-# pull in our generated variables that are the minimal set we need to find
-# the rest of our resources.
-source "$GENERATED_FEISTY_MEOW_VARIABLES"
+export ERROR_OCCURRED=
+ # there have been no errors to start with, at least. we will set this
+ # to non-empty if something bad happens.
+
+if [ -z "$FEISTY_MEOW_LOADING_DOCK" ]; then
+ # FEISTY_MEOW_LOADING_DOCK is where the generated files are located.
+ # this is our single entry point we can use without knowing any variables
+ # yet in the initialization process.
+ export FEISTY_MEOW_LOADING_DOCK="$HOME/.zz_feisty_loading"
+#hmmm: the above is kind of a constant. that's not so great.
+
+ # make sure our main variables are established.
+ FEISTY_MEOW_VARIABLES_LOADING_FILE="$FEISTY_MEOW_LOADING_DOCK/fmc_variables.sh"
+ if [ ! -f "$FEISTY_MEOW_VARIABLES_LOADING_FILE" ]; then
+ echo -e '\n\n'
+ echo "Feisty meow scripts need initialization via the bootstrap process, e.g.:"
+ echo " bash $HOME/feisty_meow/scripts/core/reconfigure_feisty_meow.sh"
+ echo -e '\n\n'
+ ERROR_OCCURRED=true
+ fi
+
+ ##############
+
+ # pull in our generated variables that are the minimal set we need to find
+ # the rest of our resources.
+ source "$FEISTY_MEOW_VARIABLES_LOADING_FILE"
+
+ # Set up the temporary directory.
+ source "$FEISTY_MEOW_SCRIPTS/core/create_tempdir.sh"
+
+fi