diff --git a/brain/data/Navigation.js b/brain/data/Navigation.js
index b3700b2..df15b4c 100644
--- a/brain/data/Navigation.js
+++ b/brain/data/Navigation.js
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import * as DataEvent from '../../src/com/events/DataEvent';
-const settings = require('../../site/settings.json');
+import Settings, { SETTINGS_FILE } from './Settings';
+const settings = new Settings();
+//const settings = require('../../site/settings.json');
 
 export default class Navigation {
 	//--------------------------
@@ -39,11 +41,11 @@ export default class Navigation {
 			case DataEvent.MENU_ADD_ITEM:
 				break;
 			case DataEvent.MENU_DELETE_ITEM:
-				fs.readJSON('site/settings.json').then(settings => {
+				settings.load(SETTINGS_FILE).then(settings => {
 					settings.menu = _.remove(settings.menu, m => {
 						return m.uuid != item.uuid;
 					});
-					fs.writeJSON('site/settings.json', settings);
+					fs.writeJSON(SETTINGS_FILE, settings);
 				});
 				break;
 		}
diff --git a/brain/data/Render.js b/brain/data/Render.js
index dde337a..a6e0a89 100644
--- a/brain/data/Render.js
+++ b/brain/data/Render.js
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 import * as DataEvent from '../../src/com/events/DataEvent';
 import StringUtils from '../../src/com/utils/StringUtils';
+import Settings, { SETTINGS_FILE, SETTINGS_TAG } from './Settings';
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
 import sanitize from 'sanitize-html';
-const config = require('../../site/settings.json');
-const tags_list = require('../../site/tags.json');
 const pug = require('pug');
 const md = require('markdown-it')('commonmark');
 const _ = require('lodash');
 const moment = require('moment');
+const settings = new Settings();
 
 export default class Render {
 	//--------------------------
@@ -26,138 +26,186 @@ export default class Render {
 	 */
 	publishAll(pages, theme) {
 		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-			let response = [];
-			let count = _.filter(pages, page => {
-				return page.metadata.deleted === false;
-			}).length;
-			let rendered = 0;
-			for (let index = 0; index < pages.length; index++) {
-				const page = pages[index];
-				if (page.metadata.deleted === false) {
-					let writeFile, template;
-					let path =
-						'public/' +
-						moment(page.metadata.created).format('YYYY') +
-						'/' +
-						moment(page.metadata.created).format('MM') +
-						'/';
-					if (page.metadata.layout === 'index') {
-						template = 'content/themes/' + theme + '/index.pug';
-						writeFile = 'public/index.html';
-					} else {
-						writeFile = path + page.metadata.slug + '.html';
-						template = 'content/themes/' + theme + '/page.pug';
-					}
+			settings
+				.load(SETTINGS_FILE)
+				.then(config => {
+					let response = [];
+					let count = _.filter(pages, page => {
+						return page.metadata.deleted === false;
+					}).length;
+					let rendered = 0;
+					for (let index = 0; index < pages.length; index++) {
+						const page = pages[index];
+						if (page.metadata.deleted === false) {
+							let writeFile, template;
+							let path =
+								'public/' +
+								moment(page.metadata.created).format('YYYY') +
+								'/' +
+								moment(page.metadata.created).format('MM') +
+								'/';
+							if (page.metadata.layout === 'index') {
+								template = 'content/themes/' + theme + '/index.pug';
+								writeFile = 'public/index.html';
+							} else {
+								writeFile = path + page.metadata.slug + '.html';
+								template = 'content/themes/' + theme + '/page.pug';
+							}
+
+							let buffed = sanitize(page.content, {
+								allowedTags: ['del', 'a', 'iframe', 'img'],
+								allowedAttributes: {
+									a: ['href', 'name', 'target'],
+									img: ['src'],
+									iframe: [
+										'height',
+										'width',
+										'src',
+										'frameborder',
+										'allow',
+										'allowfullscreen'
+									]
+								}
+							});
+
+							buffed = new StringUtils().decodeHTML(buffed);
+							let html = md.render(buffed, { html: true, xhtmlOut: true });
+							let file = pug.renderFile(template, {
+								title: page.metadata.title,
+								default_bg: page.metadata.feature,
+								content: html,
+								tags: page.metadata.tags,
+								menu: config.menu
+							});
 
-					let buffed = sanitize(page.content, {
-						allowedTags: ['del', 'a', 'iframe', 'img'],
-						allowedAttributes: {
-							a: ['href', 'name', 'target'],
-							img: ['src'],
-							iframe: [
-								'height',
-								'width',
-								'src',
-								'frameborder',
-								'allow',
-								'allowfullscreen'
-							]
+							fs.ensureDir(path).then(() => {
+								fs.writeFile(writeFile, file, err => {
+									// throws an error, you could also catch it here
+									if (err) {
+										response = {
+											type: DataEvent.PAGES_NOT_RENDERED,
+											message: err
+										};
+										reject(response);
+									}
+
+									// success case, the file was saved
+								});
+							});
+							rendered = ++rendered;
+							if (rendered === count) {
+								response = {
+									type: DataEvent.PAGES_RENDERED,
+									message: 'All Pages Rendered. Sweet.'
+								};
+								resolve(response);
+							}
+						} else {
+							//don't render delete pages
 						}
-					});
+					}
+				})
+				.catch(err => {
+					reject(err);
+				});
+		});
+	}
+	publishTags(pages) {
+		let self = this;
+		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+			self.loadRenderData()
+				.then(result => {
+					let tags = result.tags.tags;
+					let renderList = [];
+					for (let index = 0; index < tags.length; index++) {
+						let tag = tags[index];
+						//console.log('**TAG**', tag.tag_name);
+						var pageList = [];
+						for (let i = 0; i < pages.length; i++) {
+							let page = pages[i];
 
-					buffed = new StringUtils().decodeHTML(buffed);
-					let html = md.render(buffed, { html: true, xhtmlOut: true });
-					let file = pug.renderFile(template, {
-						title: page.metadata.title,
-						default_bg: page.metadata.feature,
-						content: html,
-						tags: page.metadata.tags,
-						menu: config.menu
-					});
+							if (_.includes(page.metadata.tags, tag.tag_name)) {
+								pageList.push({
+									title: page.metadata.title,
+									slug: page.metadata.slug
+								});
+							}
+						}
+						renderList.push({ tag: tag.tag_name, tag_list: pageList, slug: tag.slug });
+					}
+					let response = [];
+					for (let index = 0; index < renderList.length; index++) {
+						let item = renderList[index];
+						let file = pug.renderFile(
+							'content/themes/' + result.settings.global.theme + '/tags.pug',
+							{
+								title: item.tag,
+								default_bg: result.settings.global.background,
+								content_tags: 'THESE ARE TAGS',
+								tag_list: item.tag_list
+							}
+						);
 
-					fs.ensureDir(path).then(() => {
-						fs.writeFile(writeFile, file, err => {
+						fs.writeFile('public/tags/' + item.slug + '.html', file, err => {
 							// throws an error, you could also catch it here
 							if (err) {
-								response = { type: DataEvent.PAGES_NOT_RENDERED, message: err };
+								response = { type: DataEvent.TAG_PAGES_NOT_RENDERED, message: err };
 								reject(response);
 							}
-
 							// success case, the file was saved
+							response = {
+								type: DataEvent.TAG_PAGES_RENDERED,
+								message: 'Tag Pages ready to go. Good job.'
+							};
+							resolve(response);
 						});
-					});
-					rendered = ++rendered;
-					if (rendered === count) {
-						response = {
-							type: DataEvent.PAGES_RENDERED,
-							message: 'All Pages Rendered. Sweet.'
-						};
-						resolve(response);
 					}
-				} else {
-					//don't render delete pages
-				}
-			}
+				})
+				.catch(err => {
+					reject(err);
+				});
 		});
 	}
-	publishTags(pages) {
-		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-			let tags = tags_list.tags;
-			let renderList = [];
-			for (let index = 0; index < tags.length; index++) {
-				let tag = tags[index];
-				//console.log('**TAG**', tag.tag_name);
-				var pageList = [];
-				for (let i = 0; i < pages.length; i++) {
-					let page = pages[i];
-
-					if (_.includes(page.metadata.tags, tag.tag_name)) {
-						pageList.push({ title: page.metadata.title, slug: page.metadata.slug });
+	publishArchive(archive) {
+		settings
+			.load(SETTINGS_FILE)
+			.then(settings => {
+				let file = pug.renderFile(
+					'content/themes/' + settings.global.theme + '/archive.pug',
+					{
+						title: 'ARCHIVES',
+						default_bg: settings.global.background,
+						content_tags: 'COLD STORAGE',
+						archives: archive
 					}
-				}
-				renderList.push({ tag: tag.tag_name, tag_list: pageList, slug: tag.slug });
-			}
-			let response = [];
-			for (let index = 0; index < renderList.length; index++) {
-				let item = renderList[index];
-				let file = pug.renderFile('content/themes/' + config.global.theme + '/tags.pug', {
-					title: item.tag,
-					default_bg: config.global.background,
-					content_tags: 'THESE ARE TAGS',
-					tag_list: item.tag_list
-				});
+				);
 
-				fs.writeFile('public/tags/' + item.slug + '.html', file, err => {
+				fs.writeFile('public/archives.html', file, err => {
 					// throws an error, you could also catch it here
 					if (err) {
-						response = { type: DataEvent.TAG_PAGES_NOT_RENDERED, message: err };
-						reject(response);
+						console.log('ERROR', err);
+						//response = { type: DataEvent.TAG_PAGES_NOT_RENDERED, message: err };
 					}
 					// success case, the file was saved
-					response = {
-						type: DataEvent.TAG_PAGES_RENDERED,
-						message: 'Tag Pages ready to go. Good job.'
-					};
-					resolve(response);
 				});
-			}
-		});
+			})
+			.catch(err => {
+				console.log(err);
+			});
 	}
-	publishArchive(archive) {
-		let file = pug.renderFile('content/themes/' + config.global.theme + '/archive.pug', {
-			title: 'ARCHIVES',
-			default_bg: config.global.background,
-			content_tags: 'COLD STORAGE',
-			archives: archive
-		});
-
-		fs.writeFile('public/archives.html', file, err => {
-			// throws an error, you could also catch it here
-			if (err) {
-				console.log('ERROR', err);
-				//response = { type: DataEvent.TAG_PAGES_NOT_RENDERED, message: err };
-			}
-			// success case, the file was saved
+	loadRenderData() {
+		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+			let getSettings = settings.load(SETTINGS_FILE);
+			let getTags = settings.load(SETTINGS_TAG);
+			Promise.all([getSettings, getTags])
+				.then(result => {
+					const [settings, tags] = result;
+					let data = { settings: settings, tags: tags };
+					resolve(data);
+				})
+				.catch(err => {
+					reject(err);
+				});
 		});
 	}
 
diff --git a/brain/data/Settings.js b/brain/data/Settings.js
index c769fee..2a026f5 100644
--- a/brain/data/Settings.js
+++ b/brain/data/Settings.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import * as DataEvent from '../../src/com/events/DataEvent';
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
-const settings = require('../../site/settings.json');
-const folks = require('../../site/folks.json');
-const config = require('../../site/tags.json');
 const _ = require('lodash');
+export const SETTINGS_FILE = 'site/settings.json';
+export const SETTINGS_FOLKS = 'site/folks.json';
+export const SETTINGS_TAG = 'site/tags.json';
 
 export default class Settings {
 	//--------------------------
@@ -14,87 +14,101 @@ export default class Settings {
 	// methods
 	//--------------------------
 	sync(req) {
+		let self = this;
 		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-			let payload = req.body;
-			let user = req.session.user;
-			let found = _.find(folks, { id: user.id });
-			let needToUpdate = false;
-			let response = [];
-			if (found) {
-				let index = found.id - 1;
-				if (
-					folks[index].handle != payload.member.handle ||
-					folks[index].email != payload.member.email
-				) {
-					folks[index].handle = payload.member.handle;
-					folks[index].email = payload.member.email;
-					fs.writeJson('site/folks.json', folks);
-				} else {
-					//no need to save
-				}
-			} else {
-				let response = {
-					type: DataEvent.REQUEST_LAME,
-					message: "You're not logged in, champ"
-				};
-				reject(response);
-			}
+			self.loadConfigData()
+				.then(result => {
+					let payload = req.body;
+					let user = req.session.user;
+					let found = _.find(result.folks, { id: user.id });
+					let needToUpdate = false;
+					let response = [];
+					if (found) {
+						let index = found.id - 1;
+						if (
+							result.folks[index].handle != payload.member.handle ||
+							result.folks[index].email != payload.member.email
+						) {
+							result.folks[index].handle = payload.member.handle;
+							result.folks[index].email = payload.member.email;
+							fs.writeJson('site/folks.json', result.folks);
+						} else {
+							//no need to save
+						}
+					} else {
+						let response = {
+							type: DataEvent.REQUEST_LAME,
+							message: "You're not logged in, champ"
+						};
+						reject(response);
+					}
 
-			if (!_.isEqual(settings.global, payload.global)) {
-				let bg = payload.global.background;
-				payload.global.background = bg.substr(21, bg.length);
-				settings.global = payload.global;
-				needToUpdate = true;
-			} else {
-				//no need to save
-			}
+					if (!_.isEqual(result.settings.global, payload.global)) {
+						let bg = payload.global.background;
+						payload.global.background = bg.substr(21, bg.length);
+						result.settings.global = payload.global;
+						needToUpdate = true;
+					} else {
+						//no need to save
+					}
 
-			if (!_.isEqual(settings.email, payload.email)) {
-				settings.email = payload.email;
-				needToUpdate = true;
-			} else {
-				//no need to save
-			}
+					if (!_.isEqual(result.settings.email, payload.email)) {
+						result.settings.email = payload.email;
+						needToUpdate = true;
+					} else {
+						//no need to save
+					}
 
-			if (needToUpdate) {
-				fs.writeJson('site/settings.json', settings)
-					.then(() => {
-						response = {
-							type: DataEvent.SETTINGS_UPDATED,
-							message: 'Settings Saved'
-						};
-						resolve(response);
-					})
-					.catch(() => {
-						//console.error(err);
-					});
-			} else {
-				//no need to update
-			}
+					if (needToUpdate) {
+						fs.writeJson('site/settings.json', result.settings)
+							.then(() => {
+								response = {
+									type: DataEvent.SETTINGS_UPDATED,
+									message: 'Settings Saved'
+								};
+								resolve(response);
+							})
+							.catch(() => {
+								//console.error(err);
+							});
+					} else {
+						//no need to update
+					}
+				})
+				.catch(err => {
+					reject(err);
+				});
 		});
 	}
 	saveTags(tags) {
+		let self = this;
 		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-			if (!_.isEqual(config.tags, tags)) {
-				config.tags = tags;
-				fs.writeJson('site/tags.json', config)
-					.then(() => {
+			self.load(SETTINGS_TAG)
+				.then(config => {
+					if (!_.isEqual(config.tags, tags)) {
+						config.tags = tags;
+						fs.writeJson('site/tags.json', config)
+							.then(() => {
+								let response = {
+									type: DataEvent.SETTINGS_UPDATED,
+									message: 'Settings Saved'
+								};
+								resolve(response);
+							})
+							.catch(err => {
+								reject(err);
+							});
+					} else {
 						let response = {
-							type: DataEvent.SETTINGS_UPDATED,
-							message: 'Settings Saved'
+							type: DataEvent.SETTINGS_NOT_UPDATED,
+							message: 'Settings Already Saved'
 						};
 						resolve(response);
-					})
-					.catch(err => {
-						reject(err);
-					});
-			} else {
-				let response = {
-					type: DataEvent.SETTINGS_NOT_UPDATED,
-					message: 'Settings Already Saved'
-				};
-				resolve(response);
-			}
+					}
+				})
+				.catch(err => {
+					reject(err);
+				});
 		});
 	}
 
@@ -105,6 +119,33 @@ export default class Settings {
 			fs.writeJSON('site/settings.json', settings);
 		});
 	}
+	load(fileToLoad) {
+		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+			fs.readJSON(fileToLoad)
+				.then(file => {
+					resolve(file);
+				})
+				.catch(err => {
+					reject(err);
+				});
+		});
+	}
+
+	loadConfigData() {
+		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+			let getSettings = this.load(SETTINGS_FILE);
+			let getFolks = this.load(SETTINGS_FOLKS);
+			Promise.all([getSettings, getFolks])
+				.then(result => {
+					const [settings, folks] = result;
+					let data = { settings: settings, folks: folks };
+					resolve(data);
+				})
+				.catch(err => {
+					reject(err);
+				});
+		});
+	}
 
 	//--------------------------
 	// event handlers
diff --git a/src/com/actions/PageActions.js b/src/com/actions/PageActions.js
index 0059a88..0015881 100644
--- a/src/com/actions/PageActions.js
+++ b/src/com/actions/PageActions.js
@@ -1,12 +1,4 @@
-import FipamoAPI, {
-	REQUEST_TYPE_POST,
-	CONTENT_TYPE_JSON,
-	API_GET_NAV,
-	API_NAV_SYNC
-} from '../../libraries/FipamoAPI';
 import StringUtils from '../utils/StringUtils';
-import * as DataEvent from '../events/DataEvent';
-const api = new FipamoAPI();
 export default class PostActions {
 	//--------------------------
 	// constructor
@@ -75,44 +67,6 @@ export default class PostActions {
 			resolve(pageInfo);
 		});
 	}
-
-	updateNav(add, id, post) {
-		api.request(API_GET_NAV, DataEvent.SETTINGS_LOADED)
-			.then(response => {
-				let menu = JSON.parse(response.request['response']);
-				let item = {
-					id: id,
-					uuid: post.uuid,
-					title: post.title,
-					slug: post.slug
-				};
-				if (add) {
-					menu.push(item);
-				} else {
-					for (let index = 0; index < menu.length; index++) {
-						if (menu[index].id == id) {
-							menu.splice(index, 1);
-						}
-					}
-				}
-				api.request(
-					API_NAV_SYNC,
-					DataEvent.API_SETTINGS_WRITE,
-					REQUEST_TYPE_POST,
-					CONTENT_TYPE_JSON,
-					menu
-				)
-					.then(() => {
-						//console.log(response);
-					})
-					.catch(() => {
-						//console.log(err);
-					});
-			})
-			.catch(() => {
-				//console.log(err);
-			});
-	}
 	//--------------------------
 	// event handlers
 	//--------------------------
diff --git a/src/libraries/FipamoAPI.js b/src/libraries/FipamoAPI.js
index f78b66d..f13ebd3 100644
--- a/src/libraries/FipamoAPI.js
+++ b/src/libraries/FipamoAPI.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export default class APIUtils {
 		this.token = null;
 		//checks backend to see if user is logged in
 		//and requests encrypted token for api calls
-		this.request('/api/v1/auth/status').then(r => {
+		this.request(API_STATUS).then(r => {
 			let response = JSON.parse(r.request['response']);
 			if (response.type === DataEvent.API_REQUEST_GOOD) {
 				this.token = response.token;
@@ -93,6 +93,6 @@ export default class APIUtils {
 	//--------------------------
 	handleLoadProgress(e) {
 		this.percentComplete = Math.ceil((e.loaded / e.total) * 100);
-		//this.emitEvent(DataEvent.UPLOAD_PROGRESS);
+		//pass element to display request progress
 	}
 }