diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 816fd3c..1a110dd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,11 +12,15 @@
 - for aerospace window manager, have only 1 workspace/desktop
 - manual settings, refer to [macos-system-settings](ref/macos-system-settings.txt)
 
-### script run (from repo's root dir)
+### script run
+- (run these commands from repo's root dir)
 - to do the full setup, run: `./box_setup.sh <OS-name>`
 - to copy dotfiles only, run: `./copy_dotfiles.sh`
     - NOTE: the `copy_dotfiles.sh` script may not work if ENV vars are not set as expected
 
+### after script run
+- complete manual actions specified in [ref/post-run-manual.md](ref/post-run-manual.md)
+
 ### todo items
 - choose window manager for linux, then configure
 - config for: terminal (ghostty); shell; mpd, mpc, ncmpcpp; mpv
diff --git a/copy_dotfiles.sh b/copy_dotfiles.sh
index 15fb5ba..e366166 100755
--- a/copy_dotfiles.sh
+++ b/copy_dotfiles.sh
@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@ link_dir() {
     local link_dir=$2
     [[ -h "$link_dir" ]] && rm $link_dir
     [[ -d "$link_dir" ]] && rm -rf $link_dir
-    echo "sym-linking $link_dir -> $src_dir"
-    ln -s $src_dir $link_dir
+    echo_and_execute ln -s $src_dir $link_dir
 }
 
 echo "---- copying dotfiles ------------------------------------------------"
diff --git a/make_dirs.sh b/make_dirs.sh
index 50f24be..1886db0 100755
--- a/make_dirs.sh
+++ b/make_dirs.sh
@@ -2,25 +2,24 @@
 
 source ./src_files/.config/zsh/.zshenv # ensure env vars set for use below
 
-# some standard/common dirs, some overlap/use in XDG dirs
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_LOCAL" ]] && mkdir "$DIR_LOCAL"
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_BIN" ]] && mkdir "$DIR_BIN"
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_BUILD" ]] && mkdir "$DIR_BUILD"
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_SCRIPTS" ]] && mkdir "$DIR_SCRIPTS"
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_TMP" ]] && mkdir "$DIR_TMP"
+# some standard/common directories, some overlap/use in XDG directories
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_LOCAL" ]] && mkdir -p "$DIR_LOCAL"
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_BIN" ]] && mkdir -p "$DIR_BIN"
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_BUILD" ]] && mkdir -p "$DIR_BUILD"
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_SCRIPTS" ]] && mkdir -p "$DIR_SCRIPTS"
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_TMP" ]] && mkdir -p "$DIR_TMP"
 
-# dirs related to XDG Base Directory specification
-[[ ! -d "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME" ]] && mkdir "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME"
-[[ ! -d "$XDG_CACHE_HOME" ]] && mkdir "$XDG_CACHE_HOME"
-[[ ! -d "$XDG_DATA_HOME" ]] && mkdir "$XDG_DATA_HOME"
-[[ ! -d "$XDG_STATE_HOME" ]] && mkdir "$XDG_STATE_HOME"
+# directories related to XDG Base Directory specification
+[[ ! -d "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME" ]] && mkdir -p "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME"
+[[ ! -d "$XDG_CACHE_HOME" ]] && mkdir -p "$XDG_CACHE_HOME"
+[[ ! -d "$XDG_DATA_HOME" ]] && mkdir -p "$XDG_DATA_HOME"
+[[ ! -d "$XDG_STATE_HOME" ]] && mkdir -p "$XDG_STATE_HOME"
 
-# dirs for how i'm organizing my system
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_HOME_BOX" ]] && mkdir $DIR_HOME_BOX
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_MUSIC" ]] && mkdir $DIR_MUSIC
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_DEV" ]] && mkdir $DIR_DEV
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_GIT_PROJECTS" ]] && mkdir $DIR_GIT_PROJECTS
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_GIT_PROJECTS/me" ]] && mkdir $DIR_DEV/git/me
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_GIT_PROJECTS/other" ]] && mkdir $DIR_DEV/git/other
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_SCRATCH_NOTES" ]] && mkdir -p $DIR_SCRATCH_NOTES
-[[ ! -d "$DIR_SCRATCH_DRAWINGS" ]] && mkdir -p $DIR_SCRATCH_DRAWINGS
+# additional directories for how i'm organizing my system
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_HOME_BOX" ]] && mkdir -p $DIR_HOME_BOX
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_MUSIC" ]] && mkdir -p $DIR_MUSIC
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_NOTES" ]] && mkdir -p $DIR_NOTES
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_DEV" ]] && mkdir -p $DIR_DEV
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_GIT_PROJECTS" ]] && mkdir -p $DIR_GIT_PROJECTS
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_GIT_PROJECTS/me" ]] && mkdir -p $DIR_DEV/git/me
+[[ ! -d "$DIR_GIT_PROJECTS/other" ]] && mkdir -p $DIR_DEV/git/other
diff --git a/ref/post-run-manual.md b/ref/post-run-manual.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6bd389c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ref/post-run-manual.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Manual steps needed after dotfile copy and/or installs
+
+currently none, wooooo
diff --git a/ref/workflow-desktops-scheme.txt b/ref/workflow-desktops-scheme.txt
index 9392830..597d33c 100644
--- a/ref/workflow-desktops-scheme.txt
+++ b/ref/workflow-desktops-scheme.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // idea from the primeagen, designated label/workspace/desktop per app/purpose
 
 // current layout/plan                                         // wm default layout/mode
-1. drawing/thinking (scratch pads for text and images)         stack (fullscreen)
+1. notes/drawing/thinking (notes app, drawing pad, etc)        stack (fullscreen)
 2. music makeing - misc                                        stack (fullscreen)
 3. music making - daw                                          floating
 4. music/audio listening                                       stack (fullscreen)
diff --git a/src_files/.config/ghostty/config b/src_files/.config/ghostty/config
index ba2ba99..d27a2cc 100644
--- a/src_files/.config/ghostty/config
+++ b/src_files/.config/ghostty/config
@@ -1 +1,8 @@
 font-feature = -calt, -liga, -dlig
+
+macos-titlebar-proxy-icon = hidden
+window-decoration = none
+title = ""
+
+# theme opts: tokyonight_night_manual, bamboo
+theme = tokyonight_night_manual
diff --git a/src_files/.config/ghostty/themes/bamboo b/src_files/.config/ghostty/themes/bamboo
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f26aa99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src_files/.config/ghostty/themes/bamboo
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# primary
+background = #111c18
+foreground = #C1C497
+cursor-color = #D7C995
+cursor-text = #000000
+
+# normal colors
+palette = 0=#23372B
+palette = 1=#FF5345
+palette = 2=#549e6a
+palette = 3=#459451
+palette = 4=#509475
+palette = 5=#D2689C
+palette = 6=#2DD5B7
+palette = 7=#F6F5DD
+
+# bright colors
+palette = 8=#53685B
+palette = 9=#db9f9c
+palette = 10=#143614
+palette = 11=#E5C736
+palette = 12=#ACD4CF
+palette = 13=#75bbb3
+palette = 14=#8CD3CB
+palette = 15=#9eebb3
diff --git a/src_files/.config/ghostty/themes/tokyonight_night_manual b/src_files/.config/ghostty/themes/tokyonight_night_manual
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7cf0ee0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src_files/.config/ghostty/themes/tokyonight_night_manual
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# primary
+background = #1a1b26
+foreground = #c0caf5
+cursor-color = #c0caf5
+cursor-text = #1a1b26
+
+# normal colors
+palette = 0=#15161e
+palette = 1=#f7768e
+palette = 2=#9ece6a
+palette = 3=#e0af68
+palette = 4=#7aa2f7
+palette = 5=#bb9af7
+palette = 6=#7dcfff
+palette = 7=#a9b1d6
+
+# bright colors
+palette = 8=#414868
+palette = 9=#f7768e
+palette = 10=#9ece6a
+palette = 11=#e0af68
+palette = 12=#7aa2f7
+palette = 13=#bb9af7
+palette = 14=#7dcfff
+palette = 15=#c0caf5
+
+# selection-background
+selection-background = #283457
+selection-foreground = #c0caf5
diff --git a/src_files/.config/git/config b/src_files/.config/git/config
index 53acd0a..8ca2dbe 100644
--- a/src_files/.config/git/config
+++ b/src_files/.config/git/config
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@
 	email = david@pinewoods.xyz
 [push]
     autoSetupRemote = true
+[pull]
+    rebase = true
diff --git a/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshenv b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshenv
index 39dbcc1..e8241e9 100644
--- a/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshenv
+++ b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshenv
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ export DIR_HOME_BOX="$HOME/dbox"
 export DIR_MUSIC="$DIR_HOME_BOX/media/music"
 export DIR_DEV="$HOME/dev"
 export DIR_GIT_PROJECTS="$DIR_DEV/git"
-export DIR_SCRATCH_NOTES="$DIR_HOME_BOX/scratchpad/notes"
-export DIR_SCRATCH_DRAWINGS="$DIR_HOME_BOX/scratchpad/drawings"
+export DIR_NOTES="$DIR_HOME_BOX/notes"
 
 # util dirs; do not change without checking impact on xdg base dirs
 export DIR_LOCAL="$HOME/.local"
diff --git a/src_files/.config/zsh/zsh-general-dev b/src_files/.config/zsh/zsh-general-dev
index 2989880..8cbbbdc 100644
--- a/src_files/.config/zsh/zsh-general-dev
+++ b/src_files/.config/zsh/zsh-general-dev
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@ alias login-aws-id-list="grep sso_account_id $HOME/.aws/config"
 
 # git stuff
 alias gfo='git fetch origin'
-alias git-push-to-temp='git branch -D temp; git checkout -b temp; git push origin temp -uf; git checkout -'
-alias gpdev='git-push-to-temp'
+alias gfl='git fetch origin; git log'
 alias gpo='git pull origin'
-git config --global user.email "$EMAIL_PERSONAL_DEV" # TODO: maybe fit this into system-type filters?
+alias gst='git status'
+alias git-push-to-temp='git branch -D temp; git checkout -b temp; git push origin temp -uf; git checkout -'
+alias gptemp='git-push-to-temp'
 
 # code/test/linter run and build commands
 alias bel='bundle exec standardrb'