diff --git a/cmd/micro/action/actions.go b/cmd/micro/action/actions.go
index dcb47695..3a6e74da 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/action/actions.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/action/actions.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/buffer"
 	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/config"
 	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/screen"
+	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/shell"
 	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/util"
 	"github.com/zyedidia/tcell"
 )
@@ -370,16 +371,6 @@ func (h *BufHandler) SelectToEnd() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// InsertSpace inserts a space
-func (h *BufHandler) InsertSpace() bool {
-	if h.Cursor.HasSelection() {
-		h.Cursor.DeleteSelection()
-		h.Cursor.ResetSelection()
-	}
-	h.Buf.Insert(h.Cursor.Loc, " ")
-	return true
-}
-
 // InsertNewline inserts a newline plus possible some whitespace if autoindent is on
 func (h *BufHandler) InsertNewline() bool {
 	if h.Buf.Type == buffer.BTInfo {
@@ -984,6 +975,13 @@ func (h *BufHandler) ToggleKeyMenu() bool {
 
 // ShellMode opens a terminal to run a shell command
 func (h *BufHandler) ShellMode() bool {
+	InfoBar.Prompt("$ ", "", "Shell", nil, func(resp string, canceled bool) {
+		if !canceled {
+			// The true here is for openTerm to make the command interactive
+			shell.RunInteractiveShell(resp, true, false)
+		}
+	})
+
 	return false
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/micro/action/actions_posix.go b/cmd/micro/action/actions_posix.go
index 46eac8af..e91ea256 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/action/actions_posix.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/action/actions_posix.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 // This only works on linux and has no default binding.
 // This code was adapted from the suspend code in nsf/godit
 func (*BufHandler) Suspend() bool {
-	screen.TempFini()
+	screenb := screen.TempFini()
 
 	// suspend the process
 	pid := syscall.Getpid()
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func (*BufHandler) Suspend() bool {
 		util.TermMessage(err)
 	}
 
-	screen.TempStart()
+	screen.TempStart(screenb)
 
 	return false
 }
diff --git a/cmd/micro/action/bufhandler.go b/cmd/micro/action/bufhandler.go
index 3beab69c..4af5be99 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/action/bufhandler.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/action/bufhandler.go
@@ -261,7 +261,6 @@ var BufKeyActions = map[string]BufKeyAction{
 	"ParagraphPrevious":      (*BufHandler).ParagraphPrevious,
 	"ParagraphNext":          (*BufHandler).ParagraphNext,
 	"InsertNewline":          (*BufHandler).InsertNewline,
-	"InsertSpace":            (*BufHandler).InsertSpace,
 	"Backspace":              (*BufHandler).Backspace,
 	"Delete":                 (*BufHandler).Delete,
 	"InsertTab":              (*BufHandler).InsertTab,
@@ -370,7 +369,6 @@ var MultiActions = []string{
 	"ParagraphPrevious",
 	"ParagraphNext",
 	"InsertNewline",
-	"InsertSpace",
 	"Backspace",
 	"Delete",
 	"InsertTab",
diff --git a/cmd/micro/action/command.go b/cmd/micro/action/command.go
index dc2dcf72..27b16729 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/action/command.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/action/command.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/buffer"
+	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/screen"
+	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/shell"
 	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/shellwords"
 	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/util"
 )
@@ -260,6 +262,15 @@ func Bind(args []string) {
 
 // Run runs a shell command in the background
 func Run(args []string) {
+	runf, err := shell.RunBackgroundShell(shellwords.Join(args...))
+	if err != nil {
+		InfoBar.Error(err)
+	} else {
+		go func() {
+			InfoBar.Message(runf())
+			screen.Redraw()
+		}()
+	}
 }
 
 // Quit closes the main view
diff --git a/cmd/micro/display/uiwindow.go b/cmd/micro/display/uiwindow.go
index 50f94a3c..493bd5c9 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/display/uiwindow.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/display/uiwindow.go
@@ -19,11 +19,16 @@ func NewUIWindow(n *views.Node) *UIWindow {
 
 func (w *UIWindow) drawNode(n *views.Node) {
 	cs := n.Children()
+	dividerStyle := config.DefStyle
+	if style, ok := config.Colorscheme["divider"]; ok {
+		dividerStyle = style
+	}
+
 	for i, c := range cs {
 		if c.IsLeaf() && c.Kind == views.STVert {
 			if i != len(cs)-1 {
 				for h := 0; h < c.H; h++ {
-					screen.Screen.SetContent(c.X+c.W, c.Y+h, '|', nil, config.DefStyle.Reverse(true))
+					screen.Screen.SetContent(c.X+c.W, c.Y+h, '|', nil, dividerStyle.Reverse(true))
 				}
 			}
 		} else {
diff --git a/cmd/micro/micro.go b/cmd/micro/micro.go
index 1870911b..52507427 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/micro.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/micro.go
@@ -190,14 +190,17 @@ func main() {
 	action.InitGlobals()
 
 	// Here is the event loop which runs in a separate thread
-	// go func() {
-	// 	events = make(chan tcell.Event)
-	// 	for {
-	// 		screen.Lock()
-	// 		events <- screen.Screen.PollEvent()
-	// 		screen.Unlock()
-	// 	}
-	// }()
+	go func() {
+		events = make(chan tcell.Event)
+		for {
+			screen.Lock()
+			e := screen.Screen.PollEvent()
+			screen.Unlock()
+			if e != nil {
+				events <- e
+			}
+		}
+	}()
 
 	for {
 		// Display everything
@@ -214,12 +217,10 @@ func main() {
 		var event tcell.Event
 
 		// Check for new events
-		screen.Lock()
-		event = screen.Screen.PollEvent()
-		screen.Unlock()
-		// select {
-		// case event = <-events:
-		// }
+		select {
+		case event = <-events:
+		case <-screen.DrawChan:
+		}
 
 		if event != nil {
 			if action.InfoBar.HasPrompt {
diff --git a/cmd/micro/screen/screen.go b/cmd/micro/screen/screen.go
index 72fc0d08..54ffe90d 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/screen/screen.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/screen/screen.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 // same time too.
 var Screen tcell.Screen
 var lock sync.Mutex
+var DrawChan chan bool
 
 func Lock() {
 	lock.Lock()
@@ -27,21 +28,24 @@ func Unlock() {
 	lock.Unlock()
 }
 
-var screenWasNil bool
+func Redraw() {
+	DrawChan <- true
+}
 
 // TempFini shuts the screen down temporarily
-func TempFini() {
-	screenWasNil = Screen == nil
+func TempFini() bool {
+	screenWasNil := Screen == nil
 
 	if !screenWasNil {
-		Lock()
 		Screen.Fini()
+		Lock()
 		Screen = nil
 	}
+	return screenWasNil
 }
 
 // TempStart restarts the screen after it was temporarily disabled
-func TempStart() {
+func TempStart(screenWasNil bool) {
 	if !screenWasNil {
 		Init()
 		Unlock()
@@ -50,6 +54,8 @@ func TempStart() {
 
 // Init creates and initializes the tcell screen
 func Init() {
+	DrawChan = make(chan bool)
+
 	// Should we enable true color?
 	truecolor := os.Getenv("MICRO_TRUECOLOR") == "1"
 
diff --git a/cmd/micro/shell/shell.go b/cmd/micro/shell/shell.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9c57d616
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/micro/shell/shell.go
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+package shell
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"os/signal"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/screen"
+	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/shellwords"
+	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/cmd/micro/util"
+)
+
+// ExecCommand executes a command using exec
+// It returns any output/errors
+func ExecCommand(name string, arg ...string) (string, error) {
+	var err error
+	cmd := exec.Command(name, arg...)
+	outputBytes := &bytes.Buffer{}
+	cmd.Stdout = outputBytes
+	cmd.Stderr = outputBytes
+	err = cmd.Start()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	err = cmd.Wait() // wait for command to finish
+	outstring := outputBytes.String()
+	return outstring, err
+}
+
+// RunCommand executes a shell command and returns the output/error
+func RunCommand(input string) (string, error) {
+	args, err := shellwords.Split(input)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	inputCmd := args[0]
+
+	return ExecCommand(inputCmd, args[1:]...)
+}
+
+// RunBackgroundShell runs a shell command in the background
+// It returns a function which will run the command and returns a string
+// message result
+func RunBackgroundShell(input string) (func() string, error) {
+	args, err := shellwords.Split(input)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	inputCmd := args[0]
+	return func() string {
+		output, err := RunCommand(input)
+		totalLines := strings.Split(output, "\n")
+
+		str := output
+		if len(totalLines) < 3 {
+			if err == nil {
+				str = fmt.Sprint(inputCmd, " exited without error")
+			} else {
+				str = fmt.Sprint(inputCmd, " exited with error: ", err, ": ", output)
+			}
+		}
+		return str
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// RunInteractiveShell runs a shellcommand interactively
+func RunInteractiveShell(input string, wait bool, getOutput bool) (string, error) {
+	args, err := shellwords.Split(input)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	inputCmd := args[0]
+
+	// Shut down the screen because we're going to interact directly with the shell
+	screenb := screen.TempFini()
+
+	args = args[1:]
+
+	// Set up everything for the command
+	outputBytes := &bytes.Buffer{}
+	cmd := exec.Command(inputCmd, args...)
+	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
+	if getOutput {
+		cmd.Stdout = io.MultiWriter(os.Stdout, outputBytes)
+	} else {
+		cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	}
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+
+	// This is a trap for Ctrl-C so that it doesn't kill micro
+	// Instead we trap Ctrl-C to kill the program we're running
+	c := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
+	signal.Notify(c, os.Interrupt)
+	go func() {
+		for range c {
+			cmd.Process.Kill()
+		}
+	}()
+
+	cmd.Start()
+	err = cmd.Wait()
+
+	output := outputBytes.String()
+
+	if wait {
+		// This is just so we don't return right away and let the user press enter to return
+		util.TermMessage("")
+	}
+
+	// Start the screen back up
+	screen.TempStart(screenb)
+
+	return output, err
+}
+
+// UserCommand runs the shell command
+// The openTerm argument specifies whether a terminal should be opened (for viewing output
+// or interacting with stdin)
+// func UserCommand(input string, openTerm bool, waitToFinish bool) string {
+// 	if !openTerm {
+// 		RunBackgroundShell(input)
+// 		return ""
+// 	} else {
+// 		output, _ := RunInteractiveShell(input, waitToFinish, false)
+// 		return output
+// 	}
+// }
diff --git a/cmd/micro/util/message.go b/cmd/micro/util/message.go
index 2a1ddce1..efaf059d 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/util/message.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/util/message.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 // This will write the message, and wait for the user
 // to press and key to continue
 func TermMessage(msg ...interface{}) {
-	screen.TempFini()
+	screenb := screen.TempFini()
 
 	fmt.Println(msg...)
 	fmt.Print("\nPress enter to continue")
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func TermMessage(msg ...interface{}) {
 	reader := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
 	reader.ReadString('\n')
 
-	screen.TempStart()
+	screen.TempStart(screenb)
 }
 
 // TermError sends an error to the user in the terminal. Like TermMessage except formatted