diff --git a/updatedshmup.p8 b/updatedshmup.p8
index 612f552..2000ac1 100644
--- a/updatedshmup.p8
+++ b/updatedshmup.p8
@@ -93,6 +93,21 @@ function linked_list:strip(f)
  return p
 end
 
+-- optimized special case -
+-- could be done with strip but
+-- this avoids extra function
+-- calls and comparisions since
+-- draw isn't allowed to kill
+-- the item
+function linked_list:draw()
+ local n = self.next
+ while n do
+  n:draw()
+  n = n.next
+ end
+end
+
+
 function linked_list:pop_front()
  local ret = self.next
  if (not ret) return
@@ -101,15 +116,6 @@ function linked_list:pop_front()
  return ret
 end
 
-function linked_list:fix_tail()
- local p, n = self, self.next
- while n do
-  p = n
-  n = n.next
- end
- self.tail = p
-end
-
 function _init()
  init_bullet_mt()
  init_powerup_mt()
@@ -220,7 +226,11 @@ function updategame()
     if pb:hitship(es) then
      pbullet_collider:hide(pb)
      pb.prev.next = pb.next
-     if (pb.next) pb.next.prev = pb.prev
+     if pb.next then
+      pb.next.prev = pb.prev
+     else
+      pbullets.tail = pb.prev
+     end
     end
     if (es:hitbullet(pb)) return true
    end
@@ -237,8 +247,6 @@ function updategame()
 	end
 end
 
--- XXX BOOKMARK XXX
-
 function _draw()
  drawgame()
  draw_debug()
@@ -301,10 +309,8 @@ end
 function drawgame()
  cls()
  clip(0,0,112,128)
- for tbl in all{intangibles_bg, pbullets, pships, eships, ebullets, intangibles_fg} do
-  for x in all(tbl) do
-   x:draw()
-  end
+ for slist in all{intangibles_bg, pbullets, pships, eships, ebullets, intangibles_fg} do
+  slist:draw()
  end
  clip(0,0,128,128)
  drawhud()
@@ -405,30 +411,11 @@ function grab_p1_butts()
  }
 end
 
-function bury_the_dead(tbl, dead)
- if (#dead == 0) return
- local tail = dead[1]
- local head = tail + 1
- local deaddex = 2
- 
- while head <= #tbl do
-  while deaddex <= #dead and head == dead[deaddex] do
-   deaddex += 1
-   head += 1
-  end
-  if (head > #tbl) break
-  tbl[tail] = tbl[head] 
-  head += 1
-  tail += 1
- end
- 
- for i=1,(head-tail) do
-  deli(tbl)
- end
-end
 -->8
 --ships, including player
 
+-- XXX BOOKMARK XXX
+
 function init_ship_mt()
  setmetatable(player, ship_t)
  setmetatable(frownie, ship_t)