diff --git a/emacs/.emacs.d/init.el b/emacs/.emacs.d/init.el
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e853aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/emacs/.emacs.d/init.el
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+;; Added by Package.el.  This must come before configurations of
+;; installed packages.  Don't delete this line.  If you don't want it,
+;; just comment it out by adding a semicolon to the start of the line.
+;; You may delete these explanatory comments.
+(require 'package)
+;; remove the load path for nix profiles
+;; todo: fix woman
+(eval-after-load 'woman '(error "fix the path from /nix/*-emacs-*/..site-start.el first"))
+
+(require 'seq)
+(setq load-path
+      (seq-difference load-path (mapcar (lambda (x) (concat x "/share/emacs/site-lisp/"))
+                               (split-string (or (getenv "NIX_PROFILES") "")))))
+
+(package-initialize 'noactivate)
+(custom-set-variables
+ ;; custom-set-variables was added by Custom.
+ ;; If you edit it by hand, you could mess it up, so be careful.
+ ;; Your init file should contain only one such instance.
+ ;; If there is more than one, they won't work right.
+ '(custom-safe-themes
+   (quote
+    ("d677ef584c6dfc0697901a44b885cc18e206f05114c8a3b7fde674fce6180879" "a8245b7cc985a0610d71f9852e9f2767ad1b852c2bdea6f4aadc12cce9c4d6d0" "8aebf25556399b58091e533e455dd50a6a9cba958cc4ebb0aab175863c25b9a4" default)))
+ )
+
+(org-babel-load-file "~/dotfiles/emacs/emacs.org")
+
diff --git a/emacs/emacs.org b/emacs/emacs.org
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fed6e52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/emacs/emacs.org
@@ -0,0 +1,267 @@
+#+TITLE: Emacs config
+#+AUTHOR: Yorick van Pelt
+
+* Prelims
+** use-package compile-time
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(eval-when-compile (require 'use-package))
+(require 'diminish)
+(require 'bind-key)
+#+END_SRC
+* Org stuff
+** modules
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(setq org-modules '(org-bbdb org-bibtex org-docview org-gnus org-habit
+                    org-info org-irc org-mhe org-rmail org-w3m))
+#+END_SRC
+** keybindings
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(bind-keys :map global-map
+           ("C-c l" . org-store-link)
+           ("C-c a" . org-agenda)
+           ("C-c c" . org-capture))
+#+END_SRC
+** config
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+  (setq org-pretty-entities t)
+  (setq org-startup-indented t)
+  (setq org-src-fontify-natively t)
+  (setq org-src-tab-acts-natively t)
+  (setq org-ellipsis "⬎")
+  (setq org-log-done t)
+  (setq org-todo-keywords
+      '((sequence "TODO(t)" "WAIT" "|" "DONE(d)" "CANCEL")))
+(setq org-agenda-files (list "~/org/life.org"
+			    "~/org/ru.org" 
+			    "~/org/symfo.org"
+			    "~/org/fiction.org"))
+(setq org-use-fast-todo-selection t)
+(setq org-directory "~/org")
+
+(defun org-file-path (filename)
+"Return the absolute address of an org file, given its relative name."
+(concat (file-name-as-directory org-directory) filename))
+
+; (setq org-inbox-file "~/org/inbox.org")
+(setq org-index-file (org-file-path "life.org"))
+(setq org-archive-location
+    (concat (org-file-path "archive.org") "::* From %s"))
+
+(setq org-default-notes-file "~/org/refile.org")
+
+
+
+(setq org-capture-templates
+      '(("l" "Today I learned"
+         entry
+         (file+datetree (org-file-path "til.org"))
+         "* %?\n")
+        ("u" "link"
+         entry
+         (file+headline org-index-file "check links")
+         "* %^L\n")
+        ("w" "Week review"
+         entry
+         (file+datetree (org-file-path "weeklog.org"))
+         "* %?\n")
+        ("t" "todo item"
+         entry
+         (file+headline org-index-file "todo")
+         "* TODO %?\n")))
+        
+
+#+END_SRC
+** add template for elisp
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+  (add-to-list 'org-structure-template-alist
+               '("el" "#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp\n?\n#+END_SRC"))
+#+END_SRC
+** org-bullets
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package org-bullets
+    :init (add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'org-bullets-mode t)
+    :commands org-bullets-mode
+)
+#+END_SRC
+** TODO org-ref
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+  (use-package org-ref
+      :disabled
+      :config
+      (setq org-ref-completion-library 'org-ref-ivy-cite))
+#+END_SRC
+* Look
+** Solarized
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package solarized
+    :if window-system
+    :init
+    (setq-default frame-background-mode 'dark)
+    (set-frame-parameter nil 'background-mode 'dark)
+    (add-hook 'after-make-frame-functions (lambda (frame)
+                "Reenable solarized"
+                (enable-theme 'solarized-dark)))
+    :config
+    (load-theme 'solarized-dark t)
+    (enable-theme 'solarized-dark))
+#+END_SRC
+** Transparency
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(set-frame-parameter (selected-frame) 'alpha '(90 . 85))
+(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(alpha . (90 . 85)))
+#+END_SRC
+** Cleaner frames
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(tool-bar-mode 0)
+(menu-bar-mode 0)
+#+END_SRC
+** hl-line
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(when window-system (global-hl-line-mode))
+#+END_SRC
+* Feel
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(defalias 'yes-or-no-p 'y-or-n-p) 
+#+END_SRC
+** Fix mouse wheel
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(setq mouse-wheel-scroll-amount '(1 ((shift) . 1))) ;; one line at a time
+(setq mouse-wheel-progressive-speed nil) ;; don't accelerate scrolling
+(setq mouse-wheel-follow-mouse 't) ;; scroll window under mouse
+(setq scroll-step 1) ;; keyboard scroll one line at a time
+(defun sfp-page-down (&optional arg)
+    (interactive "^P")
+    (setq this-command 'next-line)
+    (next-line
+    (- (window-text-height)
+	next-screen-context-lines)))
+(put 'sfp-page-down 'isearch-scroll t)
+(put 'sfp-page-down 'CUA 'move)
+(defun sfp-page-up (&optional arg)
+    (interactive "^P")
+    (setq this-command 'previous-line)
+    (previous-line
+    (- (window-text-height)
+	next-screen-context-lines)))
+(put 'sfp-page-up 'isearch-scroll t)
+(put 'sfp-page-up 'CUA 'move)
+(setq scroll-error-top-bottom t)
+#+END_SRC
+** Ivy
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package ivy
+    :init
+    (setq ivy-height 10)
+    (setq ivy-use-virtual-buffers t)
+    (setq enable-recursive-minibuffers t)
+    :config
+    (ivy-mode t)
+    :bind (("C-s" . swiper)
+           ("C-c C-r" . ivy-resume)
+           ("<f6>" . ivy-resume)))
+#+END_SRC
+** Counsel
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package counsel
+    :bind (("M-x" . counsel-M-x)
+           ("C-x C-f" . counsel-find-file)))
+#+END_SRC
+    (global-set-key (kbd "<f1> f") 'counsel-describe-function)
+    (global-set-key (kbd "<f1> v") 'counsel-describe-variable)
+    (global-set-key (kbd "<f1> l") 'counsel-find-library)
+    (global-set-key (kbd "<f2> i") 'counsel-info-lookup-symbol)
+    (global-set-key (kbd "<f2> u") 'counsel-unicode-char)
+    ;; (global-set-key (kbd "C-c g") 'counsel-git)
+    ;; (global-set-key (kbd "C-c j") 'counsel-git-grep)
+    ;; (global-set-key (kbd "C-c k") 'counsel-ag)
+    ;; (global-set-key (kbd "C-x l") 'counsel-locate)
+    ;; (global-set-key (kbd "C-S-o") 'counsel-rhythmbox)
+    ;; (define-key read-expression-map (kbd "C-r") 'counsel-expression-history)
+* editing
+** line numbers
+*** relative
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package linum-relative
+    :commands linum-relative-toggle)
+#+END_SRC
+*** enable globally
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(global-linum-mode t)
+#+END_SRC
+** Indentation
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(setq-default indent-tabs-mode nil)
+(setq-default tab-width 2) ; or any other preferred value
+(defvaralias 'c-basic-offset 'tab-width)
+(defvaralias 'cperl-indent-level 'tab-width)
+#+END_SRC
+** git-gutter-fringe
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package git-gutter-fringe
+    :config (global-git-gutter-mode t))
+#+END_SRC
+** all-the-icons
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package all-the-icons
+    :commands all-the-icons-insert)
+#+END_SRC
+** backups
+from [[https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/BackupDirectory][emacs wiki]]
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(setq
+   backup-by-copying t      ; don't clobber symlinks
+   backup-directory-alist
+    '(("." . "~/.emacs.d/.saves"))    ; don't litter my fs tree
+   delete-old-versions t
+   kept-new-versions 6
+   kept-old-versions 2
+   version-control t)       ; use versioned backups
+
+#+END_SRC
+** Evil
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package evil
+    :config (evil-mode t))
+(use-package which-key
+    :init
+    (setq which-key-allow-evil-operators t)
+    (setq which-key-show-operator-state-maps t)
+    :config
+    (which-key-mode 1)
+    (which-key-setup-minibuffer)) ; do I need this?
+#+END_SRC
+*** evil-goggles
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package evil-goggles
+    :config (evil-goggles-mode)
+            (evil-goggles-use-diff-faces))
+#+END_SRC
+* Tools
+** Magit
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package magit
+  :bind (("C-c g" . magit-status)
+         ("C-c C-g l" . magit-log-all)))
+#+END_SRC
+** Pass
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package pass
+  :commands pass)
+#+END_SRC
+*** TODO helm-pass or password-store or fix keybindings for pass
+* language-specific
+** markdown
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package markdown-mode
+    :commands (markdown-mode gfm-mode)
+    :mode (("README\\.md\\'" . gfm-mode)
+	    ("\\.md\\'" . markdown-mode)
+	    ("\\.markdown\\'" . markdown-mode))
+    :init (setq markdown-command "multimarkdown"))
+#+END_SRC
+** nix
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+(use-package nix-mode
+    :commands (nix-mode)
+    :mode (("\\.nix\\'" . nix-mode)))
+#+END_SRC
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index bceff6a..3285af3 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 #!nix-shell -i bash -p stow
-$(nix-build '<nixpkgs>' -A stow --no-out-link)/bin/stow -d `dirname $0` -t ~ nix git x pentadactyl i3 gtk gpg mutt misc bash
+$(nix-build '<nixpkgs>' -A stow --no-out-link)/bin/stow -d `dirname $0` -t ~ nix git x pentadactyl gtk gpg mutt misc bash stow
 nix-build -A $(hostname -s)
diff --git a/nix/.nixpkgs/config.nix b/nix/.nixpkgs/config.nix
index acab1c5..ad8d701 100644
--- a/nix/.nixpkgs/config.nix
+++ b/nix/.nixpkgs/config.nix
@@ -228,6 +228,53 @@
       frumar = with envs; [bup gitAndTools.git-annex rtorrent pyroscope];
     };
     pandocdeps = (pkgs.texlive.combine {
+    myEmacs = emacsWithPackages (epkgs: (with epkgs.melpaStablePackages; [
+      company
+      paredit
+      counsel
+      flycheck
+      ivy
+      magit
+      projectile
+      use-package
+      org-bullets
+      solarized-theme
+      evil
+      evil-magit
+      evil-leader
+      evil-tutor
+      evil-surround
+      epkgs.evil-goggles
+      # evil-commentary
+      password-store
+      pass
+      linum-relative
+      (epkgs.trivialBuild { pname = "emacs-nix-mode"; src = pkgs.fetchFromGitHub {
+        owner = "matthewbauer";
+        repo = "nix-mode";
+        rev = "v1.2.1";
+        sha256 = "1zpqpq6hd83prk80921nbjrvcmk0dykqrrr1mw3b29ppjma5zjiz";
+      };
+      preConfigure = ''
+        rm nix-company.el nix-mode-mmm.el
+      '';
+      })
+      nix-buffer
+      which-key
+      git-gutter-fringe
+      neotree
+      all-the-icons
+      epkgs.org-cliplink
+      pandoc-mode
+      markdown-mode
+      interleave
+      # all-the-icons-dired
+      org-ref
+      avy
+      # nixos-sandbox # https://github.com/travisbhartwell/nix-emacs
+      haskell-mode
+    ]));
+    # todo: emacs-all-the-icons-fonts
       inherit (pkgs.texlive)
         scheme-basic
         # explicit list pandoc tex dependencies
diff --git a/stow/.emacs.d b/stow/.emacs.d
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..0a78785
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stow/.emacs.d
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../emacs/.emacs.d
\ No newline at end of file