function _manage_flashdata() {

        // if there is flashdata to be handled
        if (!empty($this->flashdata)) {

            // iterate through all the entries
            foreach ($this->flashdata as $variable => $counter) {

                // increment counter representing server requests
                $this->flashdata[$variable]++;

                // if we're past the first server request
                if ($this->flashdata[$variable] > 1) {

                    // unset the session variable
                    unset($_SESSION[$variable]);

                    // stop tracking
                    unset($this->flashdata[$variable]);

                }

            }

            // if there is any flashdata left to be handled
            if (!empty($this->flashdata))

                // store data in a temporary session variable
                $_SESSION[$this->flashdata_varname] = serialize($this->flashdata);

        }

    }