a very nice explanation of continuations and saving state: say you're in the kitchen in front of the refrigerator, thinking about a sandwitch. you take a continuation right there and stick it in your pocket. then you get some turkey and bread out of the refrigerator and make yourself a sandwitch, which is now sitting on the counter. you invoke the continuation in your pocket, and you find yourself standing in front of the refrigerator again, thinking about a sandwitch. but fortunately, there's a sandwitch on the counter, and all the materials used to make it are gone. so you eat it. :-) by luke palmer (i'm turning a bit fanboyish)