34 +108,84 @@ func lexOpenParen(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
 		return lexRoot, nil
 	case '(':
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the whole (( thing isn't supported yet")
-	default:
+	}
+	if isDigit(r) {
 		l.append(r)
-		return lexOnSymbol, nil
+		return lexInt, nil
 	}
-	panic("not reached")
+	l.append(r)
+	return lexSymbol, nil
+}
+
+func lexInt(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
+	r, err := l.next()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	switch r {
+	case ' ', '\t', '\n':
+		l.emit(int3ger)
+		return lexWhitespace, nil
+	case '.':
+		l.append(r)
+		return lexFloat, nil
+	case ')':
+		l.emit(int3ger)
+		return lexCloseParen, nil
+	}
+	if isDigit(r) {
+		l.append(r)
+		return lexInt, nil
+	}
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected rune in lexInt: %c", r)
 }
 
-func lexOnSymbol(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
+// once we're in a float, the only valid values are digits, whitespace or close
+// paren.
+func lexFloat(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
 	r, err := l.next()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	switch r {
 	case ' ', '\t', '\n':
-		l.emit()
+		l.emit(fl0at)
 		return lexWhitespace, nil
 	case ')':
-		l.emit()
+		l.emit(fl0at)
+		return lexCloseParen, nil
+	}
+	if isDigit(r) {
 		l.append(r)
-		l.emit()
+		return lexFloat, nil
+	}
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected run in lexFloat: %c", r)
+}
+
+// lexes a symbol in progress
+func lexSymbol(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
+	r, err := l.next()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	switch r {
+	case ' ', '\t', '\n':
+		l.emit(symbol)
+		return lexWhitespace, nil
+	case ')':
+		l.emit(symbol)
 		return lexCloseParen, nil
 	default:
 		l.append(r)
-		return lexOnSymbol, nil
+		return lexSymbol, nil
 	}
 	panic("not reached")
 }
 
+// lexes some whitespace in progress.  Maybe this should be combined with root
+// and the lexer shouldn't have a state.  I think wehat I'm doing now is
+// "wrong" but who honestly gives a shit.
 func lexWhitespace(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
 	r, err := l.next()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -98,17 +195,19 @@ func lexWhitespace(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
 	case ' ', '\t', '\n':
 		return lexWhitespace, nil
 	case '(':
-		l.append(r)
-		l.emit()
 		return lexOpenParen, nil
-	default:
+	}
+	if isDigit(r) {
 		l.append(r)
-		return lexOnSymbol, nil
+		return lexInt, nil
 	}
-	panic("not reached")
+	l.append(r)
+	return lexSymbol, nil
 }
 
+// lex a close parenthesis
 func lexCloseParen(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
+	l.out <- token{")", closeParen}
 	l.depth--
 	r, err := l.next()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -122,14 +221,15 @@ func lexCloseParen(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
 			return lexWhitespace, nil
 		}
 	case ')':
-		l.append(r)
-		l.emit()
 		return lexCloseParen, nil
 	}
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("unimplemented")
 }
 
-func lex(input io.Reader, c chan string) {
+// lexes some lispy input from an io.Reader, emiting tokens on chan c.  The
+// channel is closed when the input reaches EOF, signaling that there are no
+// new tokens.
+func lex(input io.Reader, c chan token) {
 	defer close(c)
 	l := &lexer{
 		input: bufio.NewReader(input),
@@ -158,10 +258,10 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	c := make(chan string)
+	c := make(chan token)
 	go lex(f, c)
 
 	for s := range c {
-		fmt.Println(s)
+		fmt.Println(s.t, s.lexeme)
 	}
 }