diff --git a/src/internal.cpp b/src/internal.cpp
index d9575d2..2fefc58 100644
--- a/src/internal.cpp
+++ b/src/internal.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,27 @@
 #include "internal.h"
+#include <sys/shm.h>
+Impl impl;
 
-Internal internal;
+void *getSharedMemory(){
+    impl.sharedMemorySize = 8000;
 
+    auto id = shmget(impl.sharedMemoryKey, impl.sharedMemorySize, 0644 | IPC_CREAT);
+    if(id == -1){
+        //error
+        impl.sharedMemorySize = 0;
+        return nullptr;
+    }
 
+    void *data = shmat(id, nullptr, 0);
+    if(data == (char*)(-1)){
+        //error
+        impl.sharedMemorySize = 0;
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    return data;
+}
+
+int getSharedMemorySize(){
+    return impl.sharedMemorySize;
+}
diff --git a/src/internal.h b/src/internal.h
index 65baee5..831ad27 100644
--- a/src/internal.h
+++ b/src/internal.h
@@ -6,13 +6,14 @@
 #include "LayoutVersion.h"
 #include "GraphicMode.h"
 #include "Color.h"
+#include <sys/types.h>
 
 /**
  * the Control Registers
  * @author Julian Hinxlage
  * @since 0.1.0
  */
-struct Registers{
+struct Registers {
     int layout_version;
     int trigger_reset;
     int width_pixels;
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ struct Registers{
     int keyboardBuffer_index_r;
 };
 
-struct InterruptEntry{
+struct InterruptEntry {
     int pid;
     int signum;
 };
@@ -42,10 +43,16 @@ struct InterruptEntry{
 /**
  * internal values for the library.
  */
-struct Internal{
+struct Impl {
     int sharedMemoryPid;
+    key_t sharedMemoryKey;
+    int sharedMemorySize;
 };
-extern Internal internal;
+extern Impl impl;
+
+void *getSharedMemory();
+
+int getSharedMemorySize();
 
 /**
  * set layout version.
diff --git a/src/log.cpp b/src/log.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..42dfbe5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/log.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+
+/**
+ * @author Julian Hinxlage
+ * @since 0.1.0
+ */
+
+#include "log.h"
+#include <iostream>
+
+//converts the level to a string of the level
+const char *getLevelName(LogLevel level){
+    switch(level){
+        case LogLevel::DEBUG:
+            return "DEBUG";
+        case LogLevel::INFO:
+            return "INFO";
+        case LogLevel::WARNING:
+            return "WARNING";
+        case LogLevel::ERROR:
+            return "ERROR";
+        case LogLevel::CRITICAL:
+            return "CRITICAL";
+        default:
+            return "NON";
+    }
+}
+
+//converts the level to a ansi color code
+const char *getLevelColor(LogLevel level){
+    switch(level){
+        case LogLevel::DEBUG:
+            return "0;37";
+        case LogLevel::INFO:
+            return "0";
+        case LogLevel::WARNING:
+            return "1;33";
+        case LogLevel::ERROR:
+            return "1;31";
+        case LogLevel::CRITICAL:
+            return "1;35";
+        default:
+            return "0";
+    }
+}
+
+LogLevel logLevel = LogLevel::INFO;
+
+//log the current time
+void logTime(){
+    time_t rawtime;
+    time(&rawtime);
+    struct tm *timeinfo;
+    timeinfo = localtime(&rawtime);
+
+    if (timeinfo->tm_hour < 10) {
+        std::cout << "0";
+    }
+    std::cout << timeinfo->tm_hour;
+    std::cout << ":";
+    if (timeinfo->tm_min < 10) {
+        std::cout << "0";
+    }
+    std::cout << timeinfo->tm_min;
+    std::cout << ":";
+    if (timeinfo->tm_sec < 10) {
+        std::cout << "0";
+    }
+    std::cout << timeinfo->tm_sec;
+}
+
+//log the message
+void log(const std::string &msg, LogLevel level) {
+    if(level >= logLevel) {
+        std::string levelName = getLevelName(level);
+        int maxLevelNameLength = 8;
+
+        //time
+        std::cout << "[";
+        logTime();
+        std::cout << "] ";
+
+        //color and level name;lo
+        std::cout << "[";
+        std::cout << "\033[" << getLevelColor(level) << "m" << levelName << "\033[0m";
+        std::cout << "] ";
+        for (int i = levelName.size(); i < maxLevelNameLength; i++) {
+            std::cout << " ";
+        }
+
+        //message
+        for(char c : msg){
+            if(c == '\n'){
+                //intend newlines so that they align with the start of the message
+                std::cout << "\n";
+                for(int i = 0; i < 22;i++){
+                    std::cout << " ";
+                }
+            }else{
+                std::cout << c;
+            }
+        }
+        std::cout << "\n";
+    }
+}
+
+void setLogLevel(LogLevel level) {
+    logLevel = level;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/log.h b/src/log.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b7f94f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/log.h
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#ifndef LIBRARY_LOG_H
+#define LIBRARY_LOG_H
+
+#include <string>
+
+enum LogLevel{
+    DEBUG = 1,
+    INFO = 2,
+    WARNING = 3,
+    ERROR = 4,
+    CRITICAL = 5,
+    OFF = 6
+};
+
+/**
+ * log the messgae with logLevel and timestamp
+ * @author Julian Hinxlage
+ * @since 0.1.0
+ */
+void log(const std::string &msg, LogLevel level = LogLevel::INFO);
+
+
+/**
+ * set the logLevel, the log function will use this to determine if the message is logged
+ * @author Julian Hinxlage
+ * @since 0.1.0
+ */
+void setLogLevel(LogLevel level);
+
+#endif //LIBRARY_LOG_H
diff --git a/src/vkvm.cpp b/src/vkvm.cpp
index 45218e4..1b63d02 100644
--- a/src/vkvm.cpp
+++ b/src/vkvm.cpp
@@ -2,5 +2,7 @@
 #include "internal.h"
 
 void initialize(int pid) {
-    internal.sharedMemoryPid = pid;
+    impl.sharedMemoryPid = pid;
+    impl.sharedMemoryKey = 892348;
+    impl.sharedMemorySize = 0;
 }