diff --git a/database.go b/database.go
index ad43b7c..9cf8ada 100644
--- a/database.go
+++ b/database.go
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
 
 	"humungus.tedunangst.com/r/webs/login"
 )
@@ -250,24 +252,36 @@ func donksforhonks(honks []*Honk) {
 		h.Onts = append(h.Onts, o)
 	}
 	rows.Close()
-	// grab places
-	q = fmt.Sprintf("select honkid, name, latitude, longitude, url from places where honkid in (%s)", strings.Join(ids, ","))
+	// grab meta
+	q = fmt.Sprintf("select honkid, genus, json from honkmeta where honkid in (%s)", strings.Join(ids, ","))
 	rows, err = db.Query(q)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("error querying places: %s", err)
+		log.Printf("error querying honkmeta: %s", err)
 		return
 	}
 	defer rows.Close()
 	for rows.Next() {
 		var hid int64
-		p := new(Place)
-		err = rows.Scan(&hid, &p.Name, &p.Latitude, &p.Longitude, &p.Url)
+		var genus, j string
+		err = rows.Scan(&hid, &genus, &j)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Printf("error scanning place: %s", err)
+			log.Printf("error scanning honkmeta: %s", err)
 			continue
 		}
 		h := hmap[hid]
-		h.Place = p
+		switch genus {
+		case "place":
+			p := new(Place)
+			err = unjsonify(j, p)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Printf("error parsing place: %s", err)
+				continue
+			}
+			h.Place = p
+		case "oldrev":
+		default:
+			log.Printf("unknown meta genus: %s", genus)
+		}
 	}
 	rows.Close()
 }
@@ -317,7 +331,10 @@ func saveextras(h *Honk) error {
 		}
 	}
 	if p := h.Place; p != nil {
-		_, err := stmtSavePlace.Exec(h.ID, p.Name, p.Latitude, p.Longitude, p.Url)
+		j, err := jsonify(p)
+		if err != nil {
+			_, err = stmtSaveMeta.Exec(h.ID, "genus", j)
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("error saving place: %s", err)
 			return err
@@ -336,7 +353,7 @@ func deleteextras(honkid int64) {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error deleting: %s", err)
 	}
-	_, err = stmtDeletePlace.Exec(honkid)
+	_, err = stmtDeleteMeta.Exec(honkid)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error deleting: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -350,19 +367,41 @@ func deletehonk(honkid int64) {
 	}
 }
 
+func jsonify(what interface{}) (string, error) {
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	e := json.NewEncoder(&buf)
+	e.SetEscapeHTML(false)
+	e.SetIndent("", "")
+	err := e.Encode(what)
+	return buf.String(), err
+}
+
+func unjsonify(s string, dest interface{}) error {
+	d := json.NewDecoder(strings.NewReader(s))
+	err := d.Decode(dest)
+	return err
+}
+
 func updatehonk(h *Honk) {
 	old := getxonk(h.UserID, h.XID)
-	_, err := stmtSaveOld.Exec(old.ID, old.Precis, old.Noise)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("error saving old: %s", err)
-		return
-	}
+	oldrev := OldRevision{Precis: old.Precis, Noise: old.Noise}
+
 	deleteextras(h.ID)
 
 	dt := h.Date.UTC().Format(dbtimeformat)
 	stmtUpdateHonk.Exec(h.Precis, h.Noise, h.Format, dt, h.ID)
 
 	saveextras(h)
+	j, err := jsonify(&oldrev)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("error jsonify oldrev: %s", err)
+		return
+	}
+	_, err = stmtSaveMeta.Exec(old.ID, "oldrev", j)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("error saving oldrev: %s", err)
+		return
+	}
 }
 
 func cleanupdb(arg string) {
@@ -384,7 +423,7 @@ func cleanupdb(arg string) {
 	doordie(db, "delete from honks where "+where, sqlargs...)
 	doordie(db, "delete from donks where honkid not in (select honkid from honks)")
 	doordie(db, "delete from onts where honkid not in (select honkid from honks)")
-	doordie(db, "delete from places where honkid not in (select honkid from honks)")
+	doordie(db, "delete from honkmeta where honkid not in (select honkid from honks)")
 
 	doordie(db, "delete from filemeta where fileid not in (select fileid from donks)")
 	for _, u := range allusers() {
@@ -442,7 +481,7 @@ var stmtAddDoover, stmtGetDoovers, stmtLoadDoover, stmtZapDoover, stmtOneHonker
 var stmtThumbBiters, stmtDeleteHonk, stmtDeleteDonks, stmtDeleteOnts, stmtSaveZonker *sql.Stmt
 var stmtGetZonkers, stmtRecentHonkers, stmtGetXonker, stmtSaveXonker, stmtDeleteXonker *sql.Stmt
 var stmtSelectOnts, stmtSaveOnt, stmtUpdateFlags, stmtClearFlags *sql.Stmt
-var stmtSavePlace, stmtDeletePlace, stmtHonksForUserFirstClass, stmtSaveOld, stmtUpdateHonk *sql.Stmt
+var stmtHonksForUserFirstClass, stmtSaveMeta, stmtDeleteMeta, stmtUpdateHonk *sql.Stmt
 
 func preparetodie(db *sql.DB, s string) *sql.Stmt {
 	stmt, err := db.Prepare(s)
@@ -477,12 +516,11 @@ func prepareStatements(db *sql.DB) {
 	stmtHonksByConvoy = preparetodie(db, selecthonks+"where (honks.userid = ? or (? = -1 and whofore = 2)) and convoy = ?"+limit)
 	stmtHonksByOntology = preparetodie(db, selecthonks+"join onts on honks.honkid = onts.honkid where onts.ontology = ? and (honks.userid = ? or (? = -1 and honks.whofore = 2))"+limit)
 
-	stmtSaveOld = preparetodie(db, "insert into forsaken (honkid, precis, noise) values (?, ?, ?)")
+	stmtSaveMeta = preparetodie(db, "insert into honkmeta (honkid, genus, json) values (?, ?, ?)")
+	stmtDeleteMeta = preparetodie(db, "delete from honkmeta where honkid = ?")
 	stmtSaveHonk = preparetodie(db, "insert into honks (userid, what, honker, xid, rid, dt, url, audience, noise, convoy, whofore, format, precis, oonker, flags) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)")
 	stmtDeleteHonk = preparetodie(db, "delete from honks where honkid = ?")
 	stmtUpdateHonk = preparetodie(db, "update honks set precis = ?, noise = ?, format = ?, dt = ? where honkid = ?")
-	stmtSavePlace = preparetodie(db, "insert into places (honkid, name, latitude, longitude, url) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)")
-	stmtDeletePlace = preparetodie(db, "delete from places where honkid = ?")
 	stmtSaveOnt = preparetodie(db, "insert into onts (ontology, honkid) values (?, ?)")
 	stmtDeleteOnts = preparetodie(db, "delete from onts where honkid = ?")
 	stmtSaveDonk = preparetodie(db, "insert into donks (honkid, fileid) values (?, ?)")
diff --git a/honk.go b/honk.go
index 27e2df9..29dfaa9 100644
--- a/honk.go
+++ b/honk.go
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ type Honk struct {
 	Place    *Place
 }
 
+type OldRevision struct {
+	Precis string
+	Noise  string
+}
+
 const (
 	flagIsAcked  = 1
 	flagIsBonked = 2
diff --git a/schema.sql b/schema.sql
index 197b417..f9f8273 100644
--- a/schema.sql
+++ b/schema.sql
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ create table xonkers (xonkerid integer primary key, name text, info text, flavor
 create table zonkers (zonkerid integer primary key, userid integer, name text, wherefore text);
 create table doovers(dooverid integer primary key, dt text, tries integer, username text, rcpt text, msg blob);
 create table onts (ontology text, honkid integer);
-create table forsaken (honkid integer, precis text, noise text);
-create table places (honkid integer, name text, latitude real, longitude real, url text);
+create table honkmeta (honkid integer, genus text, json text);
 
 create index idx_honksxid on honks(xid);
 create index idx_honksconvoy on honks(convoy);
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@ create index idx_filesxid on filemeta(xid);
 create index idx_filesurl on filemeta(url);
 create index idx_ontology on onts(ontology);
 create index idx_onthonkid on onts(honkid);
-create index idx_placehonkid on places(honkid);
+create index idx_honkmetaid on honkmeta(honkid);
 
 create table config (key text, value text);
 
diff --git a/upgradedb.go b/upgradedb.go
index 20a5134..3e901f6 100644
--- a/upgradedb.go
+++ b/upgradedb.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 func doordie(db *sql.DB, s string, args ...interface{}) {
 	_, err := db.Exec(s, args...)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
+		log.Fatalf("can't run %s: %s", s, err)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -239,6 +239,44 @@ func upgradedb() {
 		doordie(db, "update config set value = 22 where key = 'dbversion'")
 		fallthrough
 	case 22:
+		doordie(db, "create table honkmeta (honkid integer, genus text, json text)")
+		doordie(db, "create index idx_honkmetaid on honkmeta(honkid)")
+		doordie(db, "drop table forsaken") // don't bother saving this one
+		rows, err := db.Query("select honkid, name, latitude, longitude, url from places")
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		places := make(map[int64]*Place)
+		for rows.Next() {
+			var honkid int64
+			p := new(Place)
+			err = rows.Scan(&honkid, &p.Name, &p.Latitude, &p.Longitude, &p.Url)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			places[honkid] = p
+		}
+		rows.Close()
+		tx, err := db.Begin()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("can't begin: %s", err)
+		}
+		for honkid, p := range places {
+			j, err := jsonify(p)
+			_, err = tx.Exec("insert into honkmeta (honkid, genus, json) values (?, ?, ?)",
+				honkid, "place", j)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Fatal(err)
+			}
+		}
+		err = tx.Commit()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("can't commit: %s", err)
+		}
+		doordie(db, "update config set value = 23 where key = 'dbversion'")
+		fallthrough
+	case 23:
+
 	default:
 		log.Fatalf("can't upgrade unknown version %d", dbversion)
 	}
diff --git a/util.go b/util.go
index 2e0ec9d..f0fdb4d 100644
--- a/util.go
+++ b/util.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ var alreadyopendb *sql.DB
 var dbname = "honk.db"
 var blobdbname = "blob.db"
 var stmtConfig *sql.Stmt
-var myVersion = 22
+var myVersion = 23
 
 func initdb() {
 	schema, err := ioutil.ReadFile("schema.sql")