diff --git a/_example/example-gui.go b/_example/example-gui.go
index 70c250b..f8d3dbc 100644
--- a/_example/example-gui.go
+++ b/_example/example-gui.go
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
 
-	xmpp.DefaultConfig = tls.Config {
-		ServerName: "talk.google.com",
+	xmpp.DefaultConfig = tls.Config{
+		ServerName:         "talk.google.com",
 		InsecureSkipVerify: false,
 	}
 
diff --git a/_example/example.go b/_example/example.go
index e4834aa..9c01d45 100644
--- a/_example/example.go
+++ b/_example/example.go
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 var server = flag.String("server", "talk.google.com:443", "server")
 var username = flag.String("username", "", "username")
 var password = flag.String("password", "", "password")
+var status = flag.String("status", "xa", "status")
+var statusMessage = flag.String("status-msg", "I for one welcome our new codebot overlords.", "status message")
 var notls = flag.Bool("notls", false, "No TLS")
 var debug = flag.Bool("debug", false, "debug output")
 var session = flag.Bool("session", false, "use server session")
@@ -34,8 +36,8 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	if !*notls {
-		xmpp.DefaultConfig = tls.Config {
-			ServerName: serverName(*server),
+		xmpp.DefaultConfig = tls.Config{
+			ServerName:         serverName(*server),
 			InsecureSkipVerify: false,
 		}
 	}
@@ -43,11 +45,14 @@ func main() {
 	var talk *xmpp.Client
 	var err error
 	options := xmpp.Options{Host: *server,
-		User:     *username,
-		Password: *password,
-		NoTLS:    *notls,
-		Debug:    *debug,
-		Session:  *session}
+		User:          *username,
+		Password:      *password,
+		NoTLS:         *notls,
+		Debug:         *debug,
+		Session:       *session,
+		Status:        *status,
+		StatusMessage: *statusMessage,
+	}
 
 	talk, err = options.NewClient()
 
diff --git a/xmpp.go b/xmpp.go
index 08749e1..2b8a298 100644
--- a/xmpp.go
+++ b/xmpp.go
@@ -133,8 +133,14 @@ type Options struct {
 	// Debug output
 	Debug bool
 
-	//Use server sessions
+	// Use server sessions
 	Session bool
+
+	// Presence Status
+	Status string
+
+	// Status message
+	StatusMessage string
 }
 
 // NewClient establishes a new Client connection based on a set of Options.
@@ -407,7 +413,8 @@ func (c *Client) init(o *Options) error {
 	}
 
 	// We're connected and can now receive and send messages.
-	fmt.Fprintf(c.conn, "<presence xml:lang='en'><show>xa</show><status>I for one welcome our new codebot overlords.</status></presence>")
+	fmt.Fprintf(c.conn, "<presence xml:lang='en'><show>%s</show><status>%s</status></presence>", o.Status, o.StatusMessage)
+
 	return nil
 }