diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index d86938c05..df354b726 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
   protect_from_forgery :except => :receive
   layout 'application'
   
-  before_filter :set_people
+  before_filter :set_friends, :count_requests
 
   layout :layout_by_resource
 
@@ -14,8 +14,12 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
     end
   end
   
-  def set_people
-    @people = Person.friends.all
+  def set_friends
+    @friends = Person.friends.all
+  end
+
+  def count_requests
+    @request_count = Request.for_user(current_user).size
   end
   
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/requests_controller.rb b/app/controllers/requests_controller.rb
index 3f6099a12..0f8f5c88b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/requests_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/requests_controller.rb
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@ class RequestsController < ApplicationController
   before_filter :authenticate_user!
   include RequestsHelper 
   def index
-    @local_requests = Request.from_user( User.first )
-    @remote_requests = Request.for_user( User.first )
-
+    @remote_requests = Request.for_user( current_user )
     @request = Request.new
   end
   
@@ -12,7 +10,7 @@ class RequestsController < ApplicationController
     @request = Request.where(:id => params[:id]).first
     @request.destroy
     flash[:notice] = "Successfully destroyed person request."
-    redirect_to person_requests_url
+    redirect_to requests_url
   end
   
   def new
@@ -23,7 +21,7 @@ class RequestsController < ApplicationController
     @request = current_user.send_friend_request_to(params[:request][:destination_url])
 
     if @request
-      flash[:notice] = "Successfully created person request."
+      flash[:notice] = "a friend request was sent to #{@request.destination_url}"
       redirect_to requests_url
     else
       render :action => 'new'
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/application.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/application.html.haml
index ebdaa733f..09c7dff3b 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/application.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/layouts/application.html.haml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
           - if user_signed_in?
             =User.first.real_name
             |
-            = link_to "requests", requests_path
+            = link_to "requests (#{@request_count})", requests_path
             |
             = link_to "logout", destroy_user_session_path
           - else
@@ -54,4 +54,5 @@
               %span.description
                 = my_latest_message
           = yield
+        .span-20
           = render "posts/debug"
diff --git a/app/views/people/_sidebar.html.haml b/app/views/people/_sidebar.html.haml
index 4c73aa13c..387bf5ad6 100644
--- a/app/views/people/_sidebar.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/people/_sidebar.html.haml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 %h3 your people
 %ul#friend_stream.nav
-  - for person in @people
-    %li= link_to person.real_name, person_path(person)
+  - for friend in @friends
+    %li= link_to friend.real_name, person_path(friend)
 = link_to "add a new person", new_request_path
diff --git a/app/views/requests/_request.html.haml b/app/views/requests/_request.html.haml
index 5e5763d1f..76b6e4ac4 100644
--- a/app/views/requests/_request.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/requests/_request.html.haml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-%li.message{:id => request.id, :class => "mine"}
-  = "to : #{request.destination_url}"
-  = request.person.class
+%li.message{:id => request.id}
+
+  = "from #{request.person.real_name}" 
+  = "#{request.destination_url}"
 
   .destroy_link
-    = link_to 'Ignore', request_path(request), :confirm => 'Are you sure?', :method => :delete, :remote => true
+    = link_to 'Ignore', request_path(request), :confirm => 'Are you sure?', :method => :delete
diff --git a/app/views/requests/index.html.haml b/app/views/requests/index.html.haml
index 45b920beb..6a7b8df94 100644
--- a/app/views/requests/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/requests/index.html.haml
@@ -1,15 +1,9 @@
 %h1 requests
 = render "requests/new_request", :request => @request
 
+%h3= "currently #{@request_count} requests"
+
 %ul#stream
-  %li
-    %h3 incoming
-  - for request in @remote_requests
-    = render "request", :request => request
-    = request.destination_url + " " + User.first.url
-
-  %li
-    %h3 outgoing
-  - for request in @local_requests
-    = render "request", :request => request
+- for request in @remote_requests
+  = render "request", :request => request