diff --git a/flake.lock b/flake.lock
index 026ae14..2c1d0f0 100644
--- a/flake.lock
+++ b/flake.lock
@@ -36,6 +36,22 @@
         "type": "github"
       }
     },
+    "flake-compat_2": {
+      "flake": false,
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1650374568,
+        "narHash": "sha256-Z+s0J8/r907g149rllvwhb4pKi8Wam5ij0st8PwAh+E=",
+        "owner": "edolstra",
+        "repo": "flake-compat",
+        "rev": "b4a34015c698c7793d592d66adbab377907a2be8",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "edolstra",
+        "repo": "flake-compat",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
     "flake-utils": {
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1676283394,
@@ -224,6 +240,22 @@
         "type": "github"
       }
     },
+    "nixpkgs_4": {
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1678875422,
+        "narHash": "sha256-T3o6NcQPwXjxJMn2shz86Chch4ljXgZn746c2caGxd8=",
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "rev": "126f49a01de5b7e35a43fd43f891ecf6d3a51459",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "ref": "nixpkgs-unstable",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
     "nur": {
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1678614282,
@@ -271,7 +303,8 @@
         "nixpkgs-unstable": "nixpkgs-unstable",
         "nur": "nur",
         "pre-commit-hooks": "pre-commit-hooks",
-        "sops": "sops"
+        "sops": "sops",
+        "swayfx": "swayfx"
       }
     },
     "sops": {
@@ -293,6 +326,25 @@
         "type": "github"
       }
     },
+    "swayfx": {
+      "inputs": {
+        "flake-compat": "flake-compat_2",
+        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs_4"
+      },
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1678605650,
+        "narHash": "sha256-ROy8sD8/W1Sv1vF5D0EBSBm6W0KiWsuJGnQMRk6zT3Y=",
+        "owner": "willpower3309",
+        "repo": "swayfx",
+        "rev": "ac31a612164828ca6ae5478332eee3cd2317ffdc",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "willpower3309",
+        "repo": "swayfx",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
     "utils": {
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1676283394,
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 35a450a..1cfbcb2 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     sops.url = "github:Mic92/sops-nix";
 
     # dev
+    swayfx.url = "github:willpower3309/swayfx";
     pre-commit-hooks.url = "github:cachix/pre-commit-hooks.nix";
     flake-utils.url = "github:numtide/flake-utils";
   };
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
     nur,
     pre-commit-hooks,
     sops,
+    swayfx,
     ...
   }: let
     overlays = final: prev: {
@@ -72,6 +74,7 @@
                   extraSpecialArgs = {
                     flakePath = "/home/winston/.config/nixpkgs";
                     machine.personal = true;
+                    swayfx = swayfx.packages.${system}.swayfx-unwrapped;
                   };
                 };
               };
@@ -87,7 +90,7 @@
 
             ({config, ...}: {
               config = {
-                nixpkgs.overlays = [overlays];
+                nixpkgs.overlays = [overlays swayfx.overlays.default];
                 home-manager = {
                   useGlobalPkgs = true;
                   sharedModules = [sops.homeManagerModules.sops];
@@ -95,6 +98,7 @@
                   extraSpecialArgs = {
                     flakePath = "/home/w/.config/nixpkgs";
                     machine.personal = false;
+                    swayfx = swayfx.packages.${system}.swayfx-unwrapped;
                   };
                 };
               };
diff --git a/home/apps/i3.nix b/home/apps/i3.nix
index 3f8a3e6..59a0cd7 100644
--- a/home/apps/i3.nix
+++ b/home/apps/i3.nix
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   lib,
   flakePath,
   pkgs,
+  swayfx,
   ...
 }: let
   inherit (pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform) isLinux;
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
     workspaceAutoBackAndForth = true;
     terminal = "wezterm start --always-new-process";
     menu = "";
+    defaultWorkspace = "$ws1";
     keybindings = let
       mod = modifier;
       modMove = "${mod}+Shift";
@@ -152,17 +154,25 @@
 
       # modes
       "${mod}+r" = "mode \"resize\"";
-      "${mod}+p" = "mode \"system\"";
+      "${mod}+p" = "mode \"power: (l)ock, (e)xit, (r)eboot, (s)uspend, (h)ibernate, (S)hut off\"";
     };
     modes = {
-      system = {
-        "l" = "exec --no-startup-id i3exit lock, mode \"default\"";
-        "s" = "exec --no-startup-id i3exit suspend, mode \"default\"";
-        "u" = "exec --no-startup-id i3exit switch_user, mode \"default\"";
-        "e" = "exec --no-startup-id i3exit logout, mode \"default\"";
-        "h" = "exec --no-startup-id i3exit hibernate, mode \"default\"";
-        "r" = "exec --no-startup-id i3exit reboot, mode \"default\"";
-        "Shift+s" = "exec --no-startup-id i3exit shutdown, mode \"default\"";
+      "power: (l)ock, (e)xit, (r)eboot, (s)uspend, (h)ibernate, (S)hut off" = let
+        lock =
+          if wayland
+          then "swaylock"
+          else "i3lock";
+        msg =
+          if wayland
+          then "swaymsg"
+          else "i3-msg";
+      in {
+        l = "exec --no-startup-id ${lock} --color 000000, mode \"default\"";
+        e = "exec --no-startup-id ${msg} exit, mode \"default\"";
+        r = "exec --no-startup-id systemctl reboot, mode \"default\"";
+        s = "exec --no-startup-id systemctl suspend, mode \"default\"";
+        h = "exec --no-startup-id systemctl hibernate, mode \"default\"";
+        "Shift+s" = "exec --no-startup-id systemctl poweroff, mode \"default\"";
         Escape = "mode default";
         Return = "mode default";
       };
@@ -180,11 +190,10 @@
     bars = [
       {
         mode = "hide";
-        hiddenState = "hide";
         # use waybar if wayland
         command = lib.mkIf wayland "${lib.getExe config.programs.waybar.package}";
         # otherwise use i3status-rust
-        statusCommand = lib.mkIf (!wayland) "${lib.getExe config.programs.i3status-rust.package} ${config.xdg.configHome}/i3status-rust/config-default.toml";
+        statusCommand = lib.mkIf (!wayland) "${config.programs.i3status-rust.package}/bin/i3status-rs ${config.xdg.configHome}/i3status-rust/config-default.toml";
         position = "top";
         workspaceNumbers = false;
         inherit fonts;
@@ -208,15 +217,7 @@
         };
       }
     ];
-    colors = let
-      unfocused = {
-        background = "#000000";
-        border = "#CBA6F7";
-        childBorder = "#CBA6F7";
-        text = "#CDD6F4";
-        indicator = "#CBA6F7";
-      };
-    in {
+    colors = rec {
       focused = {
         background = "#000000";
         border = "#F5C2E7";
@@ -231,8 +232,14 @@
         text = "#CDD6F4";
         indicator = "#F38BA8";
       };
+      unfocused = {
+        background = "#000000";
+        border = "#CBA6F7";
+        childBorder = "#CBA6F7";
+        text = "#CDD6F4";
+        indicator = "#CBA6F7";
+      };
       focusedInactive = unfocused;
-      unfocused = unfocused;
       placeholder = unfocused;
     };
     window = {
@@ -242,7 +249,7 @@
     };
     gaps = {
       inner = 5;
-      outer = 5;
+      outer = 2;
     };
   };
   commonExtraConfig = ''
@@ -283,6 +290,42 @@
 
     # keep apps in scratchpad
     for_window [class="discord"] move scratchpad sticky
+
+    set $mode_gaps Gaps: (o)uter, (i)nner
+    set $mode_gaps_outer Outer Gaps: +|-|0 (local), Shift + +|-|0 (global)
+    set $mode_gaps_inner Inner Gaps: +|-|0 (local), Shift + +|-|0 (global)
+    bindsym ${(commonConfig {}).modifier}+Shift+g mode "$mode_gaps"
+
+    mode "$mode_gaps" {
+      bindsym o      mode "$mode_gaps_outer"
+      bindsym i      mode "$mode_gaps_inner"
+      bindsym Return mode "$mode_gaps"
+      bindsym Escape mode "default"
+    }
+    mode "$mode_gaps_outer" {
+      bindsym plus  gaps outer current plus 5
+      bindsym minus gaps outer current minus 5
+      bindsym 0     gaps outer current set 0
+
+      bindsym Shift+plus  gaps outer all plus 5
+      bindsym Shift+minus gaps outer all minus 5
+      bindsym Shift+0     gaps outer all set 0
+
+      bindsym Return mode "$mode_gaps"
+      bindsym Escape mode "default"
+    }
+    mode "$mode_gaps_inner" {
+      bindsym plus  gaps inner current plus 5
+      bindsym minus gaps inner current minus 5
+      bindsym 0     gaps inner current set 0
+
+      bindsym Shift+plus  gaps inner all plus 5
+      bindsym Shift+minus gaps inner all minus 5
+      bindsym Shift+0     gaps inner all set 0
+
+      bindsym Return mode "$mode_gaps"
+      bindsym Escape mode "default"
+    }
   '';
 in {
   fonts.fontconfig.enable = true;
@@ -353,15 +396,13 @@ in {
       enable = true;
       components = ["secrets"];
     };
-    picom = let
-      riced = true;
-    in {
+    picom = {
       enable = true;
       package = pkgs.nur.repos.nekowinston.picom-ft-labs;
       fade = false;
       backend = "glx";
       vSync = true;
-      shadow = riced;
+      shadow = true;
       settings = {
         animations = true;
         animation-exclude = [
@@ -378,9 +419,7 @@ in {
         enable-fading-prev-tag = true;
         enable-fading-next-tag = true;
 
-        blur = lib.mkIf riced {
-          method = "dual_kawase";
-        };
+        blur.method = "dual_kawase";
         blur-background-exclude = [
           "window_type = 'dock'"
           "window_type = 'desktop'"
@@ -427,6 +466,7 @@ in {
 
   wayland.windowManager.sway = lib.mkIf isLinux {
     enable = true;
+    package = swayfx;
     config =
       commonConfig {wayland = true;}
       // {
@@ -437,7 +477,14 @@ in {
           }
         ];
       };
-    extraConfig = commonExtraConfig;
+    extraConfig = ''
+      ${commonExtraConfig}
+      shadows on
+      shadow_color #0000007F
+      shadow_blur_radius 5
+      corner_radius 5
+      smart_corner_radius on
+    '';
     systemdIntegration = true;
     wrapperFeatures = {
       base = true;
diff --git a/machines/common/linux/default.nix b/machines/common/linux/default.nix
index 2fceca2..5c96661 100644
--- a/machines/common/linux/default.nix
+++ b/machines/common/linux/default.nix
@@ -7,4 +7,6 @@
   ];
   # needed for gnome3 pinentry
   services.dbus.packages = [pkgs.gcr];
+  xdg.portal.enable = true;
+  xdg.portal.wlr.enable = true;
 }
diff --git a/machines/common/linux/xsession.nix b/machines/common/linux/xsession.nix
index 291131d..6675718 100644
--- a/machines/common/linux/xsession.nix
+++ b/machines/common/linux/xsession.nix
@@ -35,9 +35,16 @@
     xserver = {
       enable = true;
       desktopManager.xterm.enable = false;
-      displayManager.gdm.enable = true;
+      displayManager = {
+        gdm.enable = true;
+        # one of these days, it'll be sway :COPIUM:
+        defaultSession = "none+i3";
+      };
       libinput.enable = true;
-      windowManager.i3.enable = true;
+      windowManager.i3 = {
+        enable = true;
+        package = pkgs.unstable.i3;
+      };
       xkbOptions = "caps:ctrl_modifier";
     };
   };