diff --git a/docs/tasks b/docs/tasks
index e511749..91c4c89 100644
--- a/docs/tasks
+++ b/docs/tasks
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 
 Tasks
- - [ ] finish the 'simple' arena implementation.
-   - [ ] arena_alloc
-   - [ ] arena_release
+ - [x] finish the 'simple' arena implementation.
+   - [x] arena_init
+   - [x] arena_alloc
+   - [x] arena_release
  - [ ] String8 implementation
+   - [x] String8 helpers
    - [ ] String8Node and String8List.
      - [ ] push node
      - [ ] list join
-   - [ ] Convert cstring to String8.
-   - [ ] Convert String8 to cstring.
+   - [x] Convert cstring to String8.
  - [ ] Read/Write to file.
  - [ ] Create CLI output.
  - [ ] Testcases?
diff --git a/src/base.c b/src/base.c
index fb9ba67..bf8fe41 100644
--- a/src/base.c
+++ b/src/base.c
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 
+//= rhjr: allocator
+
 internal void
-arena_init(Arena *arena, u8 *backing_buffer, i32 size)
+arena_init(Arena *arena, u8 *backing_buffer, i64 size)
 {
   arena->backing_buffer = backing_buffer;
   arena->offset = 0;
@@ -8,7 +10,7 @@ arena_init(Arena *arena, u8 *backing_buffer, i32 size)
 }
 
 internal void *
-arena_alloc(Arena *arena, i32 size)
+arena_alloc(Arena *arena, i64 size)
 {
   void *result = 0;
 
@@ -27,3 +29,46 @@ arena_release(Arena *arena)
 {
   arena->offset = 0;
 }
+
+//= rhjr: string
+
+String8
+str8(u8 *cstr, i64 length)
+{
+  String8 result = {0};
+  result.str    = cstr;
+  result.length = length;
+  return result;
+}
+
+String8
+str8_cstring(u8 *cstr)
+{
+  String8 result = {0};
+  u8 *ptr = cstr;
+  for(; *ptr != 0; ptr += 1);
+  result = str8_range(cstr, ptr);
+  return result;
+}
+
+String8
+str8_range(u8 *first_char, u8 *last_char)
+{
+  String8 result = {0};
+  result.str    = first_char;
+  result.length = (u64)(last_char - first_char);
+  return result;
+}
+
+void
+str8_list_push (Arena *arena, String8List *list, String8 string)
+{
+}
+
+String8
+str8_list_join(Arena *arena, String8List *list)
+{
+  String8 result = {0};
+
+  return result;
+}
diff --git a/src/base.h b/src/base.h
index b68df4f..8cd0e97 100644
--- a/src/base.h
+++ b/src/base.h
@@ -31,24 +31,49 @@ typedef uint64_t b64;
 typedef struct Arena
 {
   u8 *backing_buffer;
-  i32 offset;
-  i32 size;
+  i64 offset;
+  i64 size;
 }
 Arena;
 
-internal void   arena_init(Arena *arena, u8 *backing_buffer, i32 size);
-internal void * arena_alloc(Arena *arena, i32 size);
+internal void   arena_init(Arena *arena, u8 *backing_buffer, i64 size);
+internal void * arena_alloc(Arena *arena, i64 size);
 internal void   arena_release(Arena *arena);
 
 //= rhjr: strings
 
-typedef struct String8
+typedef struct String8 String8;
+struct String8
 {
-  u8* contents;
-  i32 length;
-}
-String8;
+  u8* str;
+  i64 length;
+};
 
+typedef struct String8Node String8Node;
+struct String8Node
+{
+  String8Node *next;
+  String8 string;
+};
 
+typedef struct String8List String8List;
+struct String8List
+{
+  String8Node *first;
+  String8Node *last;
+  i64 num_of_nodes;
+  i64 total_length;
+};
+
+String8 str8(u8 *cstr, i64 length);
+String8 str8_from_cstr(u8* cstr);
+
+#define str8_lit(string) str8((u8*)(string), sizeof(string) - 1)
+#define str8_lit_comp(string) (u8*)(string), length)
+
+String8 str8_range   (u8 *first_char, u8 *last_char);
+
+void    str8_list_push (Arena *arena, String8List *list, String8 string);
+String8 str8_list_join (Arena *arena, String8List *list);
 
 #endif // BASE_H
diff --git a/src/eightysix.c b/src/eightysix.c
index ea61ddb..e853ffa 100644
--- a/src/eightysix.c
+++ b/src/eightysix.c
@@ -15,19 +15,7 @@ u8 backing_buffer[ARENA_DEFAULT_SIZE];
 int
 main(void)
 {
-  Arena arena = {0};
-  arena_init(&arena, &backing_buffer[0], ARENA_DEFAULT_SIZE);
-
-  i64 *idx = arena_alloc(&arena, sizeof(i64));
-  *idx = 69;
-
-  i64 *idx2 = arena_alloc(&arena, 2 * sizeof(i64));
-  *idx2++ = 69;
-
-  i64 *idx3 = arena_alloc(&arena, sizeof(i64));
-  *idx3 = 124;
-
-  *idx2 = 139;
+  String8 str = str8_lit("Hello world\n");
 
   return 0;
 }