diff --git a/app/imports/ui/StoryBook.vue b/app/imports/ui/StoryBook.vue
index 1c5a01df..3a09b332 100644
--- a/app/imports/ui/StoryBook.vue
+++ b/app/imports/ui/StoryBook.vue
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 	import HitDiceListTile from '/imports/ui/components/HitDiceListTile.Story.vue';
 	import IconSearch from '/imports/ui/components/IconSearch.Story.vue';
 	import SkillListTile from '/imports/ui/components/SkillListTile.Story.vue';
+	import SmartInput from '/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.Story.vue';
 	import ToolbarLayout from '/imports/ui/layouts/ToolbarLayout.vue';
 
 	export default {
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@
 			HitDiceListTile,
 			IconSearch,
 			SkillListTile,
+			SmartInput,
 			ToolbarLayout,
 		},
 		data(){ return {
diff --git a/app/imports/ui/components/AttributeEdit.Story.vue b/app/imports/ui/components/AttributeEdit.Story.vue
index d12839c7..0e1a7d9b 100644
--- a/app/imports/ui/components/AttributeEdit.Story.vue
+++ b/app/imports/ui/components/AttributeEdit.Story.vue
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 			v-for="(attribute, index) in attributes"
 			:key="attribute._id"
 			:attribute="attribute"
-			@change="e => change(index, e)"
+			@change="(e, ack) => change(index, e, ack)"
 		/>
 		<div class="ma-4" v-for="(attribute, index) in attributes">
 			{{attribute}}
@@ -39,14 +39,17 @@
 			],
 		}},
 		methods: {
-			change(index, e){
-				for (let i in e){
-					this.attributes[index][i] = e[i].trim();
-				}
-			});
-		},
-		methods: {
-			log: console.log,
+			change(index, e, ack){
+				// Take a while to write the attribute
+				setTimeout(() => {
+					for (let i in e){
+						let val = e[i];
+						if (typeof val === 'string') val = val.trim();
+						this.attributes[index][i] = val;
+					}
+					if (ack) ack();
+				}, 600)
+			},
 		},
 	};
 </script>
diff --git a/app/imports/ui/components/AttributeEdit.vue b/app/imports/ui/components/AttributeEdit.vue
index 900b0237..0d6099d0 100644
--- a/app/imports/ui/components/AttributeEdit.vue
+++ b/app/imports/ui/components/AttributeEdit.vue
@@ -3,41 +3,41 @@
   	<text-field
 			label="Name"
 			:value="attribute.name"
-			@input="name => $emit('change', {name})"
+			@change="(name, ack) => $emit('change', {name}, ack)"
 		/>
 		<text-field
 			label="Variable name"
 			:value="attribute.variableName"
-			@input="variableName => $emit('change', {variableName})"
+			@change="(variableName, ack) => $emit('change', {variableName}, ack)"
 			hint="Use this name in formulae to reference this attribute"
 		/>
 		<text-field
 			label="Base Value"
 			type="number"
 			:value="attribute.baseValue"
-			@input="baseValue => $emit('change', {baseValue})"
+			@change="(baseValue, ack) => $emit('change', {baseValue}, ack)"
 			hint="This is the value of the attribute before effects are applied"
 		/>
 		<text-field
 			label="Damage"
 			type="number"
 			:value="-attribute.adjustment"
-			@input="damage => $emit('change', {adjustment: -damage || null})"
+			@change="(damage, ack) => $emit('change', {adjustment: -damage || null}, ack)"
 		/>
-		<v-select
+		<smart-select
 			label="Type"
 			color="accent"
 			:items="attributeTypes"
 			:value="attribute.type"
 			:menu-props="{auto: true, lazy: true}"
-			@input="type => $emit('change', {type})"
+			@change="(type, ack) => $emit('change', {type}, ack)"
 		/>
 		<v-switch
 			label="Allow decimal values"
 			:value="attribute.decimal"
 			@change="e => $emit('change', {decimal: e})"
 		/>
-		<v-select
+		<smart-select
 			label="Reset"
 			color="accent"
 			append-icon="arrow_drop_down"
@@ -45,13 +45,13 @@
 			:items="resetOptions"
 			:value="attribute.reset"
 			:menu-props="{auto: true, lazy: true}"
-			@input="reset => $emit('change', {reset})"
+			@change="(reset, ack) => $emit('change', {reset}, ack)"
 		/>
 		<text-field
 			label="Reset Multiplier"
 			type="number"
 			:value="attribute.resetMultiplier"
-			@input="resetMultiplier => $emit('change', {resetMultiplier})"
+			@change="(resetMultiplier, ack) => $emit('change', {resetMultiplier}, ack)"
 			hint="Some attributes, like hit dice, only reset by half their total on a long rest"
 		/>
   </div>
diff --git a/app/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.Story.vue b/app/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.Story.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f8bc6ee1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.Story.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+<template lang="html">
+	<v-container grid-list-lg>
+		<v-layout row wrap align-center>
+
+			<v-flex xs6>
+				<text-field
+					:value="value1"
+					@change="value1Change"
+				/>
+			</v-flex>
+			<v-flex xs6>
+				<div class="flex">
+					{{value1}}
+				</div>
+			</v-flex>
+
+			<v-flex xs6>
+				<text-field
+					:value="changingValue"
+					@change="(val, ack) => {changingValue = val; ack()}"
+				/>
+			</v-flex>
+			<v-flex xs6>
+				{{changingValue}}
+			</v-flex>
+
+			<v-flex xs6>
+				<text-area
+					:value="value2"
+					@change="value2Change"
+					label="text-area"
+				/>
+			</v-flex>
+			<v-flex xs6>
+				{{value2}}
+			</v-flex>
+
+			<v-flex xs6>
+				<smart-select
+					:value="value3"
+					:items="['meep', 'moop', 'maap']"
+					label="select"
+					@change="(val, ack) => {setTimeout(() => {value3 = val; ack()}, 700)}"
+				/>
+			</v-flex>
+			<v-flex xs6>
+				{{value3}}
+			</v-flex>
+
+		</v-layout>
+	</v-container>
+</template>
+
+<script>
+	export default {
+		data(){ return {
+			value1: 'Five letters minimum, always trimmed',
+			value2: 'Takes 2s to write',
+			value3: 'meep',
+			changingValue: `Changes every 3s ${Math.random().toFixed(4)}`,
+		}},
+		methods: {
+			value1Change(val, ack){
+				let error;
+				val = val.trim();
+				if (!val || val.length < 5){
+					error = "Too short";
+				} else {
+					this.value1 = val;
+				}
+				ack(error);
+			},
+			value2Change(val, ack){
+				setTimeout(() => {
+					this.value2 = val;
+					ack();
+				}, 2000);
+			},
+		},
+		mounted() {
+	    setInterval(() => {
+	      this.changingValue = `Changes every 3s ${Math.random().toFixed(4)}`;
+	    }, 3000);
+	  },
+	};
+</script>
+
+<style lang="css" scoped>
+	.layout {
+		margin: 20px 0;
+	}
+</style>
diff --git a/app/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.js b/app/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3b1ed212
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.js
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+/*
+ * Mixin to handle inputs that update the database.
+ * Won't bash the field's value while it's focused, even if the database trims
+ * or otherwise sanitizes the data captured.
+ *
+ * Emits a change event that requires acknowledgement with an optional error
+ * message if something went wrong
+ */
+import { _ } from 'underscore';
+
+export default {
+  inheritAttrs: false,
+  data(){ return {
+    error: false,
+    errorMessages: [],
+    focused: false,
+    loading: false,
+    dirty: false,
+    safeValue: this.value,
+    inputValue: this.value,
+  }},
+  props: {
+    value: [String, Number],
+    debounceTime: {
+      type: Number,
+      default: 750,
+    },
+  },
+  watch: {
+    focused(newFocus){
+      // If the value updated while we were focused, show it now on defocus
+      // but not if we are waiting for our own writes to get persisted
+      // and not if there is an error in our input
+      if (!newFocus && !this.dirty && !this.error){
+        this.forceSafeValueUpdate();
+      }
+      // Start the loading bar on defocus if the input is dirty
+      // It might be a lie, we aren't doing the work yet, but it feels laggy
+      // to defocus an element and then it starts working after a delay
+      if (!newFocus, this.dirty){
+        this.loading = true;
+      }
+    },
+    dirty(newDirty){
+      // Our changes were acknowledged, weren't in error, and we aren't focused,
+      // make sure the internal value matches the database value
+      if (!newDirty && !this.focused && !this.error){
+        this.forceSafeValueUpdate();
+      }
+    },
+    value(newValue){
+      if (!this.focused){
+        this.safeValue = newValue;
+      }
+    },
+    safeValue(newSafeValue){
+      // The safe value only gets updated from the parent, so it must be valid
+      this.error = false;
+      this.errorMessages = [];
+    },
+  },
+  methods: {
+    input(val){
+      this.$emit('input', val);
+      this.inputValue = val;
+      this.dirty = true;
+      this.debouncedChange(val);
+    },
+    acknowledgeChange(error){
+      this.loading = false;
+      this.dirty = false;
+      this.error = !!error;
+      this.errorMessages = error || [];
+    },
+    change(val){
+      this.dirty = true;
+      if (val === this.value) return;
+      if (this.hasChangeListener) this.loading = true;
+      this.$emit('change', val, this.acknowledgeChange);
+    },
+    hasChangeListener(){
+      return this.$listeners && this.$listeners.change
+    },
+    forceSafeValueUpdate(){
+      // hack to force the value to update on the child component
+      this.safeValue = null
+      this.$nextTick(() => this.safeValue = this.value);
+    },
+  },
+  created(){
+    this.debouncedChange = _.debounce(this.change, this.debounceTime);
+  },
+};
diff --git a/app/imports/ui/components/global/SmartSelect.vue b/app/imports/ui/components/global/SmartSelect.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..21aa896c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/imports/ui/components/global/SmartSelect.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<template lang="html">
+  <v-select
+		v-bind="$attrs"
+		:loading="loading"
+		:error-messages="errorMessages"
+		:value="safeValue"
+		:menu-props="{auto: true, lazy: true}"
+		@change="change"
+		@focus="focused = true"
+		@blur="focused = false"
+	/>
+</template>
+
+<script>
+	import SmartInput from '/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.js';
+
+	export default {
+		mixins: [SmartInput],
+	};
+</script>
diff --git a/app/imports/ui/components/global/TextArea.vue b/app/imports/ui/components/global/TextArea.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7e5c242e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/imports/ui/components/global/TextArea.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<template lang="html">
+  <v-textarea
+		v-bind="$attrs"
+		:loading="loading"
+		:error-messages="errorMessages"
+		:value="safeValue"
+		@input="input"
+		@focus="focused = true"
+		@blur="focused = false"
+	/>
+</template>
+
+<script>
+	import SmartInput from '/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.js';
+
+	export default {
+		mixins: [SmartInput],
+	};
+</script>
diff --git a/app/imports/ui/components/global/TextField.vue b/app/imports/ui/components/global/TextField.vue
index 3e845f44..a00142a2 100644
--- a/app/imports/ui/components/global/TextField.vue
+++ b/app/imports/ui/components/global/TextField.vue
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <template lang="html">
   <v-text-field
-		:error="error"
+		v-bind="$attrs"
+		:loading="loading"
+		:error-messages="errorMessages"
 		:value="safeValue"
 		@input="input"
 		@focus="focused = true"
@@ -9,67 +11,9 @@
 </template>
 
 <script>
-	/*
-	 * Component to handle text fields that update the database.
-	 * Won't bash the text field while it's focused, even if the database trims
-	 * or otherwise sanitizes the input.
-	 * Emits input events on every input and emits debounced change
-	 * events based on the debounceTime set in its props.
-	 * Losing focus will set the value to the database's current stored value.
-	 *
-	 * Because attributes that aren't properties are passed to the root element,
-	 * this is a drop-in replacement for v-text-field
-	 *
-	 * TODO extract this functionality as a mixin, and share to textarea
-	 */
-	import { _ } from 'underscore';
+	import SmartInput from '/imports/ui/components/global/SmartInput.js';
+
 	export default {
-		data(){ return {
-			safeValue: this.value,
-			focused: false,
-			error: false,
-			errorMessages: null,
-		}},
-		props: {
-			value: [String, Number],
-			debounceTime: {
-				type: Number,
-				default: 250,
-			},
-			validator: Function,
-		},
-		watch: {
-			focused(isFocused){
-				if (!isFocused){
-					this.safeValue = this.value;
-				}
-			},
-			value(newValue){
-				if (!this.focused){
-					this.safeValue = this.value;
-				}
-			},
-		},
-		methods: {
-			input(val){
-				this.$emit('input', val);
-				this.update(val);
-				if (this.validator){
-					try {
-						this.validator(val);
-						this.error = false;
-						this.errorMessages = null;
-					} catch(e){
-						this.error = true;
-						this.errorMessages = e.message;
-					}
-				}
-			},
-		},
-		created(){
-			this.update = _.debounce(val => {
-				this.$emit('change', val);
-			}, this.debounceTime);
-		},
+		mixins: [SmartInput],
 	};
 </script>
diff --git a/app/imports/ui/components/global/globalIndex.js b/app/imports/ui/components/global/globalIndex.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..50123997
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/imports/ui/components/global/globalIndex.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import Vue from "vue";
+// Global components
+import TextField from '/imports/ui/components/global/TextField.vue';
+import TextArea from '/imports/ui/components/global/TextArea.vue';
+import SmartSelect from '/imports/ui/components/global/SmartSelect.vue';
+
+Vue.component("text-field", TextField);
+Vue.component("text-area", TextArea);
+Vue.component("smart-select", SmartSelect);
diff --git a/app/imports/ui/vueSetup.js b/app/imports/ui/vueSetup.js
index 6fbba31e..76d2e18d 100644
--- a/app/imports/ui/vueSetup.js
+++ b/app/imports/ui/vueSetup.js
@@ -5,13 +5,9 @@ import store from "/imports/ui/vuexStore.js";
 import VueMeteorTracker from 'vue-meteor-tracker';
 import AppLayout from '/imports/ui/layouts/AppLayout.vue';
 import router from "/imports/ui/router.js";
-import "vuetify/dist/vuetify.min.css";
 import theme from '/imports/ui/theme.js';
-
-// Global components
-import TextField from '/imports/ui/components/global/TextField.vue';
-
-Vue.component("text-field", TextField);
+import "vuetify/dist/vuetify.min.css";
+import '/imports/ui/components/global/globalIndex.js';
 
 Vue.use(VueMeteorTracker);
 Vue.use(Vuetify, {