diff --git a/spec/more_speech/db/in_memory_spec.clj b/spec/more_speech/db/in_memory_spec.clj
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7c7eca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/more_speech/db/in_memory_spec.clj
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+(ns more-speech.db.in-memory-spec
+  (:require [speclj.core :refer :all]
+            [more-speech.db.gateway :as gateway]
+            [more-speech.db.in-memory :as in-memory]))
+
+(declare db)
+(describe "in-memory database"
+  (with db (in-memory/get-db))
+  (before (in-memory/clear-db @db))
+
+  (it "checks for existing event"
+    (gateway/add-event @db 1 {:content "event"})
+    (should (gateway/event-exists? @db 1))
+    (should-not (gateway/event-exists? @db 2)))
+  )
diff --git a/spec/more_speech/user_configuration_spec.clj b/spec/more_speech/user_configuration_spec.clj
index 3e33fa6..31a05c4 100644
--- a/spec/more_speech/user_configuration_spec.clj
+++ b/spec/more_speech/user_configuration_spec.clj
@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@
 
 (describe "user configuration"
   (with-stubs)
+  (context "basic functions"
+    (before (reset! ui-context {:event-context (atom {})}))
+    (it "sets and gets a config"
+      (set-config :test "test")
+      (should= "test" (get-config :test)))
+
+    (it "sets and gets a nested config"
+      (set-config [:test :nest] "nest")
+      (should= "nest" (get-config [:test :nest])))
+    )
+
   (context "export user profile"
     (it "creates if empty"
       (let [uc (validate {})]
diff --git a/src/more_speech/nostr/event_handlers.clj b/src/more_speech/nostr/event_handlers.clj
index c5f10dc..95cc669 100644
--- a/src/more_speech/nostr/event_handlers.clj
+++ b/src/more_speech/nostr/event_handlers.clj
@@ -60,14 +60,12 @@
 
 (defn add-event [db event urls]
   (let [id (:id event)
-        time (:created-at event)
-        event-atom (:data db)]
+        time (:created-at event)]
     (when-not (gateway/event-exists? db id)
       (gateway/add-event db id event)
       (add-cross-reference db event)
-      (swap! event-atom update :days-changed conj (quot time 86400)))
-    (gateway/add-relays-to-event db id urls)
-    ))
+      (set-mem :days-changed (conj (get-mem :days-changed) (quot time 86400))))
+    (gateway/add-relays-to-event db id urls)))
 
 (defn process-text-event [db event url]
   (add-event db event [url])
diff --git a/src/more_speech/user_configuration.clj b/src/more_speech/user_configuration.clj
index af9e0ef..7edca3f 100644
--- a/src/more_speech/user_configuration.clj
+++ b/src/more_speech/user_configuration.clj
@@ -2,6 +2,21 @@
   (:require [more-speech.ui.swing.ui-context :refer :all]
             [more-speech.config :as config]))
 
+(defn get-config
+  ([]
+   (get-mem :user-configuration))
+  ([tag]
+   (get-config tag nil))
+  ([tag default]
+   (if (coll? tag)
+     (get-in (get-config) tag default)
+     (get (get-mem :user-configuration) tag default))))
+
+(defn set-config [tag value]
+  (if (coll? tag)
+    (swap! (get-mem) assoc-in (concat [:user-configuration] tag) value)
+    (swap! (get-mem) assoc-in [:user-configuration tag] value)))
+
 (defn validate-export-user-profile [user-configuration]
   (let [xup (get user-configuration :export-user-profile {})
         xad (get xup :export-after-days 7)
@@ -22,48 +37,37 @@
 (defn validate [user-configuration]
   (-> user-configuration
       validate-export-user-profile
-      validate-import-metadata)
-  )
+      validate-import-metadata))
 
 (defn keys-last-modified []
   (let [keys-file (clojure.java.io/file @config/keys-filename)]
     (quot (.lastModified keys-file) 1000)))
 
 (defn should-export-profile? [now-in-seconds]
-  (let [user-configuration (get-event-state :user-configuration)
-        xad (get-in user-configuration [:export-user-profile :export-after-days])
-        lte (get-in user-configuration [:export-user-profile :last-time-exported])]
+  (let [xad (get-config [:export-user-profile :export-after-days])
+        lte (get-config [:export-user-profile :last-time-exported])]
     (and (number? xad)
          (or (>= now-in-seconds (+ lte (* 86400 xad)))
              (>= (keys-last-modified) lte))))
   )
 
 (defn set-last-time-profile-exported [export-time]
-  (let [event-context (:event-context @ui-context)]
-    (swap! event-context
-           assoc-in
-           [:user-configuration :export-user-profile :last-time-exported]
-           export-time)))
+  (set-config [:export-user-profile :last-time-exported] export-time))
 
 (defn should-import-metadata? [now-in-seconds]
-  (let [user-configuration (get-event-state :user-configuration)
-        iad (get-in user-configuration [:import-metadata :import-after-days])
-        lti (get-in user-configuration [:import-metadata :last-time-imported])]
+  (let [iad (get-config [:import-metadata :import-after-days])
+        lti (get-config [:import-metadata :last-time-imported])]
     (and (number? iad)
          (>= now-in-seconds (+ lti (* 86400 iad))))))
 
 (defn set-last-time-metadata-imported [import-time]
-  (let [event-context (:event-context @ui-context)]
-    (swap! event-context
-           assoc-in
-           [:user-configuration :import-metadata :last-time-imported]
-           import-time)))
+  (set-config [:import-metadata :last-time-imported] import-time))
 
-(defn get-default-font[]
-  (get (get-event-state :user-configuration) :default-font config/default-font))
+(defn get-default-font []
+  (get-config :default-font config/default-font))
 
 (defn get-bold-font []
-  (get (get-event-state :user-configuration) :bold-font config/bold-font))
+  (get-config :bold-font config/bold-font))
 
 (defn get-small-font []
-  (get (get-event-state :user-configuration) :small-font config/small-font))
\ No newline at end of file
+  (get-config :small-font config/small-font))
\ No newline at end of file