diff --git a/src/consspaceobject.h b/src/consspaceobject.h
index d6d7d56..266c61e 100644
--- a/src/consspaceobject.h
+++ b/src/consspaceobject.h
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@
  */
 #define NIL (struct cons_pointer){ 0, 0}
 
+/**
+ * a macro to convert a tag into a number
+ */
+#define tag2uint(tag) ((uint32_t)*tag)
+
 
 /**
  * An indirect pointer to a cons cell
@@ -96,7 +101,7 @@ struct string_payload {
  * an object in cons space.
  */
 struct cons_space_object {
-  char tag[TAGLENGTH];         /* the tag (type) of this cons cell */
+  char tag[TAGLENGTH];         /* the tag (type) of this cell */
   uint32_t count;              /* the count of the number of references to this cell */
   struct cons_pointer access;  /* cons pointer to the access control list of this cell */
   union {
@@ -104,10 +109,15 @@ struct cons_space_object {
     struct cons_payload cons;
     /* if tag == FREETAG */
     struct free_payload free;
+    /* if tag == INTEGERTAG */
     struct integer_payload integer;
+    /* if tag == NILTAG; we'll treat the special cell NIL as just a cons */
     struct cons_payload nil;
+    /* if tag == REALTAG */
     struct real_payload real;
+    /* if tag == STRINGTAG */
     struct string_payload string;
+    /* if tag == TRUETAG; we'll treat the special cell T as just a cons */
     struct cons_payload t;
   } payload;
 };
diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index 03dc60d..61eaefb 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -13,10 +13,13 @@
 
 #include "version.h"
 #include "conspage.h"
+#include "consspaceobject.h"
 
 int main (int argc, char *argv[]) {
   printf( "Post scarcity software environment version %s\n", VERSION);
   conspagesinit();
 
+  // printf( "Tag2uint(\"FREE\") = %d\n", tag2uint("FREE"));
+  
   return(0);
 }