diff --git a/packages/utils/src/synergy.ts b/packages/utils/src/synergy.ts
index e7dc44547..c75e4a11b 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/synergy.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/src/synergy.ts
@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@ import {
 import JSON5 from "json5";
 
 async function removeEmbedding(perspective, itemId) {
-  const allRelationships = (await SemanticRelationship.query(perspective, {
+  const allSemanticRelationships = (await SemanticRelationship.query(perspective, {
     source: itemId,
   })) as any;
-  const embeddingRelationship = allRelationships.find((r) => !r.relevance);
-  if (embeddingRelationship) {
-    const embedding = new Embedding(perspective, embeddingRelationship.tag);
-    await embedding.delete();
-    await embeddingRelationship.delete();
+  const embeddingSR = allSemanticRelationships.find((sr) => !sr.relevance);
+  if (embeddingSR) {
+    const embedding = new Embedding(perspective, embeddingSR.tag);
+    await embedding.delete(); // delete the embedding
+    await embeddingSR.delete(); // delete the semantic relationship
   }
 }
 
@@ -48,10 +48,7 @@ async function removeTopics(perspective, itemId) {
 }
 
 async function removeProcessedData(perspective, itemId) {
-  return await Promise.all([
-    removeEmbedding(perspective, itemId),
-    removeTopics(perspective, itemId),
-  ]);
+  return await Promise.all([removeEmbedding(perspective, itemId), removeTopics(perspective, itemId)]);
 }
 
 // todo: use embedding language instead of stringifying
@@ -276,13 +273,102 @@ export async function getSubgroupItems(perspective, subgroupId) {
   });
 }
 
+async function removeProcessedDataIfPresent(perspective, itemId) {
+  // check if there are existing semantic relationships on the item & remove if present (used for edits & unprocessed items)
+  const relationships = await SemanticRelationship.query(perspective, { source: itemId });
+  if (relationships.length) await removeProcessedData(perspective, itemId);
+}
+
+// todo: use raw prolog query here so subject classes don't need to be hard coded
+async function getConversationItems(perspective, conversationId) {
+  // gather up all the items in the conversation
+  const messages = await new SubjectRepository(Message, { perspective, source: conversationId }).getAllData();
+  const posts = await new SubjectRepository(Post, { perspective, source: conversationId }).getAllData();
+  const tasks = await new SubjectRepository("Task", { perspective, source: conversationId }).getAllData();
+  // transform items into common format
+  const transformedItems = [
+    ...messages.map((message) => transformItem("Message", message)),
+    ...posts.map((post) => transformItem("Post", post)),
+    ...tasks.map((task) => transformItem("Task", task)),
+  ];
+  // order items by timestamp
+  const orderedItems = transformedItems.sort((a, b) => {
+    return new Date(a.timestamp).getTime() - new Date(b.timestamp).getTime();
+  });
+  return orderedItems;
+}
+
+async function linkItemToConversation(perspective, channelId, itemId) {
+  let conversation;
+  const conversations = await Conversation.query(perspective, { source: channelId });
+  if (conversations.length) {
+    // if existing conversations found & last item in last conversation less than 30 mins old, use that conversation
+    const lastConversation = conversations[conversations.length - 1];
+    const conversationItems = await getConversationItems(perspective, lastConversation.baseExpression);
+    if (conversationItems.length) {
+      const lastItem = conversationItems[conversationItems.length - 1];
+      const timeSinceLastItemCreated = new Date().getTime() - new Date(lastItem.timestamp).getTime();
+      const minsSinceLastItemCreated = timeSinceLastItemCreated / (1000 * 60);
+      if (minsSinceLastItemCreated < 30) conversation = lastConversation;
+    }
+  }
+  if (!conversation) {
+    // create a new conversation
+    const newConversation = new Conversation(perspective, undefined, channelId);
+    newConversation.conversationName = `Conversation ${conversations.length + 1}`;
+    await newConversation.save();
+    conversation = await newConversation.get();
+  }
+  // link item to conversation
+  await perspective.add({
+    source: conversation.baseExpression,
+    predicate: "ad4m://has_child",
+    target: itemId,
+  });
+}
+
+async function getDefaultLLM() {
+  const client = await getAd4mClient();
+  return await client.ai.getDefaultModel("LLM");
+}
+
+const processingQueue = [] as any[];
+let isProcessing = false;
+
+// async function maybeProcessNext() {
+//   if (isProcessing || !processingQueue.length) return;
+//   isProcessing = true;
+
+//   const next = processingQueue.shift();
+//   try {
+//     await processItemOld(next.perspective, next.channelId, next.item, next.existingItem);
+//   } finally {
+//     isProcessing = false;
+//     // Attempt to process the next in queue
+//     maybeProcessNext();
+//   }
+// }
+
 export async function processItem(perspective, channelId, item, existingItem?: boolean) {
+  return new Promise(async (resolve: any) => {
+    await removeProcessedDataIfPresent(perspective, item.baseExpression);
+    await linkItemToConversation(perspective, channelId, item.baseExpression);
+    // if no default LLM, end processing here
+    if (!(await getDefaultLLM())) resolve();
+    else {
+      await createEmbedding(perspective, item.text, item.baseExpression);
+      // check if responsible for LLM task...
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+export async function processItemOld(perspective, channelId, item, existingItem?: boolean) {
   // check if LLM is enabled
   const client = await getAd4mClient();
   const defaultLLM = await client.ai.getDefaultModel("LLM");
   console.log("process item with LLM: ", !!defaultLLM);
   return new Promise(async (resolve: any) => {
-    // check for existing relationships & removed processed data if present (used for edits & unprocessed items)
+    // check for existing relationships & remove processed data if present (used for edits & unprocessed items)
     const relationships = await SemanticRelationship.query(perspective, {
       source: item.baseExpression,
     });
@@ -296,6 +382,7 @@ export async function processItem(perspective, channelId, item, existingItem?: b
     });
     if (conversations.length) {
       if (existingItem) {
+        // todo: use raw prolog query here
         // find the conversation & subgroup of the existing item
         const allConversations = await Conversation.all(perspective);
         const allSubgroups = await ConversationSubgroup.all(perspective);
@@ -305,9 +392,7 @@ export async function processItem(perspective, channelId, item, existingItem?: b
             target: item.baseExpression,
           })
         );
-        const subgroup = allSubgroups.find((s) =>
-          itemLinks.find((link) => link.data.source === s.baseExpression)
-        );
+        const subgroup = allSubgroups.find((s) => itemLinks.find((link) => link.data.source === s.baseExpression));
         const subgroupLinks = await perspective.get(
           new LinkQuery({
             predicate: "ad4m://has_child",
@@ -325,10 +410,7 @@ export async function processItem(perspective, channelId, item, existingItem?: b
           source: latestConversation.baseExpression,
         });
         const latestSubgroup = subgroups[subgroups.length - 1] as any;
-        const latestSubgroupItems = await getSubgroupItems(
-          perspective,
-          latestSubgroup.baseExpression
-        );
+        const latestSubgroupItems = await getSubgroupItems(perspective, latestSubgroup.baseExpression);
         // calculate time since last item was created
         const lastItem = latestSubgroupItems[latestSubgroupItems.length - 1];
         if (lastItem) {
@@ -349,11 +431,7 @@ export async function processItem(perspective, channelId, item, existingItem?: b
       await newConversation.save();
       conversation = await newConversation.get();
       // create new subgroup
-      const newSubgroup = new ConversationSubgroup(
-        perspective,
-        undefined,
-        conversation.baseExpression
-      );
+      const newSubgroup = new ConversationSubgroup(perspective, undefined, conversation.baseExpression);
       newSubgroup.subgroupName = "Subgroup 1";
       await newSubgroup.save();
       subgroups = [newSubgroup];
@@ -397,11 +475,7 @@ export async function processItem(perspective, channelId, item, existingItem?: b
         // update subgroup summary and title
         if (changedSubject && subgroup.summary) {
           // if the conversation has shifted to a new subject, create a new subgroup
-          const newSubgroup = new ConversationSubgroup(
-            perspective,
-            undefined,
-            conversation.baseExpression
-          );
+          const newSubgroup = new ConversationSubgroup(perspective, undefined, conversation.baseExpression);
           newSubgroup.subgroupName = newSubgroupName;
           newSubgroup.summary = newSubgroupSummary;
           await newSubgroup.save();