sub gd_preconfig
 {
        my ($self) = @_;
        print "opening config file\n";
        open(CONFIG, "</etc/ticktockd.conf") or die "Failure opening config file:$!";
        while(<CONFIG>) {
                $sleeptime = $1 if /^sleeptime\s+(\d+)/;
        }
        close(CONFIG);
        print "done reading config, sleeptime is now $sleeptime\n";
        return ();
 }