diff --git a/base/.vimrc b/base/.vimrc
index 0dbe408e..07e94cb3 100644
--- a/base/.vimrc
+++ b/base/.vimrc
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 " Sane vim defaults for ArchLabs
 
+scriptencoding utf8
+
 " Arch defaults
 runtime! archlinux.vim
 
@@ -94,9 +96,6 @@ nnoremap <leader>r :call <SID>ranger()<CR>
 " match string to switch buffer
 nnoremap <Leader>b :let b:buf = input('Match: ')<Bar>call <SID>bufferselect(b:buf)<CR>
 
-" paste while in insert mode
-inoremap <silent><C-v> <Esc>:set paste<CR>a<C-r>+<Esc>:set nopaste<CR>a
-
 " change windows with ctrl+(hjkl)
 nnoremap <C-J> <C-W><C-J>
 nnoremap <C-K> <C-W><C-K>
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ nnoremap 0 ^
 nnoremap Y y$
 nnoremap n nzzzv
 nnoremap N Nzzzv
-nnoremap <Tab> ==j
+nnoremap <Tab> ==1j
 
 " re-visual text after changing indent
 vnoremap > >gv
@@ -117,9 +116,9 @@ vnoremap < <gv
 " toggle line numbers, nn (no number)
 nnoremap <silent> <Leader>nn :set number!
 
-" j = gj :: k = gk  while preserving numbered jumps eg. 12j
-nnoremap <buffer><silent><expr>j v:count ? 'j' : 'gj'
-nnoremap <buffer><silent><expr>k v:count ? 'k' : 'gk'
+" gj/k but preserve numbered jumps ie: 12j or 45k
+nmap <buffer><silent><expr>j v:count ? 'j' : 'gj'
+nmap <buffer><silent><expr>k v:count ? 'k' : 'gk'
 
 " open a terminal in $PWD
 nnoremap <silent> <Leader>tt :terminal<CR>
diff --git a/base/.xinitrc b/base/.xinitrc
index 8d49df5d..f1e57bdb 100755
--- a/base/.xinitrc
+++ b/base/.xinitrc
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-# this file is executed when calling startx
+# this file is run when calling startx
 
-# default arch xinit scripts
+# default arch init scripts
 if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ]; then
     for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/*.sh; do
         [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ]; then
 fi
 
 # user init scripts and settings
-[ -f /etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap ] && xmodmap /etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap
-[ -f ~/.Xmodmap ] && xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap
-[ -f ~/.Xresources ] && xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources
-[ -f ~/.xprofile ] && . ~/.xprofile
+[ -r /etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap ] && xmodmap /etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap
+[ -r ~/.Xmodmap ] && xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap
+[ -r ~/.Xresources ] && xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources
+[ -r ~/.xprofile ] && . ~/.xprofile
 
-# launch the session, don't put commands below the exec line
+# launch the session, commands below this line will be ignored
 exec openbox-session
diff --git a/base/.xprofile b/base/.xprofile
index 48a0b64f..9053d895 100644
--- a/base/.xprofile
+++ b/base/.xprofile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # ~/.xprofile
 
-# sourced at boot by both xinit and most display managers like lightdm
+# sourced at boot by xinit and display managers like lightdm
 
 export XDG_CONFIG_HOME="$HOME/.config"
 
diff --git a/xfce4-home/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-panel.xml b/xfce4-home/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-panel.xml
index 562527e9..878f8e23 100644
--- a/xfce4-home/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-panel.xml
+++ b/xfce4-home/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-panel.xml
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
       <property name="names-visible" type="array">
         <value type="string" value="xfce4-power-manager"/>
         <value type="string" value="network-manager-applet"/>
+        <value type="string" value="volumeicon"/>
         <value type="string" value="thunar"/>
       </property>
     </property>