diff --git a/brozzler/__init__.py b/brozzler/__init__.py
index 06f3d0c..bce1dee 100644
--- a/brozzler/__init__.py
+++ b/brozzler/__init__.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
+import logging
 from pkg_resources import get_distribution as _get_distribution
 __version__ = _get_distribution('brozzler').version
 
@@ -57,18 +58,22 @@ class ReachedLimit(Exception):
     def __str__(self):
         return self.__repr__()
 
-# monkey-patch log level TRACE
-TRACE = 5
-import logging
-def _logging_trace(msg, *args, **kwargs):
-    logging.root.trace(msg, *args, **kwargs)
+# monkey-patch log levels TRACE and NOTICE
+logging.TRACE = (logging.NOTSET + logging.DEBUG) // 2
 def _logger_trace(self, msg, *args, **kwargs):
-    if self.isEnabledFor(TRACE):
-        self._log(TRACE, msg, args, **kwargs)
-logging.trace = _logging_trace
+    if self.isEnabledFor(logging.TRACE):
+        self._log(logging.TRACE, msg, args, **kwargs)
 logging.Logger.trace = _logger_trace
-logging._levelToName[TRACE] = 'TRACE'
-logging._nameToLevel['TRACE'] = TRACE
+logging.trace = logging.root.trace
+logging.addLevelName(logging.TRACE, 'TRACE')
+
+logging.NOTICE = (logging.INFO + logging.WARN) // 2
+def _logger_notice(self, msg, *args, **kwargs):
+    if self.isEnabledFor(logging.NOTICE):
+        self._log(logging.NOTICE, msg, args, **kwargs)
+logging.Logger.notice = _logger_notice
+logging.notice = logging.root.notice
+logging.addLevelName(logging.NOTICE, 'NOTICE')
 
 # see https://github.com/internetarchive/brozzler/issues/91
 def _logging_handler_handle(self, record):
diff --git a/brozzler/browser.py b/brozzler/browser.py
index ea0063c..a7d39d1 100644
--- a/brozzler/browser.py
+++ b/brozzler/browser.py
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ class Browser:
         kwargs['id'] = msg_id
         msg = json.dumps(kwargs, separators=',:')
         logging.log(
-                brozzler.TRACE if suppress_logging else logging.DEBUG,
+                logging.TRACE if suppress_logging else logging.DEBUG,
                 'sending message to %s: %s', self.websock, msg)
         self.websock.send(msg)
         return msg_id
diff --git a/brozzler/cli.py b/brozzler/cli.py
index 4d4aca0..d843fe9 100644
--- a/brozzler/cli.py
+++ b/brozzler/cli.py
@@ -43,15 +43,14 @@ def add_common_options(arg_parser, argv=None):
     argv = argv or sys.argv
     arg_parser.add_argument(
             '-q', '--quiet', dest='log_level', action='store_const',
-            default=logging.INFO, const=logging.WARN, help=(
-                'quiet logging, only warnings and errors'))
+            default=logging.INFO, const=logging.NOTICE, help='quiet logging')
     arg_parser.add_argument(
             '-v', '--verbose', dest='log_level', action='store_const',
             default=logging.INFO, const=logging.DEBUG, help=(
                 'verbose logging'))
     arg_parser.add_argument(
             '--trace', dest='log_level', action='store_const',
-            default=logging.INFO, const=brozzler.TRACE, help=(
+            default=logging.INFO, const=logging.TRACE, help=(
                 'very verbose logging'))
     # arg_parser.add_argument(
     #         '-s', '--silent', dest='log_level', action='store_const',
diff --git a/brozzler/frontier.py b/brozzler/frontier.py
index 2e076d3..5272a88 100644
--- a/brozzler/frontier.py
+++ b/brozzler/frontier.py
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ class RethinkDbFrontier:
                         k, expected, result))
 
     def claim_sites(self, n=1):
+        self.logger.trace('claiming up to %s sites to brozzle', n)
         result = (
             self.rr.table('sites').get_all(r.args(
                 r.db(self.rr.dbname).table('sites', read_mode='majority')
@@ -145,6 +146,7 @@ class RethinkDbFrontier:
                         result["changes"][i]["old_val"]["last_claimed"])
             site = brozzler.Site(self.rr, result["changes"][i]["new_val"])
             sites.append(site)
+        self.logger.debug('claimed %s sites', len(sites))
         if sites:
             return sites
         else:
diff --git a/brozzler/worker.py b/brozzler/worker.py
index 41c98db..89ebf21 100644
--- a/brozzler/worker.py
+++ b/brozzler/worker.py
@@ -634,6 +634,7 @@ class BrozzlerWorker:
         Raises:
             NoBrowsersAvailable if none available
         '''
+        # acquire_multi() raises NoBrowsersAvailable if none available
         browsers = self._browser_pool.acquire_multi(
                 (self._browser_pool.num_available() + 1) // 2)
         try:
@@ -656,22 +657,26 @@ class BrozzlerWorker:
                 self._browser_pool.release(browsers[i])
 
     def run(self):
-        self.logger.info("brozzler worker starting")
+        self.logger.notice("brozzler worker starting")
+        last_nothing_to_claim = 0
         try:
             while not self._shutdown.is_set():
                 self._service_heartbeat_if_due()
-                try:
-                    self._start_browsing_some_sites()
-                except brozzler.browser.NoBrowsersAvailable:
-                    logging.trace(
-                            "all %s browsers are in use", self._max_browsers)
-                except brozzler.NothingToClaim:
-                    logging.trace(
-                            "all active sites are already claimed by a "
-                            "brozzler worker")
+                if time.time() - last_nothing_to_claim > 20:
+                    try:
+                        self._start_browsing_some_sites()
+                    except brozzler.browser.NoBrowsersAvailable:
+                        logging.trace(
+                                "all %s browsers are in use",
+                                self._max_browsers)
+                    except brozzler.NothingToClaim:
+                        last_nothing_to_claim = time.time()
+                        logging.trace(
+                                "nothing to claim, all available active sites "
+                                "are already claimed by a brozzler worker")
                 time.sleep(0.5)
 
-            self.logger.info("shutdown requested")
+            self.logger.notice("shutdown requested")
         except r.ReqlError as e:
             self.logger.error(
                     "caught rethinkdb exception, will try to proceed",