diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 85f9649..2872664 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 # repo containing configs and scripts to set up a box
 
 ### prerequisites
+- git is installed (to clone repo below, consider adding logic to handle automatically)
 - zsh is installed (scripts are written for zsh)
-- git is installed
+    - ensure ZDOTDIR is set in a persistent way for system (not just setup scripts)
+    - current approach: add `export ZDOTDIR="$HOME/.config/zsh"` to `/etc/zshenv`
 - export the env var `BOX_SETUP_OS` to indicate the operating system
     - options defined in `set_env_vars` file
 - if on macOS, install [homebrew](https://brew.sh/)
+- ensure sudo access is configured for the current user (2025-01-27, not needed on macos)
 
 ### script run
 - git clone this repo
diff --git a/copy_configs b/copy_configs
index daa1ce2..5927fc4 100755
--- a/copy_configs
+++ b/copy_configs
@@ -40,4 +40,5 @@ copy_file() {
 
 copy_dir src_files/.config $HOME/.config
 copy_dir src_files/.local $HOME/.local
-copy_file src_files/.zshrc $HOME
+
+# copy_file src_files/.example_file $HOME
diff --git a/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc-job-rs b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zsh-job-rs
similarity index 93%
rename from src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc-job-rs
rename to src_files/.config/zsh/.zsh-job-rs
index 82512d7..25b5c23 100644
--- a/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc-job-rs
+++ b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zsh-job-rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# TODO: refactor this file; separate general dev from rs specific
 # set env vars, path updates, etc
 [[ -a $HOME/.rs-vars ]] \
   && source $HOME/.rs-vars \
diff --git a/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc-life-system b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zsh-life-system
similarity index 100%
rename from src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc-life-system
rename to src_files/.config/zsh/.zsh-life-system
diff --git a/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshenv b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshenv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76576b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshenv
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# env vars
+export EDITOR='vim' # TODO: update to nvim once configured
+export HOME_BOX="$HOME/dbox"
+export DIR_DEV="$HOME/dev"
+export DIR_CONFIG="$HOME/.config"
+export XDG_CONFIG_HOME=$DIR_CONFIG
+export ZDOTDIR="$DIR_CONFIG/zsh"
+export DIR_LOCAL="$HOME/.local"
+export DIR_BUILD="$DIR_LOCAL/build"
+
diff --git a/src_files/.zshrc b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc
similarity index 58%
rename from src_files/.zshrc
rename to src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc
index 2409f83..5f5abf9 100644
--- a/src_files/.zshrc
+++ b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc
@@ -1,15 +1,6 @@
 # use vim-like control in shell
 set -o vi
 
-# env vars
-export EDITOR='vim' # TODO: update to nvim once configured
-export HOME_BOX="$HOME/dbox"
-export DIR_DEV="$HOME/dev"
-export DIR_CONFIG="$HOME/.config"
-export XDG_CONFIG_HOME=$DIR_CONFIG
-export DIR_LOCAL="$HOME/.local"
-export DIR_BUILD="$DIR_LOCAL/build"
-
 # path updates
 export PATH=$DIR_LOCAL/bin:$DIR_LOCAL/scripts:$PATH
 export PATH=$PATH:/opt/homebrew/opt/ccache/libexec
@@ -36,15 +27,12 @@ alias pdt='ping -c 4 drinkingtea.net'
 alias weather='curl wttr.in'
 alias shrug='echo "¯\\_(ツ)_/¯"'
 
-[[ -e "$HOME/.profile" ]] && source "$HOME/.profile"
+# source extensions and system-specific files
+[[ -e "$HOME/.profile" ]] && source "$HOME/.profile" # TODO: do i want to source .profile?
+[[ -a "$ZDOTDIR/.zsh-life-system" ]] && source "$ZDOTDIR/.zsh-life-system"
+[[ -a "$ZDOTDIR/.zsh-job-rs" ]] && source "$ZDOTDIR/.zsh-job-rs"
 
-# add machine-specific configs as appropriate
-[[ -a "$DIR_CONFIG/zsh/.zshrc-life-system" ]] &&
-    source "$DIR_CONFIG/zsh/.zshrc-life-system"
-
-# TODO: refactor the below so that general dev is separate from rs specific stuff
-[[ -a $DIR_CONFIG/zsh/.zshrc-job-rs ]] &&
-    source $DIR_CONFIG/zsh/.zshrc-job-rs
+# TODO: refactor the below; simplify or at least move elsewhere
 alias lintjs='npx prettier --write'
 export DEVKITARM=/opt/devkitpro/devkitARM
 . /opt/homebrew/opt/asdf/libexec/asdf.sh # TODO: ensure not duplicated asdf logic