diff --git a/cmd/influxd/run.go b/cmd/influxd/run.go
index cc6e92a73f..3c5d01f389 100644
--- a/cmd/influxd/run.go
+++ b/cmd/influxd/run.go
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ func Run(config *Config, join, version string, logWriter *os.File) (*messaging.B
 					config.Statistics.Database, err.Error())
 			}
 			s.StartSelfMonitoring(database, policy, time.Duration(interval))
+			log.Printf("started self-monitoring at interval of %s", interval)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 8912d39b01..4e16364333 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ type Server struct {
 
 	shards map[uint64]*Shard // shards by shard id
 
-	metrics    *Stats
+	stats      *Stats
 	Logger     *log.Logger
 	WriteTrace bool // Detailed logging of write path
 
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@ func NewServer() *Server {
 		databases: make(map[string]*database),
 		users:     make(map[string]*User),
 
-		shards:  make(map[uint64]*Shard),
-		metrics: NewStats("server"),
-		Logger:  log.New(os.Stderr, "[server] ", log.LstdFlags),
+		shards: make(map[uint64]*Shard),
+		stats:  NewStats("server"),
+		Logger: log.New(os.Stderr, "[server] ", log.LstdFlags),
 	}
 	// Server will always return with authentication enabled.
 	// This ensures that disabling authentication must be an explicit decision.
@@ -329,15 +329,16 @@ func (s *Server) StartSelfMonitoring(database, retention string, interval time.D
 	}
 
 	// Grab the initial stats.
-	prev := s.metrics.Snapshot()
+	prev := s.stats.Snapshot()
 
 	for {
 		time.Sleep(interval)
 
 		// Grab the current stats and diff them.
-		stats := s.metrics.Snapshot()
+		stats := s.stats.Snapshot()
 		diff := stats.Diff(prev)
 
+		// Create the data point and write it.
 		point := Point{
 			Name:   diff.Name(),
 			Tags:   map[string]string{"id": strconv.FormatUint(s.id, 10)},
@@ -346,8 +347,6 @@ func (s *Server) StartSelfMonitoring(database, retention string, interval time.D
 		diff.Walk(func(k string, v int64) {
 			point.Fields[k] = v
 		})
-
-		// XXX write diff to itself. Tag with server hostname and ID.
 		s.WriteSeries(database, retention, []Point{point})
 
 		// Save stats for the next loop.
@@ -492,7 +491,7 @@ func (s *Server) Client() MessagingClient {
 // This function waits until the message has been processed by the server.
 // Returns the broker log index of the message or an error.
 func (s *Server) broadcast(typ messaging.MessageType, c interface{}) (uint64, error) {
-	s.metrics.Inc("broadcastMessageTx")
+	s.stats.Inc("broadcastMessageTx")
 
 	// Encode the command.
 	data, err := json.Marshal(c)
@@ -979,7 +978,7 @@ func (s *Server) applyCreateShardGroupIfNotExists(m *messaging.Message) (err err
 				nodeIndex++
 			}
 		}
-		s.metrics.Add("shardsCreated", int64(len(g.Shards)))
+		s.stats.Add("shardsCreated", int64(len(g.Shards)))
 
 		// Retention policy has a new shard group, so update the policy.
 		rp.shardGroups = append(rp.shardGroups, g)
@@ -1060,7 +1059,7 @@ func (s *Server) applyDeleteShardGroup(m *messaging.Message) (err error) {
 	// Remove from metastore.
 	rp.removeShardGroupByID(c.ID)
 	err = s.meta.mustUpdate(m.Index, func(tx *metatx) error {
-		s.metrics.Add("shardsDeleted", int64(len(g.Shards)))
+		s.stats.Add("shardsDeleted", int64(len(g.Shards)))
 		return tx.saveDatabase(db)
 	})
 	return
@@ -1547,11 +1546,11 @@ type Point struct {
 // WriteSeries writes series data to the database.
 // Returns the messaging index the data was written to.
 func (s *Server) WriteSeries(database, retentionPolicy string, points []Point) (idx uint64, err error) {
-	s.metrics.Inc("batchWriteRx")
-	s.metrics.Add("pointWriteRx", int64(len(points)))
+	s.stats.Inc("batchWriteRx")
+	s.stats.Add("pointWriteRx", int64(len(points)))
 	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
-			s.metrics.Inc("batchWriteRxError")
+			s.stats.Inc("batchWriteRxError")
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -1671,7 +1670,7 @@ func (s *Server) WriteSeries(database, retentionPolicy string, points []Point) (
 		if err != nil {
 			return maxIndex, err
 		}
-		s.metrics.Inc("writeSeriesMessageTx")
+		s.stats.Inc("writeSeriesMessageTx")
 		if index > maxIndex {
 			maxIndex = index
 		}
@@ -2492,8 +2491,8 @@ func (s *Server) executeShowContinuousQueriesStatement(stmt *influxql.ShowContin
 
 func (s *Server) executeShowStatsStatement(stmt *influxql.ShowStatsStatement, user *User) *Result {
 	row := &influxql.Row{Columns: []string{}}
-	row.Name = s.metrics.Name()
-	s.metrics.Walk(func(k string, v int64) {
+	row.Name = s.stats.Name()
+	s.stats.Walk(func(k string, v int64) {
 		row.Columns = append(row.Columns, k)
 		row.Values = append(row.Values, []interface{}{v})
 	})
@@ -2875,7 +2874,7 @@ func (s *Server) processor(conn MessagingConn, done chan struct{}) {
 
 		// All messages must be processed under lock.
 		func() {
-			s.metrics.Inc("broadcastMessageRx")
+			s.stats.Inc("broadcastMessageRx")
 			s.mu.Lock()
 			defer s.mu.Unlock()
 
@@ -3339,7 +3338,7 @@ func (s *Server) shouldRunContinuousQuery(cq *ContinuousQuery) bool {
 // runContinuousQuery will execute a continuous query
 // TODO: make this fan out to the cluster instead of running all the queries on this single data node
 func (s *Server) runContinuousQuery(cq *ContinuousQuery) {
-	s.metrics.Inc("continuousQueryExecuted")
+	s.stats.Inc("continuousQueryExecuted")
 	cq.mu.Lock()
 	defer cq.mu.Unlock()