diff --git a/ext/mysql.c b/ext/mysql.c
index 2388158..297c4d6 100644
--- a/ext/mysql.c
+++ b/ext/mysql.c
@@ -248,6 +248,11 @@ typedef struct
 } arg_holder, *arg_holder2;
 
 
+// here's the call to make  rb_thread_blocking_region much cleaner and easier
+// syntax: param_count+2, func_pointer to call, [RUBY_UBF_IO or RUBY_UBF_PROCESS], param1, param2...
+//  the third parameter is the interuptor--possible values appear to be RUBY_UBF_IO or RUBY_UBF_PROCESS http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.ruby/browse_thread/thread/ad8c1326b2a8e404/00447b9aa15979be?lnk=raot
+// ex: (int) returned_this = rb_thread_blocking_region_variable_params(10, &method_name, RUBY_UBF_IO, param1, param2, param3, param4, param5, param6, param7, param8)
+
 static void call_single_function_rb_thread_blocking_region(void *arg_holder_in);
 
 void *rb_thread_blocking_region_variable_params(int number, ...)
diff --git a/test/create_test_db.rb b/test/create_test_db.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c68029d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/create_test_db.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# To run first execute:
+=begin
+create database local_test_db;
+use local_test_db;
+CREATE TABLE test_table (
+         c1 INT, 
+         c2 VARCHAR(20)
+     );
+=end
+# This script shows the effect of using .all_hashes instead of looping on each hash 
+# run it by substiting in a 'long' [many row] query for the query variable and toggling use_all_hashes here at the top
+# note that we load all the rows first, then run .all_hashes on the result [to see more easily the effect of all hashes]
+# on my machine and a 200_000 row table, it took 3.38s versus 3.65s for the old .each_hash way [note also that .each_hash is 
+# almost as fast, now, as .all_hashes--they've both been optimized]
+require 'mysqlplus'
+
+puts 'initing db'
+# init the DB
+conn = Mysql.real_connect('localhost', 'root', '', 'local_test_db')
+conn.query("delete from test_table")
+200_000.times {conn.query(" insert into test_table (c1, c2) values (3, 'ABCDEFG')")}
+puts 'connection pool ready'
diff --git a/test/test_all_hashes.rb b/test/test_all_hashes.rb
index 4d9f755..b809043 100644
--- a/test/test_all_hashes.rb
+++ b/test/test_all_hashes.rb
@@ -1,18 +1,4 @@
-# To run first execute:
-=begin
-create database local_test_db;
-use local_test_db;
-CREATE TABLE test_table (
-         c1 INT, 
-         c2 VARCHAR(20)
-     );
-=end
-# This script shows the effect of using .all_hashes instead of looping on each hash 
-# run it by substiting in a 'long' [many row] query for the query variable and toggling use_all_hashes here at the top
-# note that we load all the rows first, then run .all_hashes on the result [to see more easily the effect of all hashes]
-# on my machine and a 200_000 row table, it took 3.38s versus 3.65s for the old .each_hash way [note also that .each_hash is 
-# almost as fast, now, as .all_hashes--they've both been optimized]
-require 'mysqlplus'
+require 'create_test_db'
 
 use_the_all_hashes_method = true 
 
@@ -25,13 +11,6 @@ $count.times do
   $connections << Mysql.real_connect('localhost','root', '', 'local_test_db')
 end
 
-puts 'initing db'
-# init the DB
-conn = Mysql.real_connect('localhost', 'root', '', 'local_test_db')
-conn.query("delete from test_table")
-200_000.times {conn.query(" insert into test_table (c1, c2) values (3, 'ABCDEFG')")}
-puts 'connection pool ready'
-
 
 $threads = []
 $count.times do |i|
diff --git a/test/test_parsing_while_response_is_being_read.rb b/test/test_parsing_while_response_is_being_read.rb
index a44d28a..f32511c 100644
--- a/test/test_parsing_while_response_is_being_read.rb
+++ b/test/test_parsing_while_response_is_being_read.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 # from .82s to .62s
 # you can experiment with it by changing the query here to be a long one, and toggling the do_the_use_query_optimization variable
 # this also has the interesting property of 'freeing' Ruby to do thread changes mid-query.
-require 'mysqlplus'
+require 'create_test_db'
 
 do_the_use_query_optimization = true
 
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ $start = Time.now
 
 $connections = []
 $count.times do  
-  $connections << Mysql.real_connect('localhost','root', '', 'local_leadgen_dev')
+  $connections << Mysql.real_connect('localhost','root', '', 'local_test_db')
 end
 
 puts 'connection pool ready'
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ $count.times do |i|
     puts "sending query on connection #{i}"
     conn = $connections[i]
     saved = []
-    query = "select * from campus_zips"
+    query = "select * from test_table"
     if do_the_use_query_optimization
       conn.query_with_result=false
       result = conn.async_query(query)