diff --git a/franz.tests/UnitTest1.cs b/franz.tests/UnitTest1.cs
index 3d20ed1..1d91dd4 100644
--- a/franz.tests/UnitTest1.cs
+++ b/franz.tests/UnitTest1.cs
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ namespace franz.tests
         [SetUp]
         public void Setup()
         {
-            f1 = new Telefranz("libfranztest1", "focalor:9092", "/usr/lib/librdkafka.so");
-            f2 = new Telefranz("libfranztest2", "focalor:9092", "/usr/lib/librdkafka.so");
+            f1 = new Telefranz("libfranztest1", "focalor:9092");
+            f2 = new Telefranz("libfranztest2", "focalor:9092");
         }
 
         [Test]
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ namespace franz.tests
                     }
                 }
             });
-            f1.StartListening();
-            f2.StartListening();
             await Task.Delay(2000);
             f1.ProduceMessage(new silver_messages.global.sound_off());
             Task.WaitAny(
diff --git a/franz/Telefranz.cs b/franz/Telefranz.cs
index f2edd67..e02ce9a 100644
--- a/franz/Telefranz.cs
+++ b/franz/Telefranz.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-using Confluent.Kafka;
+using Kafka.Public;
+using Kafka.Public.Loggers;
 using Newtonsoft.Json;
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
@@ -9,26 +10,28 @@ using System.Threading.Tasks;
 
 namespace franz
 {
-    public class Telefranz : IDisposable
+    public class Telefranz
     {
+        static class _TelefranzConsumers<T> where T : silver_messages.message, new() {
+            internal static KafkaConsumer<string, T> consumer = null;
+            internal static readonly Dictionary<Action<T>, Action<KafkaRecord<string, T>>> wrappings 
+                = new Dictionary<Action<T>, Action<KafkaRecord<string, T>>>();
+            internal static uint references = 0;
+        }
         private string handling_group { get; set; } = "Liszt";
         const string namespace_prefix = "silver_messages";
         private silver_messages.global.report howToReport { get; set; }
         private bool shouldListen = false;
-        private IProducer<Null, string> producer { get; set; }
-        private IConsumer<Ignore, string> consumer { get; set; }
-        private static List<Type> allMessageTypes { get; set; } = null;
-
+        private ClusterClient clusterClient;
         private Task listenTask = null;
-        private Dictionary<Type, List<Action<silver_messages.message>>> handlers { get; set; }
-        private Dictionary<object, Action<silver_messages.message>> handlerWrappings
-            = new Dictionary<object, Action<silver_messages.message>>();
+        private List<object> listeningConsumers = new List<object>();
 
-        public Telefranz(string name, string bootstrap_servers, string rdkafka_location,
+        public Telefranz(string name, string bootstrap_servers,
             List<string> commands = null, List<string> checks = null,
             List<string> errors = null, List<string> warnings = null)
         {
-            Library.Load(rdkafka_location);
+            clusterClient = new ClusterClient(new Kafka.Public.Configuration { Seeds = bootstrap_servers, ClientId = name }, new ConsoleLogger());
+
             this.handling_group = name;
             this.howToReport = new silver_messages.global.report()
             {
@@ -44,25 +47,7 @@ namespace franz
             {
                 howToReport.capabilites.checks = checks;
             }
-            var producerConfig = new ProducerConfig
-            {
-                BootstrapServers = bootstrap_servers
-            };
-            var consumerConfig = new ConsumerConfig
-            {
-                BootstrapServers = bootstrap_servers,
-                GroupId = this.handling_group
-            };
-            producer = new ProducerBuilder<Null, string>(producerConfig).Build();
-            consumer = new ConsumerBuilder<Ignore, string>(consumerConfig).Build();
 
-            staticSetup();
-
-            handlers = new Dictionary<Type, List<Action<silver_messages.message>>>();
-            foreach (var messageType in allMessageTypes)
-            {
-                handlers.Add(messageType, new List<Action<silver_messages.message>>());
-            }
             addHandler<silver_messages.global.sound_off>((m) =>
             {
                 ProduceMessage(this.howToReport);
@@ -83,93 +68,44 @@ namespace franz
             });
         }
 
-        public void addHandler<t>(Action<t> theAction) where t : silver_messages.message
+        public void addHandler<T>(Action<T> theAction) where T : silver_messages.message, new()
         {
-            Action<silver_messages.message> wrapped = (m) =>
+            var dummy = new T();
+            if(_TelefranzConsumers<T>.consumer == null)
             {
-                theAction(m as t);
+                _TelefranzConsumers<T>.consumer = new KafkaConsumer<string, T>(dummy.topic, clusterClient);
+            }
+            
+            Action<KafkaRecord<string, T>> wrapped = (kr) =>
+            {
+                theAction(kr.Value);
             };
-
-            handlerWrappings.Add(theAction, wrapped);
-            if (handlers[typeof(t)].Count == 0)
+            _TelefranzConsumers<T>.consumer.MessageReceived += wrapped;
+            _TelefranzConsumers<T>.wrappings[theAction] = wrapped;
+            _TelefranzConsumers<T>.references++;
+            if(_TelefranzConsumers<T>.references == 1)
             {
-                var sublist = consumer.Subscription;
-                sublist.Add(typeof(t).ToString());
-                consumer.Subscribe(sublist);
+                _TelefranzConsumers<T>.consumer.Subscribe(this.handling_group, 
+                    new List<string>(){dummy.topic}, 
+                    new ConsumerGroupConfiguration());
+                listeningConsumers.Add(_TelefranzConsumers<T>.consumer);
+                _TelefranzConsumers<T>.consumer.ConsumeFromLatest();
             }
-            handlers[typeof(t)].Add(wrapped);
         }
-        public void removeHandler<t>(Action<t> theAction) where t : silver_messages.message
+        public void removeHandler<T>(Action<T> theAction) where T : silver_messages.message, new()
         {
-            handlers[typeof(t)].Remove(handlerWrappings[theAction as System.Action]);
-            handlerWrappings.Remove(theAction as System.Action);
-
-            if (handlers[typeof(t)].Count == 0)
+            _TelefranzConsumers<T>.consumer.MessageReceived -= _TelefranzConsumers<T>.wrappings[theAction];
+            _TelefranzConsumers<T>.wrappings.Remove(theAction);
+            _TelefranzConsumers<T>.references--;
+            if(_TelefranzConsumers<T>.references == 0)
             {
-                var sublist = consumer.Subscription;
-                consumer.Unsubscribe();
-                sublist.Remove(typeof(t).ToString());
-                consumer.Subscribe(sublist);
+                _TelefranzConsumers<T>.consumer.StopConsume();
             }
         }
 
-        public void ProduceMessage(silver_messages.message message)
+        public void ProduceMessage<T>(T message) where T : silver_messages.message
         {
-            var msgText = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(message, type: message.GetType(), null);
-            producer.Produce(message.GetType().ToString(), new Message<Null, string> { Value = msgText });
-        }
-        public void StartListening()
-        {
-            StopListening();
-            listenTask = Task.Run(() =>
-            {
-                shouldListen = true;
-                while (shouldListen)
-                {
-                    var cr = consumer.Consume();
-                    if (cr != null)
-                    {
-                        var typeHaver = JsonConvert.DeserializeAnonymousType(cr.Message.Value, new { type = "" });
-                        var messageType = handlers.Keys.FirstOrDefault(hkey => hkey.ToString() == typeHaver.type && handlers[hkey].Count > 0);
-                        if (messageType != null)
-                        {
-                            var message = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(cr.Message.Value, messageType);
-                            foreach (var handling in handlers[messageType])
-                            {
-                                handling(message as silver_messages.message);
-                            }
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-            });
-        }
-        public void StopListening()
-        {
-            shouldListen = false;
-        }
-
-        private static void staticSetup()
-        {
-            if (allMessageTypes != null)
-            {
-                return;
-            }
-            allMessageTypes = new List<Type>();
-
-
-            foreach (var messageType in from t in Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetTypes()
-                                        where t.IsClass && t.Namespace?.StartsWith(namespace_prefix) == true
-                                        select t)
-            {
-                allMessageTypes.Add(messageType);
-            }
-        }
-
-        public void Dispose()
-        {
-            StopListening();
-            producer.Dispose();
-            consumer.Dispose();
+            clusterClient.Produce(message.topic, message);
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/franz/franz.csproj b/franz/franz.csproj
index bc37bbe..546eec7 100644
--- a/franz/franz.csproj
+++ b/franz/franz.csproj
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
-    <PackageReference Include="Confluent.Kafka" Version="1.7.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="kafka-sharp" Version="1.4.3" />
     <PackageReference Include="Newtonsoft.Json" Version="13.0.1" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/check_complete.cs b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/check_complete.cs
index 845a192..2a97660 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/check_complete.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/check_complete.cs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ using silver_messages;
 
 namespace silver_messages.directorial
 {
-    public class check_complete : message
+    public class check_complete : message_directorial
     {
         public string check { get; set; }
         public string result { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_completed.cs b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_completed.cs
index f43f741..fe88c36 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_completed.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_completed.cs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ using silver_messages;
 
 namespace silver_messages.directorial
 {
-    public class command_completed : message
+    public class command_completed : message_directorial
     {
         //name of the command that was called
         public string command { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_error.cs b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_error.cs
index ace432f..35d396a 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_error.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_error.cs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using silver_messages;
 namespace silver_messages.directorial
 {
-    public class command_error : message
+    public class command_error : message_directorial
     {
         //name of the command that was called
         public string command { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_expired.cs b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_expired.cs
index 3bf7dd3..e406cfd 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_expired.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_expired.cs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using silver_messages;
 namespace silver_messages.directorial
 {
-    public class command_expired : message
+    public class command_expired : message_directorial
     {
         //name of the command that was called
         public string command { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_output.cs b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_output.cs
index 7d67258..4724a15 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_output.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/command_output.cs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using silver_messages;
 namespace silver_messages.directorial
 {
-    public class command_output : message
+    public class command_output : message_directorial
     {
         //name of the command that was called
         public string command { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/execute_check.cs b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/execute_check.cs
index 93eccb1..98d2777 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/execute_check.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/execute_check.cs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ namespace silver_messages.directorial
     /*
      * run it and send a check_complete
      */
-    public class execute_check : message
+    public class execute_check : message_directorial
     {
         public string check { get; set; }
         public List<string> args { get; set; } = new List<string>();
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/execute_command.cs b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/execute_command.cs
index 125afe8..c1bf557 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/execute_command.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/execute_command.cs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ namespace silver_messages.directorial
      * command_error as you get them, and if it ends some other way, send command_completed
      * with empty stdout and stderr.
      */
-    public class execute_command : message
+    public class execute_command : message_directorial
     {
         public string command { get; set; }
         public List<string> args { get; set; } = new List<string>();
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/directorial/message_directorial.cs b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/message_directorial.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..871a3cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/directorial/message_directorial.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+namespace silver_messages
+{
+    public abstract class message_directorial : silver_messages.message
+    {
+        public override string topic => "silver_messages.directorial";
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/global/message_global.cs b/franz/silver_messages/global/message_global.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..746c109
--- /dev/null
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/global/message_global.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+namespace silver_messages
+{
+    public class message_global : silver_messages.message
+    {
+        public override string topic => "silver_messages.global";
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/global/report.cs b/franz/silver_messages/global/report.cs
index ba7a0b6..a15f610 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/global/report.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/global/report.cs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 namespace silver_messages.global
 {
-    public class report : message
+    public class report : message_global
     {
         //your name
         public string name { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/global/restart.cs b/franz/silver_messages/global/restart.cs
index abb914e..ff4f8e2 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/global/restart.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/global/restart.cs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ using silver_messages;
 
 namespace silver_messages.global
 {
-    public class restart : message
+    public class restart : message_global
     {
         //check if this is you (i.e., your handling group). If so, restart. Yourself, not the hardware.
         public string name { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/global/sound_off.cs b/franz/silver_messages/global/sound_off.cs
index d8529cf..38a0681 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/global/sound_off.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/global/sound_off.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ using silver_messages;
 namespace silver_messages.global
 {
     //if you receive this, respond with a report
-    public class sound_off : message { }
+    public class sound_off : message_global { }
 }
 
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/global/stop.cs b/franz/silver_messages/global/stop.cs
index 10dc27b..b2cfc10 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/global/stop.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/global/stop.cs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ using silver_messages;
 
 namespace silver_messages.global
 {
-    public class stop : message
+    public class stop : message_global
     {
         //check if this is you (i.e., your handling group). If so, stop. Yourself, not the hardware.
         public string name { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/message.cs b/franz/silver_messages/message.cs
index e6cdd38..aff6720 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/message.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/message.cs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ namespace silver_messages
     public abstract class message
     {
         public string type { get { return this.GetType().ToString(); } }
+        public abstract string topic { get; }
         public override string ToString()
         {
             return JsonConvert.SerializeObject(this);
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/message_yt.cs b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/message_yt.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..67d6bb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/message_yt.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+namespace silver_messages
+{
+    public abstract class message_yt : silver_messages.message
+    {
+        public override string topic => "silver_messages.youtube";
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/metadata_needed.cs b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/metadata_needed.cs
index 9f375d5..820bda8 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/metadata_needed.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/metadata_needed.cs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ namespace silver_messages.youtube
      *  for all the scheduled, not-yet released videos, what required metadata
      *  do they need
      */
-    public class metadata_needed : message 
+    public class metadata_needed : message_yt 
     {
         //key is a yt id
         public Dictionary<string, yt_metadata> needed{get;set;} = new Dictionary<string, yt_metadata>();
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/request_metadata_needed.cs b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/request_metadata_needed.cs
index cb37d2a..4f0308e 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/request_metadata_needed.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/request_metadata_needed.cs
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ namespace silver_messages.youtube
      * check all the scheduled, not-yet released videos for required metadata. 
      * respond with a metadata_needed - empty if none.
     */
-    public class request_metadata_needed : message { }
+    public class request_metadata_needed : message_yt { }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/update_metadata.cs b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/update_metadata.cs
index 4bf5150..57df3ee 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/update_metadata.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/update_metadata.cs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ namespace silver_messages.youtube
     /*
      * someone will send as much metadata as they have - set non-null fields to the provided values
     */
-    public class update_metadata : message
+    public class update_metadata : message_yt
     {
         public string yt_id { get; set; }
         public yt_metadata metadata { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/upload.cs b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/upload.cs
index 365bfdd..cf6b35c 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/upload.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/upload.cs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ namespace silver_messages.youtube
     /** if you receive this, start the upload (of filename with metadata)
      *  and then respond with an upload_started
      */
-    public class upload : message
+    public class upload : message_yt
     {
         public string filename { get; set; }
         public yt_metadata metadata { get; set; }
diff --git a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/upload_started.cs b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/upload_started.cs
index 1b0ad16..e95550c 100644
--- a/franz/silver_messages/youtube/upload_started.cs
+++ b/franz/silver_messages/youtube/upload_started.cs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using silver_messages;
 namespace silver_messages.youtube
 {
-    public class upload_started : message
+    public class upload_started : message_yt
     {
         public string filename { get; set; }
         public string yt_id { get; set; }