diff --git a/racket/syndicate/examples/actor/flink.rkt b/racket/syndicate/examples/actor/flink.rkt
index b098b0f..5d0eb7f 100644
--- a/racket/syndicate/examples/actor/flink.rkt
+++ b/racket/syndicate/examples/actor/flink.rkt
@@ -123,6 +123,13 @@
 (assertion-struct task-manager (id slots))
 (assertion-struct submitted-task (manager task))
 (assertion-struct job-manager-alive ())
+
+;; a TaskState is (task-state ID TaskStateDesc)
+;; where TaskStateDesc is one of
+;;   - ACCEPTED
+;;   - OVERLOAD
+;;   - RUNNING
+;;   - (finished data)
 (assertion-struct task-state (id desc))
 
 ;; task states
@@ -193,17 +200,27 @@
   (spawn
     (assert (job-manager-alive))
     (log "Job Manager Up")
+
     ;; keep track of task managers, how many slots they say are open, and how many tasks we have assigned.
     (define/query-hash task-managers (task-manager $id $slots) id slots
       #:on-add (log "JM learns that ~a has ~v slots" id slots))
+
+    ;; (Hashof TaskManagerID Nat)
+    ;; to better understand the supply of slots for each task manager, keep track of the number
+    ;; of requested tasks that we have yet to hear back about
+    (field [requests-in-flight (hash)])
     (define (slots-available)
-      (for/sum ([v (in-hash-values (task-managers))])
-        v))
+      (for/sum ([(id v) (in-hash (task-managers))])
+        (max 0 (- v (hash-ref (requests-in-flight) id 0)))))
     ;; ID -> Void
+    ;; mark that we have requested the given task manager to perform a task
     (define (take-slot! id)
-      ;; make local changes to task-managers to reflect tasks delegated in the current turn
       (log "JM assigns a task to ~a" id)
-      (task-managers (hash-update (task-managers) id sub1)))
+      (requests-in-flight (hash-update (requests-in-flight) id add1 0)))
+    ;; ID -> Void
+    ;; mark that we have heard back from the given manager about a requested task
+    (define (received-answer! id)
+      (requests-in-flight (hash-update (requests-in-flight) id sub1)))
 
     (during (job $job-id $tasks)
       (log "JM receives job ~a" job-id)
@@ -229,7 +246,6 @@
         (log "JM marks task ~a as ready" (task-id t))
         (ready-tasks (cons t (ready-tasks))))
 
-      ;; need to parcel out tasks
       ;; Task (ID TaskResult -> Void) -> Void
       ;; Requires (task-ready? t)
       (define (perform-task t k)
@@ -245,10 +261,12 @@
            (unless (task-mngr)
              (define mngr
                (for/first ([(id slots) (in-hash (task-managers))]
-                           #:unless (zero? slots))
+                           #:when (positive? (- slots (hash-ref (requests-in-flight) id 0))))
                  id))
              (when mngr
                (take-slot! mngr)
+               (react (stop-when (asserted (task-state this-id _))
+                                 (received-answer! mngr)))
                (task-mngr mngr))))
          ;; TODO - should respond if task manager dies
          (assert #:when (task-mngr)
@@ -256,6 +274,11 @@
          (on #:when (task-mngr)
              (asserted (task-state this-id $state))
              (match state
+               [(== ACCEPTED)
+                #f]
+               [(== RUNNING)
+                ;; nothing to do
+                #f]
                [(== OVERLOAD)
                 ;; need to find a new task manager
                 ;; don't think we need a release-slot! here, because if we've heard back from a task manager,
@@ -265,10 +288,7 @@
                [(finished results)
                 ;; TODO - guess-timation of what this should look like
                 (log "JM receives the results of task ~a" this-id)
-                (stop-current-facet (k this-id results))]
-               [_
-                ;; TODO - needs more data?
-                #f]))))
+                (stop-current-facet (k this-id results))]))))
 
       ;; ID Data -> Void
       ;; Update any dependent tasks with the results of the given task, moving
@@ -324,6 +344,22 @@
 (define (split-at/lenient lst n)
   (split-at lst (min n (length lst))))
 
+;; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+;; Observe interaction between task and job manager
+
+(define (spawn-observer)
+  (spawn
+   (during (job-manager-alive)
+     (during (task-manager $tm-id _)
+       (define/query-set requests (submitted-task tm-id (task $tid _)) tid)
+       (field [high-water-mark 0])
+       (on (asserted (task-manager tm-id $slots))
+           (when (> slots (high-water-mark))
+             (high-water-mark slots)))
+       (begin/dataflow
+         (when (> (set-count (requests)) (high-water-mark))
+           (log "!! DEMAND > SUPPLY !!")))))))
+
 ;; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ;; Creating a Job
 
@@ -469,3 +505,4 @@
 (spawn-task-manager)
 (spawn-task-runner)
 (spawn-task-runner)
+(spawn-observer)