diff --git a/src/commandModel.js b/src/commandModel.js
index e3e04cac..c3a83337 100644
--- a/src/commandModel.js
+++ b/src/commandModel.js
@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ OptionParser.prototype.getMasterOptionMap = function() {
     commit: {
       '--amend': false,
       '-a': false, // warning
-      '-am': false
+      '-am': false, // warning
+      '-m': false
     },
     log: {},
     add: {},
diff --git a/src/git.js b/src/git.js
index 0ffa8918..998042e3 100644
--- a/src/git.js
+++ b/src/git.js
@@ -224,14 +224,49 @@ GitEngine.prototype.reset = function(target) {
 
 GitEngine.prototype.commitStarter = function() {
   this.acceptNoGeneralArgs();
+  if (this.commandOptions['-am'] && (
+      this.commandOptions['-a'] || this.commandOptions['-m'])) {
+    throw new GitError({
+      msg: "You can't have -am with another -m or -a!"
+    });
+  }
+
+  var msg = null;
   if (this.commandOptions['-a']) {
     this.command.addWarning('No need to add files in this demo');
   }
   if (this.commandOptions['-am']) {
-    this.command.addWarning("Don't worry about adding files or commit messages in this demo");
+    var args = this.commandOptions['-am'];
+    if (args.length > 1) {
+      throw new GitError({
+        msg: "Commit -am doesn't make sense with more than one arg..."
+      });
+    }
+
+    this.command.addWarning("Don't worry about adding files in this demo. I'll take " +
+      "down your commit message but it's not important");
+    msg = args[0];
+  }
+  if (this.commandOptions['-m']) {
+    var args = this.commandOptions['-m'];
+    if (args.length > 1) {
+      throw new GitError({
+        msg: "Specifying a commit message with more than 1 arg doesnt make sense!"
+      });
+    }
+
+    msg = args[0];
   }
 
   var newCommit = this.commit();
+  if (msg) {
+    msg = msg
+      .replace(/"/g, '"')
+      .replace(/^"/g, '')
+      .replace(/"$/g, '');
+
+    newCommit.set('commitMessage', msg);
+  }
   animationFactory.genCommitBirthAnimation(this.animationQueue, newCommit);
 };
 
@@ -492,6 +527,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.rebaseStarter = function() {
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.rebaseAnimation = function(response) {
+  // TODO: move to animation factory
   var start = function() {
     // maybe search stuff??
   };
@@ -868,7 +904,6 @@ GitEngine.prototype.log = function(ref) {
     pQueue.sort(this.idSortFunc);
   }
 
-  toDump.reverse();
   // now go through and collect logs
   var bigLogStr = '';
   _.each(toDump, function(c) {
diff --git a/src/tree.js b/src/tree.js
index 482ff68f..16255cf1 100644
--- a/src/tree.js
+++ b/src/tree.js
@@ -339,9 +339,14 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
     depth: undefined,
     maxWidth: null,
     outgoingEdges: null,
+
+    circle: null,
+    text: null,
+
     id: null,
     pos: null,
     radius: null,
+
     commit: null,
     animationSpeed: GRAPHICS.defaultAnimationTime,
     animationEasing: GRAPHICS.defaultEasing
@@ -392,6 +397,7 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
 
   toFront: function() {
     this.get('circle').toFront();
+    this.get('text').toFront();
   },
 
   getOpacity: function() {
@@ -408,14 +414,26 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
     return map[stat];
   },
 
+  getTextScreenCoords: function() {
+    return this.getScreenCoords();
+  },
+
   getAttributes: function() {
     var pos = this.getScreenCoords();
+    var textPos = this.getTextScreenCoords();
+    var opacity = this.getOpacity();
+
     return {
       circle: {
         cx: pos.x,
         cy: pos.y,
-        opacity: this.getOpacity(),
+        opacity: opacity,
         r: this.getRadius()
+      },
+      text: {
+        x: textPos.x,
+        y: textPos.y,
+        opacity: opacity
       }
     };
   },
@@ -426,11 +444,11 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
   },
 
   animateFromAttr: function(attr, speed, easing) {
-    this.get('circle').stop().animate(
-      attr.circle,
-      speed !== undefined ? speed : this.get('animationSpeed'),
-      easing || this.get('animationEasing')
-    );
+    var s = speed !== undefined ? speed : this.get('animationSpeed');
+    var e = easing || this.get('animationEasing');
+
+    this.get('circle').stop().animate(attr.circle, s, e);
+    this.get('text').stop().animate(attr.text, s, e);
   },
 
   getScreenCoords: function() {
@@ -456,6 +474,11 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
       opacity: 0,
       r: 0,
     });
+    this.get('text').attr({
+      x: parentCoords.x,
+      y: parentCoords.y,
+      opacity: 0,
+    });
   },
 
   setBirth: function() {
@@ -489,16 +512,26 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
   },
 
   parentInFront: function() {
-    // woof!
-    this.get('commit').get('parents')[0].get('visNode').get('circle').toFront();
+    // woof! talk about bad data access
+    this.get('commit').get('parents')[0].get('visNode').toFront();
   },
 
   genGraphics: function(paper) {
     var pos = this.getScreenCoords();
+    var textPos = this.getTextScreenCoords();
+
     var circle = cuteSmallCircle(paper, pos.x, pos.y, {
       radius: this.getRadius()
     });
+    var text = paper.text(textPos.x, textPos.y, String(this.get('id')));
+    text.attr({
+      'font-size': 12,
+      'font-family': 'Monaco, Courier, font-monospace',
+      opacity: this.getOpacity()
+    });
+
     this.set('circle', circle);
+    this.set('text', text);
   }
 });