diff --git a/Timeline/Loggable.C b/Timeline/Loggable.C
index 9edf612..abe5a09 100644
--- a/Timeline/Loggable.C
+++ b/Timeline/Loggable.C
@@ -69,6 +69,30 @@ Loggable::open ( const char *filename )
     return true;
 }
 
+/** close journal and delete all loggable objects */
+bool
+Loggable::close ( void )
+{
+
+    DMESSAGE( "closing journal and destroying all journaled objects" );
+
+    fclose( _fp );
+
+    _fp = NULL;
+
+    for ( int i = _log_id; i--; )
+    {
+        Loggable ** l = &_loggables[ i ];
+
+        if ( *l )
+            delete *l;
+
+        *l = NULL;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 /** sigh. parse a string of ":name value :name value" pairs into an
  * array of strings, one per pair */
 // FIXME: doesn't handle the case of :name ":foo bar", nested quotes
diff --git a/Timeline/Loggable.H b/Timeline/Loggable.H
index 7f1f0dd..c1dc0f6 100644
--- a/Timeline/Loggable.H
+++ b/Timeline/Loggable.H
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ private:
 public:
 
     static bool open ( const char *filename );
+    static bool close ( void );
     static void undo ( void );
     static int undo_index ( void ) { return _undo_index; }
     static void compact ( void );
diff --git a/Timeline/TLE.fl b/Timeline/TLE.fl
index 6e6a8be..f57c337 100644
--- a/Timeline/TLE.fl
+++ b/Timeline/TLE.fl
@@ -126,7 +126,10 @@ free( path );} {}
         } {
           MenuItem {} {
             label {&New}
-            xywh {0 0 40 25} deactivate
+            callback {Loggable::close();
+// timeline->reset();
+main_window->redraw();} selected
+            xywh {0 0 40 25}
           }
           MenuItem {} {
             label {&Open}
@@ -536,7 +539,7 @@ delete win;}
         class Timeline
       }
       Fl_Box {} {
-        label {<session name>} selected
+        label {<session name>}
         xywh {450 0 475 22} labeltype SHADOW_LABEL labelfont 2
         code0 {o->label( session_display_name );}
       }
diff --git a/Timeline/Track.C b/Timeline/Track.C
index 7f3801e..d7ad116 100644
--- a/Timeline/Track.C
+++ b/Timeline/Track.C
@@ -239,6 +239,9 @@ Track::Track ( const char *L, int channels ) :
 
 Track::~Track ( )
 {
+    /* FIXME: why is this necessary? */
+    timeline->remove_track( this );
+
     log_destroy();
 }
 
diff --git a/Timeline/Track.H b/Timeline/Track.H
index 6ac2fc3..65d3bee 100644
--- a/Timeline/Track.H
+++ b/Timeline/Track.H
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class Track : public Fl_Group, public Loggable
 public:
 
     Track ( const char *L, int channels=1 );
-    ~Track ( );
+    virtual ~Track ( );
 
     static bool soloing ( void ) { return _soloing; }