diff --git a/home/cli.nix b/home/cli.nix
index ffeb20c..f2f2d15 100644
--- a/home/cli.nix
+++ b/home/cli.nix
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 
 # minimal config, suitable for servers
 let
-  myUser = "alex";
-  myName = "Alexander Kobjolke";
-  myMail = "me@failco.de";
+  user = {
+    name = "alex";
+    fullName = "Alexander Kobjolke";
+    mail = "me@failco.de";
+  };
 in {
   imports = [
     # shell config
@@ -13,15 +15,11 @@ in {
 
   programs.home-manager.enable = true;
   home = {
-    username = myUser;
-    homeDirectory = "/home/${myUser}";
+    username = user.name;
+    homeDirectory = "/home/${config.home.username}";
     stateVersion = "21.05";
     sessionPath = [ "$HOME/.local/bin" "$HOME/.emacs.d/bin" ];
-    shellAliases = {
-      e = "emacsclient -c $@";
-      ls = "exa $@";
-      t = "exa -T $@";
-    };
+    shellAliases = { e = "emacsclient -c $@"; };
   };
 
   # do not show home-manager notifications
@@ -57,8 +55,6 @@ in {
     htop-vim # htop with vim bindings
     erdtree # du+tree had sex
     dua # ncdu but better
-    bat # better cat
-    exa # better ls
     fzf
 
     gcc
@@ -96,15 +92,18 @@ in {
     target = "pijul/config.toml";
     text = ''
       [author]
-      name = "${myUser}"
-      full_name = "${myName}"
-      email = "${myMail}"
+      name = "${user.name}"
+      full_name = "${user.fullName}"
+      email = "${user.mail}"
     '';
   };
 
   programs = {
     bash = { enable = true; };
 
+    # better cat
+    bat.enable = true;
+
     zsh = {
       enable = true;
       enableAutosuggestions = true;
@@ -115,10 +114,14 @@ in {
       };
     };
 
-    starship = { enable = true; };
+    # better ls with icons and stuff, maybe also try lsd
+    exa = {
+      enable = true;
+      icons = true;
+      enableAliases = true;
+    };
 
-    # better cat
-    bat.enable = true;
+    starship = { enable = true; };
 
     direnv = {
       enable = true;
@@ -140,8 +143,8 @@ in {
     git = {
       enable = true;
       ignores = [ "*~" "*.swp" "result" "dist-newstyle" ];
-      userEmail = myMail;
-      userName = myName;
+      userEmail = user.mail;
+      userName = user.fullName;
       aliases = { st = "status"; };
       extraConfig = { init.defaultBranch = "main"; };
     };