diff --git a/TypingTester.cabal b/TypingTester.cabal
--- a/TypingTester.cabal
+++ b/TypingTester.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                TypingTester
-version:             0.1.0.1
+version:             0.1.0.2
 synopsis:            Command Line Typing speed tester
 description:         Prompts the user to type anything they wish. Notifies them of how long it took.
 license:             GPL-3
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 executable typingtester
   Main-Is: typingtester.hs
-  build-depends:       base <10000 , time <10000
+  build-depends:       base <10000 , time <10000 ,containers <10000, directory < 10000
 
 source-repository head
   type:     git
diff --git a/typingtester.hs b/typingtester.hs
--- a/typingtester.hs
+++ b/typingtester.hs
@@ -1,24 +1,73 @@
+{-# Language BangPatterns #-}
+{-# Language DoAndIfThenElse #-}
+
+
 import Control.Monad
 import Data.List
 import Data.Time
 import System.IO
 import Text.Printf
+import System.Environment
+import System.Directory 
+import Data.Monoid
+import Data.Map
 
 hPutStrFlush h str = putStr str >> hFlush h 
 
+main = do
+  a <- getArgs
+  if a == ["highscores"] then 
+    putStrLn "highscores"
+  else do
+    let target_phrase = (concat $ intersperse " " a)
+    let target_phrase_set = not . Data.List.null $ target_phrase 
+    d <- getAppUserDataDirectory "typingTester"
+    createDirectoryIfMissing True d
+    let fileName = (d++"/highscores.txt")
+    file_exists <- doesFileExist fileName
+    scores <- if file_exists then readFile fileName >>= return . read
+                             else return mempty
+    let !scores_strict = scores
+    when target_phrase_set
+      (putStrLn ("target phrase: " ++ target_phrase))
+    foreverWith (0,scores_strict) $ \(x,m) -> do
+       -- prompt user to type
+       hPutStrFlush stdout ("type something:")
+       -- grab time 
+       t1 <- getCurrentTime
+       -- grab input
+       line <- getLine
+       -- grab time 
+       t2 <- getCurrentTime
+       --print 2
+       let timeinunits = ( realToFrac $ diffUTCTime t2 t1 :: Float) 
+       let numWords = ( genericLength . words  $ line :: Float)
+       let speed = numWords / (timeinunits/60)
+       let match = line == target_phrase
+       if target_phrase_set && (not match) then do
+         putStrLn "failure to match"
+         return (x+1, m)
+       else do
+         putStrLn (printf "%d words in %f seconds for a speed of %f WPM (words per minute)" (round numWords :: Int) timeinunits speed )
+         let (maybeExisting,newValue,newMap) = insertOrUpdateWith (\k e -> if speed > e then Just speed else Just e) line speed m
+             (newValue',newMap') = if not target_phrase_set && maybeExisting == Nothing then (Nothing,m) else (newValue,newMap)
+         case newValue' of 
+           Just spe -> do
+             let recordStr = case maybeExisting of
+                    Just ex -> "new record over " ++ (show ex)
+                    _ -> "time recorded"
+             putStrLn recordStr
+             let newMapStr = show newMap'
+             writeFile fileName newMapStr
+           Nothing -> return ()
+         return (x+1,newMap')
 
-main = 
-  forever $ do
-     -- prompt user to type
-     hPutStrFlush stdout "type something:"
-     -- grab time 
-     t1 <- getCurrentTime
-     -- grab input
-     line <- getLine
-     -- grab time 
-     t2 <- getCurrentTime
-     --print 2
-     let timeinunits = ( realToFrac $ diffUTCTime t2 t1 :: Float) 
-     let numWords = ( genericLength . words  $ line :: Float)
-     let speed = numWords / (timeinunits/60)
-     putStrLn (printf "%d words in %f seconds for a speed of %f WPM (words per minute)" (round numWords :: Int) timeinunits speed )
+foreverWith a m = do 
+   b <- m a
+   foreverWith b m
+
+insertOrUpdateWith f k v m = let existingValue = Data.Map.lookup k m
+  in case existingValue of 
+      Just x -> let (maybeUpdated,latestTable) = updateLookupWithKey f k m
+                in (existingValue,if maybeUpdated /= existingValue then existingValue else Nothing,latestTable)
+      Nothing -> (Nothing,(Just v),Data.Map.insert k v m)