diff --git a/src/main/gapp.js b/src/main/gapp.js
index 3962a46e..7d07a8b5 100644
--- a/src/main/gapp.js
+++ b/src/main/gapp.js
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ let dbug = self.dbug = self.dbug || {
 
     error: function() {
         if (dbug.level <= 3) return console.trace(since(),'[ERR]', ...arguments);
-    }
+    },
+
+    since
 };
 
 /** empty function. countless possible uses **/
diff --git a/src/main/mesh.js b/src/main/mesh.js
index 31c5432f..bd55f2b6 100644
--- a/src/main/mesh.js
+++ b/src/main/mesh.js
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ function init() {
 
 // restore space layout and view from previous session
 function restore_space() {
+    mesh.api.log.emit(`restoring workspace`);
     let space = moto.Space;
     mesh.db.admin.get("camera")
         .then(saved => {
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ function space_init(data) {
                 case 'KeyH':
                     space.view.home();
                     break;
-                case 'KeyF':
+                case 'KeyR':
                     api.tool.repair();
                     break;
                 case 'KeyT':
@@ -256,7 +257,7 @@ function space_init(data) {
 }
 
 function load_files(files) {
-    // show spinner
+    mesh.api.log.emit(`loading file...`);
     load.File.load([...files])
         .then(data => {
             call.space_load(data);
@@ -265,7 +266,7 @@ function load_files(files) {
             dbug.error(error);
         })
         .finally(() => {
-            // hide spinner
+            mesh.api.log.hide();
         });
 }
 
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@ function space_load(data) {
 // on debug key press
 function space_debug() {
     for (let g of mesh.api.group.list()) {
-        let { center, size } = g.bounds();
+        let { center, size } = g.bounds;
         console.group(g.id);
         console.log({
             center,
diff --git a/src/mesh/api.js b/src/mesh/api.js
index faaab28d..d186c0c5 100644
--- a/src/mesh/api.js
+++ b/src/mesh/api.js
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ let selection = {
     },
 
     focus() {
-        api.focus(selected);
+        api.focus(selection.list());
     },
 
     bounds() {
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ let tool = {
     },
 
     repair() {
-        api.modal.spin(true, 250);
+        api.log.emit('repairing mesh(es)...').pin();
         for (let m of selection.models()) {
             moto.client.fn.model_heal(m.id).then(data => {
                 if (data) {
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ let tool = {
                         data.normals
                     );
                 }
-                api.modal.spin(false);
+                api.log.emit('repair complete').unpin();
             });
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/mesh/build.js b/src/mesh/build.js
index 695e45b9..ec705e3b 100644
--- a/src/mesh/build.js
+++ b/src/mesh/build.js
@@ -69,6 +69,59 @@ let modal = mesh.api.modal = {
     }
 };
 
+// transient logging window bottom/left
+let log = mesh.api.log = {
+    age: 10000, // age out lines more than 10 seconds old
+
+    data: [],   // last n messages
+
+    wait: 3000, // time before windows closes
+
+    lines: 20,  // max log lines before forced-age out
+
+    emit(msg) {
+        let { age, data, lines, render } = log;
+        let now = Date.now();
+        data.push({
+            text: `${dbug.since()} | ${msg}`,
+            time: now
+        });
+        while (data.length && (data.length > lines || now - data[0].time > age)) {
+            data.shift();
+        }
+        return render();
+    },
+
+    hide() {
+        $('logger').style.display = 'none';
+        return log;
+    },
+
+    pin() {
+        return log.show(1 << 30);
+    },
+
+    unpin() {
+        return log.show();
+    },
+
+    // show log window for `time` milliseconds or default
+    show(time) {
+        clearTimeout(log.timer);
+        log.timer = setTimeout(log.hide, time || log.wait);
+        return log;
+    },
+
+    // re-render and show current log messages
+    render() {
+        let area = $('logtext');
+        h.bind(area, log.data.map(rec => h.div({ _: rec.text })));
+        area.scrollTop = area.scrollHeight;
+        $('logger').style.display = 'flex';
+        return log.show();
+    },
+};
+
 // create html elements
 function ui_build() {
     // set app version
@@ -97,11 +150,15 @@ function ui_build() {
         h.div({ id: 'actions' }),
         h.div({ id: 'grouplist'}),
         h.div({ id: 'selectlist'}),
+        h.div({ id: 'logger', onmouseover() { log.show() } })
     ]);
 
-    let { actions, grouplist, selectlist } = bound;
+    let { actions, grouplist, selectlist, logger } = bound;
     let { api, util } = mesh;
 
+    // create slid in/out logging window
+    h.bind(logger, [ h.div({ id: 'logtext' }) ]);
+
     // create hotkey/action menu (top/left)
     h.bind(actions, [
         h.div([
diff --git a/src/mesh/model.js b/src/mesh/model.js
index 2cf34cf2..a23cafee 100644
--- a/src/mesh/model.js
+++ b/src/mesh/model.js
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ mesh.model = class MeshModel extends mesh.object {
             // for debugging matrix ops
             return mesh.api.group.new([new mesh.model({
                 file: `synth-${this.name}`,
-                mesh: data[0]
+                mesh: data
             })]);
         });
     }
diff --git a/web/mesh/index.css b/web/mesh/index.css
index cd6a9343..93ac607d 100644
--- a/web/mesh/index.css
+++ b/web/mesh/index.css
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ button:hover {
 /** modal dialogs **/
 
 #modal_page {
-    background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.5);
+    background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.25);
     justify-content: center;
     align-items: center;
     position: absolute;
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ button:hover {
 
 /** common child look & feel */
 
-#modal_frame, #actions > div, #grouplist > div {
+#logger, #modal_frame, #actions > div, #grouplist > div {
     border: 1px solid gray;
     border-radius: 3px;
     margin: 0 0 2px 0;
@@ -243,6 +243,43 @@ button:hover {
     border-bottom: 1px dashed gray;
 }
 
+/** slide in/out logging window **/
+
+#logger {
+    display: none;
+    color: #88ff88;
+    min-width: 300px;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.5);
+    position: absolute;
+    margin: 0 0 3px 3px;
+    bottom: 0;
+    left: 0;
+}
+
+#logtext {
+    flex-direction: column;
+    font-family: monospace;
+    font-size: smaller;
+    max-height: 5em;
+    min-height: 1em;
+    overflow-y: auto;
+}
+
+#logtext::-webkit-scrollbar {
+  width: 6px;
+}
+
+#logtext::-webkit-scrollbar-track {
+  background: transparent;
+}
+
+#logtext::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
+  border-radius: 3px;
+  background-color: #ddd;
+  border: 3px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.1);
+}
+
 /** action and keyboard menu **/
 
 #actions {