diff --git a/sh/minutemaid b/sh/minutemaid
index 0da6372..5be0f7a 100755
--- a/sh/minutemaid
+++ b/sh/minutemaid
@@ -5,15 +5,29 @@
 # YES_ASH
 
 minutemaid() { ### @-
-    ### return 0 and/or execute a command if the current minute
-    ### is divisible by a given number. note that a minute is
-    ### relative to the seconds since the epoch, not the minute of the hour.
-    ### this ensures that commands will run roughly every N minutes,
-    ### regardless of the minute hand on the clock.
+    ### check if the current minute is divisible by a given number,
+    ### and optionally execute a command if it is. if a command is given,
+    ### either execute the command and return its exit value,
+    ### or execute nothing and return 0. if a command is omitted,
+    ### either return 0 on the minute, or return 1.
+    ###
+    ### note that a "minute" is relative to the seconds since the epoch,
+    ### not the minute of the hour. this ensures that commands will run
+    ### roughly every N minutes, regardless of the minute hand on the clock.
+    ###
+    ### note that `minutemaid 1` will always return 0,
+    ### and `minutemaid 1 command` will always execute the command,
+    ### since every integer "minute" is evenly divisible by 1.
     ###
     ### ```
     ### # crontab usage:
     ### * * * * * minutemaid 9 ~/work/do_my_bidding # runs every nine minutes
+    ### # loop usage:
+    ### until minutemaid 9; do sleep 5; done
+    ### echo the wait is finally over; date
+    ### # improper usage:
+    ### while minutemaid 1; do sleep 1; done
+    ### echo this will never happen
     ### ```
 
     local offset=0 name