diff --git a/src/data/classes.lua b/src/data/classes.lua
index c713733..5dc0818 100644
--- a/src/data/classes.lua
+++ b/src/data/classes.lua
@@ -3,38 +3,4 @@ local utility = require "lib.utility"
 
 local classes = utility.load_data("classes.json")
 
--- TODO abstract out since this is shared between classes and races
-local class_names = {}
-for name, data in pairs(classes) do
-  class_names[#class_names + 1] = name
-
-  if type(data.tasks) == "string" then
-    data.tasks = { data.tasks }
-  elseif not data.tasks then
-    data.tasks = {}
-  end
-
-  local tasks = data.tasks
-  for index, task in ipairs(tasks) do
-    if type(task) == "string" then
-      local time = #task * constants.reading_time_multiplier
-      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
-      tasks[index] = {time, time, task}
-    elseif #task == 1 then
-      local time = #task[1] * constants.reading_time_multiplier
-      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
-      tasks[index] = {time, time, task[1]}
-    elseif #task == 2 then
-      local time = tasks[1]
-      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
-      tasks[index] = {time, time, task[2]}
-    end
-  end
-end
-
-table.sort(class_names)
-
-return {
-  classes = classes,
-  names = class_names,
-}
+return constants.fix_stats_tasks(classes)
diff --git a/src/data/constants.lua b/src/data/constants.lua
index 1996439..dac3fbe 100644
--- a/src/data/constants.lua
+++ b/src/data/constants.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,43 @@
-return {
+local utility = require "lib.utility"
+
+local constants = {
   progress_bar_height = 30,
   reading_time_multiplier = 1 / 9,
 }
+
+constants.fix_stats_tasks = function(data)
+  local result = {}
+  for name, data in pairs(data) do
+    result[name] = data
+    result[#result + 1] = name
+
+    if type(data.tasks) == "string" then
+      data.tasks = { data.tasks }
+    elseif not data.tasks then
+      data.tasks = {}
+    end
+
+    local tasks = data.tasks
+    for index, task in ipairs(tasks) do
+      if type(task) == "string" then
+        local time = #task * constants.reading_time_multiplier
+        -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
+        tasks[index] = {time, time, task}
+      elseif #task == 1 then
+        local time = #task[1] * constants.reading_time_multiplier
+        -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
+        tasks[index] = {time, time, task[1]}
+      elseif #task == 2 then
+        local time = tasks[1]
+        -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
+        tasks[index] = {time, time, task[2]}
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  table.sort(result)
+
+  return result
+end
+
+return constants
diff --git a/src/data/races.lua b/src/data/races.lua
index 62aef95..9c1deed 100644
--- a/src/data/races.lua
+++ b/src/data/races.lua
@@ -3,38 +3,4 @@ local utility = require "lib.utility"
 
 local races = utility.load_data("races.json")
 
--- TODO abstract out since this is shared between classes and races
-local race_names = {}
-for name, data in pairs(races) do
-  race_names[#race_names + 1] = name
-
-  if type(data.tasks) == "string" then
-    data.tasks = { data.tasks }
-  elseif not data.tasks then
-    data.tasks = {}
-  end
-
-  local tasks = data.tasks
-  for index, task in ipairs(tasks) do
-    if type(task) == "string" then
-      local time = #task * constants.reading_time_multiplier
-      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
-      tasks[index] = {time, time, task}
-    elseif #task == 1 then
-      local time = #task[1] * constants.reading_time_multiplier
-      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
-      tasks[index] = {time, time, task[1]}
-    elseif #task == 2 then
-      local time = tasks[1]
-      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
-      tasks[index] = {time, time, task[2]}
-    end
-  end
-end
-
-table.sort(race_names)
-
-return {
-  races = races,
-  names = race_names,
-}
+return constants.fix_stats_tasks(races)
diff --git a/src/main.lua b/src/main.lua
index b5e7792..ba6dab3 100644
--- a/src/main.lua
+++ b/src/main.lua
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ local new_character = function(name)
   local character = {
     seed = seed,
     name = name,
-    race = races.names[math.random(1, #races.names)],
-    class = classes.names[math.random(1, #classes.names)],
+    race = races[math.random(1, #races)],
+    class = classes[math.random(1, #classes)],
     charisma = base_stat_roll(),
     constitution = base_stat_roll(),
     dexterity = base_stat_roll(),