diff --git a/dict_dl.py b/dict_dl.py
index a0a26e19..8d0a9129 100644
--- a/dict_dl.py
+++ b/dict_dl.py
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ class Queue:
         self.unusual = lambda prefix: not all([c in letters for c in prefix.lower()]) or len(prefix) < self.prefix_length
 
     def wait(self):
+        self.time_exponent = abs(self.time_exponent)
         a = self.time_base**self.time_exponent
         b = self.time_base ** (self.time_exponent * 3)
         time.sleep(randtime(a, b))
@@ -216,13 +217,23 @@ class Queue:
             with open(db_file, "r") as f:
                 self.words |= set(json.load(f).keys())
 
-    def add_word(self):
+    def pick_random(self):
         self.redo.load()
         self.queue -= self.words
         self.queue -= self.snafus
         self.queue |= self.redo
-        len_queue = len(self.queue)  # actual queue
-        p = random.choice(list(self.queue))
+        if len(self.queue) < 1:
+            p = random.choice(list(self.words))
+            self.time_exponent += 1
+        else:
+            p = random.choice(list(self.queue))
+            self.time_exponent -= 20
+        else:
+        return p
+        
+    def add_word(self, p=None):
+        if p == None:
+            p = self.pick_random()
         try:
             start_parsing = time.time()
             w = self.Parser(p)  # fetch new word
@@ -231,7 +242,7 @@ class Queue:
             print(
                 f"{p}  |  "
                 f"{len(self.words)} words collected, "
-                f"{len_queue} words waiting in queue"
+                f"{len(self.queue)} words waiting in queue"
                 # f", {start_db_stuff-start_parsing:.06f}s"
                 # f"/{time.time() - start_db_stuff:.06f}s"
             )