diff --git a/astal/binding.py b/astal/binding.py
index faeaf7e..c31bed4 100644
--- a/astal/binding.py
+++ b/astal/binding.py
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ gi.require_version("GObject", "2.0")
 
 from gi.repository import GObject
 
-# from variable import Variable
-
 class Binding(GObject.Object):
     def __init__(self, emitter: GObject.GObject, property: str | None = None, transform_fn = lambda x: x):
         self.emitter = emitter
diff --git a/astal/gtk3/app.py b/astal/gtk3/app.py
index 8b7f23c..4f2ebda 100644
--- a/astal/gtk3/app.py
+++ b/astal/gtk3/app.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ class AstalPy(Astal.Application):
     request_handler: Optional[Callable[[str, Callable[[Any], None]], None]] = None
 
     def do_astal_application_request(self, msg: str, conn: Gio.SocketConnection):
-        print(msg)
         if callable(self.request_handler):
             def respond(response: Any):
                 AstalIO.write_sock(conn, str(response), None, None)
diff --git a/astal/variable.py b/astal/variable.py
index 6e4f90d..3b20e9e 100644
--- a/astal/variable.py
+++ b/astal/variable.py
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ class Variable(AstalIO.VariableBase):
     def __del__(self):
         self.emit_dropped()
 
+    def __call__(self, transform: Callable = lambda x: x):
+        return Binding(self).transform(transform)
+
     def subscribe(self, callback):
         id = self.emitter.connect(
             'changed',
@@ -38,6 +41,7 @@ class Variable(AstalIO.VariableBase):
         )
 
         def unsubscribe(_=None):
+            self.emit_dropped()
             self.emitter.disconnect(id)
 
         return unsubscribe
@@ -126,9 +130,21 @@ class Variable(AstalIO.VariableBase):
     def is_watching(self):
         return self.watch_proc != None
 
-    def observe(self, object, signal, callback=lambda _, x: x):
-        # not sure about this
-        object.connect(signal, lambda *args: self.set_value(callback(*args)))
+    def observe(self, object, signal_or_callback, callback=lambda _, x: x):
+        if isinstance(signal_or_callback, str):
+            f = callback
+        
+        else:
+            f = signal_or_callback
+
+        set = lambda *args: self.set(f(*args))
+
+        if isinstance(signal_or_callback, str):
+            object.connect(signal_or_callback, set)
+
+        if isinstance(object, list):
+            for connectable, signal in object:
+                connectable.connect(signal, set)
 
         return self