diff --git a/stio/configure b/stio/configure
index 360bb97..4705708 100755
--- a/stio/configure
+++ b/stio/configure
@@ -17509,7 +17509,7 @@ _ACEOF
 fi
 done
 
-for ac_func in timegm timelocal localtime_r gettimeofday settimeofday
+for ac_func in timegm timelocal localtime_r gettimeofday settimeofday clock_gettime clock_settime
 do :
   as_ac_var=`$as_echo "ac_cv_func_$ac_func" | $as_tr_sh`
 ac_fn_c_check_func "$LINENO" "$ac_func" "$as_ac_var"
diff --git a/stio/configure.ac b/stio/configure.ac
index 43f0bcb..80d5bc2 100644
--- a/stio/configure.ac
+++ b/stio/configure.ac
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNCS([wctype iswctype wctrans towctrans])
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([isblank iswblank])
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([lseek64 stat64 fstat64 lstat64 ftruncate64 readdir64 dirfd])
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([lstat fchmod fsync ftruncate])
-AC_CHECK_FUNCS([timegm timelocal localtime_r gettimeofday settimeofday])
+AC_CHECK_FUNCS([timegm timelocal localtime_r gettimeofday settimeofday clock_gettime clock_settime])
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([utime utimes futimes lutimes futimens])
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([sysconf prctl fdopendir setrlimit getrlimit getpgid getpgrp])
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([backtrace backtrace_symbols])
diff --git a/stio/lib/main.c b/stio/lib/main.c
index 0c3768f..fa44220 100644
--- a/stio/lib/main.c
+++ b/stio/lib/main.c
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ int main ()
 
 	memset (&sin, 0, STIO_SIZEOF(sin));
 	sin.sin_family = AF_INET;
-
+	memset (&tcp_make, 0, STIO_SIZEOF(&tcp_make));
 	memcpy (&tcp_make.addr, &sin, STIO_SIZEOF(sin));
 	tcp_make.on_sent = tcp_on_sent;
 	tcp_make.on_recv = tcp_on_recv;
@@ -172,23 +172,28 @@ int main ()
 		goto oops;
 	}
 
-	{
-		struct sockaddr_in* p;
-		p = (struct sockaddr_in*)&tcp_conn.addr;
-		p->sin_family = AF_INET;
-		p->sin_port = htons(9999);
-		inet_pton (p->sin_family, "127.0.0.1", &p->sin_addr);
-		tcp_conn.on_connected = tcp_on_connected;
-		tcp_conn.on_disconnected = tcp_on_disconnected;
-		//tcp_conn.on_failure = .... (error code? etc???) or on_connect to access success or failure??? what is better??
-	}
+
+	memset (&sin, 0, STIO_SIZEOF(sin));
+	sin.sin_family = AF_INET;
+	sin.sin_port = htons(9999);
+	//inet_pton (sin.sin_family, "192.168.1.1", &sin.sin_addr);
+	inet_pton (sin.sin_family, "127.0.0.1", &sin.sin_addr);
+
+	memset (&tcp_conn, 0, STIO_SIZEOF(tcp_conn));
+	memcpy (&tcp_conn.addr, &sin, STIO_SIZEOF(sin));
+	tcp_conn.timeout.sec = 5;
+	tcp_conn.on_connected = tcp_on_connected;
+	tcp_conn.on_disconnected = tcp_on_disconnected;
 	if (stio_dev_tcp_connect (tcp[0], &tcp_conn) <= -1)
 	{
 		printf ("stio_dev_tcp_connect() failed....\n");
 		goto oops;
 	}
 
+	memset (&sin, 0, STIO_SIZEOF(sin));
+	sin.sin_family = AF_INET;
 	sin.sin_port = htons(1234);
+	memset (&tcp_make, 0, STIO_SIZEOF(&tcp_make));
 	memcpy (&tcp_make.addr, &sin, STIO_SIZEOF(sin));
 	tcp_make.on_sent = tcp_on_sent;
 	tcp_make.on_recv = tcp_on_recv;
diff --git a/stio/lib/stio-cfg.h.in b/stio/lib/stio-cfg.h.in
index 9796f35..0c09dbe 100644
--- a/stio/lib/stio-cfg.h.in
+++ b/stio/lib/stio-cfg.h.in
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `ceilq' function. */
 #undef HAVE_CEILQ
 
+/* Define to 1 if you have the `clock_gettime' function. */
+#undef HAVE_CLOCK_GETTIME
+
+/* Define to 1 if you have the `clock_settime' function. */
+#undef HAVE_CLOCK_SETTIME
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `connect' function. */
 #undef HAVE_CONNECT
 
diff --git a/stio/lib/stio-prv.h b/stio/lib/stio-prv.h
index fa9db51..f33cb38 100644
--- a/stio/lib/stio-prv.h
+++ b/stio/lib/stio-prv.h
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@
 #define STIO_MEMMOVE(dst,src,count) memmove(dst,src,count)
 #define STIO_ASSERT assert
 
-typedef struct stio_tmrjob_t stio_tmrjob_t;
-typedef stio_size_t stio_tmridx_t;
+
 
 typedef void (*stio_tmr_handler_t) (
 	stio_t*             stio,
@@ -137,9 +136,10 @@ void stio_cleartmrjobs (
 	stio_t* stio
 );
 
-stio_size_t stio_firetmrjobs (
+void stio_firetmrjobs (
 	stio_t*             stio,
-	const stio_ntime_t* tm
+	const stio_ntime_t* tm,
+	stio_size_t*        firecnt
 );
 
 int stio_gettmrtmout (
diff --git a/stio/lib/stio-tcp.c b/stio/lib/stio-tcp.c
index 04b6a0a..03e2390 100644
--- a/stio/lib/stio-tcp.c
+++ b/stio/lib/stio-tcp.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ static int tcp_make (stio_dev_t* dev, void* ctx)
 
 	tcp->on_sent = arg->on_sent;
 	tcp->on_recv = arg->on_recv; 
+	tcp->tmridx_connect = STIO_TMRIDX_INVALID;
 	return 0;
 
 oops:
@@ -88,11 +89,17 @@ static void tcp_kill (stio_dev_t* dev)
 {
 	stio_dev_tcp_t* tcp = (stio_dev_tcp_t*)dev;
 
-	if (tcp->state | (STIO_DEV_TCP_ACCEPTED | STIO_DEV_TCP_CONNECTED))
+	if (tcp->state & (STIO_DEV_TCP_ACCEPTED | STIO_DEV_TCP_CONNECTED))
 	{
 		if (tcp->on_disconnected) tcp->on_disconnected (tcp);
 	}
 
+	if (tcp->tmridx_connect != STIO_TMRIDX_INVALID)
+	{
+		stio_deltmrjob (dev->stio, tcp->tmridx_connect);
+		STIO_ASSERT (tcp->tmridx_connect == STIO_TMRIDX_INVALID);
+	}
+
 	if (tcp->sck != STIO_SCKHND_INVALID) 
 	{
 		stio_closeasyncsck (tcp->sck);
@@ -156,12 +163,16 @@ static void tmr_connect_handle (stio_t* stio, const stio_ntime_t* now, stio_tmrj
 		 * after it gets connected. the timer job doesn't need to be deleted
 		 * when it gets connected for this check here */
 		if (tcp->on_disconnected) tcp->on_disconnected (tcp);
+
+		tcp->state &= ~STIO_DEV_TCP_CONNECTING;
+		stio_dev_tcp_kill (tcp);
 	}
 }
 
 static void tmr_connect_update (stio_t* stio, stio_tmridx_t old_index, stio_tmridx_t new_index, stio_tmrjob_t* job)
 {
 	stio_dev_tcp_t* tcp = (stio_dev_tcp_t*)job->ctx;
+	tcp->tmridx_connect = new_index;
 }
 
 
@@ -217,7 +228,6 @@ static int tcp_ioctl (stio_dev_t* dev, int cmd, void* arg)
 		#else
 			/* the socket is already non-blocking */
 
-
 			x = connect (tcp->sck, sa, sl);
 			if (x == -1)
 			{
@@ -231,11 +241,17 @@ static int tcp_ioctl (stio_dev_t* dev, int cmd, void* arg)
 						{
 							STIO_MEMSET (&tmrjob, 0, STIO_SIZEOF(tmrjob));
 							tmrjob.ctx = tcp;
-							tmrjob.when = conn->timeout;
+							stio_gettime (&tmrjob.when);
+							stio_addtime (&tmrjob.when, &conn->timeout, &tmrjob.when);
 							tmrjob.handler = tmr_connect_handle;
 							tmrjob.updater = tmr_connect_update;
-							if (stio_instmrjob (tcp->stio, &tmrjob) == STIO_TMRIDX_INVALID) 
+
+							STIO_ASSERT (tcp->tmridx_connect == STIO_TMRIDX_INVALID);
+							tcp->tmridx_connect = stio_instmrjob (tcp->stio, &tmrjob);
+							if (tcp->tmridx_connect == STIO_TMRIDX_INVALID)
 							{
+								stio_dev_event ((stio_dev_t*)tcp, STIO_DEV_EVENT_UPD, STIO_DEV_EVENT_IN);
+								/* event manipulation failure can't be handled properly. so ignore it */
 								return -1;
 							}
 						}
@@ -350,13 +366,18 @@ printf ("TCP READY...%p\n", dev);
 				tcp->state &= ~STIO_DEV_TCP_CONNECTING;
 				tcp->state |= STIO_DEV_TCP_CONNECTED;
 
-				if (stio_dev_event ((stio_dev_t*)tcp, STIO_DEV_EVENT_UPD, STIO_DEV_EVENT_IN) <= -1)
 				if (stio_dev_event ((stio_dev_t*)tcp, STIO_DEV_EVENT_UPD, STIO_DEV_EVENT_IN) <= -1)
 				{
 					printf ("CAANOT MANIPULTE EVENT ...\n");
 					return -1;
 				}
 
+				if (tcp->tmridx_connect != STIO_TMRIDX_INVALID)
+				{
+					stio_deltmrjob (tcp->stio, tcp->tmridx_connect);
+					STIO_ASSERT (tcp->tmridx_connect == STIO_TMRIDX_INVALID);
+				}
+
 				if (tcp->on_connected (tcp) <= -1) 
 				{
 					printf ("ON_CONNECTE HANDLER RETURNEF FAILURE...\n");
@@ -410,6 +431,8 @@ printf ("TCP READY...%p\n", dev);
 		clitcp->peer = peer;
 		clitcp->parent = tcp;
 
+
+
 		/* inherit some event handlers from the parent.
 		 * you can still change them inside the on_connected handler */
 		clitcp->on_connected = tcp->on_connected;
@@ -417,6 +440,7 @@ printf ("TCP READY...%p\n", dev);
 		clitcp->on_sent = tcp->on_sent;
 		clitcp->on_recv = tcp->on_recv;
 
+		clitcp->tmridx_connect = STIO_TMRIDX_INVALID;
 		if (clitcp->on_connected (clitcp) <= -1) stio_dev_tcp_kill (clitcp);
 		return 0; /* success but don't invoke on_recv() */ 
 	}
diff --git a/stio/lib/stio-tcp.h b/stio/lib/stio-tcp.h
index 35b8757..10b3fb1 100644
--- a/stio/lib/stio-tcp.h
+++ b/stio/lib/stio-tcp.h
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ struct stio_dev_tcp_t
 
 	stio_sckhnd_t sck;
 
-	unsigned int state;
+	/* bitwised-ORed of #stio_dev_tcp_state_t enumerators */
+	int state;
 
 	/* peer address - valid if one of the followings is set:
 	 *  STIO_DEV_TCP_ACCEPTED
@@ -81,6 +82,8 @@ struct stio_dev_tcp_t
 	stio_dev_tcp_on_disconnected_t on_disconnected;
 	stio_dev_tcp_on_recv_t on_recv;
 	stio_dev_tcp_on_sent_t on_sent;
+
+	stio_tmridx_t tmridx_connect;
 };
 
 typedef struct stio_dev_tcp_make_t stio_dev_tcp_make_t;
diff --git a/stio/lib/stio-tim.c b/stio/lib/stio-tim.c
index 0c0ec11..dfa014a 100644
--- a/stio/lib/stio-tim.c
+++ b/stio/lib/stio-tim.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 	#define EPOCH_DIFF_SECS  ((stio_intptr_t)EPOCH_DIFF_DAYS*24*60*60)
 #endif
 
-int stio_gettime (stio_ntime_t* t)
+void stio_gettime (stio_ntime_t* t)
 {
 #if defined(_WIN32)
 	SYSTEMTIME st;
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ int stio_gettime (stio_ntime_t* t)
 	 */
 
 	GetSystemTime (&st);
-	if (SystemTimeToFileTime (&st, &ft) == FALSE) return -1;
+	SystemTimeToFileTime (&st, &ft); /* this must not fail */
 
 	li.LowPart = ft.dwLowDateTime;
 	li.HighPart = ft.dwHighDateTime;
@@ -76,11 +76,8 @@ int stio_gettime (stio_ntime_t* t)
 	t->sec = (li.QuadPart / (STIO_NSECS_PER_SEC / 100)) - EPOCH_DIFF_SECS;
 	t->nsec = (li.QuadPart % (STIO_NSECS_PER_SEC / 100)) * 100;
 
-	return 0;
-
 #elif defined(__OS2__)
 
-	APIRET rc;
 	DATETIME dt;
 	stio_btime_t bt;
 
@@ -89,8 +86,8 @@ int stio_gettime (stio_ntime_t* t)
 	 * Maybe, resolution too low as it returns values 
 	 * in seconds. */
 
-	rc = DosGetDateTime (&dt);
-	if (rc != NO_ERROR) return -1;
+	DosGetDateTime (&dt);
+	/* DosGetDateTime() never fails. it always returns NO_ERROR */
 
 	bt.year = dt.year - STIO_BTIME_YEAR_BASE;
 	bt.mon = dt.month - 1;
@@ -101,8 +98,15 @@ int stio_gettime (stio_ntime_t* t)
 	/*bt.msec = dt.hundredths * 10;*/
 	bt.isdst = -1; /* determine dst for me */
 
-	if (stio_timelocal (&bt, t) <= -1) return -1;
-	t->nsec = STIO_MSEC_TO_NSEC(dt.hundredths * 10);
+	if (stio_timelocal (&bt, t) <= -1) 
+	{
+		t->sec = time (STIO_NULL);
+		t->nsec = 0;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		t->nsec = STIO_MSEC_TO_NSEC(dt.hundredths * 10);
+	}
 	return 0;
 
 #elif defined(__DOS__)
@@ -123,41 +127,51 @@ int stio_gettime (stio_ntime_t* t)
 	/*bt.msec = dt.hsecond * 10; */
 	bt.isdst = -1; /* determine dst for me */
 
-	if (stio_timelocal (&bt, t) <= -1) return -1;
-	t->nsec = STIO_MSEC_TO_NSEC(dt.hsecond * 10);
-	return 0;
+	if (stio_timelocal (&bt, t) <= -1) 
+	{
+		t->sec = time (STIO_NULL);
+		t->nsec = 0;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		t->nsec = STIO_MSEC_TO_NSEC(dt.hsecond * 10);
+	}
 
 #elif defined(macintosh)
 	unsigned long tv;
 
 	GetDateTime (&tv);
-
 	t->sec = tv;
 	tv->nsec = 0;
-	
-	return 0;
+
+#elif defined(HAVE_CLOCK_GETTIME) && defined(CLOCK_REALTIME)
+	struct timespec ts;
+
+	if (clock_gettime (CLOCK_REALTIME, &ts) == -1 && errno == EINVAL)
+	{
+	#if defined(HAVE_GETTIMEOFDAY)
+		struct timeval tv;
+		gettimeofday (&tv, STIO_NULL);
+		t->sec = tv.tv_sec;
+		t->nsec = STIO_USEC_TO_NSEC(tv.tv_usec);
+	#else
+		t->sec = time (STIO_NULL);
+		t->nsec = 0;
+	#endif
+	}
+
+	t->sec = ts.tv_sec;
+	t->nsec = ts.tv_nsec;
 
 #elif defined(HAVE_GETTIMEOFDAY)
 	struct timeval tv;
-	int n;
-
-	/* TODO: consider using clock_gettime() if it's avaialble.. -lrt may be needed */
-	n = gettimeofday (&tv, STIO_NULL);
-	if (n == -1) 
-	{
-/* TODO: set stio->errnum using errno... */
-		return -1;
-	}
-
+	gettimeofday (&tv, STIO_NULL);
 	t->sec = tv.tv_sec;
 	t->nsec = STIO_USEC_TO_NSEC(tv.tv_usec);
-	return 0;
 
 #else
-	t->sec = STIO_TIME (STIO_NULL);
+	t->sec = time (STIO_NULL);
 	t->nsec = 0;
-
-	return 0;
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/stio/lib/stio-tim.h b/stio/lib/stio-tim.h
index 66ad7eb..dbbce11 100644
--- a/stio/lib/stio-tim.h
+++ b/stio/lib/stio-tim.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ extern "C" {
 /**
  * The stio_gettime() function gets the current time.
  */
-STIO_EXPORT int stio_gettime (
+STIO_EXPORT void stio_gettime (
 	stio_ntime_t* nt
 );
 
diff --git a/stio/lib/stio-tmr.c b/stio/lib/stio-tmr.c
index 9fcc347..e56f9de 100644
--- a/stio/lib/stio-tmr.c
+++ b/stio/lib/stio-tmr.c
@@ -172,35 +172,35 @@ stio_tmridx_t stio_updtmrjob (stio_t* stio, stio_size_t index, const stio_tmrjob
 	return YOUNGER_THAN(job, &item)? sift_up (stio, index, 0): sift_down (stio, index, 0);
 }
 
-stio_size_t stio_firetmrjobs (stio_t* stio, const stio_ntime_t* tm)
+void stio_firetmrjobs (stio_t* stio, const stio_ntime_t* tm, stio_size_t* firecnt)
 {
 	stio_ntime_t now;
 	stio_tmrjob_t event;
-	stio_size_t fire_count = 0;
+	stio_size_t count = 0;
 
 	/* if the current time is not specified, get it from the system */
 	if (tm) now = *tm;
-	else if (stio_gettime (&now) <= -1) return -1;
+	else stio_gettime (&now);
 
 	while (stio->tmr.size > 0)
 	{
 		if (stio_cmptime(&stio->tmr.jobs[0].when, &now) > 0) break;
 
 		event = stio->tmr.jobs[0];
-		stio_deltmrjob (stio, 0); /* remove the registered event structure */
+		stio_deltmrjob (stio, 0); /* remove the registered job */
 
-		fire_count++;
-		event.handler (stio, &now, &event); /* then fire the event */
+		count++;
+		event.handler (stio, &now, &event); /* then fire the job */
 	}
 
-	return fire_count;
+	if (firecnt) *firecnt = count;
 }
 
 int stio_gettmrtmout (stio_t* stio, const stio_ntime_t* tm, stio_ntime_t* tmout)
 {
 	stio_ntime_t now;
 
-	/* time-out can't be calculated when there's no event scheduled */
+	/* time-out can't be calculated when there's no job scheduled */
 	if (stio->tmr.size <= 0) 
 	{
 		stio->errnum = STIO_ENOENT;
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ int stio_gettmrtmout (stio_t* stio, const stio_ntime_t* tm, stio_ntime_t* tmout)
 
 	/* if the current time is not specified, get it from the system */
 	if (tm) now = *tm;
-	else if (stio_gettime (&now) <= -1) return -1;
+	else stio_gettime (&now);
 
 	stio_subtime (&stio->tmr.jobs[0].when, &now, tmout);
 	if (tmout->sec < 0) stio_cleartime (tmout);
diff --git a/stio/lib/stio.c b/stio/lib/stio.c
index efd11f6..3673a92 100644
--- a/stio/lib/stio.c
+++ b/stio/lib/stio.c
@@ -227,15 +227,17 @@ int stio_exec (stio_t* stio)
 
 	/*if (!stio->dev.head) return 0;*/
 
-	
+	/* execute the scheduled jobs before checking devices with the 
+	 * multiplexer. the scheduled jobs can safely destroy the devices */
+	stio_firetmrjobs (stio, STIO_NULL, STIO_NULL);
+
 	if (stio_gettmrtmout (stio, STIO_NULL, &tmout) <= -1)
 	{
 		/* defaults to 1 second if timeout can't be acquired */
-		tmout.sec = 1;
+		tmout.sec = 1; /* TODO: make the default timeout configurable */
 		tmout.nsec = 0;
 	}
 
-
 #if defined(_WIN32)
 /*
 	if (GetQueuedCompletionStatusEx (stio->iocp, stio->ovls, STIO_COUNTOF(stio->ovls), &nentries, timeout, FALSE) == FALSE)
diff --git a/stio/lib/stio.h b/stio/lib/stio.h
index 635f5ca..aa1f4a3 100644
--- a/stio/lib/stio.h
+++ b/stio/lib/stio.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 
 #include <stio-cmn.h>
 
+typedef struct stio_tmrjob_t stio_tmrjob_t;
+typedef stio_size_t stio_tmridx_t;
+
 struct stio_sckadr_t
 {
 	int family;