diff --git a/anselme.lua b/anselme.lua
index e3e046a..3d4740e 100644
--- a/anselme.lua
+++ b/anselme.lua
@@ -568,10 +568,16 @@ return setmetatable(anselme, {
 			link_next_function_definition_to_lua_function = nil -- temporarly set to tell the preparser to link a anselme function definition with a lua function
 		}
 		local vm = setmetatable({ state = state }, vm_mt)
+		-- bootscript
 		local boot = assert(vm:loadstring(bootscript, "", "boot script"))
 		local _, e = vm:eval(boot)
 		if e then error(e) end
-		assert(vm:loadfunction(stdfuncs))
+		-- lua-defined functions
+		assert(vm:loadfunction(stdfuncs.lua))
+		-- anselme-defined functions
+		local ansfunc = assert(vm:loadstring(stdfuncs.anselme, "", "built-in functions"))
+		_, e = vm:eval(ansfunc)
+		if e then return error(e) end
 		return vm
 	end
 })
diff --git a/notes.txt b/notes.txt
index 03184fb..751d88b 100644
--- a/notes.txt
+++ b/notes.txt
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ TODO: the function decorator feels a bit glued-on to the current syntax
 
 TODO: simplify language, it is much too complicated. Less line types? (var def, func, checkpoint, tag). Rewrite some ad hoc syntax using the expression system?
 
-TODO: functions/checkpoint: separate from scoping and/or actual functions?
+TODO: functions/checkpoint: separate from scoping and/or actual functions? with proper scoping & stuff
 
 TODO: fn/checkpoint/tag: maybe consider them a regular func call that takes children as arg; can keep compatibility using $/§ as shortcut for the actual call.
      would allow more flexibility esp. for tags...
diff --git a/stdlib/functions.lua b/stdlib/functions.lua
index a3016c3..083e82b 100644
--- a/stdlib/functions.lua
+++ b/stdlib/functions.lua
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ local function mark_as_modified(v)
 	table.insert(modified, v)
 end
 
-local functions
-functions = {
+local lua_functions
+lua_functions = {
 	-- discard left
 	["_;_(a, b)"] = {
 		mode = "raw",
@@ -314,20 +314,25 @@ functions = {
 		end
 		return anselme.running:run(f, anselme.running:current_namespace())
 	end,
-	["random(l...)"] = function(l)
-		return anselme.running:run(l[math.random(1, #l)], anselme.running:current_namespace())
-	end,
-	["next(l...)"] = function(l)
-		local f = l[#l]
-		for j=1, #l-1 do
-			local seen = assert(anselme.running:eval(l[j]..".👁️", anselme.running:current_namespace()))
-			if seen == 0 then
-				f = l[j]
-				break
-			end
-		end
-		return anselme.running:run(f, anselme.running:current_namespace())
-	end
+}
+
+local anselme_functions = [[
+$ random(l...)
+	~ l(rand(1, l!len))!
+
+$ next(l...)
+	~ l!len == 1 | l(1).👁️ == 0
+		~ l(1)!
+	~~
+		~ l!remove(1)
+		~ next(l=l)
+
+(TODO: cycle)
+]]
+
+local functions = {
+	lua = lua_functions,
+	anselme = anselme_functions
 }
 
 package.loaded[...] = functions
@@ -336,3 +341,5 @@ truthy, compare, is_of_type, get_variable = icommon.truthy, icommon.compare, ico
 local pcommon = require((...):gsub("stdlib%.functions$", "parser.common"))
 identifier_pattern, format_identifier, find = pcommon.identifier_pattern, pcommon.format_identifier, pcommon.find
 anselme = require((...):gsub("stdlib%.functions$", "anselme"))
+
+return functions
diff --git a/test/tests/function next.ans b/test/tests/function next.ans
index 1ff5999..df29021 100644
--- a/test/tests/function next.ans	
+++ b/test/tests/function next.ans	
@@ -5,10 +5,14 @@ $ f
 		b
 	$ c
 		c
-	~ next("a","b","c")
+	~ next(&a, &b, &c)
 
 ~ f
+
 ~ f
+
 ~ f
+
 ~ f
+
 ~ f
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/tests/function random.ans b/test/tests/function random.ans
index 6d8563b..d2ef400 100644
--- a/test/tests/function random.ans	
+++ b/test/tests/function random.ans	
@@ -5,10 +5,14 @@ $ f
 		b
 	$ c
 		c
-	~ random("a","b","c")
+	~ random(&a,&b,&c)
 
 ~ f
+
 ~ f
+
 ~ f
+
+~ f
+
 ~ f
-~ f
\ No newline at end of file